I presuming we all joined this spot 'cos we upendo to write, right? If so then wewe all know what I'm talking about when I say that we all upendo our main characters and sometimes want to make them the best people in the world.
B-O-R-I-N-G
Yes, we want to make our main character gets the best out of the story, since it's their story. But if they're the best people in the world it doesn't really make them believable and then the reader just doesn't care about them (which is hard to understand cos we as the writer upendo em, but unfortunantley it's true)
So here is my step-by-step guide to make sure that your character isn't a Mary Sue, because trust me, when I first started to write there were Sue's all over my story- it was the worst story in the world. Most readers want to be able to see the characters fall then come back up again- it's zaidi entertaining.
Step-by-step guide: Mary Sue's
Okay so most of wewe must be asking who Mary Sue is? She's the prettist, most intelligent, gets all the boys kinda girl who saves the day, has no flaws and every other character in your story loves her. wewe hate her already, don't you? Why? Because wewe can't relate to her (/him, it can be a boy too). wewe don't want her in your story-unless its a parody about a Mary Sue, but thats another story- she'll make the reader puke with all the rainbows and vichimbakazi surrounding her. So here's how to make sure she doesn't creep in.
Think about your main character, and answer these questions.
1.What's her name? Did wewe spend a whole hour/day (please don't say week) picking it?
Did wewe choose it for the meaning?
2.Describe her.
3.Does she solve all the problems without any help at all? What does she get for solving these problems?
4.Does she have any enemies?
Okay.Done? Lets see what your majibu mean...
1. Her name? Why it's Princess. (sorry if this is someones name and they do have a genuine reason for picking it) But if wewe chose this name just because it means Princess, au wewe have another name that means Princess au loved one au anything that relates to what your character is like, then think about changing it-it's a bit vain/too much. If not and wewe answered no to the other two maswali then well done, that's one of the criteria out of the way.
Note: My first characters name was Sadie which means Princess- don't worry,we all fall into the same traps.
2. Does she look zaidi beautiful than a model, even without any make-up and even though she's just a normal human being? We all have flaws, even sparkely Wanyonya damu do-Rosalie anyone?
Like I alisema above about Rosalie, if your character does look like a model and it's not a side effect of being a vampire/werewolf/witch/wizard/any other mythical being, then wewe can usually balance them out kwa making them really mean, au stupid- but that only really works for minor characters most of them time. wewe want your main character to be relatable. Although that isn't always the case- take Blart: the boy who didn't want to save the world, he's ugly, stupid and mean, but nobody can relate to him that much. Saying that the book is a kinda parody about wizards being stupid and knights being far from noble. Anyway, I'm straying away from the point...
3. Everybody needs help, as nobody can be right all the time- it's part of being human, and if your character is relatable then she's going to have to make a mistake sometime au other.
And I hope they don't have everybody worshipping them for solving it- the villan at least is going to hate her.
4. Okay so a villan is an enemy. But I'm sure there are people in your life that don't like wewe (hate/enemy is a strong word). And if she is a Mary Sue, then in real life people are gonna dislike her for going out with a boy they like, au getting the highest marks in the test when she didn't revise at all. Everybody has people that upendo 'em and hate 'em, same for your character.
I think that if wewe try and fix these points your character should be zaidi believable- they worked for me. Of course your character could already be perfectly fine.
I'm not an expert at writing, and everybody's stories are different, so these points won't work for every character. But I just thought I'd pass on what I've learnt from other young writers cos they really help. I mean, can wewe name a Mary Sue in your life?
If this didn't help wewe can always take a Mary Sue litmus test. I recommend link
B-O-R-I-N-G
Yes, we want to make our main character gets the best out of the story, since it's their story. But if they're the best people in the world it doesn't really make them believable and then the reader just doesn't care about them (which is hard to understand cos we as the writer upendo em, but unfortunantley it's true)
So here is my step-by-step guide to make sure that your character isn't a Mary Sue, because trust me, when I first started to write there were Sue's all over my story- it was the worst story in the world. Most readers want to be able to see the characters fall then come back up again- it's zaidi entertaining.
