I'e always wondred...

Spawn Guy · 08-29-2006, 06:02 PM

...just what goes into creating a fan character? What's the appeal? How do you avoid Mary Sueisim?etc

Not that I have anything against fan charcters, but I'm defeinatly not that much of a fan. I find it hard to read a fic about the guys when I have to deal with a random love intrest or the sibling they never knew they had.

What's that you say ghost that never lies? Fan characters come into existence through scientific experiments on lint and bubble wrap? Wow!

<Mod edit: Please don't doble post>

*XERO* · 08-29-2006, 09:41 PM

Go my route: Have the character there from the beginning. That way, you can avoid explaining how he/she arrived.

As for Mary Sueism, ask Anarky. He knows a lot about that.

*Katie* · 08-29-2006, 09:51 PM

Ben's right...make them part of the origin...keeps the messy details out of it.

Myself, I wrote a series of stories when I was younger that had a character based on myself in there...NEVER a love interest....and very very flawed. That was how I kept the Mary Sueness away. She was just a regular person that happened to get caught up in weird circumstances, much to her continuing dismay. (that was kind of my running theme in those stories)

anyway, that's what I did....and really it was mostly because I had a hard time writing from a male perspective and needed a female to move the story along...and it was way fun to keep her a chance encounter outsider...man I have to dig those stories out

*Masked Ninja* · 08-31-2006, 05:31 PM

Characters created to be love interests make me die a little inside each time I see one. Especially when they're a human and have little half-turtle babies...

I wanted to avoid the "5th Turtle" syndrome (Ben's way is just about the only right way to do it, IMHO) so I had my turtle be unrelated but managed to contact the same ooze (so we could be sure he'd mutate the same way). When he found the TMNT, he chose to live away from them, Leatherhead family-friend fashion. It's because I think too many new buddies/girlfriends break up the main TMNT/Splinter family unit, and I specifically avoided it.

Oh, and Mask was trained to fight before he met the TMNT, but not nearly long enough. So he sucks at it. I kinda like that.

*XERO* · 09-05-2006, 07:32 PM

Heh, you would.

*DrSpengler* · 09-05-2006, 07:50 PM

Honestly, the only "fan-characters" I can really tolerate are maybe new villains or what-not. As someone already said "love interest characters make me die a little inside", usually because they're just the avatar of the hopeless fangirl shut-in whose writing the story. You get a LOT of that kinda crap in Transformers fanfiction, too, unfortunately.

Fan-made villains work well because, like in official fiction, they can be introduced randomly or at the spur of the moment and nobody lifts an eyebrow becuase that's just how villains are.

Fan-made supporting characters can work, too, typically if they're not something trite and predictable like "another turtle" or some slovenly fangirl's means of getting Raph to bone her in some fantasy world.

And, of course, it all hinges on the talent of the writer. Even ideas that seem bad in premise can come out nicely with a talented writer, while others that seem like a good idea can plummet far from their potential by writers with a lack of grammatical skill.

TMNTGal · 09-08-2006, 08:34 PM

I was having a pretty dull evening and I read your post DrSpengler. I laughed so hard I had a tear in my eye. I agree with your sentiments.

I don't have a fan character nor do I write fan fiction so I can't add anything from that perspective. My avatar may say the contrary but in actuality it's only a picture I did for fun. I originally did a drawing in 8th grade just to see if I could manage to draw something feminine looking. All I was ever interested in drawing were male mutants and monsters. I eventually redrew the picture in 98'. I started using the internet at this time and I thought the image suited my screen name, so it stuck. I mostly see it as something you do for fun, something you can get a laught out of.

*KROW* · 09-09-2006, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

Honestly, the only "fan-characters" I can really tolerate are maybe new villains or what-not. As someone already said "love interest characters make me die a little inside", usually because they're just the avatar of the hopeless fangirl shut-in whose writing the story. You get a LOT of that kinda crap in Transformers fanfiction, too, unfortunately.

What? Ew. But... why?

Alouicious · 09-09-2006, 12:38 AM

Don't know if any of you are major "Lord of the Rings" geeks like me, but anyone who is will appreciate these stories--NEITHER OF WHICH ARE MINE!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1518794/1/

This first one deals with the horrible evil of Mary Sues in the funniest fashion imaginable (to me, at least). Not for those of you who've never read "The Silmarillion", unfortunately.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1030097/1/

This one is a more serious treatment of the subject, showing what should theoretically occur in a story due to the arrival of yon Mary Sue.

That being said, back in the days when I actually attempted fanfic, I made the mistake of making a Gary Stu (the male counterpart to the evil Mary Sue) of me. Fortunately, said fic never saw the light of day.

After that idiocy on my part, I vowed to never dabble with canon again, except to add villains. The villains I added tended to be associated with previously established villains, however--they were lesser minions, rather than brand-spanking new archvillains.

