Sophinisba Solis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sophinisba) wrote2005-10-16 02:14 pm
sophinisba) wrote2005-10-16 02:14 pm
question about Mary Sues
I think I like posting questions about fic even more than posting fic. There’s all the excitement of getting comments without that icky vulnerable feeling. Here’s one I’ve been wondering about for rather longer than I’ve been on LJ:
When, in the course of writing a fanfic, it becomes necessary to introduce an original female character who is a nice person, what strategies can be used to avoid Mary Sueism?
Some answers that have occurred to me:
1. Don't let her have sex with any of our hot guys.
2. Don't let her resolve all the conflicts within the story.
3. Don't make her too much like yourself.
4. Do a good job telling her story so that she will become an engaging character in her own right.
5. Don't tell too much of her story because she'll end up taking over the fic.
6. Sophie, you're far too inexperienced a fanfic writer to be taking on an OFC. Don't you realize they're dangerous? Either find a way to make this fic work with canon characters (and work hard at keeping them close to canon) or set it aside for a time and come back when you've had a little more practice.
I mostly read based on other people's recs, so I don't know that I've ever read an actual Mary Sue fic, although I certainly composed a lot of them in my head when I was younger, and I've read a few parodies. A while back I was trying to figure out what to do with a particularly troublesome young lady and took a look at the Mary Sue Litmus Test: LOTR Adaptation, which told me I was fine. But I’m still a bit concerned.
Thoughts?
ETA: This question does not have to do with the fic I've been posting about Frodo in jail. No worries there, we will not be veering into the tragic but inspiring life story of Hank's girlfriend Daisy. Thank you.
When, in the course of writing a fanfic, it becomes necessary to introduce an original female character who is a nice person, what strategies can be used to avoid Mary Sueism?
Some answers that have occurred to me:
1. Don't let her have sex with any of our hot guys.
2. Don't let her resolve all the conflicts within the story.
3. Don't make her too much like yourself.
4. Do a good job telling her story so that she will become an engaging character in her own right.
5. Don't tell too much of her story because she'll end up taking over the fic.
6. Sophie, you're far too inexperienced a fanfic writer to be taking on an OFC. Don't you realize they're dangerous? Either find a way to make this fic work with canon characters (and work hard at keeping them close to canon) or set it aside for a time and come back when you've had a little more practice.
I mostly read based on other people's recs, so I don't know that I've ever read an actual Mary Sue fic, although I certainly composed a lot of them in my head when I was younger, and I've read a few parodies. A while back I was trying to figure out what to do with a particularly troublesome young lady and took a look at the Mary Sue Litmus Test: LOTR Adaptation, which told me I was fine. But I’m still a bit concerned.
Thoughts?
ETA: This question does not have to do with the fic I've been posting about Frodo in jail. No worries there, we will not be veering into the tragic but inspiring life story of Hank's girlfriend Daisy. Thank you.
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By the way, I don't shy away from OFCs because of the Mary Sue thing. I figure if I really wanted to make an OFC, I would do my best to make her the best character I could, just as you are doing. All the same, there will ALWAYS be a chorus of people who will scream "MARY SUE omg" no matter what. Personally, and I don't know why this is, I don't really like to deal with female characters in LOTR fan fic. Nothing against my own kind, lol, but for some reason, I just don't do it that much. My stories tend to be very male oriented. I have no profound explanation for that. :-)
no subject
I guess that's a good way to think of it. I know some people just think OC=Mary Sue, and some people think all female characters in LOTR fic are OFCs. And it can be really limiting to worry too much about trying to please those folks. I liked your comment on the second chapter, that no one who cares that much about timelines is going to be reading this kind of AU anyway, so I should just go with it.
I've noticed that most of your OCs are evil, and you usually let Aragorn or another character do the rescuing and healing and comforting, which is probably smart. Not asking your readers to fall in love with somebody you've made up. On the other hand, I've fallen in love with male and female OCs before, so I just don't know.