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Mary Sue Fanfiction Checklist |
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This is a list of traits that are commonly found in Mary Sue characters. However, if a character has quite a number of the traits described below, Mary-Sueness can still be averted by a good enough explanation for why they're there. So take this list as a guide to help avoid and develop your character into an realistic and believable being.
Each of these traits were found in many Mary Sue stories from many different fandoms. I want to make sure this list is extensive so that it can educate and help people. I will also be coming back to this if there's something that a Mary Sue tends to do alot. If I miss something please feel free to leave a comment.
1. Stubbornness and a bad temper. These are usually a Mary Sue's "major flaws". Why for the quotations? Because these will only ever help her, not hurt her. She's always right, so whatever cause she dedicates herself with such stubbornness will be good, so her flaw isn't a flaw. And whoever she loses her temper with will deserve it so that too isn't a flaw.
a. Clumsiness does NOT count as a flaw. It's far too generic and only serve to make her look "cute". If your character is inherently clumsy, they need to be clumsy during battles, not just when it would be funny to have them fall down. Or have them trip when they're around their love interest just so they can fall into their arms. In order for it to be a real flaw it must be a problem for them and the characters around them. And don't over do it either, especially if the character can't go without two seconds causing problems because of their clumsiness.
b. Being innocent isn't a flaw. Most Sues that are innocent go extreme with it, to a point where it's annoying because she's good, pure and can do no wrong. And that she's so innocent it's a problem to the other characters because she doesn't understand they're flirting with her. Again, that's not a real flaw, nor is stupidity and obliviousness (which sometimes comes with being "innocent" wink .
c. If they have cowardly tendencies, DON´T make them overcome this during the first or second (or even third or fourth) battle. They may cower many times and learn to overcome it over time, but their cowardly tendencies must show effort and struggle of trying to get over it. It's realistic when they've thought they had fully gotten rid of it only for it to come back and get the better of them when they least expected it. It makes them more human and relatable if they struggle to overcome it or maybe not be able to stop being afraid sometimes.
d. Flaws like impatience, obsession with looks and trouble making friends are realistic flaws within the character. They should be flaws that have real consequences for the character in his or her life and advance the story forward. So when a character has overwhelming positive attributes, flaws are use to counteract and to balance them out. Lastly, avoid going too far in the other direction, and creating an "Anti-Sue". The Anti-Sue is a character so flawed and so incapacitated that they become practically unusable, and incredibly dull to read about. In many cases this is actually considered worse than the normal version. Balance again is the key here.
2. Having unnecessary skills/abilities, especially when they play no factor in the plot and are only there to make the character seem more amazing. Or worst, having a skill or powers that such thing in the canon universe it does not exist or has never even been mentioned as a possibility of ever existing.
3. When it comes to skills or powers they are always better than the canon characters. They're so better than them that they didn't require effort or training to get so powerful. Or if they happen to train themselves or get some help in mastering them, they managed to catch on very quickly and/or fully master it in a few days or weeks or maybe in just a month or two. Which is unbelievable, especially if it took a canon character years to get so strong.
a. Natural athletic ability. She can run like the wind without ever having worked on her running, and has impossibly high acrobatic skills. Even if she trained when she was younger or it's has been two years since she has done intensive track or whatever. But no matter who or what they are, they WILL get tired quickly and become sore when using muscles they haven't used in a very long time. It is only believable if she is currently active in a sport or in an activity that requires one or more skills, depending on whatever it is and is constantly in use. After all, the more active they are and train, the more stamina they have to do stuff.
4. Sometimes they have powers that are similar to what another character has, only with the limitations remove.
5. Perfect singing voice. In which people (or the male interest) flock to her when she happens to be alone and singing to herself. She tries to be modest or shy but eventually her singing becomes a big deal and becomes the center of attention. And/or the males fall in love with her angelic voice and the females turn green with envy. Sometimes she takes every opportunely to show off her skills when someone asks, or if singing is needed or she's just in the mood to randomly sing.
6. Is excellent at playing any instruments of her choice. Most of them choose a guitar or a piano and they happen to have a natural talent at it or took lessons when they were younger (but yet they seem to be good at it still like the first day they mastered it. Logically they would be pretty rusty because they learned it in their childhood and people tend to forget things too). This trait could be realistic and believable if it's relevant to the plot (so no showing off that the character knows how to play just to make her seem awesome). Everything needs a reason to appear and if it's important that the character knows how to play alot of instruments than make sure that's clear. For example, if their power deals with soundwaves and they need to carry an instrument to help produce it incase their voice gets damage or maybe they can't sing correctly. That if they try to, they might kill someone by reaching a wrong pitch like erupting their brain. Maybe they can make people deaf or blind. So it's important to have a reason behind it and that when it comes to powers or whatnot there's a balance of pros and cons.
