WIP Challenge Check-in, Day 28 --Tuesday

[linaewen]

Hello on Tuesday!  What kind of a writing day has it been today?

• I thought about my fic once or twice
• I wrote
• I did some planning and/or research
• I edited
• I've sent my fic off to my beta
• I posted today!
• I'm taking a break
• I did something else that I'll talk about in a comment

For Discussion:  Do you write original characters? Are they main characters or minor characters in your stories? Have you ever included a "Mary Sue" in your work?

I have a number of OC's who are recurring characters in my stories, but most if not all of them are minor (though important) characters.  Having some OC's present along with the canon characters helps me add to the story I'm telling by looking at it with different eyes than the ones readers of the fandom are used to.  As far as I can recall, the only time I wrote a Mary Sue was as a joke -- it was an on purpose Mary Sue.

Comments

I wrote - but just 552 words.

[theresa_ramseyer]

Goal for the day was 1103, so half the words I wanted once more.

I wrote in the late evening again, which is the habit I'm trying to stop doing. But yesterday morning I helped Mom for some time, and that threw things off. I started writing at the dining room table last night, which helped. Then I took a break and put Heidi (my Yorkie) to bed, and started reading instead of writing in my darkened bedroom. Woke up this morning about 3:30!

Haven't written this morning either, will probably be late afternoon or very late evening before I can write for any length. Maybe a dash or sprint or two before then ...

I like writing original characters in my fanfics. They're usually women, but my fandoms are often male heavy/centered, so it's a good thing :).

As for Mary Sue, it depends on your definition of Mary Sue, how close you parallel those characters to yourself.

Some folks define "Mary Sue" as this perfect woman who has all the superpowers and the luck and the beauty and the hero and so forth. Ick. I try very hard to stay away from that "Mary Sue."

But if your definition of "Mary Sue," like mine, is that they are like you in values, maybe in looks, etc., without being "perfect." I think many of my characters start out that way. But then they change, especially as I research and think about how they should be different.

One of my favorite Robert Lansing roles is Carl Yaring in "Judas Touch," the 4th season of Mannix, episode 16. My "Mary Sue" in those fanfics is his wife, Beth, who is quite a bit different than Control's wife Teri in my EQ stories. Neither woman is perfect, but they both share enough values to trigger a Mary Sue test or two.

Re: I wrote - but just 552 words.

[linaewen]

I like your definition of Mary Sue -- I have a character or two that would be Mary Sues by that definition. I also don't like the type of Mary Sue that inserts unnaturally into the story and everything revolves her!

Mary Sue - was Re: I wrote - but just 552 words.

[theresa_ramseyer]

Thanks :)

We were talking last night about one of my old classmates from school - she would have made a good "perfect in every way" character/Mary Sue. She was good at everything, and everything she touched turned to gold, sort of a female Midas. Of all of us, she was "on her way," with great prospects.



Know how she ended up? Instead of some high ranking think tank position or government place, places where she could shine and really have some influence, she became a preacher, got married, and owns a gym with her husband. A thriving gym, of course, but still ... *head desk* so much potential to really BE somebody and DO something on national terms, not just in a little circle. (and yes, I'm looking at the mirror myself these days...)

So "Mary Sue's" don't always end up being perfect or making the right choices, even if they are during the story you're reading. Small comfort sometimes.

Theresa