Self-insert/OC in Fanfic -- (fixing) the Spotlight Hog Sue

[azurelunatic]

It's been said before, I'm sure, but it probably bears repeating again, from someone with slightly more sympathy than many towards the problem of original characters in fanfiction settings -- your average reader is going to come there for the fanfiction aspect of it, because you're working with the characters and situations they love. They know what they like, and they're reading your story because they want more of it. And you've got this character, and s/he's completely awesome and kicking ass and is a beautiful complex character -- and you get slammed with horrible reviews because that wonderful complex character you created is the star of the show, and you've neglected the characters people came in expecting to see.

Keep an eye on who gets screen time. Yes, you're going to devote time to your original character, especially if s/he really does kick ass. But make sure to give input from the canon characters as well. If you have your original character kicking ass and the canon characters standing around like a bunch of useless chumps, it's really not fair to anybody. Let the canon characters help out, even if it's your original character's mission. Distribute the lines and the action a little more.

If you really have to, go back to the very basics and figure out which stereotypical role each of the characters in the scene plays, and divide it up that way -- in Potter fandom, Harry is the hero and the jock, Ron is the sidekick, and Hermione is the brain. Your original character might be the crazy one, or another brain, sidekick, or hero/jock. Figure out what has to happen in the scene, and who has to contribute what part of it. Is that an idea that comes from a Brain, or does it come from a Lunatic? Certainly the characters won't stay within their stereotypes, not if they're sufficiently well-developed characters, but it's a place to start.

Having the characters go outside of their basic stereotypes provides depth of character, and establishing why they're deviating from the things they ordinarily do adds character development, but straying too far from the character outlines given in canon without some really super suspension of disbelief leads to accusations of taking them too far out-of-character. (If you have to take them too far out of character to establish what you were trying for in the fic, the characters may actually be telling you that they'd like to move into their own original universe, or at least get new identities and turn into a bit of spinoff fanfic rather than main-storyline fanfic.) Redistributing lines may mean that your original character loses a large percentage of action and dialog, but that actually may help strengthen the character and the story (and get you better reviews).

If one of the canon characters is present, but contributing virtually nothing to the conversation, why is that? If your original character were absent from the scene, would that character still be off in their own world, or would they be doing something else? If your original character is twice as smart as Hermione, and drop-dead gorgeous, and is taking over the things that Hermione would have been saying in the same situation if the OC weren't there... do you really think Hermione is going to take this lying down? She might be off sulking there, or she might be spoiling for a gigantic screaming bitchfight, but she's probably not going to be standing there mute and expressionless while your original character hogs the spotlight.

Figure out the group dynamics. Some things aren't going to change -- Ron and Hermione are going to play off each other, Ron is going to be protective of Harry and defend his friendship with Harry against anyone trying to take up too much of Harry's time and attention, Hermione is going to try to mother the boys a bit and keep them out of trouble. Some things are going to change. If your character wants to be Harry's new best friend, Ron is probably going to loathe your character, and Ron is probably also going to be a bit of a dick to Harry, especially if Harry is giving that character more attention than he is giving Ron.

Even if the world you're working in involves magic, human interaction patterns won't change all that horribly much. Not all characters are going to react the same. Hermione would probably shrug it off if someone were making close friends with Harry, as long as she thought that person was all right and wouldn't lead to Harry's getting in more, worse, trouble. If that person tried to become Harry's research/idea person, Ron would probably shrug it off, but Hermione might feel threatened -- or they might become the best of friends and bounce bright ideas off each other.

One of the reasons for not giving canon characters as big a say as they probably should have is not being comfortable writing the characters, or knowing that you write that particular character awkwardly, for whatever reason. So you know you have these characters to work with, so you include them in the scene because they're there -- and then do nothing with them, so it's like they're standing there with nothing to say or do. This isn't a good scene to be setting up. Either they should be there in the scene, and have a voice, and do things, or they shouldn't be in that scene at all. Figure out which way you want to take it -- either find something for them to do there, or find something for them to be doing somewhere else, and get them out of that scene so you don't have to deal with them.

If a character's thoughts and reactions are nothing like mine and I haven't the foggiest how they'd actually react to a situation like that, I don't take my chances on guessing about it! I check in with a friend, especially if I have a friend who identifies strongly with that character. I get their input on how the character would probably react in a situation like that, and I reconcile that to my understanding of the character and what's going to actually work in the story. This can also help with the problem of all of your characters acting too much like each other.

But what if your original character just refuses to behave? What if they are the hero of the story, and there are only a few very minor things that the canon characters are actually doing, and any more involvement from the canon characters would ruin the story? Then, my friend, you may well have a budding piece of original fiction on your hands. Polish the original character, find a new supporting cast that fills those same roles as the old canon's characters, and start looking about for an original universe that will suit.

