Sorry, Mary Sue. I’m too cool for you now!
No. You read the title right. Terrible Writing Advice is here to instruct writers on how to
avoid writing a Mary Sue. Does this mean I’ve turned over a new leaf where I produce high
value and well researched videos that truly inspire and educate new writers so they can
hone their craft without having to rely on cheap tricks? *Snickers* Yeah Sure. Let’s go with that.
Mary Sue is a common term for an overly perfect character usually designed to be
a shameless self insert of the writer. However, online discourse has somewhat
watered down the term to mean ‘character I don’t like’. For the purposes of this video,
a Mary Sue is merely an idealized, overly amazing character that hurts
the story by being the writer’s pet and probably a self-insert, basically the classic definition.
Now I still stand by my original Mary Sue video. In fact, here at Terrible Writing Advice,
I still advocate for every character to be a Mary Sue. Protagonist? Self insert
Mary Sue. Side characters? Sueitably Sueified. The villain? Suedisticly Sue,
a real Mary Murderer. Background characters? Suddenly Sueful. Every character should be
a perfect idealize version of the author and exist solely to fulfill the writer’s
fantasies. But what if… here me out, if other people think that writing a Mary Sue is bad!
Oh no! I didn’t think about that. Other writers, and more importantly random people
in internet comments, might declare me ‘Not a Real Writer!’ the worst thing you can be!
I shall write fiction so grand, so perfect, and so great that no one will ever declare
my characters a Mary Sue. Every last person on Earth will all universally agree that my
work is in fact objectively perfect in every way and all of my characters are totally deep,
complicated, and multifaceted reflections of the human condition. All of humanity has never agreed
on a single thing, but I’m sure all fandoms, who are infamous for starting endless flame
wars over which not real people should hook up, will be willing to set aside their differences
to agree that my characters are not a Mary Sue. Got to keep your expectations realistic!
Fear not, for I’ll let you know how to avoid the pitfalls of accidentally writing a Mary
Sue and definitely not leave writers vulnerable to falling into this completely different set
of pitfalls right next it! So let Terrible Writing Advice show writers how to ace those
‘is this character a Mary Sue’ tests and show writers how not to write a Mary Sue!
Now the first thing every writer learns when they are trying to avoid writing Mary Sues
is that Mary Sues never have flaws. They are perfect in every way. Therefore the best way
not to write a Mary Sue is to add flaws. Does this mean that the writer can just
add a flaw or two to the character and call it day? Why yes! Yes it does. These include
flaws like too beautiful or can’t choose between hunky billionaire werewolf or
hunky billionaire highlander. You know. Real problems that everyone deals with.
But if a few flaws or good, then a bunch of flaws are even better! Just keep lumping on
all kinds of character flaws until the character collapses under the weight of them. Realistic
flaws can sometimes make a character easier to identify with, ground their characterization,
and simply make them more interesting. But were not shooting for realistic or interesting,
but instead trying to throw off those naysayers in the comments who claim my character is a Mary Sue!
Writing characters with flaws works best when flaws are treated like perks on an RPG character
building system. They give you points to buy more abilities! Flaws can be taken seemingly at random
and have no connection to the theme, tone, or even the character’s motivations, backstory,
or most importantly character traits. A writer definitely shouldn’t see character flaws as the
flip side to character strengths which form a complete character trait. Simply assume that
character flaws automatically make a character more interesting rather than being an element
that merits some consideration or something that can naturally result from solid characterization.
Another Mary Sue trait is that everything always goes their way. So naturally,
the best way to avoid writing a Mary Sue is to make every single thing in the story go
wrong for them. All the time. That will make the audience feel sorry for them! The audience will
just ignore how contrived it begins to look when the character tried to get her morning coffee,
but it somehow resulted in her dog being run over by the repo truck that towed
away her car before she could drive her dying grandmother to the hospital. Then the coffee
caught fire and burned her house down. When a character endures hardships, humiliation,
or otherwise experiences tragedy, it can build both empathy and sympathy with the audience
provided the audience feels the character is worthy of it. Lump too much crap on them and
the audience will simply sympathize harder, not start laughing a how ridiculous it is.
Will the audience feel sympathy for a deeply unlikable character who refuses to improve
their situation? Of course! When a writer wants a character to be likeable, obviously the writer is
tying to make a Mary Sue! Therefore I shall make my character as unlikable as possible! Who wants
to read about likeable characters anyway? Only amateurs who stupidly write Mary Sues want to
pen characters that people would actually enjoy spending time with. That’s not how to write!
