Self-Insertion (SI)

(I searched, and nothing came up. If there's already a thread about this, please link it to me, and I'll report this one and have in deleted. )

Self-Insertion, also known as SI, is a genre of writing in which the author inserts themselves into the story, (most often) as a main character.

Generally, I see negative responses to SI stories. I've read quite of a few of them -- some terrible, and some fantastic. I actually love SI, but good ones are difficult to come by. It's the genre I write the most of, but I never post anymore because I've had people bash me for posting them.

So I'm wondering, what's the general opinion on Mibba about SI? Do you think it's a good genre, or a negative one?

I'm anxious to hear your thoughts.

Before I being, I've never read SI. Personally, the idea makes me a bit uncomfortable. I'm not trying to offend you or anyone else by my opinion, and I apologize in advance if I do. I admit that I probably do have tunnel vision on this matter.

Personally, I think it sounds a bit... awkward. Almost conceited, really. Most authors do put bits of themselves into the characters they write about--I myself do that--but to write a full story where you are the main character? I feel as if authors are more likely to go into rants about how they hate their hair and come off as a self-loathing, annoying child. Either that, or they will come off as conceited. Either way, it doesn't sound like something that I would like to read.

But at the same time, no one should be bashing you for it, and I apologize to you for that person. If you're comfortable with writing it, then you should go ahead. But, personally, I don't think I could read it. It sounds almost like bad fanfics that are clearly the author with another name, getting to be with the rock star.

I've never really actively done SI, but I have created minor characters (almost always in stories in which murder is a main theme) in which I will give the character being killed off the same hair and eye color that I have. But I'm not really sure if that could count as SI...?

I don't think it's a horrible thing, but as stated above, it can be hard to pull off correctly. If it's done in an overbearing manner, the writer could come off as conceited, egotistical, and might dissuade readers from looking at the story. On the other hand, I think SI might sometimes be able to enhance a story if it's done with the right amount of detail and thought process. ^_^

A story I wrote back in 2005 was definitely an SI, looking back at t I don't really like it anymore [even though one of my readers rated it as my masterpiece...]. I prefer the sequel...where I get myFicself killed...yeah...I know. Extreme, eh?

But, for some reason I posted it on here [the original story and the sequel] and changed the name of the character to some random OFC. I then reposted it elsewhere and an old reader of mine said it sounded wrong with the different name and that it worked better with my name...so go figure.

Yes, I did the SI because I wanted to put myself with the famous person, but in the face of it, I write what I felt at the time, and...I try to steer away from SI's except for a new fic I'm writing now. But, I'm hoping it won't be cliche...

And that was just a ramble...lol.

I write mainly SI, and I'm not ashamed at all. No one's ever bashed me for it, and I think it's because I don't glamorize myself in any of my SI's. I know myself well, so I'm able to use both the best and the worst of myself in stories.

I feel like to be able to pull off SI well, you have to be extremely in touch with yourself, you can't sugarcoat anything. You have to admit that you're human, and you have flaws.

I don't get what's the big deal. You're putting your name as the main character, that's it. Who cares?

^ The thing is, a lot of SI stories end up being terrible with cliches and mary sues running wild o.o
My first Harry Potter fic definately started out SI, but I feel like it's changed to only being about half SI as I've worked on it. But, then again, it was one of the first stories I wrote, which were all terrible
I agree with i saw sparks, if you do it right and don't just write your virtues but your vices as well, SI can be awesome. I learned that the hard way

I also agree with i saw sparks. I don't ever glamorize myself in my SI's, or turn myself into a Mary Sue. I usually do write SI fanfic, but it's never like "OHMYGOD ALI I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU'RE SO PERFECT MARRY ME!"

I usually use SI to explore different parts of myself, or just different ideas I have. I use my dreams as inspiration for my writing a lot, and rather than create characters to fit the scenario, I just write whoever I had the dream about. Sometimes that's my friends, or my older brothers, and sometimes it's Iron Man or the Joker. Just depends.

I'm right there with you on dreams. I take things that happen in my dreams and use them in stories so much it's kind of scary. Especially since my dreams are often... weird. Like, weird even for dreams.

If you don't over-glamorize yourself so you become a Mary Sue, I think it's fine. I've on SI'd two or three times, but a few of my characters have personalities similar to mine.

^ I agree with you. I like reading SI, specially when it's in the fantasy genre, but over-glamorizing yourself in the story, or whinning about your appearance to the point of self-loathing tends to shine through most of the stories I've read.

I've only written on SI story; it's in third person narration style, and it's autobiographic. I think it worked alright, because I never delved into appearance nor ideologies, thus not having an annoying rant in the middle of the story.

I never thought of SI as it's own genera or anything before, I hadn't actually heard much about it but from what I knew it was just making a character like myself...
I started doing this once in The Sitcom, but then I decided to just drop myself and let myself roll with the character who came out much more interesting as herself instead of as myself.

