Anyways, a good set of OC fics are WhiteRabbit5's - she has quite a few fics with OCs involved, and they really are quite intriguing!

at least that is MY opinion. i rather like two of lolo popoki's OCs (i wish i could remember their names) from "only the beginning..." the artist and his friend, who tried to hard to cheer their solitary "friend," battousai up:)

sirius

Everything SiriusFan said holds pretty true to me. The character has also got to fit in with the RK universe and time period, but they also need to be a very strong character in that they aren't too much like any other one. For villains, you don't want just another Shishio minus the bandages. I know of a very good OC villian in a story by ZionCross. Very original persona and situation.

If it's a new girl in the Kenshin-gumi, which CAN be rather dull and boring but can ALSO be fun and intriguing if they bring out new aspects of the other characters, then you don't want another Misao or Kaoru clone walking around and doing nothing for the plot development or character development.

Also, I'd like to point out an opinion of mine about what makes an OC a Mary-Sue. It's not if the character falls in love with a canon character. It's not if she's a female assassin (which pretty much ALWAYS annoys me, but then, it isn't a true sign on Mary-Sueness). It's not if the girl is perfect, though that is definately a major side-effect. The difference between a Mary-Sue and a good OC, to me, is whether the author wrote the story to indulge herself, and as a personal fantasy, or if she wrote it to be a good story with an interesting plot and to build on the characters in Rurouni Kenshin.

A LOT of OCs out there only exist because the author wanted a chance to tramp around in RK-land. But others are written as good characters with a purpose to the plot.

Like in the story I'm currently writing Some Things Never FadeI've paired a young Hiko with an OC, not because I just randomly felt like it, or because I have some strange desire to be with Hiko and am vicariously putting myself into it but because I needed an OC to fit in, to help create the backstory for something I suggested at in

Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid. Also she's not perfect, not a swordsmaster (seriously, could you really see Hiko, or his ego, going for a girl who's better then him at such things?) or anything like that, she's just a girl, rather out of her element...I don't know, for me OCs are more intersting, both to read and write if they're just average people...we can relate to them better that way.

The fic "Devotiation" (forget the authoress) has two GREAT oc's, Tanako and Toshiki. You really get to love these characters and feel for them.

And well, ya.

I'm sorta braindead today, I can't think.

This was under the topic "How to avoide the Dreaded Sue"

"I know for my OC, I had to make sure she wasn't just there to fall in love with the male lead. She has to bring something new in the story, be it plot-wise or character-wise. If she's not doing that, drop her.

Also, flaws are necessary. Now, they don't have to be huge things like "weakling" "coward" "can't make friends AT ALL" but they shouldn't be stupid, insignificant things either, like "can't play banjo" "not very good at running."

If your OC is supposed to be a protagonist, you want the good and bad to be balanced. Something like "slow learner, responsible and caring, quiet and introverted, has a hard time sticking up for herself" might be a good start for a non-Mary Sue OC.

You also don't want flaws that are really good traits (or what you think are good) in disguise. I.e. "has a fiery temper." Everyone always wants their characters to have "a fiery temper" and I don't know why. "sometimes cusses to much" is also a bad one, for very obvious reasons. People think cursing is cool, and it's not, it just litters the page. (I don't have anything against stories with curse words--just use them carefully and efficiently so you aren't staring at a screen with damn and the f word all over.)

It's also important to make the OC interesting in some way. The problem here is a lot of times authors try to make them TOO interesting. I.e. "she's in a rock band, she has magical elemental powers, she has a prophecy about her, she was the best assassin in the revolution. And she can read minds." I mean, that's just a little ridiculous, isn't it?

She needs to have an angle, not an ACRE. lol. Don't try for too much, and really flesh out her personality and past, and you will probably end up with a character that has some depth and isn't a Mary-Sue."

I edited it a little to fit RK instead of Harry Potter, but it's pretty much all the same stuff.

Anyway, that's all. Ja ne.

