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JCF Éminence Grise

Joined: Jul 2002

Posts: 12,275

Radium is an asset to this forum

Jan 17, 2007, 04:37 PM
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I rather dislike Mary Sue tests; they leave too much out and grade on too many obscure things.

A Mary Sue really has to do with how well a character ties into the theme. I mean, look at Superman; he's handsom and has super powers and superior cryptonian morality or whatever, but that's what Superman is all about - a character everyone can put faith in.
Mary Sue tests, and Mary Sues in general, are always a mix of two very different concepts: nonsense and cliche. Nonsense has nothing to do with the plot (e.g. a character being super sexy when all he/she does is fight) and cliche is so overdone that people don't want to read it (the hero becoming the teenage commander of a huge rebel force). Overall, it's just "be original and follow the rules".

But, I strongly believe that the most important thing to remember about writing is that any rule can be broken if it's the focus of the story. Luke Skywalker became the teenage commander of a rebel force, but it worked because the whole story was about his heritage as a Jedi. And if you were writing a story about a supermodel that turns down her multi million dollar actress job to be an assassin, it would probably work to have her be beautiful even though all she does is fight. It's all in the focus.
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