People need to be more specific about their criticism.
Ask them: "What do you consider to be Mary Sueish about this character?"
I hate criticism, too, but sometimes it can be helpful, even if it stings at first you'll think about it, and you may even find you agree. It's the vagueness of the "Mary Sue" accusation that I'm complaining about: it can't help your writing.
It could be any number of things that are causing people to label your character a Mary Sue. It could even be as subtle as... wording choices... that make her feel like a self-insert. Obviously James Bond is Ian Fleming's self-insert, or Anne McCaffrey's Lessa (and Menolly) in the Pern series are both self-inserts. Faramir of Lord of the Rings is Tolkien's admitted self-insert.
I'm not saying that everyone who's been called a Mary Sue isn't a Mary Sue. Anna has a wonderful portrayal of Hermione in Roman Holiday (http://www.witchfics.org), where Hermione is a self-insert into a well-plotted, enjoyable story, beautifully characterised, told with great humour and skill. I enjoy it, even as I recognise the implausibility of Draco, Snape, and Bill all swooning over our favourite bookworm.
The term "Mary Sue" just doesn't point out what's really wrong with the story/characterisation/what-have-you. It's too vague.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2004-09-12 06:44 pm (UTC)Ask them: "What do you consider to be Mary Sueish about this character?"
I hate criticism, too, but sometimes it can be helpful, even if it stings at first you'll think about it, and you may even find you agree. It's the vagueness of the "Mary Sue" accusation that I'm complaining about: it can't help your writing.
It could be any number of things that are causing people to label your character a Mary Sue. It could even be as subtle as... wording choices... that make her feel like a self-insert. Obviously James Bond is Ian Fleming's self-insert, or Anne McCaffrey's Lessa (and Menolly) in the Pern series are both self-inserts. Faramir of Lord of the Rings is Tolkien's admitted self-insert.
I'm not saying that everyone who's been called a Mary Sue isn't a Mary Sue. Anna has a wonderful portrayal of Hermione in Roman Holiday (http://www.witchfics.org), where Hermione is a self-insert into a well-plotted, enjoyable story, beautifully characterised, told with great humour and skill. I enjoy it, even as I recognise the implausibility of Draco, Snape, and Bill all swooning over our favourite bookworm.
The term "Mary Sue" just doesn't point out what's really wrong with the story/characterisation/what-have-you. It's too vague.
Ask them to be more specific.
Icarus