30 Days of Fanfic Challenge: Day 8
Day 8: Do you write OCs? And if so, what do you do to make certain they’re not Mary Sues, and if not, explain your thoughts on OCs.
Everyone who ever wrote anything has had a Mary Sue. Fact.
That said, the OC isn’t inherently a bad thing. It really depends on how you use it. As a side character or supporting role, they are necessary even for some of the larger stories. You need to introduce them, make them interesting, and then gracefully have them exit the story again. If you can manage that, then they don’t stand out as a flaw, and they are not a Mary Sue to bother the masses. Sometimes it’s hard to balance, but other times you have people telling you how much they love your OCs, how they fit into the world so well (here’s looking at you Connally and crew).
So yes, I do write OCs, and I try very hard to make them non-Mary Sues. Depending on the world you’re going for, it’s not always easy. My Breath of Fire ½ story is definitely a case of “probably definitely a mary sue” character, but at the same time it’s my first story, and I’m reluctant to ever change it flaws aside. And really, should you change your story because other people think it’s a Mary Sue? I don’t think so, but you should also not expect people to like your story or your characters. Grow a thick skin, because people will be cruel in their rejection of your precious OC. That, or don’t post it for the world to see. Not the best answer, but the one that hurts least.
You have the freedom to post your work, people have the freedom to comment with their thoughts on your work, and unfortunately it’s quite often that people will be crueler over the net than if it was in person.
Everyone who ever wrote anything has had a Mary Sue. Fact.
That said, the OC isn’t inherently a bad thing. It really depends on how you use it. As a side character or supporting role, they are necessary even for some of the larger stories. You need to introduce them, make them interesting, and then gracefully have them exit the story again. If you can manage that, then they don’t stand out as a flaw, and they are not a Mary Sue to bother the masses. Sometimes it’s hard to balance, but other times you have people telling you how much they love your OCs, how they fit into the world so well (here’s looking at you Connally and crew).
So yes, I do write OCs, and I try very hard to make them non-Mary Sues. Depending on the world you’re going for, it’s not always easy. My Breath of Fire ½ story is definitely a case of “probably definitely a mary sue” character, but at the same time it’s my first story, and I’m reluctant to ever change it flaws aside. And really, should you change your story because other people think it’s a Mary Sue? I don’t think so, but you should also not expect people to like your story or your characters. Grow a thick skin, because people will be cruel in their rejection of your precious OC. That, or don’t post it for the world to see. Not the best answer, but the one that hurts least.
You have the freedom to post your work, people have the freedom to comment with their thoughts on your work, and unfortunately it’s quite often that people will be crueler over the net than if it was in person.