Writing 101 (with rotXinXpieces)

Unit 2: Character Design-- Chapter Four: Mary-Sue & Gary-Stu

Chapter Four: Mary Sue & Gary-Stu

These terms are probably really familiar. You've probably heard them compared to such works as Twilight or Vampire Knight. At least I have anyway!

So, what do these terms mean? Well, basically it goes something like this:

Mary-Sue is a female character that is perfection. She's gorgeous, lovely, and everyone loves her. She gets everything she wants with ease and she gets her happy ending.

Gary-Stu is a male character that is perfection. He's handsome, dashing, and everyone loves him. He gets everything he wants with ease and he always gets his happy ending.

Now, some of you may be wondering what's wrong with that. Maybe your character is pretty freakin' sweet and everyone would have to love him/her!

Well, that's all fine and dandy, but sometimes, these types of characters divert from the plot. Let's use Finn, Maxy, and Damien.

Finn can't suddenly overcome his pride and talk to Maxy, claiming his love for her. She can't just accept it right away with ease and fall into his arms. Damien can't just die of depression since he never got his girl.

Nope. That's not how it works in real life people. Basically, Mary-Sues and Gary-Stus are not realistic. They work like just your average happy ending fairy tale that little children read at night when they're scared of the monsters in their closet.

Reality needs to set in.

So, Finn spends a while trying to come up with ways to ask Maxy out. He stumbles a little and is surprised by his loss in confidence when he's around her. He tries avoiding her to stop liking her, but that just doesn't work. It doesn't help when Damien swoops in and tries romancing Maxy in a devilish, forceful manner. Finn becomes jealous and tries harder to gain Maxy's attention. He's just getting her attention when Damien does something awful to Finn so he'll leave Maxy alone.

Maxy is distraught and rushes to Finn's side. This is where she realizes how much she loves Finn back and she confesses. Damien is crushed when he realizes Maxy doesn't love him. He tries to go at Finn again, but Finn takes a whack at his face.

Oh, look! A plot!

A mostly realistic plot.

In real life, if you have a crush on someone, you wouldn't run up to them and just tell them. At least, not all of us are that confident. We kind hover for a while, watching dreamily and imagining ways to confess your feelings.

It helps if you watch a lot of movies and read other books.

So, basically, don't let your characters have an easy life. As fun as it may be to have everything perfect for ourselves, it's not fun to read a story that isn't interesting. Your characters are just like other people. Life isn't easy and you don't always get what you want.

Sometimes, yes. Finn won Maxy. They're happy together with maybe the occasional argument over who keeps hogging all the blankets. However, what about Damien? He didn't get what he wanted and he probably never will, unless you decide to go with a sequel and cut him some slack.

See how character designs work?

Characters are just people. You are creating your own people, your own worlds, your own situations. You're sitting in the sky and watching everything happen. You're getting into your character's heads-- or maybe it's the other way around! But either way, it's your story. You have the power to do anything. You have the power to make it interesting or the power to make it boring, the power to make it dramatic or the power to make it humorous.

So remember!

With great power comes great responsibility.