Author_without
I just started Where My Prayers Landed, and I really like the emotional idea behind it, that sometimes love doesn’t arrive as something dramatic, but as one person who stays, worries, protects, and becomes a quiet answer to everything someone was too tired to ask for out loud. In my own YA story, Lou hides pain behind humor and messy energy, while JJ is someone from her past who starts noticing what she tries to cover up. From a writer’s perspective, how do you write a protective male lead without making him feel like he “fixes” the girl? How do you make his care feel earned, gentle, and respectful instead of too perfect?
earlybird_sanem
@Author_without Thank you so much for reading Where My Prayers Landed and for such a thoughtful question. Personally, I think a protective male lead feels most respectful when he doesn't try to solve her pain, but chooses to stay beside her through it. Instead of fixing her, he listens, notices the small things, respects her boundaries, and supports her choices even when he can't make things better. I think care feels earned when both characters help each other grow, rather than one saving the other. Lou sounds like a really interesting character, and I already love the dynamic you've described between her and JJ. Wishing you the best with your story! ❤️