My subject for tonight is....
Dec. 9th, 2002 06:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
clo_again.. Mary-Sues.
What is a Mary-Sue? Is there a set definition? http://www.mrsgiggles.com/books/soapbox/mary_sue.html defines her as "This girl is a shamelessly transparent placeholder for the author's own fantasy."And that isn't all. It goes on to define the types - the Mary-Sue is a common and varied beast.
Now, arguably, most original female characters have elements of Mary-Sue - people don't want to read about a klutz who is incredibly ugly, walks into walls and off cliffs all the time. Or maybe they do. If it's done well.
Which brings me to my point; Is a Mary-Sue created by BAD WRITING, or simply by being an original character in an author's world, for example: a girl joining the Fellowship. Or is she neither of these things? Placing an original character into an already-established world can be extremely entertaining *if done well*. To quote Tamora Pierce: "When things get dull have a troll come through the door with a spear in his hand". But there are only so many trolls and so many spears you can see before things start to get a little same-ish. Do original characters keep the fanfiction-world fresh and interesting? Or does the multitude of badly written Mary Sues obscure the few, well written original character fics? A well-written original character can be likeable and provoke interesting reactions among other characters who are 'native' to the universe. As long as those reactions are fitting with the characters the original author gave them of course.
My reason for asking all these questions and this stream-of-conciousness update is that I've had a plot bunny nibbling at my mind for a while, but it involves an original character meeting Aragorn when he was a child in Rivendell - I think it was actually originally concieved to prove that original characters CAN exist in a fanfic WITHOUT becoming a Mary-Sue. But can they? I'm wondering if people would want to read about an original character in Rivendell, and if there are any guidelines to how NOT to make her a Mary-Sue besides the obvious ones of not being too beautiful, not being wonderful at archery/sword-fighting etc etc. And of course, if this fic would worth be devoting any of my time too - as spare time is something of a rarity for me at the moment. ^-^ I probably wouldn't start writing until Easter anyway, but something like this would take researching into Middle-earth.
I shouldn't be thinking of more fics right now - I desperatly need to finish the GamesManShip Series and I've been promising everyone I'll start the Weyr of the Lost sequel in January. Still this damn plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone until I'd at least mentioned it. *throws things at plot bunny* Go away! Come back at Easter.
What is a Mary-Sue? Is there a set definition? http://www.mrsgiggles.com/books/soapbox/mary_sue.html defines her as "This girl is a shamelessly transparent placeholder for the author's own fantasy."And that isn't all. It goes on to define the types - the Mary-Sue is a common and varied beast.
Now, arguably, most original female characters have elements of Mary-Sue - people don't want to read about a klutz who is incredibly ugly, walks into walls and off cliffs all the time. Or maybe they do. If it's done well.
Which brings me to my point; Is a Mary-Sue created by BAD WRITING, or simply by being an original character in an author's world, for example: a girl joining the Fellowship. Or is she neither of these things? Placing an original character into an already-established world can be extremely entertaining *if done well*. To quote Tamora Pierce: "When things get dull have a troll come through the door with a spear in his hand". But there are only so many trolls and so many spears you can see before things start to get a little same-ish. Do original characters keep the fanfiction-world fresh and interesting? Or does the multitude of badly written Mary Sues obscure the few, well written original character fics? A well-written original character can be likeable and provoke interesting reactions among other characters who are 'native' to the universe. As long as those reactions are fitting with the characters the original author gave them of course.
My reason for asking all these questions and this stream-of-conciousness update is that I've had a plot bunny nibbling at my mind for a while, but it involves an original character meeting Aragorn when he was a child in Rivendell - I think it was actually originally concieved to prove that original characters CAN exist in a fanfic WITHOUT becoming a Mary-Sue. But can they? I'm wondering if people would want to read about an original character in Rivendell, and if there are any guidelines to how NOT to make her a Mary-Sue besides the obvious ones of not being too beautiful, not being wonderful at archery/sword-fighting etc etc. And of course, if this fic would worth be devoting any of my time too - as spare time is something of a rarity for me at the moment. ^-^ I probably wouldn't start writing until Easter anyway, but something like this would take researching into Middle-earth.
I shouldn't be thinking of more fics right now - I desperatly need to finish the GamesManShip Series and I've been promising everyone I'll start the Weyr of the Lost sequel in January. Still this damn plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone until I'd at least mentioned it. *throws things at plot bunny* Go away! Come back at Easter.
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I hear you...
Date: 2002-12-10 07:41 am (UTC)If ya decide to do the fic let me know, I'd be interested in reading it!