The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Fanfiction: the definition of Mary-Sue

Lyta_Underhill · 01-27-2004, 01:48 AM

I found this thread some time ago and I've finally managed to get through the rather painful "Laura-Sue" fiction. Thanks for linking that, Ophelia!. I must say it heartens me in some ways, as I'm pretty sure I simply cannot write that badly, or if I did, I would never post it on the internet for all to see. I do, however, have a desire to write fanfiction sometimes and have written a bit in the distant past. Lord of the Rings has been different, though, and I cannot seem to even begin to picture a fictional effort on my own part to hold up to the immense force of Tolkien's creation. I'm pretty sure I do not wish to create a new and self-inhabited character (i.e. "Mary Sue"), but neither can I seem to fathom a story that is both canon and true to the intricate world that Tolkien created. So, I guess my question for Tolkien fanfiction writers is: where and how do you get your ideas? I don't have that much time for reading, and so I don't really read much fanfiction that has multiple chapters (or if I did, I could not finish it due to time constraints).

As for slash fiction, I think my brain is too deeply enmeshed in the Tolkien-centered view to allow it in my ME worldview; all the same, I am much amused by the VSD's and dragoneyes' linked fiction above of the hobbits reading slash on a laptop! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Humor allows for much anachronism. That said, I have written a grand total of ONE LOTR fanfiction, and that one in 45 minutes for a contest for the Eowyn Challenge site. It was too silly for words (although I managed to find some with which to compose it) and also completely off the beam, storywise.

I suppose I'm not too worried about whether I would write a Mary Sue, but more with whether my story would reflect the spirit of Tolkien's world adequately to be worth writing...at least that is my dream. No luck on writing it yet! Anyone else in my boat?

Cheers!
Lyta

01-27-2004, 01:48 AM	#104
Lyta_Underhill Haunted Halfling Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: an uncounted length of steps--floating between air molecules Posts: 841	I found this thread some time ago and I've finally managed to get through the rather painful "Laura-Sue" fiction. Thanks for linking that, Ophelia!. I must say it heartens me in some ways, as I'm pretty sure I simply cannot write that badly, or if I did, I would never post it on the internet for all to see. I do, however, have a desire to write fanfiction sometimes and have written a bit in the distant past. Lord of the Rings has been different, though, and I cannot seem to even begin to picture a fictional effort on my own part to hold up to the immense force of Tolkien's creation. I'm pretty sure I do not wish to create a new and self-inhabited character (i.e. "Mary Sue"), but neither can I seem to fathom a story that is both canon and true to the intricate world that Tolkien created. So, I guess my question for Tolkien fanfiction writers is: where and how do you get your ideas? I don't have that much time for reading, and so I don't really read much fanfiction that has multiple chapters (or if I did, I could not finish it due to time constraints). As for slash fiction, I think my brain is too deeply enmeshed in the Tolkien-centered view to allow it in my ME worldview; all the same, I am much amused by the VSD's and dragoneyes' linked fiction above of the hobbits reading slash on a laptop! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Humor allows for much anachronism. That said, I have written a grand total of ONE LOTR fanfiction, and that one in 45 minutes for a contest for the Eowyn Challenge site. It was too silly for words (although I managed to find some with which to compose it) and also completely off the beam, storywise. I suppose I'm not too worried about whether I would write a Mary Sue, but more with whether my story would reflect the spirit of Tolkien's world adequately to be worth writing...at least that is my dream. No luck on writing it yet! Anyone else in my boat? Cheers! Lyta __________________ “…she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea.”