I presuming we all joined this spot 'cos we 사랑 to write, right? If so then 당신 all know what I'm talking about when I say that we all 사랑 our main characters and sometimes want to make them the best people in the world.
B-O-R-I-N-G
Yes, we want to make our main character gets the best out of the story, since it's their story. But if they're the best people in the world it doesn't really make them believable and then the reader just doesn't care about them (which is hard to understand cos we as the writer 사랑 em, but unfortunantley it's true)
So here is my step-by-step guide to make sure that your character isn't a Mary Sue, because trust me, when I first started to write there were Sue's all over my story- it was the worst story in the world. Most readers want to be able to see the characters fall then come back up again- it's 더 많이 entertaining.
Step-by-step guide: Mary Sue's
Okay so most of 당신 must be asking who Mary Sue is? She's the prettist, most intelligent, gets all the boys kinda girl who saves the day, has no flaws and every other character in your story loves her. 당신 hate her already, don't you? Why? Because 당신 can't relate to her (/him, it can be a boy too). 당신 don't want her in your story-unless its a parody about a Mary Sue, but thats another story- she'll make the reader puke with all the rainbows and 요정 surrounding her. So here's how to make sure she doesn't creep in.
Think about your main character, and answer these questions.
1.What's her name? Did 당신 spend a whole hour/day (please don't say week) picking it?
Did 당신 choose it for the meaning?
2.Describe her.
3.Does she solve all the problems without any help at all? What does she get for solving these problems?
4.Does she have any enemies?
Okay.Done? Lets see what your 답변 mean...
1. Her name? Why it's Princess. (sorry if this is someones name and they do have a genuine reason for picking it) But if 당신 chose this name just because it means Princess, 또는 당신 have another name that means Princess 또는 loved one 또는 anything that relates to what your character is like, then think about changing it-it's a bit vain/too much. If not and 당신 answered no to the other two 질문 then well done, that's one of the criteria out of the way.
Note: My first characters name was Sadie which means Princess- don't worry,we all fall into the same traps.
2. Does she look 더 많이 beautiful than a model, even without any make-up and even though she's just a normal human being? We all have flaws, even sparkely 뱀파이어 do-Rosalie anyone?
Like I said above about Rosalie, if your character does look like a model and it's not a side effect of being a vampire/werewolf/witch/wizard/any other mythical being, then 당신 can usually balance them out 의해 making them really mean, 또는 stupid- but that only really works for minor characters most of them time. 당신 want your main character to be relatable. Although that isn't always the case- take Blart: the boy who didn't want to save the world, he's ugly, stupid and mean, but nobody can relate to him that much. Saying that the book is a kinda parody about wizards being stupid and knights being far from noble. Anyway, I'm straying away from the point...
3. Everybody needs help, as nobody can be right all the time- it's part of being human, and if your character is relatable then she's going to have to make a mistake sometime 또는 other.
And I hope they don't have everybody worshipping them for solving it- the villan at least is going to hate her.
4. Okay so a villan is an enemy. But I'm sure there are people in your life that don't like 당신 (hate/enemy is a strong word). And if she is a Mary Sue, then in real life people are gonna dislike her for going out with a boy they like, 또는 getting the highest marks in the test when she didn't revise at all. Everybody has people that 사랑 'em and hate 'em, same for your character.
I think that if 당신 try and fix these points your character should be 더 많이 believable- they worked for me. Of course your character could already be perfectly fine.
I'm not an expert at writing, and everybody's stories are different, so these points won't work for every character. But I just thought I'd pass on what I've learnt from other young writers cos they really help. I mean, can 당신 name a Mary Sue in your life?
If this didn't help 당신 can always take a Mary Sue litmus test. I recommend link
B-O-R-I-N-G
Yes, we want to make our main character gets the best out of the story, since it's their story. But if they're the best people in the world it doesn't really make them believable and then the reader just doesn't care about them (which is hard to understand cos we as the writer 사랑 em, but unfortunantley it's true)
So here is my step-by-step guide to make sure that your character isn't a Mary Sue, because trust me, when I first started to write there were Sue's all over my story- it was the worst story in the world. Most readers want to be able to see the characters fall then come back up again- it's 더 많이 entertaining.
Step-by-step guide: Mary Sue's
Okay so most of 당신 must be asking who Mary Sue is? She's the prettist, most intelligent, gets all the boys kinda girl who saves the day, has no flaws and every other character in your story loves her. 당신 hate her already, don't you? Why? Because 당신 can't relate to her (/him, it can be a boy too). 당신 don't want her in your story-unless its a parody about a Mary Sue, but thats another story- she'll make the reader puke with all the rainbows and 요정 surrounding her. So here's how to make sure she doesn't creep in.
Think about your main character, and answer these questions.
1.What's her name? Did 당신 spend a whole hour/day (please don't say week) picking it?
Did 당신 choose it for the meaning?
2.Describe her.
3.Does she solve all the problems without any help at all? What does she get for solving these problems?
4.Does she have any enemies?
Okay.Done? Lets see what your 답변 mean...
1. Her name? Why it's Princess. (sorry if this is someones name and they do have a genuine reason for picking it) But if 당신 chose this name just because it means Princess, 또는 당신 have another name that means Princess 또는 loved one 또는 anything that relates to what your character is like, then think about changing it-it's a bit vain/too much. If not and 당신 answered no to the other two 질문 then well done, that's one of the criteria out of the way.
