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| Argentum | Jun 22 2008, 02:24 PM |
Pirate Wannabe
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Tell-Tale Mary Sues HOW TO IDENTIFY AND AVOID THEM Your first question may be, "What is a Mary Sue, and why should I avoid them?" A Mary Sue (or Gary Stue - the male version) is rather difficult to explain, so let me put it to you this way: Ask yourself these three questions: Does your character have any powers, disabilities, or anything of the like that sets it apart from everyone else? The first sign of a Mary Sue is special powers, such as having a mutation, having magical abilities that others don't, or being an entirely different species. A mutation can vary and be something like an extra arm, or simply an abnormal eye or hair color. Magical abilities includes, but is not limited to, forsight, pastsight, telepathy, telekenesis and ability to mindread. A disability can be something like a strange, unknown disease, a rare disease, being the only one with a certain disease, and things of the like. Right now you might think, "Oh my gosh! My character is a blaitant Mary Sue!" Hold your horses. Let me give you an example; Harry Potter. Harry Potter is the only one to have survived the Killing Curse, the only one with a scar, and the only one with the power to kill Lord Voldemort. But in the next couple questions you'll see why he's not a Gary Stue. Does your character have a noticable lack of personality flaws or an overabundance of them? This is why Harry Potter is not a Gary Stue. A Gary Stue/Mary Sue almost always has an obvious absence of flaws, or too many flaws. There are those who are patient, kind, and curtious all the time, even in the face of peril. Harry Potter is your quintessential angst monster, and therefore definately not the patient, generous Gary Stue. But he's not overly angsty, which saves him from the other type of Gary Stue. The other Gary Stue encompases too much angst, anger, or depression. If your character is mopey all the time, kills too many people, or is the kind of person who is never invited to parties because he's a slob and a druggy, then that's another sign he/she might be a Gary Stue/Mary Sue. Does your character have a different name from everyone else, or is picked for its meaning? First let's look at the name Harry Potter. Harry is a common first name. For goodness sakes, my old busdriver's name is Harry! Potter. Look it up in the phone book, see how many Potters you get. Probably a good dozen at least, right? Both are popular names, and put together make up a decent name for your average joe. Harry Potter is exempt from the name of Gary Stue for this. But here's a name I bet you you've never heard before: Jeshashire Dragonheart. Jeshashire is not your everyday name, and go onto any baby name website, and it won't be there. Dragonheart screams "MARY SUE!" and there's no way around that. Don't use a name like that, ever, at all, unless your character has a penname, but still avoid it or I just might have to shoot myself. If you answered yes to zero, or even just one, of these questions, your character is safe from the title of Mary Sue or Gary Stue. Two is pushing it, but you just might be able to pull it off. Three, drop your character now, or give them a dramatic makeover. Now. I mean it. Some Mary Sues: - Edward (Twilight) - Alanna (Song of the Lioness series) - Wesley Crusher (Star Trek: The Next Generation) - Amanda Rogers (Star Trek: The Next Generation) Not all Mary Sues/Gary Stues are bad. I mean, Star Trek, come on man, that show is timeless! People say Twilight is fantastic, I myself have no inclination to read it because my sister hated it, and well, my tastes are generally much like her's. I have, however, read the Song of the Lioness series, and loved them very much. But these are rarities. It is well advised to get rid of Mary Sue characters, and flush them down the john. May you all be anit-Sues! Thanks to Gravity, from the Writer's Development Guide, here are more tell-tale signs of a Mary Sue:
Note, that everything here doesn't have to apply in order for your character to be a Mary/Gary Sue/Stue. You only need a few to be a Mary/Gary Sue/Stue, unless they fail the test. Then they are, hands down, a Mary Sue/Gary Stue. Edited by Argentum, Aug 3 2008, 07:34 PM.
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'People want to know why I do this, why I write such gross stuff. I like to tell them I have the heart of a small boy... ...and I keep it in a jar on my desk.' - Stephen King | |
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| Tell-Tale Mary Sues · The Classroom | |
1:41 PM Nov 30
