Mary Sue - How to Tell

Who is this Mary Sue? How can you define a character, who's just too perfect to be real? How can you make a good character without turning it into something disgusting, like the avatar of yourself? These are the questions i would like to answer to those, who does not want to make mistakes, that others usually do.

Mary Sue is the accepted name in the English-speaking environment for the main character, endowed by the author with hypertrophied superpowers, with whom the author, as a rule, associates himself. Usually, the whole world revolves around "Mary Sue", universal or threatening problems for all mankind are reduced to waiting for "Mary Sue" to appear and resolve them in one fell swoop. "Mary Sue" simultaneously possesses all the virtues, both external and internal, in incredible, grotesque and ridiculous quantities. When describing a male character, instead of "Mary Sue", Mary's "brother" - Marty Stu can be used. Just as handsome, cool and smart, defeating everyone in one fell swoop. In other words, Mary Sue (if you don't mind, just MS for short), my dears, is a vile and greedy creature capable of devouring your entire work. It must be crushed in infancy. Otherwise, it can evolve into something truly terrible, and what's more, it will start biting, infecting its victims with the MS virus like a vampire.

The name Marty Sue came from fanfiction of Star Trek, written by Pola Smith, where May Sue, a lieutenant on board of Starfleet ship, is an athlete, a master tactician, the owner of high intelligence and several awards, including the Nobel Prize. And all this at the age of 15! However, the problem is not superpowers and super strength, but that not all canons make sense of a superhero. The whole point of Star Trek is that there is a large team of different people, the duties are assigned, and a universal soldier is not needed on a starship. Superheroes are appropriate for those stories where there are supervillains equal in strength and charisma, but in universe like Star Trek or World War Two, where team work is the key to success, Mary Sue would only look too boring and stupid, because she would win the whole war just by herself without ANY help. On top of that, Mary Sue does not have any flaws, thus making the readers believe, that she has some kind of a god-mode, which allows her to win any challenges with minimum efforts.

Mary Sues are criticized because they are completely unrealistic and break the entire logic of the narrative, turning it into an unfunny comedy and farce, despite the fact that the author tries to maintain seriousness (the term Mary Sue does not apply to intentional parodies). People read such works only for the sake of laughter. Often, she is a completely new character and has the same name as the author, which also causes laughter (when some Vasily or Larry suddenly appears next to Frodo Baggins or Gandalf, you can only laugh).

A characteristic feature of Mary Sues is that they serve as a kind of black hole of attention - when such a character is present in the plot, absolutely all the other characters are interested only in him or revolve around him, which serves the desire of the author's self-praise (usually fatties with low self-esteem). This is despite the fact that realistically such a character would hardly attract even 1% of the attention presented. There is no character development, Mary Sues are always perfect by definition.

She often has excessive abilities that do not correspond to the story and logic of the narrative, for example, at a young age they can easily command a large army (and the genius of this is described only after the fact, since the author, in principle, cannot describe smart actions that he does not understand). Examples of Mary Sue's actions:

1) Gives advice to people governing countries of the world

2) Teaches Roosevelt to fight

3) Teaches God how to properly create the world

There are Mary Sues in original works, usually low-quality and mass-produced.

Other characteristic features:

A) Excessive anguish. Mary Sue's path is necessarily filled with cheap drama in vast quantities. If a tear jerker, then so much that you need a box of handkerchiefs, if pathos, then so much that the Edda, Iliad and books about space marines from Warhammer will hiccup nervously from the awareness of their own inferiority (at least, this is what the unfortunate author wants).

B) Too many features. Usually — difficult to combine within the framework of good taste. Author Sue rakes in superpowers, useful skills and supernatural physiology with a shovel, without choosing between the necessary and unnecessary, the result of which is often a ninja-pirate-zombie-robot.

C) All pedals to the metal. Super-duper-awesome uniqueness of the character (making you suspect that the author is simply not treated kindly in life). Sue certainly looks bright and erotic (read "eye-gouging and tasteless"), and does everything with fateful exclamation marks:

1) she is born under a miraculous sign to significant parents, and seven hundred years ago,

2) her family tragically dies (less often - treats Sue badly and she herself runs away from them),

3) then Sue masters all sorts of witchcraft, and always at a very cool level,

4) performs epic feats (or no less epochal villainies),

5) is unfairly expelled/persecuted/imprisoned, but, of course, escapes from there,

6) unhappily falls in love with someone powerful, and / or unhappily makes everyone fall in love with her,

sacrifices herself (for the sake of love, of course), but miraculously survives after that.