Comments

*looks worried*

[samurai-ko.livejournal.com]

I am very much hoping that this wasn't a rant levelled at me, but I've only written one HP story and that has no original characters in it. (I HAVE, however, written several other fandoms with OCs, hence the worry.)

Michelle
aka
Samurai_ko

Re: *looks worried*

[azurelunatic]

Not at all at you. Nasami is love. I was actually reading a Harry Potter/Artemis Fowl crossover (one that worked very well), and wondering why I was getting that little twitch saying that if this were an OC, they'd be treading in dangerous territory for a fanfiction piece. And out popped this.

Re: *looks worried*

[samurai-ko.livejournal.com]

Whew.

Oh, and before I completely forget - I thought of you almost every day in Las Vegas because on the way to the 'con, there was a BIG-ass billboard for some casino or another with the slogan:

"EMBRACE YOUR INNER LUNATIC."

Michelle
aka
Samurai_ko

Re: *looks worried*

[azurelunatic]

Heeeeeee.

Re: *looks worried*

[fleurrochard]

I was actually reading a Harry Potter/Artemis Fowl crossover (one that worked very well),

Oh, could I please have a link to that story? I'd love to read such a crossover!

Re: *looks worried*

[azurelunatic]

"The Family Name", by Slytherin Tattoo.

Re: *looks worried*

[fleurrochard]

Thank you!

[lady-angelina.livejournal.com]

This is a very well-written, level-headed, and practical post about how to handle original characters in fanfics. Unlike other articles that pretty much just say to avoid writing original characters at all costs (or just gloss over how to handle them), you provide some very good guidelines to follow when writing them. This should be required reading for anyone who is starting out in writing fanfic.

Thank you for taking the time to write this out. ^__^

[azurelunatic]

Thank you. I may not be the best fiction writer out there, fan or otherwise, but I have learned a few things in the course of my reading and my writing. I've written enough Mary Sues in my time to not loathe the thought of them, because there are things you can do about that.

[kerosinkanister.livejournal.com]

Via metafandom.

One of the reasons for not giving canon characters as big a say as they probably should have is not being comfortable writing the characters, or knowing that you write that particular character awkwardly, for whatever reason...If a character's thoughts and reactions are nothing like mine and I haven't the foggiest how they'd actually react to a situation like that, I don't take my chances on guessing about it! I check in with a friend, especially if I have a friend who identifies strongly with that character.

That's a really good point and I wish more authors would do what you suggest. I've seen more than one decent story not ruined exactly but diminished and not quite as good as it could be because the author fails to do so. One that comes to mind shipped Hermione with a character who also became friends with Harry and Ron was just sort of around but with no real purpose anymore. Under those circumstances I would expect that he'd either try and get things back to the way they were or move on to some new friends, but not be the fourth wheel stuck between Harry and Hermione's new friend/bf waiting to pop in every so often with a comment about Quidditch or food. The author has stated that she doesn't quite get Ron as character. So I emailed the author specifically about Ron's role in the story (and I realize concrit can be a sensitive issue) and she sent back a long and basically nice reply that concluded with something about my expectations of Ron were a failure as a reader and not her failure as an author.

Now there may be some truth in that but it wouldn't have been hard for her to find a Ron fan to look over that aspect of the story, and that could have improved the story, at least IMO.

Anyway. OCs have a pretty bad reputation and it's easy to see why at least some of the stereotypes are true, particularly when she waltzes into the story and becomes the main characters love interest, solves all the problems, and is loved by everyone except those jealous of her.

[azurelunatic]

Even if the character's not going to change, I want it sold to me, you know? I want to overhear Ron at some point telling Harry that honestly it's a relief, she was driving him mad and it never would have worked out, mate, now if you could use your star power to get *that* girl to give me a second look... or something, so I know that there's more going on in Ron's head than there would be in a cardboard standup of him with a few canned lines.

[alias_sqbr]

Hi, I'm here from metafandom. I don't write fanfic, and haven't read very much with strong OCs. But i find it interesting that you seem to be saying that it is automaticaly a flaw for a fanfic to concentrate mainly on one or more OCs. I know that fanfic is largely written and read for the canon characters, but if your inspiration comes instead from the setting then as long as you made it clear in a summary or something (to prevent dissapointing people who are in it for the characters) then why not write a canon-character free (or light) story rather than constructing an "original" setting that pretty much exactly matches the canon? Apologies if I've misunderstood your point.

