Yes, you're absolutely right about the definition of a Gary Stu. Only in this case the Stu wasn't the "perfect" character. He was a jerk, but the other characters seemed to go along with him anyway. But that was what he was like in the first draft. He's better now. I hope.
Call it karma. Call it luck. Me, I just don't give a... BOUNCE!
I don't really understand what you mean by a Gary Stu, but I looked it up in Urban Dictionary:
Gary Stu - n. A female version of a Mary Sue
Mary Sue - n. A female fanfiction character who is so perfect as to be annoying. The male equivlalent is the Marty-Stu. Often abbreviated to "Sue". A Mary Sue character is usually written by a beginning author. Often, the Mary Sue is a self-insert with a few "improvements" (ex. better body, more popular, etc). The Mary Sue character is almost always beautiful, smart, etc... In short, she is the "perfect" girl.
I can kinda see why you'd have a problem with one... none of the other characters would like the main character to be so perfect that they'd be extremely annoying.
I've already created a world for my stories to be posted, so I guess in a way I'm almost at the Point of No Return. But not yet, because there's nothing on it but the introduction. Hmm. I think I'll be bold and do something different by posting my stories (even if I don't get a lot of readers because of the lack of OC fandom).
Really, the decision is up to you to post your stories or not. If you feel ready, do it. If not, hold off.
Yeah, I'm kind of shy, too. I hardly share my stories with anyone I know personally, either. Heck, when the story I talked about in my previous post got beta'd, I learned that I had a Gary Stu on my hands. I cried and I was down for a long time about it. Then I made a parody of it and I felt better. That's actually how my comic idea was born. I also exorcised the Gary Stu. At least I think I did.
Call it karma. Call it luck. Me, I just don't give a... BOUNCE!
Aww, they beat you up? How mean! I'd write something embarrassing about them at least fight back!
For me, it's not exactly the fear of not having readers. I'm just excited that I have any at all! But to answer your question, the fear just might outweigh the desire. I referred to it as a fanfiction world, but it'd end up more like an OC story world. Which makes me feel sad that most fanfics get read more than OC stories.
I think I'll just go through with it and see what happens. With the fanfic/OC stories world, I think I'll let other members become guest posters as well. I'm gonna make the world either today or tomorrow and set it up for posting.
I'm glad you like my ideas. I'm actually usually shy about letting others read what I write... I don't even let my parents read my stories (not that they're bad or anything, just because I'm that shy about it).
I find it kind of weird (in a good way) that you thought up so much of your new story that fast. That actually happened to me last July. In late June, I came up with an idea for a story. The very next month, I pounded out the first four chapters. Sadly, I haven't written any chapters since then, but I have been revising the ones that I have. It's just that I have plot points, but I don't have reasons for the characters to do the things they do.
Just like you, I actually was thinking of making my own World for my stories. I'll be creating it in a couple days. I'm a little nervous for criticism of my stories since I'm a pretty sensitive person. The question is this: Does the fear outweigh the desire or does the desire outweigh the fear?
I don't know if you're hesitant to create your fiction World because of critiques, or because you're afraid you won't get any readers. The sad thing is that fan fiction usually gets more readers than original stories. But you gotta start somewhere. If you don't post, you won't get readers.
Personally, I'm really interested in the idea mentioned in your post. I'm likin' the whole psychic thing.
I don't know where else to fit this, but I'm also writing a script for a comic in which I interact with my OCs. I only have nine pages, but my characters have already beaten me up twice in this comic. I haven't started drawing it yet.
Call it karma. Call it luck. Me, I just don't give a... BOUNCE!
Keba Si Rota
Don't Forget 3 Oct (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 10/07/12 | Reply
@elricbrothersfan:
Good luck!
Yes, you're absolutely right about the definition of a Gary Stu. Only in this case the Stu wasn't the "perfect" character. He was a jerk, but the other characters seemed to go along with him anyway. But that was what he was like in the first draft. He's better now. I hope.