7. Speaks several languages fluently. This can vary depending on the setting, of course. A modern-day diplomat is expected to know at least one or two other languages, but a 14-year-old pleasant girl in Feudal Japan shouldn't know anything but her native language.
8. Speaks to animals. It's does not have to be a bad trait as long as there is an reasonable explanation as to how and why. Whatever it is, make sure it's important and not just thrown onto your character to make them seem powerful or special.
9. Is so beautiful that it's a curse. Yes, there are beautiful people but beauty isn't everything, nor should it be the center of attention. People also shouldn't fall all over themselves at her. It also shouldn't be the first thing that every character sees or thinks of her. Nor should they all desire her for it either. There is more to a person with a pretty face and a gorgeous body. So it's important that her personality is developed and focus on first. After all, just because a character is beautiful that does not mean that their personality will be just as beautiful too. Of course one has to make sure that if they happen to create a character that's got an ugly soul/attitude/personality that the other character don't love her or easily get along with her without question or problems. Just think realistically! If you met someone that's always making snide comments about everything (including you...whether it's in your face and/or behind your back), putting people down and thinking negatively, would you be best friend with them? I doubt anyone would unless that character changes their attitude. But the character must 'want' to want it, not 'have' to better themselves just because someone told them to. They have to realize it for themselves and make the effort. Plus the change can not happen that quicky or easily. Best way to think of it as one of those moments...where you realize how much something means to you until you lose it or almost lose it.
10. Unusual hair and/or eye color that's rare or unheard of in the fandom universe.
a. Always has long hair.
b. Usually has highlights. Depending on some fandoms it's unreal, especially if the character was born during a time period or world where such a thing doesn't exist or it is not canon. But if a character was suddenly transported or dropped into another world (like those plots where a real person from the real world is sucked in an anime, game, movie, book, cartoon, comic) and in which their world doing such a thing is normal than that is understandable. However, if the universe they happen to be transported it is unheard of than it should be noted by those canon characters the strangeness of it. Plus, if this is dealing with a realistic character...it should be remember that hair grows and that eventually the real roots will show. What's worst is if it's natural highlights and there's no explainable reason for it.
c. Having rainbow eyes or mood ring eyes, whichever you prefer to call it, for no reason other than it's 'natural'.
d. Slim and delicate with perky breasts which are D-cups. That's unbelievable because in reality, the slimmer you are, the smaller your breasts are likely to be. As for D-cups, her breasts never seem to get in the way, especially when she's running. It's even more unbelievable if she's braless and they're naturally perky without the support. Breasts of that size sag without support.
e. Wears revealing outfits and most of them contain fishnets. These outfits are likely to be unrealistic in Real Life and most likely, depending on the fandom they are also impractical and uncanon (like wearing Hot Topic fashion during the Midlevel Ages).
f. Birthmark. Scar. Tattoo. There always seems to be a mark on her that denote her specialness, and it will always be meaningful in shape and never anyplace that would compromise her beauty.
11. Magic jewelry. It is only okay if it is common in the setting. If it's rare, or is hardly ever worn than just leave it out.
12. Exotic weaponry in a setting (place and time period) where she shouldn't have access to or it shouldn't exist in that fandom. Usually, the question of why the law enforcement allows her to carry it doesn't come up and nobody seems to find a girl carrying a large sword intimidating or strange.
a. Katana. When it comes to swords the most commonly used is this one.
b. Has more than one weapon. It's best to give your character only one weapon. Or if it's not possible than give her a pair of weapons that are usually paired together (pistols, daggers, etc), or a primary weapon and a plain backup weapon (an ordinary short sword for the archer to defend themself with in close combat, for example). A character with a magic sword, a pair of abnormal ammo guns and a magic whip is implausible and going too far (unless the setting has everyone armed to the teeth, as in a combat-centric story centered around the military, mercs, or large-scale battles).
13. Laptop, ipod, cellphone. For her, these things exist anywhere and she can whip them out anytime she wants. She can even hack into the Pentagon with skills that she magically learn from thin air. She can use each item without ever worrying they'll die because they're enchanted to contain unlimited energy. Best of all, they have everything she wants on it and all she needs to do is think of it.
