! YA Heroines ! discussion

We need more debates here, so here's one: what do you think are the best traits in a heroine? What are the worst?

Personally, the best in my opinion is being able to stand her ground and the worst is falling to pieces when her boyfriend leaves her. What do the rest of you think?

A bit of sass, some brains to go with and a sense of humour. LOL
Good natured stubborness as well. Haha.

But seriously, a heroine with a heart. Thats all I ask. :D

Ohhh and on that note is stubborness a good or bad trait in a heroine?

I think stubbornness can go both ways. It can make characters refuse to give up (which is good) but it can also make them refuse to do what needs to be done. Worse, it can even make them do things you as the reader knows won't work and leaves you throwing up your hands in frustration, asking "why do you insist on doing something so stupid?"

From a writers perspective, stubborn characters are either really easy or really hard to write for with no in-between. They will either act exactly as you expect and move the story along or they will stand there, stamping their foot, and yell that they don't want to go that way. It takes a lot more work to get a story back on track when a stubborn characters derails it.

I like it when a Heroine is stubborn in a headstrong way, like they are sticking with their beliefs and they won't let anyone push them around. Stubbornness is bad when the heroine is acting like a brat for no reason.

I really don't like reading a book with a main character that seems falsely cheery. Part of that is the writing style of the writer that created her, but it still bugs me. I don't run across those types of characters around though, but they are my least favorite characters.

worst is when the heroine just sits back and says nothing than tries to fix it afterwords or when the decisions they make are obviously the wrong one but they do it anyway BEST is when they know the right decision and make it even when no one agrees with them

I really like it when a Heroine can adapt and be flexible when everything goes horribly. They don't dwell on the fact that things are bad very much, but instead takes steps to make improve things.

If the female protagonist is stupidly stubborn and has absolutely no morals. In my books she is not a heroine. Simple as that!

I don't like heroines that are overly dependent on the hero. they can't think for themselves or are too weak. I like funny, decisive and smart heroines