Note: My first characters name was Sadie which means Princess- don't worry,we all fall into the same traps.
2. Does she look 더 많이 beautiful than a model, even without any make-up and even though she's just a normal human being? We all have flaws, even sparkely 뱀파이어 do-Rosalie anyone?
Like I said above about Rosalie, if your character does look like a model and it's not a side effect of being a vampire/werewolf/witch/wizard/any other mythical being, then 당신 can usually balance them out 의해 making them really mean, 또는 stupid- but that only really works for minor characters most of them time. 당신 want your main character to be relatable. Although that isn't always the case- take Blart: the boy who didn't want to save the world, he's ugly, stupid and mean, but nobody can relate to him that much. Saying that the book is a kinda parody about wizards being stupid and knights being far from noble. Anyway, I'm straying away from the point...
3. Everybody needs help, as nobody can be right all the time- it's part of being human, and if your character is relatable then she's going to have to make a mistake sometime 또는 other.
And I hope they don't have everybody worshipping them for solving it- the villan at least is going to hate her.
4. Okay so a villan is an enemy. But I'm sure there are people in your life that don't like 당신 (hate/enemy is a strong word). And if she is a Mary Sue, then in real life people are gonna dislike her for going out with a boy they like, 또는 getting the highest marks in the test when she didn't revise at all. Everybody has people that 사랑 'em and hate 'em, same for your character.
I think that if 당신 try and fix these points your character should be 더 많이 believable- they worked for me. Of course your character could already be perfectly fine.
I'm not an expert at writing, and everybody's stories are different, so these points won't work for every character. But I just thought I'd pass on what I've learnt from other young writers cos they really help. I mean, can 당신 name a Mary Sue in your life?
If this didn't help 당신 can always take a Mary Sue litmus test. I recommend link
Ariel from The Little Mermaid
Aurora from Sleeping Beauty
Belle from The Beauty And The Beast
Cinderella from Cinderella
Esmeralda from The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
Jane from Tarzan
Jasmine from Aladdin
Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Megara from Hercules
Merida from Brave
Mulan from Mulan
Mulan as a Male
Nala from The Lion King
Pocahontas from Pocahontas
Rapunzel from Rapunzel
Snow White from Snow White And The Seven Dwarves
Tiana from The Princess And The Frog
Tinkerbell from Peter Pan
People down every turn
Pain inside their hearts
A girl with scars on her wrists
A boy with a 칼, 나이프 in his chest
She hides in the dark
Wondering when the pain with end
He stands up to fight in defense
Only to get knocked back down again
She fights with her parents
They don't wanna support the child
She's left to fend for herself in the cold
Alone with the child
Do we see what we are doing when we say the things we say?
Do we see who we are hurting with the actions that we're taking?
What we need
Are broken families reconciled
We need hearts to mend, scars to heal and battles to end
We. Need. Love
To stand up for the broken
We. Need. Hope
To give a hand to the hopeless
We need the world to care.
What are we doing with the words we are saying?
Who are we changing
And what effects are they having?
Lets be the change.
Pain inside their hearts
A girl with scars on her wrists
A boy with a 칼, 나이프 in his chest
She hides in the dark
Wondering when the pain with end
He stands up to fight in defense
Only to get knocked back down again
She fights with her parents
They don't wanna support the child
She's left to fend for herself in the cold
Alone with the child
Do we see what we are doing when we say the things we say?
Do we see who we are hurting with the actions that we're taking?
What we need
Are broken families reconciled
We need hearts to mend, scars to heal and battles to end
We. Need. Love
To stand up for the broken
We. Need. Hope
To give a hand to the hopeless
We need the world to care.
What are we doing with the words we are saying?
Who are we changing
And what effects are they having?
Lets be the change.
When will this end?
Mass shootings
Terrorist attacks
Police brutality
They say it's just a gun control problem
They say it cannot be fixed
I say the problem is deeper
I say there is hope
When will this end?
Income inequality
Veterans living on the streets, penniless,
Dying 의해 their own hands everyday.
They say this world can change for the better
But nothing has changed...
And I truly do fear
Nothing ever will
When will 사랑 start?
The 일 we offer a hand to the fallen
Instead of cringing back in shock
And running away
When will our world change?
The 일 we 사랑 too much to kill
The 일 others' pain is our pain
The 일 we act instead of just talking about it
"It's impossible"
"We're too broken to be mended"
"It's a hopeless battle"
I say, let us try.
Mass shootings
Terrorist attacks
Police brutality
They say it's just a gun control problem
They say it cannot be fixed
I say the problem is deeper
I say there is hope
When will this end?
Income inequality
Veterans living on the streets, penniless,
Dying 의해 their own hands everyday.
They say this world can change for the better
But nothing has changed...
And I truly do fear
Nothing ever will
When will 사랑 start?
The 일 we offer a hand to the fallen
Instead of cringing back in shock
And running away
When will our world change?
The 일 we 사랑 too much to kill
The 일 others' pain is our pain
The 일 we act instead of just talking about it
"It's impossible"
"We're too broken to be mended"
"It's a hopeless battle"
I say, let us try.
