Anti Mary-Sue Character Guide

1.3 - Status

As I said in the last chapter, most Mary-Sues are commoners who turn out to be exceptional through unrealistic ways. I'll be saying the phrase a lot but in a variety of ways.

Anyway, as I said most.

Some Mary-Sues have an unrealistic high status in society. For instance, random ass princesses in societies where there wouldn't be any.

On the other hand, there are some stories where the character actually has a status that matches the time like a gang leaders daughter that everybody loves. If it is a gang fanfic or book, usually the woman that everyone likes for no apparent reason is the Mary-Sue.

This basically cuts out the part where the character goes from nothing to everything.

If you want to write a character of high status, give them a reason they're liked. For instance, they're fun to talk to or they do charity work or perhaps they'll be killed otherwise. Don't just say that people would do anything for your character but give no explanation for this.

Or maybe your character doesn't like this status. If that's the case, say why - make the readers support your characters decision and not just think the character is a spoiled, ungrateful child who wants to rebel for the sake of it.

Merida from brave is a perfect example. She doesn't like her role as princess and tries to escape but since she had so much injustice against her (e.g. Limitations, marriage, etc), no one sees her as a Mary-Sue and more like a girl who will do what she can to make it right.