Writing Tips and Reviews

OCs and the Character Creation Saga

I found this quote and I like it, "I honestly just avoid using the term OC when describing characters I create. The term OC is more synonymous with fan characters than literally the term fan character. Most people wouldn't call someone like Sans the skeleton Toby Fox's OC. To me they're just characters."

Okay, I'm going to give you all a lesson on ocs. It means "original character" but has started to be aligned with the definition of "fan character", which I don't care, you do you.

I'm here to tell you that there is a big difference between "ocs" and characters meant for your original work. Which I can't call ocs anymore because that now means "fan characters". I'm just going to call them "CC" (copyrighted character) to differentiate them. I have no better ideas on how to differentiate them.

Purpose:

The obvious purpose of ocs are that they are a fan character, they're written to fit the world of an existing story. They're written to have relationships and interactions with existing characters and be a part of that world.

CCs are different, they're not made for an existing world, unless it's a sequel, they're made for a new world, story, and other characters. Their relationships are built around characters who are also new and belong to the new world you've created.

The major difference between fan fiction and original work is who the creator is.

Mary Sue:

Ocs typically have a bad reputation due to Mary Sues existing and people who are bad at writing being the ones shoving their shit work in others faces. Mary Sues can be avoid with good writing, it's not that hard to make the world not bend over backwards for someone.

CCs rarely have this problem. Why? Because they're built with the world, not built after the world is established. It's hard to make a Mary Sue when the world and characters are built together, but I know there are some morons who are capable of it, THANKS FOR MAKING EVERYONE'S LIFE HARDER, GREG. You don't need to do extensive research on how the world works to avoid it bending over backwards for your character, you just need to add things and no one will think twice because you made it in the first place.

Relationships:

How many people know about ocs having relationships with canon characters? About everyone knows it and does it. It's needed to make them a part of the world. The biggest problem only coming when they outshine the canon characters or share too many of the same traits with one.

CCs don't have this problem, because they're made along with the other characters. It's easy to spread out traits and make a team when you're starting from scratch and building up. You're not looking at a set of traits already existing in one character because you know if they do or don't have it. 

Interactions with the world:

Anyone turns into a Mary Sue when the world bends over backwards for them. So, the easy fix is to not do that. Easier said than done? Not really.

Ocs can fit into the world once the creator knows what they're doing. The oc can fit into any role and do well. But only if the writer is competent, it's the incompetent ones who are guilty of Mary Sues and never changing anything. The oc just needs to feel like they belong in the world and they need to add something to the story, else you're telling the original story with a few new name mentions.

Fan fictions should have enough changed from the original story but also have the core of the original.

CCs again, have it easier, the world is built with them, so of course their interactions are going to be easier to make. They can have a power no one else does and not been called a Mary Sue, because the world can change to help them. More can be added to the world and no one can tell you not to because it's your own work. You made the world in the first place, you can change things.

Powers and abilities:

Another "Mary Sue" trait. It's a symptom of the disease, not the disease itself. Don't be too obsessed with power level or if they have an ability no one else does.

Ocs are constantly compared to canon characters, it's just something that happens. If they're stronger or have a new ability, there going to be called a Mary Sue, which is stupid. If they're weaker than canon characters they'll be made fun of, which is also stupid. Safe to say there's a medium that people expect from ocs and it's kind of dumb. No, not kind of, it is dumb. Ocs should have more freedom in this area, because if the world isn't bending over backwards for them, they're fine.

But I do want to talk about adding new things. This is a part which is tough, it falls into the category of being unique but also can stray away too far from the core of the original. It needs a balance. There has to be an explanation on why this new thing exists, how it works with established world building, and why the oc has it.

CCs have it easy, once again. And again, the other characters and world are built with them, so power balancing is easy. Adding abilities doesn't need a heavy explanation on why it exists, because it can just exist. Yes, it needs the mini explanation for world building purposes, but outside of that, you don't need to compare it to other abilities, or go into why it's important. The world does what it wants sometimes and we need to accept that.

In terms of power, a CC isn't going o be constantly compared to their allies, because those allies are also new characters. No one, except for the creators, should know everything about the new characters. There's no wikia to make comparisons and say "that new character is a Mary Sue because they're stronger," because they're all new. We get to compare them, but not in the way that's always trying differ a new character from existing ones.

Conclusion:

There are big differences between a fan character and one made for your original story. They should not be called the same thing just because you made them. This is why I get mad when someone calls characters I made for my original series "ocs" or calls that series "oc series" because it's not. My ocs are separate from those characters. You will not see features from other series outside of Easter eggs, which is something all forms of media do.

That being said, it is my personal preference, you can call a character meant for your original story an "oc", but do remember "oc" now means "fan character", so your story could be mistaken for fan fiction. When someone says "your oc" to me, I think of characters like Kirsi Cereza, Celine Pasca, Khione Isa, not someone like Daisike Hiroyuki or Mileena Nive, because those two aren't made for fan fictions. They'll never appear in one because they aren't fan characters.

Just think about your favorite series, is the main character an oc? Under the definition of it being a character by a fan of the original work, the answer is no. There, that is a simple comparison between ocs and characters you made for your original series. And yes, I hate typing that out.