The Softer Side of the Tolkien Purist Community
I am not going to use the phrase �Mary Sue�, as there are so many definitions and opinions about her. However, you should be aware, that there are certain pitfalls that should be avoided.
If she is the best, the most, or the only anything. The most beautiful, the most talented, the only survivor of her family, and so on and so forth. Seen it hundreds of times. These are cookie-cutter designations, meant to interest us in the character. They bore me to death.
If she is the daughter or other relative of any canon character. Most importantly, you have to ask yourself: is there a reason for this? There are other and better ways you can introduce your character into the world then just slapping her on the end of someone�s family tree.
See also the essay on naming of original characters.
In terms of plotlines:
So, a girl falls into Middle-earth� I honestly don�t think this can be done as a serious romance. Not well. There are too many problems. And its been done, done, and done again.
Any tenth member fanfictions. There usually isn�t a good reason given as to why the tenth member is chosen. And remember, if you chance the composition of the fellowship, that would change the entire story. You have one more fighter, one more member, one more mind. You can�t expect to happily follow along the same lines as the original without changing anything else.
Arranged marriages. Apart from not fitting into what we know of Elvish customs, they are a romance-novel plot device of the worst type.
Other common plot-lines, not limited to OC romances, which should be avoided at all costs, include:
War between the Noldor and Sindar � never has there been outright war between any two Elvish peoples. There were kinslayers � and that is an important part of Elvish history which deserves recognition � but Elves take that very seriously, and none would want to repeat those experiences.
Hurt/Comfort plotlines. In which someone is lost, injured, nearly-killed, assaulted, raped, abused, or depressed, and then someone else comes along and saves them. Usually involves �healing sex� (Yes, slash writers. I�m looking at you.) Desperately clich�d, not to mention the fact that most of these type of stories fail to take the issues involved seriously, and present an unrealistic view of the situation.
Give us something different. An unusual plot or unusual character background will do wonders for your fic. But don�t take �unusual�, to mean crazy or overdone. There are entire realms unexplored in Tolkien�s writings, thousands of stories waiting to be told. So please, stop writing the same one over and over?
CHOOSING NAMES
CLICHES: WHAT NOT TO DO
PROOFREADING
ON WRITING STYLES
(AND THE USE OF �ELVISH�)
ON �FLAMES� AND CRITICISM
ON PATHOS AND EMOTION
PLOTLINES AND PLOT DEVICES
BETA READERS LIST
CHALLENGES
SIGN GUESTBOOK
VIEW GUESTBOOK
ENCYLOPEDIA OF ARDA