Writing Excuses Writing Excuses Season 3 Episode 16: The Anti-Mary Sue Episode
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Sep 13, 2009 
Debut author John Brown discusses avoiding self-insertion in writing, known as the 'Mary Sue' concept. The hosts explore crafting unique character voices, developing distinct characters, and creating the 'Anti-Mary Sue' character by drawing inspiration from diverse individuals.
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Write Characters Differently From Yourself
- Write characters with viewpoints that differ from your own to ensure distinct voices.
- Use exaggerated viewpoints for humor and clearer differentiation from yourself.
Imagine Others While Writing Characters
- Keep someone else in mind, like a friend or celebrity, when writing a character's voice.
- This trick helps characters sound distinct without directly copying that person.
Using Animals and Pictures for Voices
- John Brown uses animals or pictures to evoke a dominant impression for his characters.
- This helps him access unique character voices more easily than relying solely on his own mind.