From the moment Angel's Jersey girl friend Gina makes her debut in Casting the First Stone, it's clear to the reader that the women are nothing alike. Still, a friendship forged in the office of an auto repair shop persists despite the women's differences in background, lifestyle, and marital status. Although Angel's life has changed dramatically since her days as a receptionist, the bond between the two friends remains, with Angel bringing out Gina's softer side and Gina nudging Angel to be more daring.
Marita and her best friend (and sidekick) Bets have a lot more in common. As with Angel and Gina, life changes have led the two women down different paths, but Bets provides a glimpse into the Marita she has always known -- the one readers can imagine, but never see. It's easy to see how Marita and Bets could have been very much alike earlier in their lives, and that gives readers insight into the events and emotions that shaped Marita into the character who shows up on the page.
Just as women need girlfriends in real life, so too do fictional characters. Both need sidekicks and amateur therapists, Bible study buddies and drinking buddies, people to pick us up when we're down and ride the wave alongside us when life is wonderful.
Our friends give us glimpses into ourselves, seeing us in a way we can't see ourselves. In fact, that's part of what makes writing secondary characters so much fun. They can be daring and outspoken, providing a contrast to a character who's more quiet or serious, or a complement to one who is equally ready for whatever comes next. They can move the plot forward by talking our protagonists into (or out of) adventures and bad decisions. They can steal the story at times, and the same character can be beloved by some readers and disliked by others.
Bets is a good example of this. Some readers relate to her fierce loyalty and sense of fun, while others see her as a bad influence. A suggestion from one reader that Bets needed her own book inspired her parallel story line in Courting Peace, a move that was sure to please some readers and annoy others.
In the novel I'm working on now, no one bears any resemblance to Marita or Bets, nor to Angel or Gina, but each has her own distinct personality and way of interacting with the others. Recently, a woman who was supposed to have only a walk-on role ended up with a much bigger part. She insisted, and I didn't argue. It was clear that she brought something different to the story, so I widened the circle.
In the real world, friends help us to shape our identities and navigate our lives. Why should it be any different in fiction?
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