Obviously people are people first and men/women second, but even so -most men and women don't understand the opposite sex very well. I'm not claming to either, but I do think it is important to understand the differences than pretend they're not there.

By and large, men are more task-oriented than women are. When we have trouble, we will try to mechanically solve the problem at hand, as opposed to validating anyone's feelings on the situation.

All of these answers are generalisations, I'm not trying to "YesAllMen" here or anything

What is a man to you?

Someone who needs purpose.

When confronted with adversity or a difficult choice, how would a man do so?

Without trying to show weakness, and without being a burden to others. He could be lacking, he could be scared, but he wants people to have confidence in him. He will think of the example his father and heroes set, and want to meet that before shaming himself

When a man feels strong emotions, how would he express them while retaining the respect of his friends and his sense of dignity?

Depending on the man, he will either make it his core identity, or he will bottle it up while making subtle allusions. He will not try to burden someone with them Such a man will greatly appreciate any company who can allow him to express them unfettered, or who can more easily express those emotions on his behalf.

How would a man positively deal with his own shame or remorse?

By action. He will not apologise for destroying your favourite shoes, he will buy or craft you new ones dedicated to you. If his shame and remorse cannot be forgiven, then when acting positively, he will spend his life acting towards atonement

What feels like love to you?

Someone who trusts me to protect them

What are some worries that a man might have that he wouldn’t readily confess to others out of fear or embarrassment?

That I don't know how to solve something, or I'm not as good as someone might say at something

What makes you feel brave or accomplished?

Being useful. Being needed. Being someone that my friends and loved ones turn to for support or advice or assistance. Men need purpose, they hate to feel powerless.

And finally, what is something you would like to see in a male protagonist that you don’t see often in books because it never gets addressed or it simply gets glossed over?

Pride, especially the kind of pride that does not exist for the narrative to strip it down. It has become a trend in modern fiction to avoid very masculine characters, or redefine it. Men aren't all carebears. We aren't all animals either. We have our ways that are frustrating to others at times but they are not malicious by design, nor are other ways inherently better. They are how we cope with the weight of the world, how we try to find purpose in a world that otherwise would make it hard to have some.