The first test was created by Missy Wilson. It was edited by Jennifer Wylie to include roleplaying as well as fanfiction writing. Now it is revised here with additions by Indianna Who.
Mary Sue Test
Test one character at a time as different answers apply to different characters.
Character Name
1 [] Does the character bear the surname of a canon character? Do you give yourself a canon character's surname in chat or irc, message boards, mailing lists etc? If so, turn in your test. Do not write a character as a made up relative of, lover or wanna-be wife of a canon character. Do not give yourself the status as such in an online handle. I don't care what your excuse for doing it is.
2 [] Does the character have a title? I.E. Lady, Princess, Dutchess, Queen, Prince, King, Duke, Erl, Count, Countess etc.
3 [] Is the character's name an unusual spelling of a more common name or word?
4 [] Is it a noun or adjective not normally used for a name (especially for human characters)?
5 [] Is the character's name unusual in another way?
6 [] Does the character have a really cool name that you wish you had?
7 [] Does the character have more than one name? (i.e. a nickname or a pseudonym that other you use to refer to the character)
8 [] Did you spend more than a day looking for just the right name?
9 [] Have you considered naming your pet or child the character's name?
10 [] Is the character's name: A. the same as yours? B. A fancier version of your name? C. Does it start with the same initial as your own name? (1 point for each yes.)
General Stats
11 [] Is the character the same gender as you?
12 [] Is the character from the same racial group as you?
13 [] Is the character a magical/genetically altered being?
14 [] Is the character a hybrid of two or more species?
15 [] Is the character a cross-breed of any other type? (i.e. multi-racial, multi-clan)
16 [] Does the character have an accent which you do not share?
17 [] Does the character share your religious beliefs?
18 [] Does the character have better taste in music than you do? (For example, does your character own cd's that you think educated people ought to own, even though you've never actually listened to the music yourself?)
19 [] Does the character do what you do for fun or profit? (This includes having the same job you have, or would like to have when you're older, or having a job that sounds like a lot of fun even though you know nothing about it.
Age
20 [] Is the character the age you would like to be?
21 [] Is the character a teenager or in her/his early twenties?
22 [] Does the character look like s/he is a teenager or in her/his early twenties? (1 point for a yes, and Add an extra point for each yes in the following.)
A. for no apparent reason?
B. For a magical or special scientific reason?
23 [] Does your character take great pains (cryogenics, radical surgery, etc) to look young?
24 [] Does your character leap through time streams to stay young?
Talents/skills
25 [] Does the character have a very good singing voice or play a musical instrument amazingly well?
26 [] Does the character have magical/mutant powers? (Add 1 point if the room is not mutant-based. If you play in a mutant-based room, like Marvel Universe, use discretion on the Mutant Powers questions.)
27 [] Does the character have telekinesis or telepathy? (1 point for each ability)
28 [] Does the character just "know things" for no apparent reason?
29 [] Can the character fly? Without the aid of wings? (1 point for each)
30 [] Can the character heal with a touch and/or thought?
31 [] Does the character speak more than one language fluently?
32 [] Can the character write in more than one language?
33 [] Is the character transformed into a magical or genetically-altered being?
(1 point for a yes, and add one extra point for each of the following except D. which is worth 3 points.)
A. Is the character happier in her/his new form?
B. Do people like the character better in her/his new form?
C. Do you wish you could be transformed because of the neat powers?
D. All of the above?
Background
34 [] Did the character have an unusual birth?
35 [] Was the character adopted or did he/she otherwise live with people who were not his/her parents as a child?
36 [] Does the character have:
A. a twin
B. a clone??
(One point for each yes)
37 Is the character a made-up relative of a canon character, long lost child, a cousin, a sibling?
38 [] Does the character not remember her past, or did the character have a tragic youth? (1 point per yes and extra points for each choice except K. which is worth 10 points.)
a. abuse,
B. neglect,
C. abandonment,
D. sexual trauma,
E. second or third-class cultural status,
F. slavery,
G. extreme poverty,
H. forced criminality, or
I. being the sole survivor of any calamity.
In short, did you get any ideas from V.C. Andrews?) (Add one point for each yes
and an extra point for
J. rape or other sexual abuse.)
K. All of the above.
Plot
39 [] Do you introduce the character on the first page of the story as the Hero/Heroine?
