I'd like to change gears a little bit and present the other side of the Mary-Sue phenomenon. Have any of you read any Mary-Sues that you would actually recommend as good reading? At the risk of seriously p*ssing off the author, I'd like to share one with you.
In the interests of discretion, I won't post the title or author's name here, but you can read the story here:
The Best Written Mary-Sue I've Ever Read
This author has chosen the #2 option: "Become such a good writer no one cares your story is a Mary-Sue." By some of your definitions, you may not consider it a 'Sue at all. I think it's a good model of what to do if you feel your story is becoming a 'Sue.
Why this story is a Mary-Sue:
1) The heroine has a tragic past.
2) The heroine has a distinctive appearance.
3) She is a long-lost heir of a noble house.
4) She communicates with animals.
5) All right-thinking characters like her.
6) She is romantically entangled with three canon characters.
7) She fights.
8) She has two nicknames that are nouns.
Why you won't care:
1) Interesting plot.
2) Good writing that is beta-read.
3) Canon characters for the most part stay in character.
4) After receiving "Great story, but it's a Mary-Sue" reviews, the author took pains to make the heroine less 'Sue-ish by having characters dislike her, having her act b*tchy and human sometimes and having her *not* end up with one of the canon characters that we know ends up with someone else.
One word of warning: this story is very long. However, you don't need to read the etire thing to get a feel for it.
Any other readable Sues out there? Or comments on this one?
Cheers!
-Lily
<font size=1 color=339966>[ 4:00 PM January 21, 2004: Message edited by: Lily Bracegirdle ]