7) and yes, after all this, she enters Hogwarts! Or something similar!

D) If death, then in public. If Sue does die, then she does it, of course, either by successfully sacrificing herself (well, how could she fail?), or at least by taking the company to hell.

E) The character's sociopathy. In between, Sue is rude to everyone she meets, demonstrates Petrosyan-style humor and indulges in narcissism. That is, the author indulges in narcissism through her, and Sue at this time knocks someone out with her sex appeal, grace, taste and, of course, pathos. The author hopes to impress everyone with the style, skill and willpower of his character... but such a quantity of seasoning in the absence of the dish itself (that is, character) only causes a gag reflex in ninety-nine percent of readers.

At the same time, the author often, without noticing it, compensatorily projects his own complexes and emotional wounds onto the character (I live with my parents and hate them? So my heroine's parents will die! No, she'd rather kill them herself! Cruel! Blood and guts!), so a clash with an unfriendly graduate of the psychology department threatens the author with emotional shock and several weeks of depression.

Add to this the complete lack of logic in the events that happen to Sue - and we fully understand the reasons for the readers' deep hatred (as well as tender love, without which there would be no article) for the subject.

As a rule, a Mary Sue is created by an inept (not necessarily conscious, but at least actual) attempt to create an epic or classic hero, and/or awesome heroes, and/or a reasoner. What causes the ineptness of the attempt in such cases?

Some of the most typical symptoms of MS:

1. Appearance. Mary Sue is an absolutely idealized character. Great importance is attached to the description of appearance. In this difficult matter, the author almost never knows the measure, characterizing everything, right down to the exact length of the eyelashes.

Mary Sue's portraits are an excellent example of paradoxical thinking. Mary Sue's eyes are rarely normal. "Huge, bottomless" eyes are popular, in the depths of which there is always "something". The variety of shades makes colorblind people run away. In the most hypertrophied version, they change color as the story progresses. This is a kind of superpower. Don't ask, where that came from. Another superpower of Mary-Sue is a "virtual mirror", thanks to which she always sees what fire her pupils are currently blazing with. Yeah, like the status bar in Wolfenstein 3-D.

Lips are most often "plump, passionate". And if they are thin, then usually bright red/pink/scarlet/blue/green (underline as appropriate), so that they can be seen from a mile away.

Figure - ideal, fifth size breasts - apparently, it's in the genes.

Hair has no color restrictions. In addition, it clearly has its own magical properties, such as: "flowing", "lying in marvelous curls" and often off the scale in length.

Age is usually young or young, rarely mature and even more so elderly, especially for authors with a midlife crisis, while for young people the age of Mary Sue exactly repeats their real numbers. In the West, it is usually popular to set the age at 27-32, in Japan for obvious reasons at 15-17, in extreme cases up to 23.

The marysue clothing can be easily described in one word - sh*t. It consists mainly of items of clothing that your mom does not allow you to wear, so that her child does not get raped in the first alley. Mary-Sue's clothes leave no room for imagination. Everything that the author gave the heroine is either exposed or tightly fitted. Young writers are tireless in their search for new styles and colors. It was the authors who invented the tight-fitting robe, the wide-brimmed skullcap, the bast shoes with heels, and the crimson camouflage suit. And the amount of clothes are just crazy! If the author is going to describe Mary Sue's wardrobe, it's best to cover your eyes and ears. Here's an example:

"In the evening, Rosetta and her parents unpacked their purchases. Rosetta immediately stuffed all her textbooks into a suitcase. Mom bought her: ten fashionable T-shirts, four tops, six tank tops, four minis, three medium and two long skirts, four pairs of pants and ten sets of underwear.

- That should be enough, - Mrs. Christopher said a little confused. - We'll go buy some more shoes tomorrow. Mr. Christopher bought her a falcon. - They're faster and more reliable than owls, - said Stephen. - Besides, I want you to be special.

As a result, the suitcase contained:

1) textbooks, notebooks and other school supplies (it turns out they're going to school to study.)

