How To Write A Cliche Best Friend

How to Write a Cliche Best Friend


Here are the basics of best friend characters:

1. She's probably a girl, she's probably black or some other minority, while the main character is not.
2. She's super cool. She has some kind of epic hobby that makes her unique and makes her stand out from the crowd.
3. She is confident and sassy where the main character is shy.
4. She goes to the same high school as the main character and defends her from the sticks and stones of all the bullies.
5. No one messes with her. At least, not that we see. She doesn't need defending.
6. Her home situation is unknown. She helps the main character through thick and thin, but whatever her thicks and thins are seem to be none of our business.
7. When the main character says something she can't take back, it hurts the best friend, but when the main character apologizes, of course, the best friend forgives her.
8. She never says things she can't take back. She is wise in her own way. She always knows what to say and how to help.
9. When the monsters come and secrets start being kept, she isn't the first to know.
10. When she is finally told the secrets, she is a little hurt that she wasn't told earlier, but she forgives because, of course, she is always understanding.
11. When she is asked to join forces with the main character, she accepts gladly. She always wants to be by her friend's side.
12. She takes up what weapons she can(good ones, but not the best ones) and she fights the monsters. She fights them well, but not as well as the main character.
13. She may get a spotlight moment, but she can never save the day.
14. When the main character beats the monsters at last, the best friend is proud. She really is so proud. How she loves the main character, her best friend.  
15. When the main character leaves to go on her own adventure, she is nothing but supportive. The main character is her closest and maybe only friend, but of course, she is understanding.
16. When the main character is gone, she is lonely.
17. But she is no longer part of the story. Until the time comes when or if the main character returns, she doesn't matter. 
18. She will probably be forgotten.
19. She wonders what the point is if she is forgotten.
20. She wakes up one morning with determination. She packs her bags and says her goodbyes.
21. She gathers her friends together, equal friends, all just as good as one another and just as important. Diverse, unique, and beautiful people. Real people.
22. She asks her friends to join her on her journey. They will be a merry band. Not King Arthur and his knights, not Robin Hood and his merry men. How she loves those heroes, but she is not them. They are the Fellowship of the Ring, conquering together as great people unto themselves, joined in unity for one cause. All important.
23. She smiles at the photo of her friend as she slips it into her backpack. How she loves the main character, but she has a life of her own. They have gone down their own paths now.
24. She is just the best friend. She is sweet and kind and full of spunk. She stands in the background and cheers the heroes on.
25. But now she is a hero too.
26. And now she is going on an adventure of her own.

I hope you enjoyed this little post-turned-short-story. This was not a "rip into the idea of a hero character" or even a "rip into the idea of a best friend character" session, but rather an exploration of what is and what could be. I think the best friend character always, always deserves more recognition and more thought into how wonderful they are, and that's what this was.

Love your best friend characters because they are people with their own stories like everyone else.

Again, I really hope you enjoyed and that you would like to read more from my blog. Perhaps add your name to the email list? I post every Tuesday and Thursday, and I promise I try to be funny. ;) See you on Thursday!