14. Attention Grabber. She always seem to grab the canon character's (the love interest she has her sight on) attention straight away. Even if they already have a stable love interest in canon, than that relationship will be treated as either non-existent, or the couple will be split up in some way. Such as the love interest stands aside or sacrifices himself/herself so Mary Sue can be happy, or they are twisted into a hateful/horrible person to justify breaking up the canon couple so that Mary Sue can get with the one she wants.
a. It's love at first sight. They haven't even gone on one date and she wants to get in their pants (and they want to get in hers). Heck, they haven't even known each other for long and they already believe they're love with each other. Or in only 6 months they're going to marry each other. It's a bit disturbing if they're only 13 years old and all that happens. They fell in love not even for a month of knowing each other, had mind-blowing sex, gets married than has kids and it all ends with an happy ever after. That in itself is a Mary Sue plot.
b. Even the characters that aren't her love interest(s) give her more attention than they normally would. Characters she likes can't stop talking about her beauty and power. Characters she doesn't like can't stop making themselves look bad by insulting her. There may be just "something special" about them, with no particular reason why anybody would think that. In the worst-case scenarios, they pay no heed to their own responsibilities or lives, only to Sue.
c. Speaking of dislike character(s) behaving badly toward the Sue they eventually see the "error" of his/her ways and grows to love Sue as much as everyone else does. Their bad behavior and treatment of her is portrayed as jealousy and nothing else.
d. Sometimes steals the spotlight of the canon characters (like their dialogue, action scenes etc.), especially when it was their moment to shine in the canon storyline. The best way to avoid your character being an attention grabbing whore is to not just focus on her. She alone does NOT make the world go around. You have to pay attention and care about the other characters in the story, even the villains because without them there would be no story...no fandom for you to write about in the first place.
15. They're a offspring of a canon character. It's made worse if that character would have been too young to have the Mary Sue, is gay/asexual, or perhaps is just physically incapable of it. It can be done well but not if it's just to make things easier for the author to write with the canon characters already "knowing" the Sue or to have her be accepted quickly. It's also bad if they happen to be an offspring of a villain just to give the Sue something to "angst" about.
16. OOC also known as out of character. Whenever the Sue is around previously-established personalities change in reaction to her. An arrogant self-centered character becomes a stalker that admires her for everything. A sweet, mild-mannered characters (that she doesn't like) suddenly insults and degrades her. A leader with responsibilities pays attention only to her. Young, reckless characters who would never settle down just yet will become totally reliable. Evil characters follow her around like a puppy or seem uncharacteristically obsessed with her. The characters in general just seem unnaturally focused on her, positive or negative.
17. If she's inserted into a story from before a canon character turned out to be evil, she will be the only one who suspects him. Even if all the other characters that've known the character since childhood or have a close relationship with them didn't pick it up. Sometimes she doesn't need a reason, she just sense it and that's good enough for her to suspect them.
18. Special treatment. Things just happen to go her way, for example in the Harry Potter fandom, she's an American exchange student who's was lucky enough to enter Hogwarts. There are other schools but none of them but Hogwarts invited her and that was exactly the school she wanted to go to in the first place. What's even better is that she doesn't have to wear the uniform (because she hates it or that it's not her favorite color) and immediately gets a spot on the Quidditch team when she asks for it.
19. If she has any flaws intentionally written in by the creator, expect them to be informed or not really flaws to begin with. Or if they're genuine flaws that would actually be pretty awesome were it not for their drawbacks (e.g. substance abuse, nymphomania, etc.), and of course the drawbacks will never be shown.
20. She's the Chosen One. Even if the canon hero is already the chosen one, she either 'shares' the position or just steals it away from them. Or she is "destined to help the destined one fulfill their destiny" which pretty much means do all the real work except for the final blow so the prophecy isn't technically wrong.
21. She is often around the age the author is, or just looks that way despite being really five hundred years old. But that never works because she still retains the maturity of a teenager despite being immortal. So she should have matured and wizen over the years...centuries. This doesn't have to be bad (there are many settings where it's acceptable) but if one does this they need to make sure that the character acts their age.
