How to Spot A Mary Sue

So, as I'm sure most of you Mibbians are aware (especially you fanfiction authors), there is a term that refers to original characters as Mary Sue (or Gary Stu, for male characters). First and foremost, a definition: a Mary Sue is a character that is overly perfect, is right about everything, and has few to no flaws. Next, the argument about just what constitutes a Mary Sue is ongoing, and there is no one right answer. And lastly, if you spot a few things in this article that apply to your character, don't feel bad. Original characters are special. They require imagination, dedication and devotion. Just as all good parents want their children to be the best they can be, we authors want the same for our babies. But one thing to understand: in order for your character to thrive, they must be relatable and have room to grow, A.K.A Not Perfect.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to busines, shall we?

Names

Names have absolutely nothing to do with anything. If you want your character to have the same name as you, that's fine. It won't affect your reader's view of the character, which is all that matters. A lot of Mary Sue Litmus Tests put a lot of emphasis on this, and, quite frankly, it just. Doesn't. Matter. Moving on.

Alter Ego

Some writers, usually inadvertently, like to model their original character after an alter ego of theirs, or someone they wish they were. Most of us have alter egos, which is perfectly fine. When you are looking in the mirror and wish you had just a little less acne, or you're out with your friends and you long to be just a tad bit funnier, that is A-okay. We all want to better ourselves; it's natural. And if we could all make ourselves perfect, most of us would. But when it comes to writing a character, alter egos belong in our heads, not in our stories. When you are subejcting others to your world, do not forcefeed them an idealized version of yourself. It's very unpleasant for the reader, and is fairly easy to spot.

Haunting Past Used As An Excuse for Present Decisions

In order to make a character more relatable, a writer will quite often give them a tragic past, whether it be woefully dramatic, or fairly plain with tragic undertones. Personal histories are what make us human, and we want to make our characters as near to human (or if your character isn't human, as relatable) as possible. It is inevitable that such a backstory would affect your character's decision making and judgment, sometimes poorly. But if they are making poor choices and using the past as an excuse, please don't let them get away with it. In cases where a character can just throw out their past as a safety net whenever they are criticized, there is no room for inner conflict, and your character is prevented from developing.

100% Right 100% of the Time

When you know that your character is doing something wrong, they are allowed to get called out. Make one of your other characters scold them for it, and if it's quite a detrimental flaw, let 'em have it! It's okay for your character to be wrong. (Really, it is.) And don't make the scolding character suffer because of their disagreement (A.K.A. getting yelled at about it later, suffering a similar situtation, or even death.) You don't enjoy it when someone's right all the time; why should your readers?

And last, but certainly not least...

No Flaws

For most readers, a completely perfect character is a major turn-off, and can immediately dispel a potential subscriber and/or commenter. If they're astonishingly beautiful, make them vain; if they're majorly talented, make them anti-social; if they're ridiculously popular, make them mean (as overdone as that last one may be). My point is: they are allowed to be good at things, just makes sure they're not good at all things. Have contrast; don't make your reader feel intimidated.

These are the major points I've picked up from reading various Mary Sue articles and tests. For more specific things to avoid, I suggest taking the Katfeete test. It is one of the more reasonable ones, is fairly short, and to the point. If you're writing a specific genre (OF, Twilight, Harry Potter, etc.), there may be a few Mary Sue tests that cater specifically to you and your story. I highly reccommend taking these with an open mind. If you do so, they really help you put things into perspective, and help you find and fix a lot of Mary Sue traits you yourself wouldn't spot otherwise.

I hope that this was helpful for a lot of you, and if you think I skipped a big idea or was just flat out wrong, comment! Thanks for reading, and have fun De-Sue-ifying your characters!