Step-by-step guide: Mary Sue's
Okay so most of wewe must be asking who Mary Sue is? She's the prettist, most intelligent, gets all the boys kinda girl who saves the day, has no flaws and every other character in your story loves her. wewe hate her already, don't you? Why? Because wewe can't relate to her (/him, it can be a boy too). wewe don't want her in your story-unless its a parody about a Mary Sue, but thats another story- she'll make the reader puke with all the rainbows and vichimbakazi surrounding her. So here's how to make sure she doesn't creep in.
Think about your main character, and answer these questions.
1.What's her name? Did wewe spend a whole hour/day (please don't say week) picking it?
Did wewe choose it for the meaning?
2.Describe her.
3.Does she solve all the problems without any help at all? What does she get for solving these problems?
4.Does she have any enemies?
Okay.Done? Lets see what your majibu mean...
1. Her name? Why it's Princess. (sorry if this is someones name and they do have a genuine reason for picking it) But if wewe chose this name just because it means Princess, au wewe have another name that means Princess au loved one au anything that relates to what your character is like, then think about changing it-it's a bit vain/too much. If not and wewe answered no to the other two maswali then well done, that's one of the criteria out of the way.
Note: My first characters name was Sadie which means Princess- don't worry,we all fall into the same traps.
2. Does she look zaidi beautiful than a model, even without any make-up and even though she's just a normal human being? We all have flaws, even sparkely Wanyonya damu do-Rosalie anyone?
Like I alisema above about Rosalie, if your character does look like a model and it's not a side effect of being a vampire/werewolf/witch/wizard/any other mythical being, then wewe can usually balance them out kwa making them really mean, au stupid- but that only really works for minor characters most of them time. wewe want your main character to be relatable. Although that isn't always the case- take Blart: the boy who didn't want to save the world, he's ugly, stupid and mean, but nobody can relate to him that much. Saying that the book is a kinda parody about wizards being stupid and knights being far from noble. Anyway, I'm straying away from the point...
3. Everybody needs help, as nobody can be right all the time- it's part of being human, and if your character is relatable then she's going to have to make a mistake sometime au other.
And I hope they don't have everybody worshipping them for solving it- the villan at least is going to hate her.
4. Okay so a villan is an enemy. But I'm sure there are people in your life that don't like wewe (hate/enemy is a strong word). And if she is a Mary Sue, then in real life people are gonna dislike her for going out with a boy they like, au getting the highest marks in the test when she didn't revise at all. Everybody has people that upendo 'em and hate 'em, same for your character.
I think that if wewe try and fix these points your character should be zaidi believable- they worked for me. Of course your character could already be perfectly fine.
I'm not an expert at writing, and everybody's stories are different, so these points won't work for every character. But I just thought I'd pass on what I've learnt from other young writers cos they really help. I mean, can wewe name a Mary Sue in your life?
If this didn't help wewe can always take a Mary Sue litmus test. I recommend link
I'm up all the time now.
Head up
Shoulders back
Legs slightly apart
Back straight.
I walk into the exam room,
Knowing inside my heart
That the ones who fear
Are the ones who do not succeed.
I sit down.
Confident,
I start my song
Of utmost elegance.
I use all my power
And strength.
I use all the dynamics in the world,
I use everything everyone's brought me.
I use all the good that everyone
Has aliyopewa me
In my life.
Time goes slowly by.
I feel myself going along with the beat.
I am entranced in my own song.
It feels better than ever before.
I am done.
I walk over to the judges,
Shaking each hand.
I feel a sense of pride in my heart,
Knowing that I have done it now.
I truly have.
Head up
Shoulders back
Legs slightly apart
Back straight.
I walk into the exam room,
Knowing inside my heart
That the ones who fear
Are the ones who do not succeed.
I sit down.
Confident,
I start my song
Of utmost elegance.
