Mary Sues (and How to Avoid Them)

"Mary Sues (and Gary Stus) ... are essentially characters who have no weaknesses or flaws in their universe. I say 'in their universe' because, while the characters in-universe (perhaps reluctantly) accept that they're flawless, we can see that they're actually annoying, whiny, self-centered, melodramatic, and a lot of other unkind adjectives."

I apologize for reusing the quote I used last week, but otherwise I wouldn't have known where to begin. As an aspiring writer, I have a particular hatred for Mary Sues. Many of us have written these characters unintentionally and have unwittingly let them corrupt what might otherwise be good writing.

The common trait Mary Sues possess is their uncanny level of "perfection" in what they are assigned to be in their stories. However, like evil ice cream flavors from Hell, Mary Sues have a variety of personas they can take, such as...

1. The Common Sue. These are the good guy Sues, the heroines, the main characters. They're beautiful, smart, funny, have lots of friends, have guys pining over them, and other such traits. It's basically the same thing if they're a Gary Stu, only gender-reversed. If the Common Sue has any problem it's that they can't deal with their perfection and may go on long angst rants over their gorgeous figures, millions of friends, and hundreds of admirers. After all, who says being perfect is easy?
2. The Godly Sue. These are the "chosen ones" of their stories and also often take on the main character role. They usually possess most (if not all) traits of Common Sues, but these are given the added bonus of possessing otherworldly powers or natural abilities beyond those of their peers (provided their peers have powers to begin with) that make them nigh invincible.
3. The PMS Sue. These Sues have all the traits of Common Sues, but instead of having infinite patience, they have none. As their name implies, they're always PMSing. Anyone who gets in her way is easily a goner, she thinks the boys who all adore her are pains, and she'll rebel just to show that she's a badass and is willing to flaunt it.
4. The Not-Sue Sue. These are what happen when the author tries so hard not to make a Sue that they create a character whose perfection is fired in the opposite direction. These have no positive attributes whatsoever. They're remorseless. They're dishonest. They're so ugly their mother wouldn't even love them, but then again they've probably already murdered her so that doesn't matter. They're so perfectly flawed that they fall into a Sue category all their own.

I remember reading from a certain author once that "there's nothing more boring than a perfect hero[ine]." They've basically nailed it there. "Perfect" characters, regardless of gender, status within the framework of the story, or otherwise are annoying and boring reads.

Curing the Disease

If Mary Sues are the disease, then what is the cure? The one-sentence solution is to balance your characters. Here are a couple methods I follow when I create any character -- hero to villain, male to female, main to supporting cast -- and mold them in such a way to avoid the dreadful consequences that come with the unwitting construction of a Mary Sue.

1. Keep track of the positive attributes you apply to your characters. Every character, regardless of status, should have "good" qualities -- these can show your character is ethical, is particularly skilled at a certain trade, or more. Maybe they have a soft spot for dogs or volunteer at a homeless shelter, or perhaps they're highly skilled at mathematics or archery. Everybody is good at something and/or is innately a good person; by giving a character a few positive qualities, you make them more believable.
2. Keep track of the negative attributes you apply to your characters. While everyone should have good qualities, nobody is perfect. To make a character believable, they should have weaknesses -- they can show your character is innately flawed, is clumsy or unskilled at a certain trade, or more. Perhaps they've killed a man or are schizophrenic, or maybe they can't read or are afraid of cameras. People have areas where they fall short and their written characters should be no exception.
3. Maintain a balance. This doesn't mean your characters have to be 50% "good" and 50% "bad." But always pay close attention to the traits that make your character good or bad or the things that they are good or bad at. A 40-60 split is okay, but anything beyond that can be a little iffy. Once you reach 30-70 territory, I suggest adding extra positive or negative attributes as the case may be to achieve the final balance you seek. These can be little things. Make them a good basket-weaver or deathly terrified of long words. Not only do these balance your characters, but they add a certain level of quirkiness that humans naturally have and you make them more believable.

Still having trouble deciding if your character is a Mary Sue or Gary Stu? Here's the source I use: The Mary Sue Litmus Test that's found on Ponyland Press. I've found it's pretty good to help you judge whether your character is too "Sue-ish" or at an appropriate balance of good and bad characteristics. I highly recommend it.

~ Dreamnorn