I've often thought that if I ever do get around to writing some fanfic it would be exploring the neglected parts of the setting with original characters, rather like a lot of spin-off books from Star Trek etc do, afaict. The fact that noone seems to view fanfic this way (and the fact I'm not the best writer ever) means chance's are noone would read it, but I'm used to that with my original fiction :D

[boogieshoes.livejournal.com]

actually, most of star wars fandom is like that, and so is most of perndom - you just have to find the right fandoms to work in. i was rather surprised that OCs in a non-original universe was the norm in certain fandoms, but perhaps i shouldn't be - what else are anthologies made of? there's certainly room for everything in fandom.

if you ever do get around to writing fanfic, i'd say go ahead with your idea (exploring the setting with OCs), but i'd also be sure to include what you are trying to do in an intro/ detailed author's note commentary to the piece. it won't matter if the fandom is like star wars, but it's important in other places, where the concentration/ history is usually to focus on exploring the canon characters.

-bs

[alias_sqbr]

I only read fanfic intermittently and not in those fandoms, so it's not something I've ever come across. Thanks for letting me know it does exist :)

[janeaverage.livejournal.com]

i find it interesting that you seem to be saying that it is automaticaly a flaw for a fanfic to concentrate mainly on one or more OCs

I think this was directed, not at stories solely or primarily about OCs (or about canon names we've only seen once or twice which might as well, therefore, be OCs), but at stories in which the OC is inserted into the canon characters' established dynamic. So, while a story about Ravenclaw OCs A and B in Harry's year is perfectly fine, a story about Gryffindor OC in Harry's year who is suddenly inserted into the Harrycentric storyline and makes the trio a foursome is probably not.

More a matter of what the POINT of the OC is, really. Are you exploring the setting with different characters? Investigating life for the non-Chosen among us? Seeing what Harry's drama looks like from the outside? Or are you putting your OC in the main action, to "fix" everything (or even just one thing)? The latter is automatically a flaw, unless you are good enough to do something really special.

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, sorry, I should have made it more clear that I agree with the main thrust of her argument, that having an OC take over and warp the lives of the canon characters contrary to their roles and behaviour in canon is All Bad.

[azurelunatic]

Bingo. :)

(You can tell my life is insanely busy from how long it's been, right?)

[azurelunatic]

The problem isn't so much with spinoffs, when the canon main characters aren't really on the radar much. To give a Star Trek example -- L.A. Graf's books tend to follow the Uhura + Sulu + Chekhov group, rather than Kirk + Spock + McCoy. This is perfectly fine, and in fact I adore those! It's lots of great character development, and some original characters, and it's a really fascinating fresh perspective.

No, the ones that I'd be annoyed with would be like having the bridge populated by cardboard stand-ups of the whole crew, having all the action on the bridge, and having a guest star who manages to take over the Science station, the Communications station, and the Helm, as well as Trollop of the Week (the original role she was cast in).

My life, also rather busy :)

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, fair enough. Basically I was being one of those annoying commenters who assumes that if the OP doesn't explicitly mention an obvious, minor exception to their point then they clearly haven't thought of it, I hate when people do that to me so sorry for doing it to you :)

Re: My life, also rather busy :)

[azurelunatic]

I don't mind it so much -- it keeps discussion going! Or something. And if it comes up in discussion, it probably wants mentioning anyway.

Hi, here from metafandom

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about using OCs for anything but secondaries in fan-fiction.

Personally, I've found that I like to focus on the marginal or secondary characters of the canon, bring them to the fore, develop them, maybe use them as a kind of substitute for OCs. They're already *in* the canon, but they don't have much of a role. That can be fun, to put the secondary into the spotlight, so to speak.

Re: Hi, here from metafandom

[azurelunatic]

I like reading those.

(It's been an insanely busy week; can you tell?)

[marypseud.livejournal.com]

Here from metafandom

I consistently write stories involving OC's, and always try to make sure that their interactions with canon character(s) don't overshadow the original. Then again, since I so often write about the villain's side of the story, the OC would probably be up for a good punch in the back of the head (at the least) if s/he stepped out of line!

[azurelunatic]

Heh. That's a good check mechanism.

metafandom brought me here

[dharma-slut.livejournal.com]

Polish the original character, find a new supporting cast that fills those same roles as the old canon's characters, and start looking about for an original universe that will suit. Isn't that the truth!

I've been writing for a eentsy-weentsy fandom lately, and because we are so few there's been no one to object when original characters joining the fun. Some of these characters have achieved a fanon all their own, and lately it seems that we write as much about them than the canon. I really want to take the whole thing and turn it into an all-original universe. If I can find a way to broach it to my co-writers, though, because I'm the newbie...

Re: metafandom brought me here

[azurelunatic]

Just blurt it out! Let them know how much fun you're having, and ask them if they've ever thought of turning it into an original universe, because you think it could work. They don't have to take your suggestion, but merely making the suggestion shouldn't be a bad thing.