I use all my power
And strength.
I use all the dynamics in the world,
I use everything everyone's brought me.
I use all the good that everyone
Has aliyopewa me
In my life.
Time goes slowly by.
I feel myself going along with the beat.
I am entranced in my own song.
It feels better than ever before.
I am done.
I walk over to the judges,
Shaking each hand.
I feel a sense of pride in my heart,
Knowing that I have done it now.
I truly have.
I am disappointed,
At the way things are moving along.
Why is everyone so private about
Everything?
I am disappointed,
That I have not met my dream yet.
It seems a long way until I will
Catch my dream in the sky.
I am disappointed,
With many people.
Not just me.
But mostly me.
Why am I being so selfish?
Why are other people being so unkind?
Everything seems in ruin,
Including me.
I am sorry that this is the way it must be
Today,
But I know that tomorrow is a new day,
Waiting for all of us to do good deeds.
And do we shall.
At the way things are moving along.
Why is everyone so private about
Everything?
I am disappointed,
That I have not met my dream yet.
It seems a long way until I will
Catch my dream in the sky.
I am disappointed,
With many people.
Not just me.
But mostly me.
Why am I being so selfish?
Why are other people being so unkind?
Everything seems in ruin,
Including me.
I am sorry that this is the way it must be
Today,
But I know that tomorrow is a new day,
Waiting for all of us to do good deeds.
And do we shall.
Hi. My name is Jake Gartner, and right now, basically a huge mutant serpent is coming to kumeza me whole, tear me to pieces of flesh, so I have no time to talk right now. Oh, um...you want to follow me? Sure, just accept that everyday will be the best of the thrills. Right now, we are not getting any help from the immortal world, so just know that we have a horrible system of magic right now, and we have an extremely low supply of weapons, thus, the chance that wewe will get out of this mess is around eighty-six percent. (because of me, the master of war) Oh yeah, the serpent. Enough talk. (ROARS) Off to kill a mutant serpent!!! (stabs, deflects, cuts a gash in its head, dies) That's only our first one, trainee. Whatever your name is. inayofuata time, I invite wewe to jiunge with us on our battle. And it will be even zaidi life-consuming, if wewe know what that means.
My name is Matt Downley, and I am a soccer player. I just moved here to New York, and I was just going to try out for the Weston Middle soccer team, when believe it au not, the principal came rushing down the halls and alisema that I couldn't play because I am disabled. WHAT THE HECK!!! Okay, I was like, "So here's the deal. I can't play. I can't do anything. What the freak am I supposed to do at this stupid school!!!" But, of course, I didn't have the guts to say that out loud to the principal, so I just muttered and said, "Okay." Lately, I feel like people have been stalking me when I came back from school. Everyday when I go to bed, I feel like people are looming in the shadows above me. I didn't know now, but tonight would be a night of extreme danger.
What scandalous secrets can adults keep from their parents? I need ideas for a book I am currently writing. It is about how some secrets adults keep from us can actually save our lives. I hope to give wewe a sneak preview of my book which is called The Deadly Truth. Can't wait for your opinions!
To know zaidi about my book please post your maswali on my wall. I will try my best to reply as fast and as soon as I can. If I don't then just know I did read them.
wewe can believe the first chapter of my book will be ilitumwa either this week au inayofuata Friday.
To know zaidi about my book please post your maswali on my wall. I will try my best to reply as fast and as soon as I can. If I don't then just know I did read them.
wewe can believe the first chapter of my book will be ilitumwa either this week au inayofuata Friday.
It probably took wewe a while to learn the 26 letters of the alphabet back when wewe started school. But actually, wewe should count yourself lucky. Some languages use alphabets with many zaidi letters than that. Russian, for example, has 33 letters, and the Khmer language of Cambodia has over 70. And in China and Japan, where they write with signs called 'characters', there are hundreds, even thousands of different shapes to remember. Japanese primary school children are expected to learn about a thousand characters before they can go on to high school!