How do you avoid Mary-sue characters in your writing?

Question

I'm a writer and it seems to me that too many characters end up Mary-Sues or Gary-Stus despite the effort that goes into making them realistic. What's the best way to avoid Mary-Sues?

On a side but related note, how do you avoid being melodramatic?

Answer 1

DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR CHARACTER.

If you put your character up on a pedestal, then they will never be realistic. Make them have an issue. The best way to do this is to write out a character description first. What color are her bedroom walls? What's her dream car? What's her reaction to being nervous? What would she order for lunch? Does she fidget? They need to be multifaceted to be interesting, but not all those facets need to be fabulous. Everyone has a seedy, dark, or hidden side. Most people have more than one.

Avoid being melodramatic by not making your characters say the correct thing. Let a comeback fall flat every once and a while. Make someone  say something stupid or unappreciated. That's more true to life than any premeditated sentence could be, no matter how many modifiers you put in.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Write a description to all of your characters.

Their personality traits , physical appearance , what they like/dislike.

You have to point out their negative and positive sides of their personality.

Like for example : Helena is brave , but not loyal ,she is smart , but lazy.

Every character in your book has to possess negative traits , as also she/he has to possess positive.

Try to avoid too many positiveness in your characters. Try to make some of them evil , villains for example.

In this way , you make them more realistic and full with life.

xx Greetings

Answer 3

When I write, I think of tragic flaws (flaws that ultimately lead to the character's demise) or just basic flaws that I see in people I know.  This doesn't mean, however, that I base characters on people that I know.  It's just the common flaws I see.  I think of people as naturally weak and selfish...so maybe that will help you as well.

I think of what my characters worry about and what they want and what they would do, no matter how ridiculous it seems, to get exactly what they want.  Think of them as real people with real feelings and real thoughts.  Get out a sheet of paper and write down past childhood or life events that may have effected them or made them the way they are.  Brainstorm/Try to get to know your character's life story.  It's the best way. :)