2) a carload of cosmetics.

3) 25 pairs of shoes.

4) 30 sweaters, 20 T-shirts, 25 tank tops, 5 jackets, 10 sweaters (just in case), 4 sheepskin coats.

5) 40 skirts, 30 pairs of trousers, 4 pairs of shorts, 4 pairs of breeches.

6) 20 sets of underwear, 5 pajamas, 15 nightgowns

7) a truckload of jewelry.

8) personal hygiene items."

Talk about Patrick Bateman's wet dream!

2. Abilities. All Marysues, without exception, have a whole set of outstanding talents and abilities.

They have:

1. Super-abilities and/or mega-weapons

2. Stunning beauty that captivates even the most hardened villains (especially the most hardened villains)

3. Incredible charm

4. Exceptional spiritual qualities, such as:

a) crystal purity of soul

b) kindness, selflessness and forgivingness

c) readiness to effectively sacrifice oneself at any moment in the name of high goals

d) amazing modesty

e) Or these are no less amazing impudence, misanthropy, cynicism, sarcasm and general bitchiness. However, underneath them all lies a pure and subtle soul. It will show itself, do not doubt it.

5. Impressive combat skills, like martial arts: it would be easy, that the cool sorceress Mary-Sue should calmly beat up enemies from a reliable dugout. Or from a high tower. But no! The heroine (under the invigorating pecks of some fried bird) climbs into hand-to-hand combat. And she is not afraid that the bad guys will hurt her. Who can compete with Mary-Sue, who was taught the intricacies of fisticuffs by the great teacher Malokashi Ela himself? And the heroine also has innate abilities in Kyokushinkai karate, aikido and the Moldavian wrestling trynte-dryapte. And by nature she has a well-delivered cry of "Ki-i-ya!" In order not to lose her fighting form, Mary-Sue wanders around various drinking spots from time to time. Having stacked the tavern patrons who dared to stare at the neckline of her armored bra, the heroine goes to a port tavern to discipline the drunken sailors. And then she wanders the night streets, coquettishly winking at potential rapists.

6. Unreal learning speed, like learning magical arts so fast, that even Dumbledore would shake in the corner in fear!

7. Excellent taste, musical ear, enchanting voice, yadda, yadda, yadda.

8. A Terrible Secret from the Past, A Curse on the Forehead, A Tragic Fate, A Difficult Childhood, blah-blah-blah.

The examples of Mary Sue:

1. Victim Sue. Victim Sue suffers. Constantly. She hasn't really done anything wrong to anyone, but all the bumps and bruises are constantly falling on her head, which she can only passively accept, wiping tears from her cheeks. Depending on the degree of bitterness of the masochist author, this can be either reproaches and bad grades at school, or quite real torture and torment. All the surrounding characters either torment and offend Victim Sue, or touchingly pity her. Probably, the author wants to be pitied like this in real life. Most works with attempts at philosophy and spirituality fall into the category of tragic nerds. Reading such works is like chewing putty. Tragic MSs constantly suffer, are tormented by doubts and reflect (without taking off their armored bra). In theory, the reader should sympathize with the heroine. In fact, the question arises: "If everything is so bad, why doesn't she hang herself?" Beginning authors, anticipating such insensitivity, make the MS (surprise-surprise!) immortal. More experienced "authors" explain Mary-Sue's reluctance to part with the vale of sorrows by the Great mission. Like, the heroine will not kick the bucket until she avenges the death of her relatives, teacher, lover, etc. In this scenario, there is a chance that the reader will not stop following the adventures of the MC. At least out of a desire to know whether she will die after completing the mission (reader, don't flatter yourself!). The most cunning authors weave intrigue with a sexual subtext. For example, they make the heroine the last representative of her kind. The MC has a noble goal: to prevent the kind from completely disappearing. The reader languidly clings to the pages (monitor), waiting for the sufferer to begin practical actions to save the population. But for some reason the heroine drags out this matter. The reader feels deceived ("When are you going to start reproducing? Stop staring into the fire and moaning! Immediately wake up the elf sleeping next to you - and get to work!"). A classic whining in MS looks something like this: whining - whining - "Why did the gods abandon me?!" - whining - "How hard it is to be immortal?!" - a lot of whining - "You can't understand the tossing and turning of my soul!" - whining - whining - whining - "Goodbye, cruel world!" - a little more whining for the end - the end of the first chapter. Science believes that such works arise either under the influence of chronic toothache, or during periods of exacerbation of gastritis and acne.

