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
Bounce your head, snap
To the classic, to the rap
Step ball change
Basic with a buck
Pleay, tour jete
Bounce your head to the rock
One two three,
Two two three,
Count along with your head
Mosh with the beat
Hop shuffle hop back
Twirl your arms, bend your back
Do the thingamajiggie
Wear out your taps
Breathe it in, breathe it out
Reach for the sky, dance on the ground
Flitter here, gallop there
Lose yourself anywhere
Flow with the music
Feel it in your veins
As wewe bounce your head, snap
Boom boom clap
As light fades the brightest of souls can even be turned to do the darkest of things. As time time pushes mbele the mind and body of an individual changes for either good au bad. the decisions they make and the things they do will stick with them forever. I was told this many years zamani kwa a wise old man that fortold my future. He alisema "the one with the dragon soul is not alone in the world he knows." After being told this it left me nothing but confused but i had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last time i heard of it.
