Pet Peeve

I'm currently teaching an online class about characterization. The exact title has to do with building realistic and believable characters. I realized when putting together my lectures that I have a pretty obvious pet peeve in romance novels. It has to do with the hero. Basically, I get all grumbly when the hero's sole internal conflict centers on him being anti-commitment. I've posted three lectures and mentioned this pet peeve in every one. And just wait until we get to the in-depth talk on the hero.

I view the commitment issue as the easy way out and one that's not all that compelling. Not putting down any author or author choice here, just stating my view. I need something more. Sure, I've had talk of commitment in my books before, but I've tried very hard not to have the traditional anti-commitment hero. I just think so many times anti-commitment becomes a shortcut for what keeps the parties from getting together. Like, the main conflict – that tension preventing the characters from just declaring their real feelings immediately – is the hero's "I never want to get married" thing.

Many times the hero is said to feel this way and there's no real basis for the anti-commitment bias. Then there's the part with this same hero has no problem commiting to a job or emotionally commiting to good friends or relatives. Yeah, that's a different kind of relationship, but the point is the hero can make connections when he wants to. So then I'm supposed to believe he can connect with people except the heroine? I tend not to buy it. I want something more. If the hero shuns commitment, I want a good reason and need the conflict to go deeper.

Clearly I have decided to spread the word on this anti-commitment issue, and now I have.