2. Fighter Sue. Fighter Sue is a great, unrivaled warrior or magician. All Mary Sues are like that, but Fighter Sue is special: she is an invincible warrior. She has no equal in battle, so the author considers it his duty to expose Fighter Sue to more and more powerful opponents, with whom, of course, she deals with skillfully. All fights with Fighter Sue take place in one of two established manners: either the enemy is obviously weaker than Fighter Sue (but overwhelms with numbers), and then Fighter Sue elegantly throws enemies around, pausing only to fix her hair and say something ironic, or the enemy is immediately stronger, and then Fighter Sue yields to him at the beginning of the fight, but then discovers a new ability / uses a forbidden old one / sacrifices something and ultimately gains the upper hand. Fighter Sue does not need anyone else's help, she is still ultimately stronger than everyone else, but she enjoys protecting others. Sue's Fighters always have a very tragic past. The author lacks self-affirmation in life, which he finds in fictional fights.

3. Tomboy Sue. Tomboy Sue is an obnoxious, grumpy, quarrelsome creature who refuses to obey the normal rules of human society, and is rude to those around her, so much so that they, probably, if they were living people and not extras forced by the author to endlessly admire Tomboy Sue, would want to take Tomboy Sue and spank her roughly. Emotions just pour out of her and immediately turn into actions - she is, in fact, not a bad person at all, it's just that the author is firmly convinced that such behavior is cool. Perhaps the author compensates for her own stiffness and conformism in real life.

4. Lucky Sue. Lucky Sue is a kind of Victim Sue inside out (although they are, of course, both beautiful, smart, talented, loved by everyone, everything they do works out for them, and so on, like all Mary Sues). They have an obvious similarity - they are both quite passive. If Victim Sue is constantly beaten and tortured, then Lucky Sue is showered with gifts of good fortune in the same quantities: the most handsome guy in school suddenly falls in love with her, she suddenly finds the Magic Armor of Destiny on the street, she suddenly discovers a talent in herself that no one (including herself) knows about, and so on. Another person in Lucky Sue's place would be terribly proud, but Lucky Sue is a terrible modest person and only suffers about the blessings that fall on her like a cornucopia - naturally, without even thinking of refusing them. And if they do refuse, the blessings fall on her in double volume. The rest of the people, seeing the purity and sincerity of Lucky Sue, do not even think of suspecting her of fraud - no, no, it is all a lucky coincidence! The author, as is quite obvious, fulfills her own secret dreams for her heroine.

5. Fixer-Sue. It is invented if the author of a fanfic is categorically dissatisfied with the plot of his favorite work and wants to rewrite it. Fixer-Sue has an inexplicable knowledge of the fate of all the characters and appears at the right time in the right place so that everything goes not according to the will of the author, but according to the will of the author. For example, there are a high number of Sailor Moon fanfics that tried to remove the canon lesbianism of Haruka and Michiru. Most of them just turn Haruka into an evil butch pervert who abuses Michiru and create a dashing Gary Stu to make Michiru heterosexual. The most infamous example, however, was cooked up by the notorious Save Our Sailors website, which actually used Haruka as the Fixer Sue and tried to pass it off as canon. Their story claimed that there was a Prince of Uranus in the past that was Sailor Uranus' brother and Michiru's past lover, whom Sailor Uranus passed her powers onto when she died and caused him to be reincarnated as a woman that still loved Michiru. Therefore it wasn't really homosexuality because Haruka was really a boy. Infact, Naoko Takeuchi has gone on record saying that Haruka is not and never has been a man, but when has that stopped anyone? Thankfully, this trend died down somewhere in the mid-aughts, but for a while you couldn't shake a stick without finding such fics.

