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Jennifer's characters have best friends...
When we write a story, our focus is usually on the hero and
heroine and how to develop them into three-dimensional characters. We form
their backstory, motivation and character arc and we hope the reader will
relate to them.
But one of the best techniques to help develop a character
is to give them a best friend. In real life, we are often judged by our best
friends and our characters are no different. Who they choose to hang out with
says a lot about them.
Best friends can say things the reader is often wondering,
such as, “Why are you doing this?” or “Haven’t you learned anything?” They can
act as go-betweens for the hero and heroine and clue the other into the
character’s motivation. They can help show the backstory without using an info
dump. They can even play matchmaker!
In many of my stories, my hero or heroine has a best friend
that they confide in. In A Heart of Little Faith, my heroine, Lily, has a best
friend who is the catalyst for her meeting the hero, Gideon. Because she knows
both characters well (Gideon is the best friend’s brother), she can provide
each of them insight into the other.
In Skin Deep, Valerie’s best friend at work also introduces
her to the hero and becomes a confidant when they have problems.
In both The Seduction of Esther and Miriam’s Surrender, the
heroines’ best friend is her sister and that adds an additional dimension
because they’ve obviously grown up together and family dynamics play a big
part.
But it’s not just women who have best friends. When guys
interact with their friends it’s an opportunity to show their masculine side
and how that side differs from the side they show the women in the story.
Sometimes that masculine side can be a good thing, and other times it isn’t.
But in all cases, best friends enable the writer to show various aspects of
their characters.
I agree completely, Jen.
ReplyDeleteSome methods define these secondary characters by their service to the hero(one) and story: mentor, logic, herald, emotion, ally,etc.
I love the term 'henchmen' for friends of the villain.
Oh, that is a great term, Ana.
DeleteInteresting blog, Jennifer. I don't always give my chacters friends. Now you've set me thinking that it's something I should do.
ReplyDeleteSomeone once told me they don't live in a vacuum, and it's true. Family members and children also work well.
DeleteA best friend also helps you to avoid a lot of internal dialogue.All my heroines have had a best friend/sister/someone they can confide in. My heroes usually haven't - they have friends, yes, but not someone to confide in, because (generally speaking, of course!) men don't tend to confide in their male friends, at least not about matters of the heart. That's a sweeping statement, I know, and I'm open to correction, of course! .
ReplyDeleteI actually like having my heroes have best friends because you can do male confidences if you pay close attention to how men do it versus women. It doesn't work for all of my books, but when it does, it's great!
DeleteI might try it sometime, although I think it's fairly unusual for men to talk about their feelings to another man. Sometimes they can't even talk to their women about their feelings!
DeleteThey can get their feelings across without talking about them, while still talking to their friends.
DeleteI've used friends as secondary characters in a lot of my stories. Some, like you mentioned, I use so I can have dialogue revealing some character aspects instead of pages and pages of internal monologue. I've also included them to introduce them to readers, planning on giving them their own stories some day.
ReplyDeleteThat's the part that scares me, Debra, because I want to use them, but even with the best of intentions I find I've often painted myself into a corner.
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