Jeff Coleman

Jeff Coleman is a writer who finds himself drawn to the dark and the mysterious, and to all the extraordinary things that regularly hide in the shadow of ordinary life.

Am I The Hero or The Villain?

Hero and Villain
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In literature, there are two roles that manifest themselves over and over again: the hero and the villain.

The hero is the one who’s not only content with living a decent life, but goes above and beyond. The hero doesn’t just meet but exceeds expectations. The hero goes out of his way to save the day.

The villain is the one who not only does evil, but revels in it. The villain doesn’t simply do wrong out of weakness, but finds his purpose in the pain and suffering of others.

The friction between the hero and the villain is fierce, and it sparks the fire that fuels countless stories. Both the hero and the villain tell us something about the nature of humanity; they teach us about the internal forces that motivate our thoughts and actions.

Therefore, when considering who you relate to, you might ask yourself, “am I the hero or the villain?”

Evidence That You’re the Hero

Have you ever stood up for a just cause? It might have been a principle you believed in deeply. Or perhaps you defended a friend or loved one against bullying, gossip or slander. Maybe, in a remarkable feat of love and courage, you went so far as to stand up for a total stranger.

Have you ever loved at the expense of your personal needs and desires? You might have been a friend, a son, a daughter, a father, a mother or a spouse. Maybe you’ve dedicated your life to raising a family.

Have you ever given to someone in need? You might have provided for someone’s material necessities by donating money, food or clothing. Or perhaps you attended to someone’s emotional necessities by providing a shoulder to cry on. Maybe you were present in someone’s life when they were in need of comfort. You might have given something as simple as a smile.

Have you ever found something valuable, discovered who it belonged to and returned it instead of keeping it for yourself?

Have you ever expressed simple gratitude for what you have instead of taking it for granted? Even better, have you ever expressed your gratitude for someone else’s success, instead of envying them for it?

Have you ever been tempted by evil, but refused to act because you knew it was wrong?

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, if you answered yes to any of the questions above, then without a doubt you have played the part of the hero.

Evidence That You’re the Villain

Have you ever been a bully? Have you ever attacked and injured another, either with your thoughts or with your words?

Have you ever stood by and allowed something evil to take place when it was within your power to stop it? You might have refused to stand up for something you believe in, or you might have looked the other way while someone was under attack.

Have you ever stolen something that didn’t belong to you? It might have been worth as much as one thousand dollars or as little as one.

Have you ever lied to someone about something they had the right to know? Perhaps you were scared and wanted to avoid getting in trouble.

Have you ever spent an inordinate amount of time chasing after material wealth at the expense of family and friends?

Have you ever ignored a loved one, friend or stranger in need? Perhaps the need was material and you chose not to give food or money when you could have afforded to do so. Perhaps the need was emotional and you refused to acknowledge them or give them comfort.

Have you ever used someone as a tool for personal gain?

Have you ever harbored a grudge or sought vengeance against another?

Have you ever willfully desired that grave misfortune or harm befall another? Worse, have you ever acted on that desire?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then you have certainly played the part of the villain.

“I’m Confused.”

If you were honest with yourself, you probably found evidence that you were both. So, which is it? Are you the hero or the villain?

In practice, the terms hero and villain are relative. The archetypes are two ends of a vast spectrum, with each of us residing somewhere in-between.

Showing off my mad graphic design skills!
Showing off my mad graphic design skills!

Becoming The Hero

While none of us will ever be the archetypal hero we desire to be, with hard work and dedication, we can come close. It’s a slow but fruitful journey from one end of the spectrum to the other, a road paved with self examination and good works.

Everyday, you must sit down with yourself and ask, “how have I been the villain?” You must be honest and you must be willing to face some ugly truths. When you have the answers you seek, you must actively work to purge those villainous desires from your heart so that the next day, you can be better than you were the day before. If you make this a frequent habit, you will find in the fullness of time that you have drifted remarkably close to the role of the hero.

What Exactly Is A Hero?

To be a hero, you need not fight crime or pull people from burning buildings. You must only be courageous enough to recognize and face the villain within yourself, to turn your back on him by doing good. Extraordinary feats of bravery are certainly heroic, but they are not the criteria by which heroism is defined.

There are silent heroes all around us. They are the ones who love. They are the ones who attend to others. They are the ones who do their part to make their small corner of the world a better place.

The archetypal hero is an ideal that we will never fully realize in this life. But that doesn’t mean we can’t come close.

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What’s In It For Me?

I strive first and foremost to be honest and straightforward with my readers. I’ve found that in the great adventure of life, beating around the bush and pretending to be something you’re not is not only wrong, but a recipe for failure. I could pretend that my blog serves no other purpose than to entertain and share ideas, but that wouldn’t be the truth. These things are all an integral part of why I’m here, of course — I wouldn’t waste your time if I didn’t think I had something of value to share — but this blog also serves another purpose.

I’m an author. I’m trying to build an audience for my work so that I can get my stories out into the world.

It’s hard when you’re first starting out, because you’re completely unknown. You’re just another nobody in a sea of nobodies. The market is currently oversaturated, so that there are more books than there are readers. And to make matters worse, many of the books released today are hastily written and poorly edited, which means trust in a new author is automatically very low. I not only have to demonstrate that I have good ideas, I also have to find a way to prove that I can write well before people read my writing. This is not an easy thing to do.

I want to make it clear before I continue that marketing will play a very small role in my blog. I believe that the best way to prove myself is not to climb the nearest rooftop and shout at the top of my lungs, but to engage my readers with meaningful thought-provoking posts, and to let my writing speak for itself.

With that understanding, I want to ask you for a favor. Despite all of the many innovations in social media, the best way to keep in touch with readers and to let them know about your work remains good ol’ fashioned email. Consequently, a mailing list is vital for success. I’m going to provide a link that allows you to add yourself to my mailing list. If you’re interested in my work, I’m asking you to sign up for it.

What's In It For Me?
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I know what you’re thinking. “What’s in it for me?”

First, here’s a promise of what I WILL NOT do with your information:

I WILL NOT share your email address. As someone with his own personal information to protect, I can assure you, I take your right to privacy seriously. I’m looking for a meaningful connection with an interested audience, not a block of random email addresses to be sold to the highest bidder.

I WILL NOT send you spam. Your time is valuable; you shouldn’t have to sift through junk. You’ll only receive an update from me once a month, and if later you change your mind, you can easily remove yourself from the list.

Second, in return for entrusting me with your email address, here’s what I WILL do with your information:

I WILL give you a steep pre-release discount on all of my new books. My success hinges on your willingness to read my work, and I want to thank you for your support by saving you as much money as possible. I might require financial support to be successful, but that doesn’t mean I need to take you for all you’re worth. Your support is truly appreciated, and I want to return the favor.

I WILL offer you exclusive content that can only be received through the mailing list. I haven’t yet decided what this will be, but it’ll probably include supplemental chapters that add depth and insight into the characters and scenarios you encounter in my books, as well as original short stories.

The SignIf you sign up, I’ll also send you a free copy of my short story on Amazon, The Sign.

Whatever you decide, thank you for reading!

You can click here to join my mailing list.

Enter your email address and click "Submit" to subscribe and receive The Sign.