That even extends to the character doing anything in the story that’s actually
important. Another common Mary Sue quality is that they are essential drivers of the plot and
that everything that happens is about them. This problem can easily be avoided if the character
merely does nothing at all. They just passively sit there and do nothing while the plot bends
around them like a black freaking hole. There’s nothing wrong with a reactive character rather
than an active character. But to make sure no one calls my character a Mary Sue, I will have
them just sit there and have stuff happen around them rather than take a single action that would
move them closer to achieving their goals, which they don’t have anyways. My character
would never have a goal or motivation, because only a Mary Sue would actually want things.
What about abilities? Well Mary Sue has all kinds of cool powers and abilities. So my
character will not have any. Even if it would make no sense for the setting. If a writer does want,
then they can give their character a couple of worthless powers. No one can complain that
my character is the center of everything and super special even if she’s the only
non-magic user at a school made only for magic users. Is it that overpowering magic
powers can rob the story of any tension if used excessively? Is that even overwhelming powers
and abilities can still be made interesting by having the character use them in fun and
unique ways? No. I can’t think of a single popular story that features an overpowered
main character. If they did then that character would be a Mary Sue and therefore not a good
character. And no one loves Mary Sue… I mean outside of the fiction at least.
Now that I have a character that is completely unlikable, has no abilities, way more personality
flaws than is reasonable, and has zero ability or motivation to move the plot forward, there is no
way they could be called a Mary Sue even if all the characters still obsess over her. The entire
universe still bends and revolves around her and she is still the star of the story. What? You
think just because she’s described as super ugly that all the attractive cast still won’t fawn over
her? I can’t have that. The whole point is to stop the audience from accusing her or being a
Mary Sue. Not stop me from writing an indulgent character whose presence hurts the story.
See? She makes mistakes all the time. Mary Sue would never do that. I mean the story
bends over backwards to make sure all of her monumental screw-ups don’t matter while all
the characters just forgive her for some reason, but she still technically makes them. Which makes
her technically not a Mary Sue! Ha! Man, I’m smart! I’ve treated all the symptoms so the
disease should magically disappear! Besides, other characters still do stuff on their own
like buy my main character gifts, so it’s not like she is still the center of the universe.
I can’t have my character share any of the common Mary Sue traits. See! This massive glut
of articles on the internet says so! It’s full of common Mary Sue traits that you never see in
extremely popular characters from successful franchises. I can’t think of a single popular
character that’s super attractive, has amazing superpowers and abilities, literally has the plot
revolve around them, and are special enough to have the fates of entire universe shaking
prophecies hinge on their actions. Obviously no one wants that and it will never sell. Could it
be that Mary Sue is so hated, particularly in fan fiction, because she often usurps the roles of
already popular characters while failing to mimic the character qualities that made them so popular
in the first place? And that people consume fan fiction typically to enjoy spending more time
with the characters that they love. Only to find that this glittery haired, eye color changing,
stale biscuit of a character is there bending the main cast to her will with zero blowback from
anyone. Well except for maybe the story commenters and reviews. No flames plz. In original fiction
Mary Sues can typically be the result of simply poor execution and author favoritism getting in
the way of storytelling. I could try to dissect exactly what makes Mary Sues unlikable. But I
think I’ll instead fixate on all of those common traits everyone keeps talking about.
This makes taking all of those ‘Mary Sue’ tests that float around on the internet an
excellent use of time. What a great way to learn characterization. Reducing Mary
Sue to a freaking power level. This is definitely a useful tool and not a
complete waste of time better spent just writing and learning through mistakes.
I don’t have time to write. I have to spend time worrying about what other writers will
think of me! What if a big successful writer tells me I’m no good a writing
because I wrote a Mary Sue? Yes. Super successful writers clearly have the time
to personally tell other writers that they are writing wrong! And not even the writers,
I had to worry about everyone on the internet calling my character a Mary Sue!
My work must be liked by everyone! Everyone who writes Mary Sues does so because they are lazy.
If you put in enough work, then you can make a work that’s perfect! That’s how that works! That’s
why I’ve never met a writer still workshopping their very first book for over a decade. It’s
a matter of sheer effort, not experience. Put in enough time and I can write the best
story in the world and when my story becomes mega popular there will not be a single person on the
planet call my protagonist a Mary Sue! Every writer should carry this exact expectation.
Obsessing over what everyone will think will never lead to the writer missing what their
target audience will think. Better to assume every lifeform on the planet
Earth will become a megafan rather than simply accept that a lot of people aren’t
going to like my work and that’s okay. Don’t worry. It’s not a matter of when
someone calls a character a Mary Sue, only if they do. That if being if anyone
bothers to read my work at all. But why wouldn’t they? My work is Mary Sue free!
Corporations take note. This style of character creation is great for big franchises that have
achieved the coveted cash cow status. Don’t make a new character or a good character when we can
make a bland committee designed character with as much personality as a wet potato,
but with none of the potential to cook into some actually good. This character
can’t be a Mary Sue, because if they were they might actually be more interesting.