40 [] Do you tell the story from the character's point of view, all or mostly?
41 [] Does the character meet the Canon characters, and after a few tense pages of plot, become friends with them?
42 [] Does the character manage to develop a friendship with an otherwise villainous character, and through this friendship, reform the other character? (5 points.)
43 [] Does the villain become evil again after the character dies, but retain some last vestige of goodness from his/her interaction with the character, evidenced in one selfless action at the end of the story?
44 [] Does the character save the day and/or another character's life?
(5 points for a yes, and add one point for each of the following categories):
A. Through magical/mystical intervention?
B. Through dying?
C. Through almost dying?
45 [] Does everyone go into mourning? more than they would if a well loved canon character dies? (10 points.)
46 [] Does s/he get not-dead by the end of the story? (5 points.)
Appearance and Escence
47 Does the character look like a picture-perfect, prittier version of you without any physical flaws or blemishes?
48 [] Does the character have a notable voice designed to add to her attractiveness I.E. musical, angelic, melodious, bell-like, sultry?
49 [] Does the character exude a special, sweet/intoxicating scent without the use of man-made perfume or putting flowers somewhere on her person?
50 [] Does the character have an unusual eye color for no apparent reason?
51 Does the character have special powers connected with her eyes or any other part of her being? For example, can she see into another character's mind or bend the will of another character by looking at them?
52 Does the character have hair of an unusual color? I.E. blue, black with blue tinges, two-toned with predominantly one color streaked with another color?
53 [] Is her hair referred to as 'tresses' or 'locks'? (2 points if you've used both terms.)
54 [] Does the character have a doll face or otherwise known as a treasure-head? Are her features described in terms that sound like she's made of precious gems, jewels, gold etc?
(Answer yes to this if she possesses any of the following characteristics, and add a point for each one that applies in these categories.)
A. Sapphire eyes
B. Emerald eyes
C. Violet eyes
D. Golden or raven locks
E. Golden or raven tresses
F. Hair being refered to in any way as 'raven' or 'ebony'
G. Flaming red locks
H. Flaming red tresses
I. Nut brown locks
J. Nut brown tresses
K. Taffy colored locks
L. Taffy colored tresses
M. Ruby lips
N. Cherry-red lips
O. Porcelain cheeks/face
P. Ivory skin
Q. lily white skin
R. Cries crystal tears
S. Any other attribute that likens the character to being made of some precious commodity.
55 [] Is the character beautiful or roguishly handsome?
56 [] Do you go on at length about your character's appearance? Do you restate your character's stunning features throughout the story? Is the character's figure expounded on in censual detail, examples, lush curves, slender waist, petite frame? (1 point for a yes, and add extra points for each instance you can find.)
57 [] Is every step she takes noteworthy in a seductive way? (If so, 1 point for a yes, and add 1 more point for each of the following.)
A. [] Does the character move with feline grace?
B. [] Is there mention of her swaying her hips as she walks?
C. []Are her garnments described in a way as to accentuate this or any other sexually attractive attribute you want to call attention to? I.E. Does she wear a tight fitting skirt that hugs her viluptuous curves, short enough to show off her beautiful, graceful, shapely legs etc.?
Attitude and Interaction
58 [] Do animals (especially fuzzy ones) instinctively adore the character?
59 []Does the character spend time admiring her own appearance or anything else about herself? (5 points)
60 [] Does the character expect others to admire her? Does she treat it like something that should and always happens as part of the everyday routine for her? (5 points.)
61 [] Does the character look down on others because she's so much more superior in some way? (5 points.)
62 [] Does the character's bad behavior get overlooked and excused while all other characters suffer some punishment or consequences for their actions? (10 points for a yes. Add 1 more point per excuse. Choice F. is worth 5 points.)
A. She looks too beautiful to punish
B. She turns on the tears, making the other characters feel dreadfully sorry for her, as well as like heartless jerks if the thought of holding her responsible for anything ever entered their minds.