6. The Time Traveler-Sue. A special variety of the previous one. What do you think, anon, will happen if you mix one kind of shit with another? No, you won't get candy. This is, as a rule, Martin Sue, a former paratrooper, a talented engineer, a luminary of history (especially military), who gets into a period of Russian history (or fantasy, or another planet - you name it) that particularly butt-hurts the author (most often - pre-revolutionary or pre-war) and does everything wrong. The standard list of exploits - warns Stalin, cuts out Khrushchev, invents the Kalashnikov assault rifle and re-sings Vysotsky, not forgetting to screw a commander's cupola and a five-speed gearbox onto the T-34. In especially severe cases, he becomes the Emperor of this country. If the time traveler is not in reality, but in some fan universe - the same thing, but warns Yoda, cuts out Palpatine, re-sings Vysotsky again and invents ... well, whatever is in demand in this galaxy.

7. Mary Tzu. A strategic genius, she easily defeats thousands of enemy armies with the tricks she's seen in Hollywood movies (attacking from ambush, digging holes for enemy horsemen to fall into, luring an enemy strike force onto a bridge and blowing it up with HUGE EXPLOSION, or simply digging up a lost atomic bomb in a warehouse and hitting the enemy with all her might). Of course, local generals, despite years of impeccable service, can't do anything like that.

What exactly is not Mary Sue? Attention: the main feature of Mary Sue is not power or luck (including not an accelerated "career"), but lack of development, shallowness, "flatness", cardboard, unconvincingness; the fact that the character is clearly created "for the sake of need", and not to reveal something serious. Without at least some power and luck, it is difficult to imagine almost any character in an adventure story - he will live an ordinary gray life of a peasant in a remote village or die from gangrene that developed from a trifling scratch received in the very first fight, and no epic story will work. If the character is deep, well-written and you empathize with him - the character should not be called "Mary Sue", even if he seems to have ALL the other purely formal signs of "Sueness". Giving them to the character in this case may turn out to be a deliberate provocative move on the part of the troll author. Or an author's challenge, which the author threw to himself: well, will I be able to show a character who is cool, bright, attractive to many in his world, successful, a fast learner - but at the same time still actually "non-Mary Sue", only thanks to depth and thoughtfulness, "psychology and tendency" ©? "The rejection of ambition is death for literature" (© R. Arbitman). That is why a professional art critic will never call Aragorn (J. R. R. Tolkien), John Snow or Daenerys (J. R. R. Martin), Svarog Barg, Yana and Mara (A. Bushkov), Belgarion (D. Eddings), Kenneth Wooden Sword (E. Ratkevich), etc. "Mary Sues".

Another important detail that distinguishes Sue from non-Sue is the personal (and not "purely technical"!) development of the character. Mary Sue does not develop, and the author is quite happy with her. A well-written character develops (if, of course, the plot leaves room for this; as a rule, if the character is one of the main ones, then it is left). Let's take the same Jon Snow. In his first days in the Watch, he is, in general, Tyler Brand vulgaris. And the attitude of his colleagues towards him is corresponding - until the blacksmith Donal set his brains straight and pushed him onto the path of development. And in all the subsequent books, he not only grows in coolness and career, but also changes internally, receives and learns lessons from life. Jon at the end of the fifth book is already a completely different Jon. The hero's path, correctly reconstructed and talentedly described, implies exactly this - not just "pumping up levels", but also internal changes. Therefore, the same Luke Skywalker is not a Mary Sue, as well as Harry Potter or Ged from the novels of Ursula Le Guin. A characteristic feature of Mary Sue is that they do not fit into the original world, as if they fall out against the background of other characters and the logic of the world. Sue is always separate from the world created by the author, and its laws are violated only and exclusively for her sake. Gays become straight at the sight of her, in a setting where anyone can die, she does not get a scratch, and those around her perceive this as the norm, if the postulate of the world is that you have to pay for everything, then Mary never pays or gets off with an incredibly cool curse, and if magic needs a long time to learn, or is generally a privilege of messengers of the gods like Gandalf, then she can naturally cast spells from the cradle. Accordingly, a non-Sue may not be a very well-written character who does not develop, but at the same time is in harmony with the world.

