G'day, I'm the Bushtucker Penguin, a twenty year old wildlife uni-student of Australia. I thoroughly enjoy fanfiction, when you live in the middle of nowhere it's good to keep yourself occupied.

I prefer anime fanfiction, and of anime fanfiction I love the Other Character. I think that a well thought out original character that fits seamlessly into a well crafted plot is the epitome of a fans creativity. Of course I also realise that in order to reach that kind character, you have to stop and start through a couple of Mary-Sues and Self-Inserts. However so long as you're working towards better fanfiction, accepting compliments and critisism alike you're allowed a few in your closet.

It is on that note I should say my thoughts on reviews. A lot of people put Read & Review at the bottom of their fanfiction and end up getting a nasty shock. A review is an opinion of a fanfiction, a critical examination of artistic expression telling what they like and dislike about a fanfiction. If they're really good they will point out what you can improve on and how.

Some will be more tactful than others, but think, they wouldn't spend five minutes composing a review because they hate you. They spent that time because they hope you will improve and they care more than the people who will post 'lol ur funny Please update' Try to salvage every bit of information you can from your review.

That's the difference between a Flame and Critisism.
If all they do is insult your fanfiction without a reason its a Flame
If they tell you something is bad but justify why they think that, its Critisism.
If they compliment your story without saying why, eg lol ur funny Please update' they're equally worthless as a flame.

Taking critisism graciously sorts the sheep from the goat, or newbs from the noobs as the case may be.

That being said Reviewers, the system is there to help fanfictionists and if you review its assuming you want to help the author. Be honest, but be tactful. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. Compliment them on what they've achieved, and guide them slowly to better fanfiction. It's a process and everyone has to start somewhere.

How to Get the Best Review Possible

Even if you aren't the greatest writer in the world yet there are some easy things within your power to win your reviewer over. If you get these things right they will know you're at least trying.

() Spelling.
Agreed, not everyone has a dictionary in their heads, but in this day and age you don't need to because at the very least there's Spellcheck. Microsoft Word has one and if you don't have Word, there are numerous sites on the internet. Don't depend completely on your Spellcheck. For one thing it won't pick up names. Mustange is a regular mistake.

() Punctuation
Punctuation is a little bit more difficult because a computer program can't check it for you. It's all up to you to get it right. The real key to punctuation is consistancy, make sure its there every time and in the same format. I usually see is changing your dialogue punctuation. For example;

"Well, if you're going that way," Ed smirked.
"Brother, there's a State Alchemist over there." Al pointed out.

Personally, I believe the first line, Ed smirked using a comma, to be the more correct of the the two but choose one and keep to it.

() Paragraphing
Another easy but often missed thing. The first thing you should know about paragraphing is that everytime a new person speaks, start a new line, as seen above rather than this incorrect way:

"Well, if you're going that way," Ed smirked. "Brother, there's a State Alchemist over there." Al pointed out.

I would also consider doing double paragraphing on FF.net because otherwise things get crowded for the reader.

() Reread
Let your story sit one day before you post. Then come back to it, reread and pick up any spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes. Not only that the scene will have crystalised in your mind so you can add more detail to the scene, building up the movie the reader sees in their head when they read.

Remember, if you don't care about getting these simple things right, why should readers and reviewers care. Take pride in your work and make it the best it can be rather than just throwing up any old thing because your readers are telling you "pleaSe UpdaTE!"

Who are Mary-Sue & Gary-Stu?

Now, if you have an OC character you will probably have run across this term, or accusation as it may be. Is Mary-Sue an insult?

Well, yes, it is kind of, in the same way still having training wheels on your bike is an insult. Everybody's had them one at one point but you should do your best to grow out of it. Similarly, you aren't going to yell and tease and sneer at your five year old cousin just because he's got them, your going to point out what's wrong with them and give him the confidence to give them up. If he doesn't want to let them go that's his prerogative. He'll learn eventually but he's going to cling to them more the more you badger him.

Who are they? To paraphrase 'What is Sue no two men know'. We will start with the simpliest explaination. "A Mary-Sue is a perfect manifestation of what the author wishes she could be." Gary-Stu is simply her male counterpart.

Here are my thought on what makes a Mary-Sue and I'm using Fullmetal Alchemist as an example because that's what I'm reading at the moment.

() Mary-Sue is a repetative kind of character in that particular fandom.
Mostly I've noticed lots of 'I'm Roy's Sister and I'm so rebellious characters and Japanese names. Why I can't understand because if anything the characters of Amestris would be of German or Anglo counterparts. Also the Ice Alchemist or ? Wing Alchemist are popular too.

() Mary-Sue will impose herself on niches already filled by canon characters and excel in it so far as to outdo the original character.
By niche I mean identifying characteristics, like Riza being the sharpshooter. Roy being the snarky alchemist who has fire as a power, and of course Ed is special because he has seen the gate and has automail. By all means, those things aren't the characters in their entirety, but it makes for quick generalisation. And no, making a female version of Roy doesn't constitute a new character, nor duplicating Ed & Al's transmutation of their mother to lose limbs for arrayless alchemy.

() Mary-Sue strives to be wonderfully or tragically different.
There are boundaries and rules set within the FMA series, known as canon. Alchemy is in FMA, Equivilent Exchange is in FMA, Science is in FMA. Magic is not. Nor are random fantasy creatures or angels. That's not only stepping over the boundary but throwing up on it. They may also break the patterns existing in the canon. Having Japanese names in a country that clearly has European names is a good example.These are sometimes referred to as Speshul-Sue's, having lots of extra powers or more powers than is normal in the canon.

The other end of the stick are sometimes referred to as Wangst-Sues and while they may not defy conventions or laws of the canon, they seem to attract an abnormal amount of misery, possibly in an effort to attract empathy of the characters. Please, let me say it just annoys the readers.

() Mary-Sue’s main plot revolves around romantic angst.
I have no problem with an OC romancing a canon character, provided it is done with tact and pace, but if that is the entire plot it's boring and pointless. Sue and Canon will be locked in a sitcom like ‘will-they-won’t they’ conundrum (or maybe just teenage groping). Veteran readers hate nothing more than a random OC turning up to turn aside Ed & Al's quest for the Philospher's Stone. The title of Sue is inevitable.