Is there a quick way to know I have created a Mary Sue?
For those who don't know what a Mary Sue is: see here.
The problem is, there are far too many ways a character can be a Mary Sue, as seen here. Many websites that offer tests to see if your character is a Mary Sue give pages of questions as well.
Is there a quick way to know I have created a Mary Sue?
[Please note: the above links go to the website TVTropes, which is an addictive time-suck. Visit at your own risk. —ed.]
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Obvious Mary Sues are easy to spot... subtle ones less so. Just as it's very hard to proofread your own work, it's often hard for us to see when we've made a character unrealistic.
My suggestion: get an editor. Or at least a beta reader. Find someone who will be honest with you.
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"One day, nothing significant happened. Everyone got on as normal". What does your character do on that day? If they cannot get through a normal day, doing normal things - which may vary depending on the setting - then they may be a Mary Sue (a term I had never heard before, but I recognise the trope).
If you are worried that you are creating a Mary Sue, try writing a normal day for them, and see if it works. You will probably not have to go far into the day to know. @StevenDrennons answer and @Standbacks comment are an excellent checklist, but for a quick way to know, this might work. In fact, just trying to start grasping what a normal day would be might work.
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/5802. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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