Thar Shaddin

Azer wrote:Secondly, I strongly disagree with the fact that if you hate a character you should not write him/her. I do agree that you should have a special connection, but hate is a form of a bond, and writing a character you hate from several points of view can create quite an interesting effect. Also the fact that you hate a character can give the character just as much life as loving him. As for a reason to keep him around, you simply have to be mature enough to know when he should stay and when he should go, if he should stay or go at all.

I agree with your disagreement. I'm starting to greatly dislike Ryxa (she's such a bitch) but that's helping me make her meaner. But I always have a love-hate relationship with my characters.

I think the most important thing is to really get into the character's head. If you don't know what makes them tick or gives them joy, they'll be very flat.

What's a Mary Sue?

Aislinn Vahtees wrote:What's a Mary Sue?

Ooh! Ooh! I know this one.

I believe that the term originated in fan fiction. It's used to describe a character inserted into a story who serves as an idealized proxy for the author themselves. She (it's usually a she) is beautiful, intelligent, skilled in every possible skill available, and the object of every male character's lust, infatuation, and/or love. In other words, perfect. I don't know if there ever really was a character actually named Mary Sue...if there was, that would be interesting.

And here's an interesting tidbit that always makes me smile. Apparently the French inserted the character of Lancelot into the King Arthur story because, well, they wanted there to be a really cool French guy. Making him, quite possibly, the first Mary Sue in history...

Ah, well I always give my character horrible flaws, so no Mary Sue's for me.

That is a form of a Mary Sue, but not the only kind. The basic definition is any character which comes off flat because they are too much of an extreme. (ie perfect or evil), but it can mean many variations of this, as most slang does. There was an original character named Mary Sue, but she was in a story making fun of Star Trek fan fiction, and how some of the leaders were so perfect.

Here is the story: http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/da ... arysue.htm

Oh and here are some "tests" to determine if your char is a Mary Sue. I wouldn't put much stock by them, the only true way to tell is to read your story objectively, but they can be fun to do.

http://www.ponylandpress.com/ms-test.html

http://www.springhole.net/quizzes/marysue.htm

I have one specifically for fantasy, but I have to find the link.