Relatable or Unrelatable: A Comparison Using Amy Lee
One of the biggest problem with Suethors is that they have little concept of what people can relate to. They think they’re being criticized because we don’t know about the characters “flaws” (which are irrelevant if we don’t see them in action.)
And they think there’s no problem because some of the problems are things that are possible. So think of it this way: Almost anything is possible. It is possible to speak three languages, play the harp, sing beautifully and have a doctors degree, but no one cares about a character like that. It’s also possible to develop early or have a lot of guys hit on you, but that doesn’t make for an interesting story.
So here’s a real life comparison:
And they think there’s no problem because some of the problems are things that are possible. So think of it this way: Almost anything is possible. It is possible to speak three languages, play the harp, sing beautifully and have a doctors degree, but no one cares about a character like that. It’s also possible to develop early or have a lot of guys hit on you, but that doesn’t make for an interesting story.
So here’s a real life comparison:
That’s Amy Lee. She’s pretty, isn’t she? Several magazines think so, rating her among the hottest women in rock. She’s also got some pipes. Her range is nearly three octaves, and she can belt. She plays the harp, the piano, and the guitar, any of which while singing. She can read and write music, and has even arranged for a choir. She fronts a popular band called Evanescence, which has sold millions of albums. Her voice can be heard in songs on several sountracks for Marvel Movies, and she’s the American chairperson for Out of the Shadows, a charity devoted to educating people about epilepsy.
She would undoubtedly fail a Mary Sue Test. But that’s not the issue. When dealing with characters, you have to ask yourself a question: Is any of that relatable? No? I didn’t think so. Is her music relatable? Usually. This is because she doesn’t write songs about being pretty, or being rich, or being famous, or about how awesome she is. She writes about experiencing loss. She writes about embracing life. She writes about break-ups. These are things that, if you haven’t experienced, you at least sympathize with. That’s relating.
So, if I were to feel inspired by Amy Lee to write a novel. I wouldn’t write about a the fact that she’s a rock star. The plot wouldn’t focus on her breaking up with her boyfriend or firing her bandmates. You wouldn’t relate to that, and you might not even see anything likeable about the character.
So what would I write? I would take inspiration from songs that I know are relatable, and that I know involve her actual experiences. I’d probably pick Hello, which is about the death of a family member. I would write about six year old Amy dealing with the loss of her little sister. And you would have so many feels reading it because, even if you haven’t been through something so tragic, you can sympathize with a child being forced to experience death in a way she shouldn’t.
I want you to think about this when you’re writing. Don’t write about Jane moving to a new town and immediately getting hit on by everyone she meets because once you and your readers mature past the Mary Sue stage, you won’t care about that story any more.
She would undoubtedly fail a Mary Sue Test. But that’s not the issue. When dealing with characters, you have to ask yourself a question: Is any of that relatable? No? I didn’t think so. Is her music relatable? Usually. This is because she doesn’t write songs about being pretty, or being rich, or being famous, or about how awesome she is. She writes about experiencing loss. She writes about embracing life. She writes about break-ups. These are things that, if you haven’t experienced, you at least sympathize with. That’s relating.
So, if I were to feel inspired by Amy Lee to write a novel. I wouldn’t write about a the fact that she’s a rock star. The plot wouldn’t focus on her breaking up with her boyfriend or firing her bandmates. You wouldn’t relate to that, and you might not even see anything likeable about the character.
So what would I write? I would take inspiration from songs that I know are relatable, and that I know involve her actual experiences. I’d probably pick Hello, which is about the death of a family member. I would write about six year old Amy dealing with the loss of her little sister. And you would have so many feels reading it because, even if you haven’t been through something so tragic, you can sympathize with a child being forced to experience death in a way she shouldn’t.
I want you to think about this when you’re writing. Don’t write about Jane moving to a new town and immediately getting hit on by everyone she meets because once you and your readers mature past the Mary Sue stage, you won’t care about that story any more.