It’s been awhile but historical fiction author Tamera Lynn Kraft is back with a guest blog, “Let’s Be Friends: Writing about Friendship.” Tamera isn’t only an author. She owns and manages Mt Zion Ridge Press and has designed all the fabulous covers for my Rae Riley novels. So glad you to have you back, Tamera, with your latest novel!
I’ve written many novels that include friendships. In my latest novel, THE AFTERMATH, Betsy and Lavena’s friendship is a major part of the story. It’s easy to show friendship in a novel if you add these elements.
5 Keys to Friendship
Friendships in novels, as well as real life, need to include shared experience. The friends need to have a past together. You can incorporate these shared experiences within the novel if the friendship is just starting to develop, but if you want to show a deep friendship, there needs to be a backstory of what these friends have been through together. In THE AFTERMATH, Betsy and Lavena were friends long before the story began. They were roommates at Oberlin College, and they had an apartment together when Betsy’s husband was fighting the Civil War.
Friendships in novels should always include shared values. Friends can be completely different when it comes to temperament and personality, but friendships that remain through the years must have shared values. For instance, in THE AFTERMATH, Betsy and Lavena are both strong Christians who believe in helping those who are forgotten by society. Lavena wants to have a career and “save” the world, and Betsy is more concerned with being a homemaker and mother and saving her marriage, but they both will do whatever it takes to share the love of God with others. That is their shared value.
Vulnerability is important in friendships. Even if you have a strong character who is independent, that character needs to have a friend she can go to when she is going through difficulty, someone she can be vulnerable with. And her friend needs to be willing to listen and help when needed. Sometimes a friend will see the need even before the main character shares it and will coax the friend to share. In THE AFTERMATH, Lavena tells Betsy she knows something is wrong, before Betsy opens up and shares that her husband is a drunk. This is a great device to use so the main character doesn’t coming across as whining about her problems. Instead, her friend is encouraging her to open up. It’s also a great device to show your main character’s perspective and how she feels about what she is going through.
In life, and in novels, friends have an easy and relaxed communication style. They understand each other and talk about shared experiences easily. Avoid having stilted conversation between friends because it won’t be believable. The formal, stilted conversations should be reserved for conversations with people your characters don’t know well or don’t trust.
Finally, forgiveness is an important part of friendship. If there is conflict between friends in your story, the relationship needs to be restored at some point even if the friendship has changed in some way if you are to have a satisfying ending.
Close friendships enrich our lives. This is true with fiction as well, even if the friendship is not the main plot of the story. It can enrich the development of your characters. Deep friendships portrayed in a novel can make the reader feel like she’s a part of that friendship and that the main character is her friend as well.
To read Tamera’s other guest posts, click here.
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The Aftermath: Ladies of Oberlin 3
Betsy loves her husband, Nate, but losing his leg in the Civil War has changed him. He never touched alcohol before the war, but now he’s turning into a drunk. She doesn’t know how to help him, but to save their marriage she’s going to do everything she can. If only she can figure out how.
Tormented by the loss of his leg, Nate feels worthless. His drinking only makes things worse, but he can’t stop. It’s only a matter of time before he drives Betsy away. Why did God allow this to happen? What does he owe God now, after this betrayal?
Nate’s anger and bitterness are building a wall that neither he nor Betsy can break down or climb over. Only God can help them, but Nate is no longer on speaking terms with the Lord. Is there any hope for them?
Meet the Ladies of Oberlin, the causes they’re willing to fight for, and the men who capture their hearts.
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In her spare time, Tamera Lynn Kraft loves to watch classic movies, drink quality teas, and ride on roller coasters, but not while drinking tea. She does drink tea while writing and working as managing editor for Mt Zion Ridge Press, a traditional Christian publishing company. She has always loved adventures and loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because
there are so many stories in American history. The Ladies of Oberlin Series including RED SKY OVER AMERICA, LOST IN THE STORM, and THE AFTERMATH are among her published works, some of which have won awards.
Tamera has been married for a very long time to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and the most adorable and smartest grandchildren in the world. She was a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is now the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire for Kids where she mentors and coaches children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist. She has written children’s church curriculum including Building Foundations and is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.
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