22. Sympathetic Sue has an unusually dark and troubled past to the excess, but other subtypes often have them too, just to emphasize how brave and special she is to live through it. This past is never really a point in the story, it's just dropped casually into the conversation to get attention. Alternatively it's written badly and owing to not doing much research. And how much she angsts about it is usually out of proportion with how bad it really is. There are several popular methods:
a. Abusive Parents. All too often because she's special in some way, and not just because her parents were assholes.
b. Heartwarming Orphan. Plane crashes and car accidents are increasingly common ways to make her feel responsible, without actually doing anything wrong.
c. Parental Abandonment. Not just because it's a baby and babies are expensive, messy and smelly and the parents didn't want it. There has to be a SPECIAL reason for that abandonment -- this is Sue, after all.
d. Rape As Backstory. Most notable when it's given just as a cursory excuse for... well, whatever. A real Sue will shout it out, "I WAS RAPED!" she'll scream, and that is supposed to explain everything.
23. Performs a heroic sacrifice as a way to prove that she's too good for this sinful Earth. Or better yet, doing such an act bought her back to life because "God wanted me back here." Or some supernatural great being of the afterlife decided she deserve a second change at life for such a good deed.
24. She might turn out to secretly be half-human, half something else. Or maybe just full (insert species here).
a. Elf is extremely common, but any sufficiently human looking, pretty race will work. And usually she feels outright shame because she's not human even though, if anything, it only makes her more beautiful and/or powerful.
b. Or maybe she's a cute monster girl. But sometimes whatever monster she is, it conflicts with what is canon (i.e. canon dragon girls have heavy scales, flat chests, large talons for hands/feet, and are just flat out monstrous, but this character...Sue is just simply a human with dragon wings, tail, unobtrusive horns, and a couple of random scales on her shoulders and midsection).
c. Also common is vampire-anything (like a half-vampire), with no discernible monstrous attributes or drawbacks, which often leads to great amounts of purple prose or a copy cat sue syndrome (i.e. Blade).
d. In some cases she's somehow half-human + half-elf + half-veela + half-angel + half-saiyan + half-machine + half-God-like ridiculous hybrid creature. It's even worst if one or most of these races do not even exist in the story's canon, or if the end result would be illogical by definition (i.e. a half-demon/half-angel).
e. If the character is already a furry, they'll typically be some incomprehensible hybrid incomprehensible, a rare or little-used (always pretty) species, and/or have wings regardless of species.
25. Redeems the villain through her overwhelming goodness. Sometimes it might be through redemption equals sex. And a big part of it is her loss of virginity for which the villain will worship her because of the honor of taking her purity. Sometimes the villain comments on how awesome she is in bed despite said virginity.
a. As she gives the most awesome, mind-blowing, divine sex ever, it obviously comes with super-redeeming powers. Yet, if the villain isn't her choice love interest, her love interest of choice will be better at it.
b. Speaking of virginity. It always, ALWAYS hurts like hell for her. She cries a waterfall and bleeds (or rarely bleed). Yes, it does happen at time in Real Life but it's not suppose to hurt like "hell" if it's done right. Which is making sure one is lubricate real well before penetrating and taking it slow so that the female can adjust. Again, if it's done right, all she'll feel is weird in being stretch but not in excruciatingly pain.
c. When it comes to the female virginity, the hymen is not inside the v****a. It's the opening OF the v****a. It encircles the opening like a tight ring, but it may completely cover the opening. It may tear at the first attempt at sexual intercourse, or it may be so soft and pliable that no tearing occurs. The hymen may also be torn during exercise or insertion of a tampon or diaphragm. Tearing usually causes slight bleeding. In women who have had intercourse, the hymen may be unnoticeable or may form small tags of tissue around the vaginal opening. But the point is, as soon as a p***s is pressing up against the opening...that's the hymen. So once the p***s enters inside, the virginity is gone. The "barrier" inside the v****a is not the hymen, it's the cervix. The cervix is the entrance to the uterus, the womb and that's connected to the fallopian tubes and the ovaries. This could easily have been known if one pays attention in Health class or research it.
d. Condoms do not exist when she does it. Nor does sexual transmitted diseases. Pregnancy does happen, but always when she wants it and at the perfect time to happen for her.
26. In fantasy canons, she can break the rules of the world at will. Often, nobody will even be surprised.
27. If she ever does anything wrong, she's both instantly remorseful about it and easily forgiven by those she wrongs.
28. She will often suffer from special snowflake syndrome, having some trait or backstory that sets her apart from her race. This can be taken to the point of being from another setting entirely being from another setting entirely. It's no coincidence that many of the most notorious fanfics are mega-crossovers.