But if, in accordance with these same laws of the world, there are quite natural - and, so to speak, intra-legal - rare "super-duper-exceptions" (with innate magic; with a bonus to charisma; with rare connections, when you don't have to "pay" or can do so at a discount, or "a benefit in payment", let's say; it is given for high moral qualities; etc.)... If the author justifiably needs to have one or more such "living exceptions to the basic law" in the plot (as special ways of its triggering)... Then Sue can be distinguished from non-Sue only by the artistic suitability of the image. In this case, both Sue and non-Sue are equally “super-activists” who can do what most people in the same world cannot, but Sue is also far-fetched, reveals the author’s bad taste, is stilted, is not revealed and does not undergo moral development, while non-Sue is logical in her own way, in a certain sense balanced (even with all her “superness” and rarity), psychologically plausible, well-written, and if the plot allows, she also develops personally. The same principle of “How to distinguish a Sue from a non-Sue” also works in the case (VERY common in fantasy works!) when two or more worlds with DIFFERENT internal “laws” (unati) collide within the plot: say, a time travel, the appearance of space or otherworldly aliens, the intervention of divine forces, etc.

To simply put, a Mary Sue is a combination of external brightness, uniqueness and power with absolutely insignificant and flat internal content with an inadequate amount of attention paid to the character. In other words, the author is trying hard to say how significant the character is, but he is developed at the level of a third-rate dummy. If such a character is stuffed with a great many details, designed (as the author thinks) to "reveal" him, then these details are not properly connected with each other and with the rest of the plot and story (if they are connected, this is no longer a Sue), and therefore the power/brightness/luck of the character does not fit well with the world, with the plot ... and even with this character himself. In some circles, there is a tendency to give the title Mary Sue to any overly bright or lucky characters, because they are a bit boring. Also, characters from folk epics should not be considered Mary Sues. Hercules, Siegfried, Roland, steppe heroes like Manas or Geser and other heroes of folk epics are not Mary Sues, they are epic heroes who embody military virtues: strength, courage, readiness to perform feats and fulfill heroic duty even at the cost of one's own life. When the epic becomes authorial, like Homer's, and instead of a linear story about overcoming enemy after enemy, a plot appears and heroes begin to be shown in everyday life, even with comic scenes, then the heroes become deeper and more contradictory, commit stupidities and experience conflicts of honor and duty.

So, how can you escape from making your character into Mary Sue? Here are some advices:

1. Know your work very well. Research your material. Research your material. Try not to rely on hearsay or two or three episodes. If you can't watch an entire season or read an entire series, the internet is your friend! Research your fans.

2. Write Your Character in a Believable Way. Avoid making the main character a canon character. While some canon characters have a vague past that can be manipulated, a common and easily recognizable (though not necessarily) Mary Sue trait is that they are canon in some way, especially one that already has a well-established past. Your readers may have a hard time believing that your canon character has a sister she's never mentioned or a son she doesn't remember. Let your character be part of a larger cast of characters, even if it's just a small part. Your main character doesn't have to be the center of the universe all the time. Give other characters moments away fromLet canon characters take center stage with the main character. Remember why they exist. Your readers want to read about canon characters, that's why you're writing fanfic. the main character where they aren't talking or thinking about the main character. Choose a realistic name. Make sure you choose a name that aligns with what your fans want. For example, you don't want to name a Harry Potter character Trixiebella Arwen or an elf from Lord of the Rings Jane. There are plenty of websites online that will help you find the right names for your chosen fan community. Baby name websites are a good start, but don't get carried away with them. Names like "Angelica Roanna Maribel Davenish" sound funny and unrealistic. Also, don't use characteristics like hair color or facial features, as many children are named at birth.

Don't use your own name or a variation of it. It will scream "Mary Sue" to readers.

3. Let Your Character Have Negative Traits. Let your character have real negative traits. Being short-tempered, prone to anger, and having trouble making friends are all good examples of negative character traits. Flaws should be ones that have real consequences for the character in his or her life and that will move the story forward. Let the character work for things. One of the most annoying things about Mary Sues is how easy everything comes to them: fighting skills, special talents, strong relationships, superpowers that pop up just in time to save the world, etc. If your character has to fight and deal with real problems, your readers will sympathize with her. If she is perfect without a single flaw, they will start to hate her. Also, don't give your character qualities that are specific to you. If you do, you might as well start keeping a journal, because everyone has their own personality and should have the freedom to choose what they do, so don't base their decisions on your own opinions, beliefs, etc. This will make the story much more interesting and will also make writing a more interesting journey for you, expanding your writing skills.