It’s important for the writer to understand what the audience wants from a character
in fiction. And people are great at articulating exactly what they want
and never complain about it when they get it to the letter. People obviously don’t want a
character that they can project onto, feel special, do interesting things,
or any other qualities. They want something that’s so bland and tasteless that it would ace
every Mary Sue test ever. Because the character is never there to make the story worth enjoying,
they are there because I don’t want to get called out for writing a Mary Sue.
Never mind that a character can be deeply unlikable, self-centered, a huge jerk,
and still in be fascinating to read or watch. So can a character that is likable, selfless,
and kind. Because all of those traits, both positive and negative, serve the story or
their characterization. Which is a mistake, because obviously character and story should
be beholden to the author’s anxieties instead. The important thing is to indulge, just rather
than the author’s wish fulfillment, it’s instead the author’s anxieties.
If only there were a way between a self-indulgent blatant Mary Sue and a bland boring play it safe
character? If only there were a way to write characters that have traits,
that encompass both good and bad qualities depending on the circumstance as well as a
solid motive. Alas, I’ve played too many RPGs and as such can only see characters
as a collection of stats and perks rather than people with opinions and perspectives.
My first work must be a magnum opus! When writing,
you start out producing amazing works of art rather than having to actually build
skill through experience and learning from mistakes. A writer can’t just go ahead and
write god awful indulgent crap to get it out of their system. Never should a writer accept that
It’s okay to be bad. You can always write something better later.
But what then? Just not share it with world! How will people know my character isn’t a Mary Sue
then? I must share my genius with the world for the sake of seeking validation rather
than focusing on improvement. Then I’ll spend the rest of my time on the internet arguing semantics
over what is and isn’t a Mary Sue. Which for a writer is a great use of time and resources.
Fixating on the label Mary Sue is way more productive that just focusing on writing a
good character. A perfect writer can never write a Mary Sue. A writer must be perfect and loved by
everyone and never make a mistake or have any flaws and be the best most amazing writer that
everyone always talks about and obsesses over all the time. I must become the most special
important writer ever that everything revolves around. Only then will I be a… a uh… Uh oh!
GUARD: Federation sold us a fresh batch I see. Move along prisoners…
GUARD2: Oh hey! He’s got the old rig. GENERAL: Old rig?
GUARD2: Yeah. The old mark 1 animation rig. We’re already on mark 2. Don’t worry. They’ll
update you after orientation. GENERAL: Orientation?
MERC CAPTAIN: Welcome, scum, to Wagwater.
MEGACORP’s elite mercenary company. GENERAL: Wait! We’re going to be
soldiers of fortune? Does that mean I’m finally going to get my war!?
CORPORATE SUIT: Oooo. No. We don’t use the big W word anymore. Focus group says that’s a no no. We
prefer the term security contract. We’re not invading. We are providing prompt and direct
security services. As a new Security Defense Associate, it’s very important that you maintain
Wagwater’s high standard of customer service. Especially considering Wagwater is a subsidiary
of Megacorp. Unless you get into trouble, in which case Megacorp has no idea who you are.
GENERAL: That… just sounds like sales?
CORPORATE SUIT: The orientation video will explain it better.
NARRATOR (V.O.): Terrorism got you down? Democratic reformers
trying to mess up a perfectly good military junta? Former client states asserting their
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Associate give a commission that will be put toward reducing your sentence. Just remember
that all equipment will be charged to you including spent ammunition so make ‘em count!
Complete your full tour of duty and you may even be given a chance to join the rest of Megacorp
in Nebula. Secure your place now before the rest of the TWA expanded universe explodes in a vortex
of unsustainable greed! GENERAL: Wait. What?!
NARRATOR (V.O.):But let’s not focus on that. Get excited for your new dream
platform Nebula!Nebula is a streaming platform built by YouTubers, podcasters,
and other creatives. Should YouTube fall, the TWA Universe will live on thanks to
Nebula. A place free from YouTube’s fickle policies allowing for experimentation in
content. Exciting opportunities await along with outstanding Nebula Originals like Real
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or just generally good advice. Like Simon Clark’s Turn Data into Stories. Georgia Dow’s extremely
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Like Stories of Old. Support the channel. Secure your place before it’s too late! Use the link in
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CORPORATE SUIT: Well I hope we all learned something inspiring. It’s important to
maintain high quality customer service when we inflict… uh I mean when we provide satisfaction
guaranteed security service. And for our first security contract, you will
finally remove those pesky Space Communists to pave the way for Greed’s ultimate ascension.
GENERAL: Killing space communists! Great! The Federation’s democracy
didn’t work out. Maybe corporations running things won’t be so bad?