My problem with most Mary Sues is one of characterization. I do not like wholly perfect characters. I do not like wholly *imperfect* characters either, but wholly perfect characters drive me completely nuts. I cannot relate to such stories because no one is that perfect in real life; I cannot empathize with one-dimensional characters.
This is not to say that my own characterization is perfect, of course :) But I would list characterization as the number one thing that draws me into and makes me love a story. My opinion, of course!
My understanding of a "Mary Sue" is a character who is one-dimensional in the sense that she is absolutely and impeccably perfect. Perhaps I am incorrect in this perception; I am new to the Tolkien writing community, after all, and there are not a lot of Mary Sues in Silmarillion fiction. I have no problem with girls falling into Middle-earth or falling in love with Legolas--I only ask that they be *real* characters and not someone opening a Perfect Princess in a Can and plopping her into their story.
This to me is lazy writing, akin to the "deep blue sky" we were discussing the other day and other forms of "cliche" type writing. Again, my opinion, of course.
However, that reminds me it's high time for a parody about canatics rehashing for the 1,000th time what Tolkien already wrote and wrote so much better than those canon-obsessed twits...
Hehe. I tend to agree with you on this point. I like to expand the story in new directions; if I simply wanted to rewrite The Silmarillion, then I would save myself a lot of time and headache and simply reread The Silmarillion.
I admit to having a poor knowledge of canon, compared to most in the Sil community. I am lucky to have folks on my Friends' list with a better knowledge than me and the gumption to tell me when I make mistakes. Some of these things (mostly tiny facts and language-related boo-boos), I will change. Many are my own personal interpretations and twists, and I will think hard about what those people say but probably not be convinced in the end.
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rosecarmine
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-02 01:59 pm (UTC)This is not to say that my own characterization is perfect, of course :) But I would list characterization as the number one thing that draws me into and makes me love a story. My opinion, of course!
My understanding of a "Mary Sue" is a character who is one-dimensional in the sense that she is absolutely and impeccably perfect. Perhaps I am incorrect in this perception; I am new to the Tolkien writing community, after all, and there are not a lot of Mary Sues in Silmarillion fiction. I have no problem with girls falling into Middle-earth or falling in love with Legolas--I only ask that they be *real* characters and not someone opening a Perfect Princess in a Can and plopping her into their story.
This to me is lazy writing, akin to the "deep blue sky" we were discussing the other day and other forms of "cliche" type writing. Again, my opinion, of course.
However, that reminds me it's high time for a parody about canatics rehashing for the 1,000th time what Tolkien already wrote and wrote so much better than those canon-obsessed twits...
Hehe. I tend to agree with you on this point. I like to expand the story in new directions; if I simply wanted to rewrite The Silmarillion, then I would save myself a lot of time and headache and simply reread The Silmarillion.
I admit to having a poor knowledge of canon, compared to most in the Sil community. I am lucky to have folks on my Friends' list with a better knowledge than me and the gumption to tell me when I make mistakes. Some of these things (mostly tiny facts and language-related boo-boos), I will change. Many are my own personal interpretations and twists, and I will think hard about what those people say but probably not be convinced in the end.