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If you are interested in writing, you may also be interested in the Writerium, a wiki for writers. It's still in the early stages and needs a lot of contributions, although it does have a fair bit of helpful information already.

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The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test



If you are unfamiliar with what a Mary Sue is, I recommend reading Wikipedia's article.

This test has been given a bit of a makeover that should help to clear up some confusion as to what kind of questions should be answered for a given character. The questions have been divided into the following areas:

Part 1 - All Characters

Questions that pertain to all characters everywhere.

Part 2 - Original Fiction Characters

Questions for original fiction characters only.

Part 3 - Fan Characters & Newcomers

Questions for fan characters (RPG and fiction) and characters you may be planning to add to an original fiction universe you've already established.

Part 4 - RPG Characters

You guessed it - questions for role-playing characters.

Part 5 - De-Suifiers

Questions that subtract from the final score.



READ THIS FIRST AND READ IT CAREFULLY - MISUSE OF THIS TEST WILL CAUSE INACCURATE RESULTS!

How to use this test :

Answer all questions for which the answer is 'yes' or 'technically yes' UNLESS the item mentioned is normal for the universe - you know, everyday, ordinary stuff. If most people in a story's world have wings and fly, skip the question about flying. If it's normal for characters to have technicolor hair (like in a lot of anime), then pink coifs don't count as unusually-colored hair. If your character had an exotic name because you make up everyone's names, you would not answer yes to having an unusual-sounding name that you made up. Sue-ness is relative. ;)

If your character is a role-playing character and the only reason you can answer 'yes' is because of other players acting of their own free wills (IE, everyone has their characters throwing themselves at your character's feet and you've done nothing to force this) do not answer yes to the corresponding question.

Make sure that you answer the questions properly depending on what type of universe your character is in:

Fanfiction - a story set in a world you didn't make up.

Original Fiction - a story set in a world you made up yourself.

RPG - Role-Playing Game.

If you see a question that looks like it's been linked, rest your cursor over it - it contains a tool tip, which should contain further information on the subject.

Please, please, please remember that these are the symptoms, not the disease. I am not implying that each of these traits is inheirently bad and should be avoided at all costs. Think of them as being like salt or spices - they serve to enhance the dish when used in the right amounts, but when used too liberally, the result tends to be quite unappetizing. While it is true that some writers are skilled enough to pull off characters that fall into the 'Sue category, do not assume that you are one of them. I've seen plenty of Sue-authors fall into this trap. Instead, go out and get feedback from people more experienced in reading/writing, preferably adults. Not teenagers. Adults. Furthermore, this test has never been nor will be perfect. At best, I can only offer it as a guide, not an instruction manual.