29. Some may be named after the author in some form. Becoming less frequent as people catch on. The more common practice is to give the Sue a name that the author really, really likes. As in, wishes it were their own name or the name they'd give to their firstborn. Names like Raven, Hunter, Jessica, Samantha, or Sam are really popular for this.
a. Some may have overly long, complicated, usually meaningful names that related to her abilities, personality or her fate - whether this is usual in canon or not.
b. Her name is sometimes a gemstone, a flower, celestial bodies, (i.e. Luna, Stella, Celeste) or a pretty color (e.g. Violet, Sapphire). With Emo-Sues, her name is something spooky, mystical, or related to darkness (e.g. Raven, Trinity).
c. Maybe they have a generic Japanese name like Hikari or Sakura, especially if it's a non-Japanese setting. The reverse can also occurs in other cultures, when people are given "exotic" English words for names. Often results in names which doesn't mean quite what the author intended, due to the large vocabulary and connotations attached to many supposedly synonymous words in the English language. And of course the same can apply to any other language that the author thinks is cool.
d. Above all, the name is inconsistent within their particular culture. So you get cases of a small isolated village where Bob and Andy are lusting over Serenity Jasmine Sunrise Snapdragon.
e. Which raises another point: if standard western names have 3 parts—a first, middle, and last name—expect her to have four or more.
f. They also usually have "cool" nickname and/or unique title/address. They are fine, but only if the nicknames were CHOSEN by the person's friend or family members. It shouldn't be picked by the Sue themselves because they would always pick something they'll like and force the other characters to call them by it. That's not a real nickname. Nicknames are chosen by people who are close to the Sue, because they'll pick something that has personal meaning to them or something that they feel represents the Sue to them. (i.e. They have a friend that's very girly, loves to shop, and dress in bright/colorful fashion. A friend calls them 'Pink' because it's a feminine color and it just happens to be the girl's favorite color. That nickname is what the friend feels is what represents the girl well and it's something only they called her by.) As for a unique title, this can be Mary Sue but it depends on what it is and how they obtained it. A non-Japanese Samurai is impossible, no matter what Hollywood says.
g. Common names with unusual spellings (i.e. Faery, Ravyn, Jennifyr, Breighanna, Elizabetteth, Destanee, Grayce, Haelie, Madisenne, Mychal, Zakkary, Nikkolas, Maygun, Jessycka or Jessika, etc.)
30. A massive amount of time gets spent on describing her every feature in her introduction. Obviously, most canon characters are already well-defined to the reader whereas the new character needs an adequate description, but if it spends paragraphs, continues cropping up throughout the story, and includes detailed appendices on every little detail than you got yourself a Sue character.
31. Pressing concerns of the actual story such as a villain who's actively trying to take over the world, aren't even addressed because everybody is too busy taking an interest in the new girl's life.
32. Alternatively, major plot points (that aren't solved by the new girl) are done entirely off screen. If the handsome yet evil character walks in and explains that he has seen the error of his ways, confronted his evil father, killed the dragon, and found the seventh and final MacGuffin all in one sentence and nobody seems to really care because Princess Doctor Professor Saint Serenity Jasmine Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot KBE, wasn't directly involved, that's not a good sign.
33. When the character is off screen, if ever, the other characters are always talking about her.
34. The same character tends to appear in all of the works by a particular author or artist because the author/artist identifies so closely with the character. A character should be created and develop because they were meant for one universe. It's not right to squeeze them into several different universes. Nor is it fair for those other universe to bend to the new characters rules. Or have those canon universes' rules change simply because the author didn't want to create a new original character, or several, specifically meant for each universe.
35. The author takes personal offense at any criticism of the character or story, no matter how well-meaning or justified it is. Not necessary related to Mary Sue but majority of those authors that write them take it too seriously and find constructive criticism highly offensive when they are not.
36. The butterfly effect doesn't exist. Many Mary Sue characters that are from the future (or from another parallel reality) become transported into the past, decides to change a scene or an event because they strongly disagree with what was/is suppose to happen. They change it but surprising it does not effect the future at all, nor do they or any of the other characters face consequences of it. For example, if a prince was suppose to die in a battle than he's suppose to. Because if he lives the future changes completely, not only would his cousin not become the ruler but the cousin also wouldn't find his true love, nor would he be in the right place and time to defeat a certain evil warlord that only he could defeat and in which would evetually lead to downfall of the evil and save the world.