4. Develop your character. Have each character have a different reaction to the main character. Look at the original work you are basing your work on. Do all the main characters always agree or act the same way? Of course not. Consider the personality of the canon characters and create a believable reaction and relationship with your newcomer. Don't let your new character be the only one resolving the main unresolved conflicts of the original work. Give the existing characters a moment of glory or make it a real team effort. Be careful with the romance around. Mary Sues are always beloved characters that the author really likes or reunite two previously unrelated characters that the author thinks should be together. Romance is possible in fanfics, but give it a little time to make it seem believable. Hold your horses. One of the most negative things about Mary Sue stories is that everything happens too quickly. It may take a while for your new character to become close to the canon characters. Or for them to be able to do a lot of awesome things. Don't rush it. You can always write a sequel.

5. Bad habits like nail biting can be interesting quirks, but they are not flaws. A bad habit or two will add depth and interest to your character, but be sure to include real flaws. Being unable to do something that has no impact on your character's daily life, or being unable to do anything she has ever done, is not a flaw. A starship pilot who can't sing well is still a good starship pilot. A back-up singer who can't sing is a real problem.

6. Creating a Mary Sue is not the eighth deadly sin. Many fan fiction writers start by imagining a character from their favorite TV show, book, comic book, or video game that they would like to meet and interact with. But what appeals to you may not appeal to your readers. Don't beat yourself up too much for writing a Mary Sue; just see what you can fix and what you can avoid in the future so that your character becomes realistic and likeable. A good rule of thumb is to have one minor flaw for every two or three strengths in your character. One major flaw for every six to nine strengths. This way, your character will be balanced.

7. Mary Sues aren't just found in fan fiction. And while they're most common and easily recognized when the writer is playing in an already established space, Mary Sues can also be found in completely original work. While the above steps don't apply to Mary Sues in original works, they can still help. Sure, some of the new characters will be your main characters because they're all new. But if your main characters get all the attention and glory, get all the guys, and never do anything wrong, you might end up with a pure Mary Sue.

8. Balance strengths and weaknesses. For example, if your character is a handsome young man with blue hair, skilled with a sword and a bow, a dancer and charmer with his guitar playing, and adored by almost every girl around him, then make him comically clumsy, afraid of spiders, and also give him some personal flaws, such as arrogance, which makes him hated by his peers, and/or a smoking addiction that is bad for his health. Just make sure that these flaws have real negative consequences for him, and are not just cute little quirks. Well-meaning flaws like "doing too much" or "working too much" can only be full-fledged flaws if they get your character into trouble. If your character cares too much about another person or group of people, that care may be detrimental to her mission or cause her to fail to make decisions that may negatively impact them but serve the greater good. Mary Sue quizzes can help you determine if your character is veering into Mary Sue territory. Just remember that most original characters, Mary Sue or not, will score a few points.

9. If you find that you've created a Mary Sue but don't want to box her into a small box, change the genre of your work to parody. If you're writing a parody, then creating a Mary Sue is a great idea, but only if your parody is funny. Flaws are not problems that must be solved by the end of the story, nor should they be small setbacks that disappear at important moments. Your character can gradually overcome some of her problematic issues, but she should never become perfect. If your character is naturally clumsy, she should be clumsy during battles, too, not just when her downfall is supposed to be funny. If he has a tendency toward cowardice, he doesn't need to overcome it in the first or second (or even third or fourth) battle. He may cower in fear many times and learn to overcome it over time. However, his tendency toward cowardice, when he thinks he has completely rid himself of it, may suddenly fall upon him when he least expects it. If your character is rude to his superiors, they will be rude all the time and they will be constantly punished for their shortcomings.

Warning: If your Original Character feels like a Mary Sue, just accept it. Don't try to convince yourself that she isn't. Because she probably is. Remember, Mary Sues can be good in the hands of a good writer. A lot of popular canon characters suffer from too much Sue presence, but they still have personality. If someone insults your Original Character for being a Mary Sue, don't take it too personally. Review your character again, and don't assume that your character is the best and that other writers are just jealous.

So, these are my advices to those writers, who do not want a Mary Sue in their works. Work carefully on your fictions, make time to think about the characters, the story, the drama, the action. Let your characters have good sides and bad sides, let them have strength and flaws, make them a real life persons - and with that, you'll not have a Mary Sue.