Call it karma. Call it luck. Me, I just don't give a... BOUNCE!
elricbrothersfan
Otaku Legend | Posted 10/07/12 | Reply
@Keba Si Rota:
You have a good point.
I don't really understand what you mean by a Gary Stu, but I looked it up in Urban Dictionary:
Gary Stu - n. A female version of a Mary Sue
Mary Sue - n. A female fanfiction character who is so perfect as to be annoying. The male equivlalent is the Marty-Stu. Often abbreviated to "Sue". A Mary Sue character is usually written by a beginning author. Often, the Mary Sue is a self-insert with a few "improvements" (ex. better body, more popular, etc). The Mary Sue character is almost always beautiful, smart, etc... In short, she is the "perfect" girl.
I can kinda see why you'd have a problem with one... none of the other characters would like the main character to be so perfect that they'd be extremely annoying.
I've already created a world for my stories to be posted, so I guess in a way I'm almost at the Point of No Return. But not yet, because there's nothing on it but the introduction. Hmm. I think I'll be bold and do something different by posting my stories (even if I don't get a lot of readers because of the lack of OC fandom).
Wish me good luck!
Keba Si Rota
Don't Forget 3 Oct (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 10/06/12 | Reply
@elricbrothersfan:
Really, the decision is up to you to post your stories or not. If you feel ready, do it. If not, hold off.
Yeah, I'm kind of shy, too. I hardly share my stories with anyone I know personally, either. Heck, when the story I talked about in my previous post got beta'd, I learned that I had a Gary Stu on my hands. I cried and I was down for a long time about it. Then I made a parody of it and I felt better. That's actually how my comic idea was born. I also exorcised the Gary Stu. At least I think I did.
Call it karma. Call it luck. Me, I just don't give a... BOUNCE!
elricbrothersfan
Otaku Legend | Posted 10/06/12 | Reply
@Keba Si Rota:
Aww, they beat you up? How mean! I'd
write something embarrassing about themat least fight back!For me, it's not exactly the fear of not having readers. I'm just excited that I have any at all! But to answer your question, the fear just might outweigh the desire. I referred to it as a fanfiction world, but it'd end up more like an OC story world. Which makes me feel sad that most fanfics get read more than OC stories.
I think I'll just go through with it and see what happens. With the fanfic/OC stories world, I think I'll let other members become guest posters as well. I'm gonna make the world either today or tomorrow and set it up for posting.
I'm glad you like my ideas. I'm actually usually shy about letting others read what I write... I don't even let my parents read my stories (not that they're bad or anything, just because I'm that shy about it).
Keba Si Rota
Don't Forget 3 Oct (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 10/06/12 | Reply
I just read (and enjoyed) this OCtober post.
I find it kind of weird (in a good way) that you thought up so much of your new story that fast. That actually happened to me last July. In late June, I came up with an idea for a story. The very next month, I pounded out the first four chapters. Sadly, I haven't written any chapters since then, but I have been revising the ones that I have. It's just that I have plot points, but I don't have reasons for the characters to do the things they do.
Just like you, I actually was thinking of making my own World for my stories. I'll be creating it in a couple days. I'm a little nervous for criticism of my stories since I'm a pretty sensitive person. The question is this: Does the fear outweigh the desire or does the desire outweigh the fear?
I don't know if you're hesitant to create your fiction World because of critiques, or because you're afraid you won't get any readers. The sad thing is that fan fiction usually gets more readers than original stories. But you gotta start somewhere. If you don't post, you won't get readers.
Personally, I'm really interested in the idea mentioned in your post. I'm likin' the whole psychic thing.
I don't know where else to fit this, but I'm also writing a script for a comic in which I interact with my OCs. I only have nine pages, but my characters have already beaten me up twice in this comic. I haven't started drawing it yet.
Call it karma. Call it luck. Me, I just don't give a... BOUNCE!