Fanfiction: the definition of Mary-Sue

[MCRmyGirl4eva]

I read a LOT of fanfiction. *don't judge me* The most annoying thing is finding fics that have a lot of ooc-ness. I also HATE OC's. However, once in a while, I come across a fic that's well-written and stays in character. Best feeling in the world.

Also, thought on female OCs, there aren't very many females in LOTR (Well, not in comparison to the male characters, anyway). So, when you get the OC's that aren't just the writers putting themselves in the story, it may be as an attempt to balance the characters' genders. After all, the only three PROMINENT characters in LOTR are Galadriel, Arwen, and Eowyn. All of whom are very good and complex characters, but the series still remains a sausagefest.

[Faramir Jones]

Originally Posted by MCRmyGirl4eva

I read a LOT of fanfiction. *don't judge me* The most annoying thing is finding fics that have a lot of ooc-ness. I also HATE OC's. However, once in a while, I come across a fic that's well-written and stays in character. Best feeling in the world.

Also, thought on female OCs, there aren't very many females in LOTR (Well, not in comparison to the male characters, anyway). So, when you get the OC's that aren't just the writers putting themselves in the story, it may be as an attempt to balance the characters' genders. After all, the only three PROMINENT characters in LOTR are Galadriel, Arwen, and Eowyn. All of whom are very good and complex characters, but the series still remains a sausagefest.

Surely that's how Tolkien wrote it in the first place. Would some of those who make such 'sausagefest' criticisms have a similar complaint about another work containing mostly female characters, feeling that there should be more male ones included as a balancing act?

The best way to deal with this is to produce new works, such as Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy, with its heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

Would people here consider a lot of the above film to just be bad fanfiction, which happened to end up on the big screen because of PJ having power and money?

That view was prevalent with us when we left the cinema.

Originally Posted by MCRmyGirl4eva

After all, the only three PROMINENT characters in LOTR are Galadriel, Arwen, and Eowyn. All of whom are very good and complex characters, but the series still remains a sausagefest.

I'd say Goldberry is more prominent than Arwen, who is not the most complex character I've seen anyway.

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

Would some of those who make such 'sausagefest' criticisms have a similar complaint about another work containing mostly female characters, feeling that there should be more male ones included as a balancing act?

No because it's about representation and there is a vast imbalance between the numbers of male and female characters/leads in literature and films (Beighley & Smith, Flood etc). There is simply no need to bring more male characters into the business as they get the most attention anyway.