I honestly don't think that I could pull of SI. I realize my strengths and faults, but when it came to appearance, I would come off as a bit of self-loathing, even though I don't hate how I look? Just the way I explain myself and write about myself, it comes off as me hating myself. Which I don't. So, yeah, you would have to be very in touch with yourself and very eloquent in your speach and tread carefully. But if it's something you're comfortable with writing, then go ahead. I've been teased for preferring to write slash fanfictions, but that hasn't stopped me. I've never been bashed for it, though.

therumour:

I honestly don't think that I could pull of SI. I realize my strengths and faults, but when it came to appearance, I would come off as a bit of self-loathing, even though I don't hate how I look? Just the way I explain myself and write about myself, it comes off as me hating myself. Which I don't. So, yeah, you would have to be very in touch with yourself and very eloquent in your speech and tread carefully. But if it's something you're comfortable with writing, then go ahead. I've been teased for preferring to write slash fanfictions, but that hasn't stopped me. I've never been bashed for it, though.

I used to hit that problem a lot. The way I got around it was, for the longest time, I never described myself physically. Or, if I did, it was very brief. Just a flash of this or that, wherever it fit in.

The biggest problem I face with a lot of my SI fics is, they're sort of... disconnected? I guess that'd be the word. They don't really have a definite beginning or ending; they're just sort of moments in time. One I'm working on right now is just a scene in a hotel room. It's takes place over the course of, like, twenty minutes. Maybe.

One thing I'm curious about: has anybody ever written an SI with a sex/'lemon' scene in it? I've done it, once, but I never mentioned myself by name, I wrote the story from first-person and just never named the character. I got some compliments on the story, but ultimately took it down. I wish I'd saved it, because I'd like to put it back up.

^ I've done one, but I haven't posted it.

I can really only write sex scenes if they're SI. I feel awkward describing other people having sex.

i saw sparks:

^ I've done one, but I haven't posted it.
I can really only write sex scenes if they're SI. I feel awkward describing other people having sex.

I feel the same way sometimes. It kind of depends for me... If I'm writing "real person" fics, then I feel weird, but if I'm writing, like, Harry Potter or Twilight fanfiction, then it doesn't bother me much.
I write a lot of SI "real person" fiction, though, and I never have trouble with that... so that's a bit of a conundrum.

j. action!:

I feel the same way sometimes. It kind of depends for me... If I'm writing "real person" fics, then I feel weird, but if I'm writing, like, Harry Potter or Twilight fanfiction, then it doesn't bother me much.
I write a lot of SI "real person" fiction, though, and I never have trouble with that... so that's a bit of a conundrum.

I feel ya. I can only write real person SI or AU SI because most of the fandoms that I write in would be a little awkward to do SI in, if that makes sense.

For instance, I mainly write Big Time Rush stories, so it would be awkward to do an SI in the BTR universe because the guys are supposed to be sixteen. I'm nineteen, so I mainly do AU.

When I think of SI stories, I always just think it's rather self-indulgent, which, when it comes down to it, is what most if not all writing is.

I haven't read one before, but what I don't understand is, would you even tell? Wouldn't it just be like reading an OC?

i saw sparks:

For instance, I mainly write Big Time Rush stories, so it would be awkward to do an SI in the BTR universe because the guys are supposed to be sixteen. I'm nineteen, so I mainly do AU.

Totally understandable. I write a lot of real person Jackson Rathbone fics. Considering he's 25 and I'm 16, mine tend to me AU as well... but I've always kind of viewed myself as older than I am, so I rarely mention age in my fics...

(I keep going totally off topic here; I'm sorry. ) Do you keep yourself the same age when you write SI? Do you alter yourself at all? I'll occasionally make myself older, or younger, even, to fit certain scenarios... but I don't really see that as a bad thing, ya'know? Because I keep the essential makeup of myself/my character the same.

Out There:

When I think of SI stories, I always just think it's rather self-indulgent, which, when it comes down to it, is what most if not all writing is.
I haven't read one before, but what I don't understand is, would you even tell? Wouldn't it just be like reading an OC?

Not always. Of course, to a stranger reading SI, it would seem that way, but writing it is a very person experience. To me, at least.
If you're interested in reading some good SI's, I'd suggest Dru's SI collection. It's quite fantastic, and it helped me with my SI writing a lot.
(I'd reccomend that collection to ANYONE interested in SI, or just anyone looking for anything good to read. )

j. action!:

(I keep going totally off topic here; I'm sorry. ) Do you keep yourself the same age when you write SI? Do you alter yourself at all? I'll occasionally make myself older, or younger, even, to fit certain scenarios... but I don't really see that as a bad thing, ya'know? Because I keep the essential makeup of myself/my character the same.

I don't think it's a bad thing to change ages, I don't do it a lot though personally. Mainly because I feel like, if I switched my age to say, 16, I would have to go back to the person that I was three years ago, which is totally different then who I am now.

In a new SI story that I'm working on, I'm going to make myself a little older, so we'll see how that goes.