37. Tag along. The Sue lets the other characters do all the hard work, and only helps or jumps in the end to take the credit/finishes off the bad guys and they also happen to snag their love interest while they are at it. This doesn't have to be bad but your character needs to stand on their own two feet in a story. No one likes to read a story where it's a exact retelling of the canon plotline, word for word with only the Sue added onto it. It's even worst when the Sue is stealing the dialogue and scenes of the canon characters or replaces one of them (and the author makes the excuse that they died and Sue is the replacement). Technically, this should also have a butterfly effect since with a new character in it(or if one or two things are changed) than things SHOULD change as a result of it. So also keep that in mind.
38. The Sue is usually just as good or even better at the jobs and/or skills of one or more canon characters for no apparent reason. (i.e. better hacker, or smarter than the nerd character, better fighter than the tough character, sweeter than the sweet girl and so on.) They also usually have the talents, skills, and/or abilities of several canon characters combined.
39. When it comes to the Sue, everyone mourns her death even those that don't know her but acts as though she was the world to them.
40. She save the day way more often than other main characters.
41. Her history is remarkably similar to the history of a canon character. This goes along with making your character the exact same thing as a canon character you like, just because you want to. It's also bad if it's unneeded/pointless or if it's unnecessary for the story.
42. Pets. Majority of the Sues all have a pet or numerous of them. Sometimes they are a cute baby versions of rare or legendary creatures or wild animals. Sometimes they are full grown or they can "transform" into a larger version or their "true forms" (like a dragon, griffin, unicorn, fox, tiger, jaguar, lion, cheetah, wolf, hawk, scorpion, ferret, rabbit, horse, kimodo dragon, etc).
43. The Sue single-handedly accomplish what no-one has managed to do so far.
44. The canon characters constantly comment on or are amazed by how much Sue looks like his/her canon relatives. If it was mention one or twice it is fine, but it's over-doing it if it's constantly pointed out. It should be obvious that she's related to them if she looks similar or a lot like them. And it's defiantly a Mary Sue if she's related to them but looks NOTHING like them. It is only excusable if there's a very good reason for her to not look anything like them.
45. They're rich. Some how, some way, they can get anything they want. It's very strange that a 15 year old owns a house, has the latest electronics, large closet full of fashionable clothes and has unlimited money to spend on things. It is never mention how or where she's getting the money. Most of the time the reason is that she's rich and that's it. Other times it's never mention at ALL. Just keep in mind that if your character is an orphan or whatnot...figure out her source of income is and if it's plausible for whatever fandom she's in and the time period. Remember, first figure out what kind of jobs there are in the fandom for your character. Than ask yourself if your character is old enough to do that job and whether or not she'll struggle to do it well and if she's getting paid enough. If not, she may need another job to help pay the rent and bills or work longer hours. But if she needs to work more, don't forget that in the story. There's a lot of stories that are unrealistic in how the characters that are working two jobs STILL enough have time to go shopping, go to the movies, battle the bad guys, go to school and all that in ONE day. Time doesn't stand still for no one.
46. Parents. The Sue hardly has any parents or a family. Even when she does, they are horrible, evil and abusive. Or they're so busy that they are hardly around to get in her way (or ever appear in the story). When they do it's when they're actually being a parent but the Sue portrays them as annoying and overbearing control freaks. For example: when the Sue wants to go on a date with her boyfriend of 6 months, her parents...or father is being difficult about it for no reason other than he doesn't like that they're going on a date. Even though she's 19 (an adult) and they're familiar with her boyfriend so it's not like she's going on a blind date from a guy on the internet.
a. Sometimes the Sue lives her life as though she doesn't have a family even though they are in the picture and treat her very well. The readers forget that they exist and when they do appear it makes them realize how unrealistic it is. After all, what kind of parents that are supposedly normal, nice and caring not be interested in what their daughter is doing? Or who she's hanging out with and where she's going? Parents and family member want to be a part of their kids lives. Even if it's not every single day they still like to check up on them once in a while and make sure they're okay or not getting into any trouble.
Again, in case anyone forgot. If your character has some of these traits, you can avoid Mary-Sueness as long as there is a very good reason for them, that they are relevant to the story, doesn't break canon rules of whatever fandom they are in, and matches up with the character's background, race, culture and time period. And remember, these characteristic shouldn't be used as a gimmick to make a character seem cool, interesting or stand out. Instead, they should be developed first and they should grow as you write because characterization is what matters. They shouldn't be flat or seem fake, so the key to making them great is to make them realistic, believable beings that people can connect with.
 DamnBlackHeart · Mon Dec 27, 2010 @ 04:39am · 0 Comments |
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