Most Mary Sues originate from writers wishing they were better at things... sort of in the way some little boys wanna grow up to be superman, if you know what I mean. They wish they could fight with a sword really well, or be really really smart in some way or another. But they arent, and they want to be and they think no one will notice if they write it in when they obviously don't know what they're talkign about and don't have a clue how to do those things.

For example, one major bogey in MarySuedom is the 'person from modern times/'real' world' original character. They don't arise often in the RK fandom, but when they do they can be good or bad (REALLY BAD!!), as can their stories. It all depends on the um... rabidness... of what takes place. When a person does it simply because THEY wished they were in the RK world and can mess around/seduce a character, things start to go afoul. Basing a character on yourself or your friends is perfectly fine, even self inserts are cool, but only if the writer takes their piece 'seriously'.

What I mean is when someone suddenly wishes 'OHMIGAWD,I WISH I WAS IN THE RK WORLD TO HUG BISHIES!' It all goes downhill from there. Often they write themselves or their original characters with skills they don't have/are unlikely to possess and start flaunting major points to the characters at foolish times.

Seriously; if in real life you were stuck in early 19th century japan, would you immediately know where you are? Would you suddenly seek out the Kenshin-gumi without knowing your way around Tokyo (If you landed in tokyo at all!), and would you by freak chance find them? Would you ACTUALLY scream fangirlishly if you saw them on the street, with all those people watching. Personally, my first thoughts would be 'WHERE AM I?! HOW DO I GET BACK?! WHAT IS GOING ON?!'. There has to be a sense of realism. Even if it isn't apparent being stuck in another time is dangerous and would probably be seen as really scary to your average fangirl, not simply an excuse to go on a sugarhigh romp.

Another thing, Most fans don't speak japanese but one thing I happen to find acceptable in most self inser fics, good and bad,is the fact that everyone can understand anybody else regardless of language or time period. The manga in the US is translated, and there is a dubbed version of the anime. For someone who looks into the reality through a dub or subtitles, it makes a lot of sense for the 'new girl' to sound like she's speaking japanese to the Kenshin-gumi and the Kenshin-gumi to sound like they speak english to her. Yes, yeah, I know; I think way too much about spacetime and stuff. ^_^

If I was to write myself into the RK world, I'd probably stagger about in confusion, try to find better clothes and probably end up going to the police for help. But then again, watch me get thrown out as a nutter or ambushed by a gang 'cause I look like a nervous wreck.

Here is an original 'modern' character I'll make up in 5 minutes for any of you to use if you want to demonstrate what I mean by all this stuff:

Name: Alexis Stephens (Her first name will probably get mixed up by most people in Japan as 'Arexu' or something, for the japanese have problems with the letter 'L')

Age: 15, as to keep her out of the age brackets. Having two characters not as love interests the same age is awkward.

Physical: Dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes. Meduim length cut. Skinny, small bust (et cetera. Just keep her from being 'too' perfect, and keep her looking like she's her age unless you wanna attain the 'kenshin effect')

Pros: Level headed, quick study, warm, accepting, slow to anger, strong beleifs

Cons: Unconcerned, a little too clever for her own good, a little naieve, klutzy, slightly pessimistic, trouble magnet.

'Experience': Gotten in catfights and stuff, but nothing really that serious.

And on and on. Ugh; This post is so long! I sound like a frump! Darn you mom for making me take that essay writing class! You've scarred my forum posting ability forever!!! *sulks with box of cookies*

As for dealing with Mary Sues themselves, it's best to target them fast when the story is still starting and warn the author that her original character might be going afoul, therefore eliminating it right away. I don't think anyone can give you better advice than Seito when it comes to how you must deal with a Mary Sue : Aku Soku Zan. *wink*

Well, look a bit closer.

When giving your OC flaws, make sure they are actual flaws! My best advice is to give your character at least one great big gaping flaw--this is what their personal character arc will be based off of. Say they're super stuck up and snobby. That, I would consider, pretty major. Well then you'd make their character arc realizing that they're not better than others. Think Cars.

