and an explanation to who Mary Sue is.
* Is the character's name an unusual spelling of a more common name or a word? (1)
* Is the character's name unusual in any other way? (for the setting) (1)
* Does the character have a reversed gender name? (A woman with a male sounding name, or vice versa) (1)
'* A name the character chose for him or herself? (1)
* A noun or adjective not normally use for a name? (1, 2 if the character is human)
* Does the character have a really cool name that you wish you had, and is that the only reason the character is named that? (1)
* Is the character's name in the title of the story, or is the title a description of the character? (i.e., "The Girl Who Could Fly) (1, 2 if it is not a biography of that character)
* Is the character's name Hunter, Raven, any gemstone, or any variation of 'Angel' or 'Demon'? (i.e., Cherub, Angelica, Desdemona) (3)
* Is the character's name that of any real-world mythical figure? (1)
* Did you spend no time at all looking for the right name, because all of your characters have the same name? (2)
** And it's yours? (10 again. Bad, bad writer)
* Have you considered naming your child, your pet, or yourself after the character? (1)
* Is the character a hybrid of two or more species? (2)
** Has the character all the advantages of those races? (3)
** Is the character's powers unremarkable in comparison to other characters, despite being a hybrid? (-1)
** Does the character have fewer advantages due to the genetic crossing? (-3)
*** Does this become a plot point? (2)
*** Is this undone by the end of the story? (3)
* Is the character a cross-breed of any other type? (i.e., multi-ethnic, multi-clan, etc.) (1)
** Is this unusual for the cultures in question? (3)
** Is this common for the cultures in question? (-1)
* Is the character not subject to the limitations normally put upon members of his or her species? (i.e., a human who is immortal, a vampire who does not die at dawn, a fairy who is not vulnerable to iron, etc.) (4)
* Is the character subject to the limitations of his or her species, but does not receive any of the benefits? (i.e., a fairy who cannot do magic, a vampire who cannot exert mystical control over his or her victims, etc.) (-4, only -1 if this situation is removed by the end of the story)
* Is the character a teenager or in his or her early twenties? (1)
* Does the character LOOK like he or she is a teenager or in his or her early twenties, even though he or she is not? (2)
** Does this become a plot point? (1)
** Is the character of a race that does not age? (-2)
* Is the character the age you would like to be?
* Is the character beautiful or handsome? (1)
** VERY beautiful or handsome? (2)
** Do more than one of your other characters find this character immediately extremely attractive? (1)
** Do other characters see the character as a threat due to his or her extreme good looks or effect of those of the opposite sex? (2)
* Is the character plain? (-2)
** Is this commented on by other characters who are not motivated by jealousy? (-1)
** Is this changed somehow by the end of the story? (2)
* Is the character ugly? (-3)
** Is this commented on by other characters who are not motivated by jealousy? (-1)
** Is this changed somehow by the end of the story? (3)
* Is the character overweight? (-3)
** Is this commented on by other characters who are not motivated by jealousy? (-1)
** Is this changed somehow by the end of the story? (4)
* Does the character have a non-standard eye color for no good reason? (species being a good reason) (2)
** Does this become a plot point? (2)
* Are the character's eyes emerald green, pure blue, or warm brown? (1)
** Is this commented on more than once? (1)
* Does the character's eyes change color when the character is feeling profound emotion? (1)
* Does the character have really nice hair that you describe more than once? (1)
* Is the character's hair raven black, pure white, gold, or flaming red? (1)
** Is this a common trait of that race? (-1)
* Does the character have notably golden, dusky, or pale skin? (1)
** Is this a common trait of that race? (-1)
* Does the character have an accent that you do not share? (1)
** Because the story takes place somewhere where everyone has that accent? (-1)
* Is the character's voice exceptionally attractive or dulcet? (1)
* Does the character have a strange scar or marking (such as a tattoo), or lack thereof, that is noticed by another character? (1)
* Is the character deaf, mute, or both? (-1)
** Is this changed somehow by the end of the story? (3)
** Does the character become deaf, mute, or both during the story? (-1)
* Is the character otherwise physically disabled? (-2)
** Is this changed somehow by the end of the story? (4)
** Does the character become physically disabled during the story? (-2)
* Is the character mentally challenged? (-2)
* Is the character insane? (-2)
** Is the character criminally insane? (-1)
** Does the character's sanity, or lack thereof, affect the other characters negatively? (-3)
** Are they found by the end of the story? (2)
* Is the character a decendant of Merlin, or similar? (3)
* Was the character adopted, or otherwise not raised by his or her own parents? (1)
* Is the character the last surviving member of any species, organization, or family? (1)
* Add points for each aspect seen somewhere during the character's life:
- abandoned by caregivers. (1)
- born or forced into slavery. (1)
- born or raised in extreme poverty. (1)
- sole survivor of a calamity. (2)
- physical abuse. (2)
- sexual abuse by a caregiver. (3)
- rape (3)
- member of a despised or pariah class or race. (1, 2 if the story focuses on overcoming this)
- illigimate birth. (2)
- parent of an illigimate child. (1 each)
- death or death equivalent. (3)
- resurrection from death. (10)