~Alouicious

Spawn Guy · 09-10-2006, 09:59 AM

I never did like Lord of the rings, but that's beside the point...

I've actually created an villian myself, problem is I think I was far to lazy with his motivation.

*Buslady* · 09-10-2006, 10:21 AM

For me I think it'd be neat to create a character based off one of my own animals, in my case- my female ornate wood turtle Jessie...I'm mutating her, the hardest part is trying to figure out how to make her colorful markings work with the look of a mutant turtle.
I dont have a background for her yet, she just may end up a star in her very own fan fic story with the guys, not at a love interest though...although the guys might make passes at her.

*Buslady* · 09-10-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

Honestly, the only "fan-characters" I can really tolerate are maybe new villains or what-not. As someone already said "love interest characters make me die a little inside", usually because they're just the avatar of the hopeless fangirl shut-in whose writing the story. You get a LOT of that kinda crap in Transformers fanfiction, too, unfortunately.

Fan-made villains work well because, like in official fiction, they can be introduced randomly or at the spur of the moment and nobody lifts an eyebrow becuase that's just how villains are.

Fan-made supporting characters can work, too, typically if they're not something trite and predictable like "another turtle" or some slovenly fangirl's means of getting Raph to bone her in some fantasy world.

And, of course, it all hinges on the talent of the writer. Even ideas that seem bad in premise can come out nicely with a talented writer, while others that seem like a good idea can plummet far from their potential by writers with a lack of grammatical skill.

Hey excuse me, I'm not some hopeless fangirl shut in with no life...and I write mushy love stories involving my favorite turtle...I do it for fun, not cause I'm a hopeless sop. My only goal was to try to make him happier; not to shag his brains out.

*DrSpengler* · 09-10-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KROW

What? Ew. But... why?

Man, if you thought obesseive Ninja Turtle fangirls needed professional help, you should see the Trasnformer fangirls.

There was one chick a few years back who had a demented infatuation with Ratchet. So much so that she'd flip out if anybody even mentioned his death in the movie.

*iris* · 09-10-2006, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buslady

My only goal was to try to make him happier; not to shag his brains out.

I'm not sure that Raph would find those goals to be mutually exclusive.

*XERO* · 09-10-2006, 05:44 PM

My only goal is to leave a mark on this Forum as the one person who had a fan character and kept him as real as possible.

Sure, he's not perfect; that's why he's the best.

And that's not overconfidence talking. I got the fans to prove it.

08-29-2006, 06:02 PM	#1
Spawn Guy Mad Scientist Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Earth 616 Posts: 1,481	I'e always wondred... ...just what goes into creating a fan character? What's the appeal? How do you avoid Mary Sueisim?etc Not that I have anything against fan charcters, but I'm defeinatly not that much of a fan. I find it hard to read a fic about the guys when I have to deal with a random love intrest or the sibling they never knew they had. What's that you say ghost that never lies? Fan characters come into existence through scientific experiments on lint and bubble wrap? Wow! <Mod edit: Please don't doble post> __________________ *THE TECHNODROME'S LITTLE YELLOW BOX LOVER* madpiratebunny (19:26:51): oh goodness, I've got an idea SpawnGuyThing (19:26:57): Do tell madpiratebunny (19:27:02): nononono madpiratebunny (19:27:05): no telling SpawnGuyThing (19:27:10): ... SpawnGuyThing (19:27:27): But I'm the imaginery friend you always wanted SpawnGuyThing (19:27:36): Your supposed to tell me everything

08-29-2006, 09:41 PM	#2
XERO Hybrid Theorist Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Alamo City Posts: 8,185	Go my route: Have the character there from the beginning. That way, you can avoid explaining how he/she arrived. As for Mary Sueism, ask Anarky. He knows a lot about that. __________________ "Travel at the speed of light... then hit the nitro!"

08-29-2006, 09:51 PM	#3
Katie Just...way too serious. Join Date: May 2005 Location: purgatory Posts: 3,519	Ben's right...make them part of the origin...keeps the messy details out of it. Myself, I wrote a series of stories when I was younger that had a character based on myself in there...NEVER a love interest....and very very flawed. That was how I kept the Mary Sueness away. She was just a regular person that happened to get caught up in weird circumstances, much to her continuing dismay. (that was kind of my running theme in those stories) anyway, that's what I did....and really it was mostly because I had a hard time writing from a male perspective and needed a female to move the story along...and it was way fun to keep her a chance encounter outsider...man I have to dig those stories out __________________ THE WORLD IS JUST AWESOME

09-05-2006, 07:32 PM	#5
XERO Hybrid Theorist Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Alamo City Posts: 8,185	Heh, you would. __________________ "Travel at the speed of light... then hit the nitro!"