C. She's had such a rough and traumatic life already
D. She was not in her right mind
E. She has a disability but is such an amazing person despite it, so, deserves kindness by default, even if she's anything but.
F. All of the above
63 [] Does the character primp herself to look even more stunning?
64 [] Do one or two members of the opposite sex notice her? (1 point for a yes and add points for the following.)
A. 1 point per fan-created character.
B. 2 per canon character.
65 [] Do all members of the opposite sex notice her? (5 points.)
66 [] Do they all find her highly attractive? (20 points.)
67 [] Do other regulars see him/her as a threat because of their looks? ( 30 points.)
68 [] Is the character the sworn enemy of or at least very bitter toward all others of the same gender while irresistable to all from the opposite? (20 points.)
69 [] is the character the enemy of a main canon character of the same gender? If yes, why? (10 points for a yes and additional points varying in number depending on the choice or choices.)
A. The female canon character is one of the central characters (2 points)
B. happens to be a girlfriend, admirer, or wife of a male canon character (8 points)
C. both (10 points)
D. that you also hate for the same reasons? (20)
E. All of the above (30 points)
70 [] Do all other members of the same gender as her:
A. try to rival her
B. get outshone by her
C. feel fearful and quaking in her presence
D. get routinely reduced to tears by her
E. adore and aspire to be more like her
F. feel hateful toward her because they're written as plot devices to make themselves look dumb while giving her all the glory
G. all of the above (10 points each choice except for G. being 60 points.)
71 [] Does the character fall in love with a canon character? (5 points.)
72 Does the canon character reciprocate? 10 points if he has no love interest in the actual show/movie/book. 20 points if he does. No points if not.
73 [] Does your character have sex with a Canon character or make a canon character wish to? (20 points if the canon character does not already have a spouse/love interest in the show/story/movie. 40 points if they do. or if they're not written in the canon as looking for it.)
74 [] Does your character marry a story (canon) character? (20 points if there was no love interest for that character in the show/book/movie. 40 points if there was.)
75 [] Does your character sleep with more than one character, canon or otherwise? (50 points, and add 10 points each for every additional character.)
You and Your Character
76 [] Do you play your character in more than one room?
77 [] Would you like to be friends with the character if you met in real life?
78 [] Does everyone end up liking the character (among the regulars you like)?
79 [] Do you think everyone who reads the story/role-plays with the character should automatically like the character and want to be friends with the character? Note, that is not quite the same thing as trying to write your character as likable.
80 [] If someone tells you he/she doesn't like your character, do you take it as a
personal attack on you? (1 point for a yes.
No points if she is a lot like you but still well written.
Add 1 point if the character is your opposite,
Add 2 points if the reason for the dislike is because your character acts in a way that makes her disliked, by mistreating other characters and being egotistical.
Add 2 points if she's a version of you that all other characters are supposed to adore and/or envy.)
81 [] Do you ever pretend to yourself that you are your character? (1 point for a yes, and aditional for the following.)
A. [] with the same strengths and abilities? (1 point)
B. [] with some canon character lavishing love, attention, glory, or all of the above on you/your character? (1 point each for love, attention, and glory.)
C. [] and that everyone just adores you? (2 points, no points if you use your character as a guide to help you through a difficult task or day, making it a little easier and you really do have better luck with it. Also no points if you pretend to be/use a canon character you like as a guide/reference to help you get through something that just isn't very inspiring on its own.)
82 [] Do you get insulted when someone doesn't like your character being paired up with a canon character? (1 point for a yes, and add points for the following reasons.)
A. Your character and a canon character that doesn't have a romance in the book/show/movie? (1 point.
B. Your character and a canon character that is involved with another character in the book/movie/show? (2 points)
83 [] Do you share your character's crush on a canon character? (10 points for a yes, and 2 points each for every other canon character if the crush is on more than one.)
84 [] Do you get jealous of the significant other in a canon character's life because you wish you in the form of your character could get with him? 20 points.
Up to 33 points: You're out of danger. 34/49, The character is a borderline and could go either way. 50/65: Mary Sue! Proceed with great caution! 66/100 and up, Senna Marie Alert! You'll need a major rewrite to save the story, the character, even your reputation as a writer if she's particularly odious.