Some authors, no matter how many times they're told, still can't get past
the compulsion to write a Mary Sue. In some cases, the author simply chooses to disregard what is accepted as fandom
etiquette. (This is not necessarily wrong, but I personally would not recommend it.) In other cases, the author is
unclear as to the prevailing opinion regarding Mary Sue. The goal of this page is to answer some of those ever-present questions
about the hated Sue.
~*~
Q: What exactly is a Mary Sue?
A: A Mary Sue is an original character in fanfiction, generally written for
the sole purpose of wish fulfillment. In terms of the Les Mis fandom, said wish can vary from shacking up with Enjolras
to saving Javert from his plunge into the Seine. Mary Sue typically shares the (highly idealized) physical
and/or personality traits of the author who penned her. For more criteria and defining characteristics of a Mary Sue,
see: Who She is and Why She's Evil.
~*~
Q: So, how do I know if my original character is a Mary Sue?
A: If your character just happens to share your name, age, interests, hobbies, talents,
lust for a certain canon character, or incredibly idealized physical features, the chances are very good that
you've written a Mary Sue. For further clarification, I recommend the Mary Sue Litmus Test.
~*~
Q: What's so wrong with writing a Mary Sue, anyway?
A: There isn't necessarily anything "wrong" with writing a Mary Sue. When
written for one's own personal enjoyment, they can be quite a lot of fun. However, most readers typically find others'
Mary Sues to be, at best, very irritating.
~*~
Q: How come?
A: Because it's FAN FICTION. When you're writing plain old FICTION, you
include whatever characters you like, with whatever traits you like. But when you write FAN FICTION, there is an accepted
set of rules to structure your story around. These rules are better known as "canon": they are the truths about setting,
plot and character as stated by Victor Hugo in his novel. People who read Les Miserables fanfiction usually
want to read about the characters in Les Miserables. While a minor original character may help to enhance the story, a Mary
Sue that overshadows the canon characters will rarely be received well.
~*~