09-08-2006, 08:34 PM	#7
TMNTGal Mad Scientist Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,061	I was having a pretty dull evening and I read your post DrSpengler. I laughed so hard I had a tear in my eye. I agree with your sentiments. I don't have a fan character nor do I write fan fiction so I can't add anything from that perspective. My avatar may say the contrary but in actuality it's only a picture I did for fun. I originally did a drawing in 8th grade just to see if I could manage to draw something feminine looking. All I was ever interested in drawing were male mutants and monsters. I eventually redrew the picture in 98'. I started using the internet at this time and I thought the image suited my screen name, so it stuck. I mostly see it as something you do for fun, something you can get a laught out of. __________________

08-31-2006, 05:31 PM	#4
Masked Ninja Doodles TMNT for fun Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: sploshin' through some sewer... Posts: 2,137	Characters created to be love interests make me die a little inside each time I see one. Especially when they're a human and have little half-turtle babies... I wanted to avoid the "5th Turtle" syndrome (Ben's way is just about the only right way to do it, IMHO) so I had my turtle be unrelated but managed to contact the same ooze (so we could be sure he'd mutate the same way). When he found the TMNT, he chose to live away from them, Leatherhead family-friend fashion. It's because I think too many new buddies/girlfriends break up the main TMNT/Splinter family unit, and I specifically avoided it. Oh, and Mask was trained to fight before he met the TMNT, but not nearly long enough. So he sucks at it. I kinda like that.

09-05-2006, 07:50 PM	#6
DrSpengler Foot Elite Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,842	Honestly, the only "fan-characters" I can really tolerate are maybe new villains or what-not. As someone already said "love interest characters make me die a little inside", usually because they're just the avatar of the hopeless fangirl shut-in whose writing the story. You get a LOT of that kinda crap in Transformers fanfiction, too, unfortunately. Fan-made villains work well because, like in official fiction, they can be introduced randomly or at the spur of the moment and nobody lifts an eyebrow becuase that's just how villains are. Fan-made supporting characters can work, too, typically if they're not something trite and predictable like "another turtle" or some slovenly fangirl's means of getting Raph to bone her in some fantasy world. And, of course, it all hinges on the talent of the writer. Even ideas that seem bad in premise can come out nicely with a talented writer, while others that seem like a good idea can plummet far from their potential by writers with a lack of grammatical skill.

09-09-2006, 12:38 AM	#9
Alouicious Random Punk Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 41	Don't know if any of you are major "Lord of the Rings" geeks like me, but anyone who is will appreciate these stories--NEITHER OF WHICH ARE MINE! http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1518794/1/ This first one deals with the horrible evil of Mary Sues in the funniest fashion imaginable (to me, at least). Not for those of you who've never read "The Silmarillion", unfortunately. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1030097/1/ This one is a more serious treatment of the subject, showing what should theoretically occur in a story due to the arrival of yon Mary Sue. That being said, back in the days when I actually attempted fanfic, I made the mistake of making a Gary Stu (the male counterpart to the evil Mary Sue) of me. Fortunately, said fic never saw the light of day. After that idiocy on my part, I vowed to never dabble with canon again, except to add villains. The villains I added tended to be associated with previously established villains, however--they were lesser minions, rather than brand-spanking new archvillains. ~Alouicious

09-10-2006, 09:59 AM	#10
Spawn Guy Mad Scientist Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Earth 616 Posts: 1,481	I never did like Lord of the rings, but that's beside the point... I've actually created an villian myself, problem is I think I was far to lazy with his motivation. __________________ *THE TECHNODROME'S LITTLE YELLOW BOX LOVER* madpiratebunny (19:26:51): oh goodness, I've got an idea SpawnGuyThing (19:26:57): Do tell madpiratebunny (19:27:02): nononono madpiratebunny (19:27:05): no telling SpawnGuyThing (19:27:10): ... SpawnGuyThing (19:27:27): But I'm the imaginery friend you always wanted SpawnGuyThing (19:27:36): Your supposed to tell me everything

09-10-2006, 10:21 AM	#11
Buslady WingsOfDarkness! Perkele! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: In 7803... Posts: 4,366	For me I think it'd be neat to create a character based off one of my own animals, in my case- my female ornate wood turtle Jessie...I'm mutating her, the hardest part is trying to figure out how to make her colorful markings work with the look of a mutant turtle. I dont have a background for her yet, she just may end up a star in her very own fan fic story with the guys, not at a love interest though...although the guys might make passes at her. __________________

09-10-2006, 05:44 PM	#15
XERO Hybrid Theorist Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Alamo City Posts: 8,185	My only goal is to leave a mark on this Forum as the one person who had a fan character and kept him as real as possible. Sure, he's not perfect; that's why he's the best. And that's not overconfidence talking. I got the fans to prove it. __________________ "Travel at the speed of light... then hit the nitro!"