As a writer, I spend a lot of time making up people. Creating their personalities, building their world, learning them inside out. (Although part of me wants to argue that I don’t do any of the work. They just tell me who they are and I copy it down, but that’s another post. I may have already written it.) As a reader, I spend a lot of time reading about these brain babies that came from the wondrous imaginations of fellow authors, and no small portion of that time is spent wishing myself into the worlds those characters inhabit.

Have you ever thought about which character you’d be if you were in a book? I mean, sure, we all hope we’d be the main character, right? The one to save the day? Or at least to be the love interest. The one all the other characters (not to mention the readers) pine for.

But books would be boring if it was just main characters and love interests. Who would the MC fight against? Who would they save? Who would provide comic relief?

If I were a book character, I would most definitely be the heroine. I mean, taking on the bad guys, saving the world, snagging the hot guy…

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I KID.

But seriously. If I were a book character, I’d probably be the Snarky Best Friend. The one who always has a smart comment or borderline-inappropriate joke. The one who is maybe a little cautious, but still pushes the MC toward her (or his) destiny. There for support, or to be saved from some treacherous situation.

I’m not the one who gets the guy, but I play Cupid, pushing the love interest toward my BFF. Husbands and other attached guys adore my friendship and quick wit, while the unattached guys make a beeline for the MC. Or, if my BFF the MC is a guy, I’m most likely secretly in love with him, but will self-sacrificially help him find his One True Love (not me). I am the gatekeeper there too, heading off those those are unworthy or incapable of helping to save the world. (Superpowers are a plus.)

I get dragged along on the final adventure, and in the end the MC probably wouldn’t be able to save the world without me, but I’m fine without the glory. All I care about is that my friend is safe and sound and in love by the last page. OR, alternatively, by the end of the series.

Of course, this is only one genre of Snarky Best Friend, but most of the attributes are easily adjusted for other genres.

So now it’s your turn. Tell me in the comments which character you would be. Or, if you’re feeling long-winded, write about it on your blog and link in the comments. Tag your friends! I bet we could get a pretty epic novel together with a crazy cast of characters.