The Mary Sue Litmus Test

[chris_gerrib]

The Mary Sue Litmus Test (hat tip kristine_smith) supposedly tells you if your character is a "Mary Sue." (For my non-writer readers, a "Mary Sue" is a character that's obviously the author in disguise.)

Janet Pilgrim, my star from The Mars Run got a 45, which per the site is "Mary-Sue. Your character needs some work in order to be believable. But despair not; you should still be able to salvage her with a little effort. Don't give up."

Bullshit! One looses points if the character is, for example, "smarter then average!" Hello, McFly, she's the protagonist! If she's not smarter then average, she's dead in Chapter 5! Sorry, folks, y'all need to recalibrate your test.

Comments

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I guess the really funny thing is that they actually need to know you to know if there's a match. (I have BTW, known someone who did do that....and I could always spot that 'wise older woodsman' or 'wise old-timer military sergeant' a mile away)

[chris-gerrib.livejournal.com]

Some Supreme Court judge said he couldn't define pornography, but he knew it when he saw it. Substitute "Mary Sue" for "porn" and you've got my feelings exactly.

Also, just as one person's "art" is anothers' "porn" so goes Mary Sues.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Interesting way to put it. ;o)

[chris-gerrib.livejournal.com]

What can I say - my mind is in the gutter. :-)