FicWad

The reviews listed below are my top favorite reviews I've gotten. I've enjoyed reading them, replying to them, I feel like I've connected to the person writing the review, some of them have scared me at the beginning of the review (10 and 13), and they make me feel like I've accomplished something. Whether long or short, I enjoyed that they weren't generic or copied and pasted, and that I felt they were human beings treating me as a human being, as opposed to a computer who has all of the chapters somewhere in its memory-banks or something.

1. Site: DeviantArt

Work: “Mary-Sues: Part 1”

Said by: ShadowsHeir500

This is a very great and informative list. I like how you clarify that many traits and writing styles that get associated with the Mary Sue are not necessarily what makes a Mary Sue but how the author handles it. There's nothing wrong with having an attractive, skilled, talented, beloved, and/or scarred character, but the flaws have to believably balance the virtues.

One thing I'd like to add (two years later) is names. I know you mentioned how a name should fit with the culture they're living in, and I agree, but there's a much subtler misuse that I often notice. Many people think that names reflect the character, which is why you get such cliché names like "Raven" for Goth chicks, "Britney" for cheerleaders, "Frank(ie)" for tomboys and so on.

While this may be partially true, I think names reflect the parent or guardians more than the kids. Different names appeal to different people and which name the parents or guardians choose says a lot about them, which in turn can reveal a lot more about the character's family, culture, background and upbringing.

2. Site: DeviantArt

Work: “Mary-Sues: Part 3”

Said by: TheAwesomeMeerkat

Wow. Your Mary Sue guide is the most helpful and insightful of all the ones I've seen so far. I thought I'd see a flat-out "don't give your character too many powers no matter what" article that sounds like what everyone else is writing, but I was wrong…Excuse me for the cliché but I'll never see Mary Sues the same way again. This was truly impressive.

3. Site: DeviantArt

Work: “Mary-Sues: Part 3”

Said by: ShadowsHeir500


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OH MY GOD!! I'M SO SORRY!!

I thought I sent a response for this weeks ago and I was wondering why I never heard back from you, then I checked it today and realized it never got sent. I don't know what the problem was; maybe it was my computer, maybe the internet was being spotty again, or what, but either way I'm sorry.

Feh, I originally had a VERY long-winded response, but the long and short of it is that I LOVE what you have to say here.

Again, I love video games and I usually like reading fan fictions about video games (like Neverwinter or Dragon Age), but it gets a little silly when sue writers completely break the game mechanics and give their characters WAY too many strengths, talents and abilities. I can understand wanting to give your character access to a few relatively higher level spells or cool fighting moves earlier on, but having him or her easily hone super high level spells and fighting abilities better than seasoned mages or veterans that have been honing their skills for years when the said character is still (supposedly) an inexperienced apprentice (that hasn't seen combat a day in his or her life) just breaks suspension of disbelief. That and taking away all weaknesses, especially ones that are perfectly reasonable. xP

I liked the Hero's Cycle, that was a great touch. I personally learned it as the Hero's Journey, which has different names for the steps, but it's ultimately the same thing. I think that all great stories that we know about use the Hero's Cyrcle without exception: Beowulf, King Arthur, Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter. I've said before that after going through extensive physical, mental and emotional trials, NO PERSON can realistically stay the same at the end of the journey as when they began.

I don't know, you covered everything so beautifully in your chapter that I don't have to. I'm sorry that my first review didn't get to you, I don't know what happened there. But suffice it to say, I love your chapter!