To Whom It May Concern,

Mary Sue…

All Fanfiction and Original Fiction writers have heard that term many times.

Many ask, ‘Who is this Mary-Sue Person’ and punched with lines of people telling them that they are stupid, and that a Mary Sue is just a perfect character.

But what is a perfect character? Perfect looks, perfect grades…automatic Mary-Sue. But does it make them not human? I have met many people, and if they were in a story they would be huge Mary-Sues. Yet still, they are believable people.

Another thing to ponder…why does everyone hate Mary-Sues? Most owe it to poor character development. But what if they are just jealous of Mary-Sue? She gets all the guys, constantly looks hot, gets the highest grades…what’s not to be jealous of? She’s superficially real, and people just don’t understand how she does it. She is always sweet and kind, so why don’t people like her? Isn’t perfection just a stereotype? Why do people dwell on the fact that these so called “perfect people” clog up stories? Why do they care so much?

I know, I know. Mary-Sues are annoying. They are always so sickly sweet, gorgeous, and talented. You always feel so damn flawed in comparison to them. Is hating Mary-Sue a matter of self-pride? Do you hate these characters because you are so cocky, and can’t stand to have a deflated ego? Do they make you think about your personality flaws and appearance flaws? Does reading about perfection make you wish that you were skinnier, or nicer, or that your acne-filled face was smooth? Does this character make you see your serious imperfections? Are you blaming your insecurity with these poor characters?

I have a question for you: why do you flame people who write stories that contain Mary-Sues? I admit, I am guilty of this crime, as are many writers. Why do you fret over such a common offense? Many authors on this site and other writing sites are not professional authors, and just teenagers who want feedback on their writing. Writers on the internet have different strengths, and you cannot expect that everyone will make stories with a good plot, good characters, and everything else that makes a best seller. And people often forget that famous authors include Mary-Sues in their stories too. To many, Harry Potter in the…well…Harry Potter series is a Mary-Sue. I love the series dearly, but Harry seems too important in many situations. I push that aside though, because the writing is so good.

Also, why do you flame Mary-Sues when you either:

Have no stories

OR

Have a story that contains Mary-Sues

It’s hypocrisy, people! If you can’t write something better, then why do you critique people about it! I mean, it’s different if you have a story with many chapters, 1940 reviews, and very well developed characters, and then you have license to judge. But you are not someone to judge if you can’t even match what they’ve done, you should keep your mouth shut. I’m sick of people saying, “ insert name of Mary-Sue in question is such a freaking Sue! This story stinks! Learn how to write!” and you go to their profile to find not a single story. It gives off this vibe that says, “I’m so great that I don’t need evidence to prove what I say.” What happened to the statement “Practice what you preach”?

In conclusion, I do not understand this disliking of the Mary-Sue. It is a character, no matter how poorly developed. You will see them everywhere, and even in published books. They may be annoying but why this hatred. They may make you feel bad about yourself, but that is due to low self confidence. Do not use flames as a mask for boosting your self-confidence, as it will just drag you in deeper. If you have a burning desire to tell me how wrong I am, feel free to do so. It’s your loss, anyway. Please take my opinion into consideration, and think before you go all out in mindless insults. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

An Anonymous Essayist, with the pseudonym Punkee Monkee