Well, what is a Mary Sue?
A Mary Sue is a character that is too perfect to be realistic. And usually too flawless to be likable to a reader. Sly or insinuating people might say that a Mary Sue character is what the author wishes they were, but can never attain.
The problem with a Mary Sue is they often end up inspiring hatred instead of devotion. No one is perfect. In appearance or personality. And no reader likes to compare themselves to a fiction character who is.
A fun game to play is taking the Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test to find out if your character is a Mary Sue. The questions are hilarious! Really, don't miss it.
Confession: My first ms was loaded with Mary Sue characters. I answered yes to so many of these questions that it was embarrassing.
Confession: My first ms was loaded with Mary Sue characters. I answered yes to so many of these questions that it was embarrassing.
Right, well, I just blew the better part of an hour testing my favorites (good news there, but wow that's a long test).
ReplyDeleteOh I have this test memorized. I've been using it since my middle school Fanfic writing days. I can blow through this test so quickly now because I know where all the questions are and which ones are relevant. Its a great resource.
ReplyDelete