And that's the problem that I have with the Sue lists and the Sue criticisms is that I don't think they go to the heart of the issue -- which is constructing a character who makes sense within the narrative, who enhances the original work and canon characters and doesn't suck all the air out of the room.
Well, yeah--but the real problem with those lists is that they punish young writers and scare them away from participating in what is likely the first community they've ever found that supports them in creative efforts.
I dislike Cal_yn's dictates not just because they prioritize a static and highly conservative interpretation of Lewis' intent above anyone else's creativity, but because she's (intentionally or not) bullying these young writers out of writing the stories they want to tell.
Mary Sue will never die: it's a phase nearly everyone goes through. (The poor are with us always. And so is Mary Sue.) And we won't get better writing if we scare those writers away before they even learn what's wrong with Mary Sue in the first place.
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Well, yeah--but the real problem with those lists is that they punish young writers and scare them away from participating in what is likely the first community they've ever found that supports them in creative efforts.
I dislike Cal_yn's dictates not just because they prioritize a static and highly conservative interpretation of Lewis' intent above anyone else's creativity, but because she's (intentionally or not) bullying these young writers out of writing the stories they want to tell.
Mary Sue will never die: it's a phase nearly everyone goes through. (The poor are with us always. And so is Mary Sue.) And we won't get better writing if we scare those writers away before they even learn what's wrong with Mary Sue in the first place.