Or say their main character flaw is that they are extremely gullible. You could use that as a character arc by getting them into big trouble (say the bad guy coerces them into doing something they don't realize is bad).

The main thing is to make sure the flaws get dealt with--these characters need to have consequences for their actions. If your girl is headstrong, and you have that as a flaw, make sure to portray her headstrongness in a somewhat negative way--maybe she goes charging into the baddie's lair and ends up getting captured. But maybe later, that headstrongness comes in handy--but the character is able to think before she acts so quickly.

Another thing is to make sure your flaws aren't good traits in disguise. I don't mean to put Karisa on the spot (because I agree with so much of what you said!) but having a trait like "too clever for her own good" is NOT a flaw, unless it somehow gets the character into trouble.

Again, it's all about consequences. If you've got an outspoken, in-your-face female lead, well maybe there's a time when those traits are not admirable, and you need to show the negative side of that.

And don't be afraid to use extremes. If your character is "a little pessimistic" (again, don't mean to disrepsect you Karisa--it's a good trait, that's why I'm using it) then maybe have your character a LOT pessimistic! She's always seeing the dark side of things, never hopes for the best and always shoots down the hopeful views of others.

The great thing about characters is that they can grow and change--they SHOULD grow and change. So if you start out with a completely and utterly perfect character, that's not going to be too fun, is it? Give your characters lots and lots of flaws--and work them out as the story progresses. Don't forget their initial redeeming qualities (she's snobbish and stuck up, but maybe she's very brave in the face of danger...that could be admirable) and of course, just because you work out their flaws doesn't mean they're perfect in the end.

I'll use my character Naruku as an example, since I am re-writing her original fic.

In the beginning of the story, Naruku is softspoken, aloof and not very friendly. Sanosuke thinks she's a spoiled brat and she has a completely turned around sense of pride. Halfway into the story, most of these get resolved. She comes to terms with the rest of the Kenshin-gumi, humbles herself to Sano (and everyone else) and lets everyone know she has a voice. Later on, then, she comes to realize what true strength is, and that pride shouldn't be taken on bullying others.

So, most of her initial flaws have been more or less resolved, right? Well then you introduce new ones. She's a coward. She can't deal with emotions, and she's more likely to avoid a situation then get into a confrontation. THAT gets her into more trouble than anything else. Through conflict-resolution, she eventually deals with most of these problems--she begins facing things head on, dealing with her emotions, etc. But then she starts becoming too dependent on Kenshin and the others, and she doesn't have enough trust or confidence in herself.

And so it continues. As you write, you should continue to discover things about your character! If you're not and you have them completely down from the beginning, well, I'd say your character is pretty flat.

And that's my lecture for today.

I really Like O.C.s where the canons are not like, "holy cow, this chick/dude is amazing!" and I hate the O.C.'s that are done by 13 year olds (no offense to them, just I have yet to see a young teenager write a decent one) becuase their usually a reflection of the author or a supped up real person. I read one story for a different fandom, that allows lots of freedom with O.C.s, yet the author based them of Disney kids like Selena Gomez and miley Cyrus. IT made me sick!

I think really good O.C.s fit in really well to the story because they dont' try to do something that a canon character will/should.can do. For example, an O.C. that helps to defeat Shishio? No way! and O.C. with his/her own story line that really creates a seprate arc, not fills into an existing one could be pretty good. I don't think an O.C. has to be introduced, then stuff happens with Canons for a bunch of chapters, then the O.C. comes in, and I don't think that an O.C. should have to be in another story. A good O.C. makes an arc, with out solving all the problems, without doing everything that should be done. They compliment the canons as well as grow. They aren't static unless their Mary sues!

I'm still not sure If I'm decent at writing them, though I try. I wonder if anyone would be interested in reading my RK fic (liberation) and letting me know if my character, Amaiya, is a Mary sue. My beta says that she isn't under basic MS rules, but i don't know if I'm convinced. Help anyone?

~Alpha

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