Haley Steinfeld's Action Heroines

Haley Steinfeld's Action Girl Character Type

• Haley Steinfeld is great at playing female leads who are effortlessly cool, athletic, and skilled in combat.
• These characters have a side shave, often pink, and are protectors who have a favorite person in their life, usually someone younger.
• They have a great learning relationship with this person, but eventually, circumstances force them apart, leading to a messy situation.
• These characters are tough but also emotional, willing to be vulnerable with those they love.
• They prefer subtler gestures of affection and take things slow in their romantic relationships.

Appeal of the Character

• The character's appeal lies in their ability to balance strength and emotional vulnerability.
• They offer a mix of coolness, empowerment, and emotional depth.
• They sit at the intersection of different characteristics, making them relatable and likable.
• They are protectors, love interests, and individuals who need protection, making them complex and multi-faceted.

Structural Setup

• The story introduces the Haley Steinfeld character through the eyes of a younger counterpart.
• The younger character looks up to the older character, who is strong, capable, and confident.
• The older character's flaws and vulnerabilities are exposed as the story progresses, making their trajectory more complex and realistic.

Deception and Reality

• The story deceives the audience into thinking the older character is fully developed and invincible.
• However, the character's flaws and vulnerabilities are revealed, making them more relatable and human.
• This deception allows the story to expand and become more complex, with both characters having to restart their arcs and develop emotionally.

Character Development

• The character's development is defined by their emotional growth, not just their physical strength.
• They need to learn what real strength is, what it means to succeed, and how to confront their fears and insecurities.
• Their development is marked by a shift from a simplistic, childish understanding of the world to a more complex, nuanced one.

Romance and Relationships

• The character's romantic relationships are marked by a mix of confidence and vulnerability.
• They struggle with intimacy and emotional connection, preferring to take things slow or avoid relationships altogether.
• They need support and love, but struggle with surrendering to relationships.

Writing Tips

• To write a character like Haley Steinfeld, start with two characters: a younger counterpart and an older, cooler character.

• Establish a close relationship between the two, with the younger character looking up to the older one.

• Build a world that is more complex than the characters think, and make sure they lack the tools to deal with these complexities.

• Allow the characters to fail and restart their arcs, developing emotionally and confronting their fears and insecurities.### Avoiding Pitfalls in Writing Strong Female Characters

• Learn from common pitfalls to write better female characters

• Move beyond the basics of giving female characters flaws, making them fail, and showing emotions without making them fragile

Haley Steinfeld Model

• Four tips for writing strong female characters:
• Make characters strong in the wrong way (e.g., physical strength doesn't equate to beating story obstacles)
• Make character strength a part of who they are (not just a tacked-on bonus)
• Make character strength a double-edged sword (e.g., physical strength can create problems as well as solve them)
• Connect character strength to their relationships (e.g., a character's strength is for the people they care about)

Character Development

• Avoid making characters physically strong but emotionally cold and wooden
• Connect character strength to their relationships to avoid this trap
• Define characters by their goals and identities (e.g., protector, not just a cool, aloof character)

Writing Strong Characters

• These tips apply to writing strong male characters, smart characters, leaders, villains, and more
• Good character development involves creating organic, intimate moments with characters and expanding their range to include softness and vulnerability

Haley Steinfeld's Action Girl Character Type

• Haley Steinfeld typically plays female leads who are cool, athletic, and skilled in combat, with distinctive hairstyles, such as a side shave, often dyed pink.
• These characters are protectors who have a special bond with someone younger, usually a protégé or loved one, and have a strong learning relationship with them.

Characteristics

• They embody a mix of toughness and emotional vulnerability, making them complex and relatable.
• They prefer subtle expressions of affection and take things slow in romantic relationships.
• They are multifaceted, serving as protectors, love interests, and individuals who need protection.

Story Structure

• The story often introduces the Haley Steinfeld character through the eyes of a younger counterpart.
• The younger character looks up to the older character, who appears strong, capable, and confident, but whose flaws and vulnerabilities are later exposed.

Deception and Reality

• The story initially presents the older character as fully developed and invincible, only to reveal their flaws and vulnerabilities, making them more human and relatable.

Character Development

• The character's growth is defined by their emotional development, rather than just physical strength.
• They need to learn what true strength means, how to succeed, and how to confront their fears and insecurities.
• Their development involves a shift from a simplistic to a more nuanced understanding of the world.

Romance and Relationships

• The character's romantic relationships are marked by a mix of confidence and vulnerability.
• They struggle with intimacy and emotional connection, preferring to take things slow or avoid relationships altogether.

Writing Strong Female Characters

• To write a character like Haley Steinfeld, start with a younger and an older character, establishing a close relationship between them.
• Build a complex world that challenges the characters, making them confront their fears and insecurities.
• Allow the characters to fail and restart their arcs, developing emotionally and growing as individuals.

Avoiding Pitfalls

• Move beyond giving female characters flaws, making them fail, and showing emotions without making them fragile.
• Learn from common pitfalls to write more nuanced and complex female characters.

Key Writing Tips

• Make character strength a part of who they are, not just a bonus.
• Make character strength a double-edged sword, creating problems as well as solving them.
• Connect character strength to their relationships, making it a key aspect of their identity.
• Avoid making characters physically strong but emotionally cold and wooden.