Original Characters: Bane or Boon?
Three of my Original Characters
Fanfiction is full of examples of original characters (OCs); some are fantastic while others are… better left unmentioned. I’ve encountered both well-loved OCs and ones that made me cringe.
Some readers accept original characters in fanfic while others can’t stand them. So, what makes or breaks an original character?
Likeability
Original characters, especially, need to have some degree of likeability, whether that means the reader likes the character’s personality, or they appreciate the way the character is written or woven into the story.
Main character OCs are a hard-sell in most fandoms, though some readers are still willing to give them a shot, but chances are, readers won’t get far if they have no reason to like the character.
Antagonists in particular need to be impressive—sometimes even more so than a protagonist. If your OC is a villain, readers need to see them as more than some evil paper cutout. Give them good qualities as well as bad. Treat them like people, not objects.
Flaws
To balance out point one, OCs need to have flaws. There’s a name for sickeningly perfect characters: Mary Sue/Gary Stu (variations abound). Is your OC good at literally everything, even if they’ve never done it before? Never makes mistakes, or when they do, someone else is always to blame? Looks and acts flawless and never has problems with anyone or anything? You’ve got a Mary Sue, and readers will notice.
People have weaknesses. Treat your characters as people, and give them some. A tragic backstory can be fine, but don’t lean on that throughout the entire piece. An orphan living on the streets can be overly generous despite their situation, and millionaires can become misers. Worldview has just as much bearing as backstory when it comes to character flaws, so explore both to discover what makes your character who they are.
Consistency
Whatever you decide to do with your original character, be consistent. If an OC is a generally caring person, but they suddenly treat someone with severe contempt for no reason, there’s a problem.
Does your character have nervous ticks? A favorite song? Do they wear jewelry? Have disabilities? Whatever contributes to making them who they are, remember it and keep it mind when writing your OC’s sections of the story. You don’t have to call attention to it every moment, but do bring it up when it’s relevant.
You can’t control whether someone chooses to read your OC story, but you can make your OC likeable with realistic flaws, and you can stay consistent in your portrayal of them.
So, to the title’s question, whether OCs are a good thing or a bad thing in fanfiction, some are wonderful additions to an established universe while others are barely coherent enough to consider part of the cast. But overall, I’d consider OCs a productive part of the fanfiction community. Each one represents a writer who was brave enough to put their imagination to use and make something of their own. Every character carries a piece of its writer’s heart, and that is something to be valued.