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
A tear ran down Jannet's pale cheek. David's footsteps echoed in the hall like a man's last words, and for Jannet, they were last words David will ever say to her. We never saw David again. Never. It's a hard word to handle when inlove.
"NOOOOOOOO!!" Mike screamed. The moment was so mindblowing, we forgot we were in Mikeal's orphanage. "She's not dead! She can't be dead!" The careers grabbed him kwa the arms, threw him to the ground and beat him. "Mike..." Jannet whispered, wiping a tear away. "Mike!" She shouted "Jane, don't interfeare, please!" I begged. It didn't work. When a spirit is enraged they have zaidi energy, kinda' like an adrenaline rush.
"Jannet, where are you?!" Mike shouted. "She's dead! Get over it, boy!" The Head Misstrus boomed. "LEAVE HIM!" Jannet demanded. The women stared at her in disbelif.
"NOOOOOOOO!!" Mike screamed. The moment was so mindblowing, we forgot we were in Mikeal's orphanage. "She's not dead! She can't be dead!" The careers grabbed him kwa the arms, threw him to the ground and beat him. "Mike..." Jannet whispered, wiping a tear away. "Mike!" She shouted "Jane, don't interfeare, please!" I begged. It didn't work. When a spirit is enraged they have zaidi energy, kinda' like an adrenaline rush.
"Jannet, where are you?!" Mike shouted. "She's dead! Get over it, boy!" The Head Misstrus boomed. "LEAVE HIM!" Jannet demanded. The women stared at her in disbelif.
All this pain just inside...I cannot let it go.... It hurts so bad...Seeing the one wewe upendo in the arms of another.... Each night I cry myself to sleep,just hopeing the inayofuata siku will be even beter...But these words always run through my mind..."You're going to die alone".. It repetes and repetes...Pain ... Oh how it hurts so... But what makes it worse...That someone that's with the one my upendo ...is my rival....Time has stopped to wewe as your tears run down slowly on my cheek.... I've Lost almost everyone in my life... It's even scary just trying to be myself....They say if wewe keep your feelings jared up...you'll snap... That's haven't happened to me yet... And hope it will never will. Don't keep your feelings jared up... au one siku you'll snap
"Now who's gonna take care of Mike!" Jane screamed at the juu of her voice. "Now how am I suppose to marry Dave! Now how am I suppose to become an archaeologist!" "Mike, marriage, archaeology?!" I said, confused. "Oh, I can't explain now! I just wish I listened to David." She sighed. "Don't beat yourself up. David has the gift, wewe can still talk to him." She forced a smile. "Gift?" Dave whispered as he entered the room. "More like a curse." "David, i'm so sorry I didn't listen! But I just never thought-" "Save it." He butted in. "Everyone I've ever loved ends up dead. I should have seen it coming." "But wewe did! wewe tried to save my life and I was to stupid and selfish to care." "Janet." He sighed. "I don't think I can talk to wewe anymore. Never again." She stared at him, her face appalled. "What are wewe saying?!" "I'm saying seeing you, like this, it just, it just breaks my heart."
I loved to write songs. These beautiful poems of love, heartbreak, life and misery. I still do. Shame they'll never reach the world as I hoped.
But, life is life and death is well, death. I wish I could still play with Eyes Of The Wolf, my old band. I remember the lullaby I wrote for Jannet when she had nightmares.
'Prr, Prr
Of the Cat on the mat so peaceful
Cheep, Cheep
Of the Bird in the garden so alive
Neigh, Neigh
Of the Horse on the racecourse so mwepesi, teleka
Woof, Woof
Of the Pup in the tulips so playful
But now please my dear Jannet rest
So tomorrow wewe take life's inayofuata test'
I still sing it to her every night. But she can't hear me now. Maybe i'm just not imba loud enough. Sometimes she hears me sing a few lines. I know because sometimes when I sing she'll start crying. I don't know why. Maybe she misses me. au maybe I scare her. I don't know. The world is a very strange place
But, life is life and death is well, death. I wish I could still play with Eyes Of The Wolf, my old band. I remember the lullaby I wrote for Jannet when she had nightmares.
'Prr, Prr
Of the Cat on the mat so peaceful
Cheep, Cheep
Of the Bird in the garden so alive
Neigh, Neigh
Of the Horse on the racecourse so mwepesi, teleka
Woof, Woof
Of the Pup in the tulips so playful
But now please my dear Jannet rest
So tomorrow wewe take life's inayofuata test'
I still sing it to her every night. But she can't hear me now. Maybe i'm just not imba loud enough. Sometimes she hears me sing a few lines. I know because sometimes when I sing she'll start crying. I don't know why. Maybe she misses me. au maybe I scare her. I don't know. The world is a very strange place