* Subtract points for each aspect seen somewhere during the character 's life:
- abandons child. (-1)
- deals with slavery. (-2)
- Taxcollector or similar. (-1)
- cause of a calamity. (-2)
- physically abusive. (-2)
- sexually abusive. (-3)
-- as a primary caregiver. (-2)
- rapist. (-4)
- racist. (-1, +1 if the story focuses on overcoming this)
-- Violently so. (-2)
-- Is the character reformed? (4)
- murderer, or equivalent. (-3)
- torturer. (-2)
* Does the character suffer from guilt about something terrible that he or she did in the past? (1)
** Does the other characters eventually convince him or her that it was not his or her fault? (2)
** IS it the character's fault? (-2)
* Does the character share (and make frequent mention of) your religious beliefs in a story that does not focus on religion? (2)
* Did the character have an unusual birth or an unusual experience in early infancy? (i.e., abducted, placed in a basket and set afloat, visited by Three Weirdos, etc.) (1)
* Does the character have a twin or a clone? (2)
** About whom you intend to write a story later? (2)
* Does the character have a very good singing voice? (1)
** Is it mentioned more than once? (2)
** Is the character a bard, or similar? (-3)
* Or play an instrument amazingly well? (2)
** Like the harp, the dulcimer, or any other antiquated instrument? (2)
** And is a bard? (-3-)
* Does the character have the same taste in music as you do? (1)
* Does the character have the same profession as you have? (1)
* Does the character have the same profession you WISH you had? (1)
* Is the character royalty or nobility of any description? (3)
** And he or she doesn't know? (3)
** Is the story in a noble setting? (i.e., not nobles among peasants) (-2)
** Does the character become noble or royal by marriage? (3)
* Does everyone wind up liking the character? (4)
** Even though he or she is showing them up and correcting them all the time? (3)
* Does the majority of the cast dislike your character? (-2)
** Does this change by the ending? (5)
** Do more people dislike your character in the end? (-3)
* Is the character extraordinarily powerful for a member of this race? (1)
* Does the character come from a different world or dimension? (Heave and Hell count) (1)
* Does the character, not being inherently magical by species, have magic anyway? (2)
* Does the character gain special powers not normally seen in their race upon reaching puberty? (1)
* Does the character have telekinesis or telepathy? (Twins count) (2)
** Is this common in their race? (-2)
* Does the character just 'know things'? (2)
* Can the character fly? (1)
** Without the aid of wings? (1)
** Is this a common trait of their race? (-1)
* Can the character heal with touch or thought? (1)
* Do animals (particularly fuzzy ones) instinctively like or respond to the character? (2)
** Does the character dislike them? (-2)
* Does the character have a horse? (Substitute 'horse' for 'bird' or 'wolf' as needed) (1)
** A white horse? (1)
** A black horse? (1)
** Does it talk? (2)
** Only to to the character? (1)
** Telepathically? (1)
* Does the character have a perceptible aura of power? (1)
** Of goodness? (2)
** Of evil? (-2)
** Of sexiness? (1)
** Of sketchiness? (-1)
* Is the character stupid? (-1)
* Is the character the smartest character in the story? (1)
* The best looking? (1)
* The most powerful? (1)
* The best fighter? (1)
* Is the character the only person from his or her village or culture or species to be trained in fighting? (2)
** Because he or she was just so talented? (1)
** That he or she was taken on by the super-talented master fighter? (1)
** Until he or she surpassed him? (2)
** With more than one character? (1 each)
* Does the character have mutually consensual sex with another character at some point in the story? (1)
** With more than once character (with name and substance) (1 each)
** Does the character have a fidelity problem in the story? (-3)
* Does the character get married out of love at any point in the story? (1)
** Is it described in detail? (1)
** Does the story end with the character's wedding? (2)
** Do all of the other characters attend? (2)
* Is the character forced into marriage? (-2)
** Does the character end up loving their wife/husband anyway? (4)
* Would you dislike the character if you met them in real life? (-2)
* Do you think everyone who reads the story should like the character? (2)
* If someone doesn't like the character, do you take it as a personal attack on you? (2)
* Does the character manage to form a relationship with an otherwise villanous character, and through that relationship, reform the other character? (3)
** Does the villain become evil again after losing the character, but retains some last vestige of goodness, evidenced by one selfless action at the end of the story? (4)
** Does the villain become evil again after losing the character, without retaining some last vestige of goodness? (-2)
* Is the character transformed into a magical being? (4)
** Is the character happier in his or her new form? (1)
** Do the other characters like the character better in his or her new form? (1)
** Do you wish you could be transformed, for the neat powers? (1)
** Does the character dislike hir or her new form? (-2)
* Does the character save the day, or another character's life? (2)
** Through magical intervention? (1)
** Through dying? (3)
** Through almost dying? (1)
** Does everyone go into mourning? (3)
** Unintentionally? (-1)
* Does the character save a life by weeping over the recently expired corpse? (10)
* Does the character resurrect another character? (8)
** Does this have bad consequences? (-3)
* Do you plan to write more stories revolving around this character? (1)
* Do you plan to write more stories revolving around this character's children? (1)
15 - 20 - Borderline character.
21+ Mary Sue/Gary Stu.
35+ No. Just no.