by Maria Geraci

This Saturday, I’ll be giving a workshop for the Ancient City Romance Writers of America (great group, btw!) on Creating a Strong Romantic Heroine. It’s my contention that the heroine in your romance novel is the back bone of your entire story. If your readers don’t connect with her in a strong way, then your story is going to fall apart. No one likes a wimpy dumb heroine. Nor do they like a Perfect Polly either.

I put together a list of the qualities I most admire/like in a heroine and came up with the following.

Smart.
Capable.
Loyal.
Quirky.
Sense of Humor.
Kind.
Ambitious.

Who are some of my favorite heroines from literature/film? There’s lots to pick from but without a doubt my top favorites are:

Who are your favorite literary heroines? And what characteristics do you admire most in them?