Hello my lovely readers!
How have you been? I hope you had some time to enjoy the weekend. It’s been snowing a bit here and I’m enjoying my time cuddled up with my old lady cat next to the oven.
I’ve been reading Jillian Meadows’ books Give Me Butterflies and Wreck My Plans (I’m still in the middle of that one) over the past week and I really enjoyed both of them so far. The MMC’s are both green flags and as I was petting the soft fur of the cutiepie next to me, I started to wonder what kind of personality traits make someone a green flag in my eyes.
I’m sure that we will have many points to agree on, but I also think that the term is, to a part, also quite subjective.
Thinking of the main leads of a romance novel, to me, a green flag is someone who makes the other person feels at peace.
Someone who knows themselves and also their partner, who is willing to compromise and fight for their relationship, but who is also able to call thir significant other out when they’re going astray.
I don’t think there’s one right formula for identifying a green flag, but I think being patient, showing respect and being big on consent are just a few more things that pop into my mind when I think of a person who fits that term.
Putting only these traits into a character, doesn’t make him or her a full person though. Green flag or not, we all go through multiple lessons in life, instances, traumas, happy moments and many many days of endless potential for growth.
Human beings are complex structures, each made up of all the things they have experienced throughout their lives. Our experiences shape us, which is why we identify most with characters who show us a bit of their journey and the reasons as to why they have become the person they display to be in the novel we are reading.
The main male lead in the novel I’m writing right now (Witch’s Love), is my depiction of a green flag. He’s had hundreds of experiences throughout his life as a vampire, teaching him about the coming and going of acquaintances, the value of friendships, how feble the human heart can be and how unwavering his own has always been. In the book, he experiences how, in some circumstances, patience can be rewarded with something so beautiful and mesmerizing that he would gladly go through all his hardships again just to be able to meet the person who makes his mind feel at ease. Our vampire is witty and flirty, but he also has a deep understanding of what it means to find that one person that makes your heart skip a beat and your soul sigh in relief. His story is one of coldness, longing, heartbreak and struggles and it turns into one of strenght, warmth, mutual love, support and belonging.
I think he’s one of my favorite characters that I’ve written until now and I can’t wait to tell you all more about Witch’s Love!
And now I’m curious: What makes someone a green flag to you?
Let’s chat in the comments, I’d love to know your answers!
Thank you for reading today’s post and I wish you all a great week ahead!
Love,
-Nika.^^
