Self-insertion
| Synonyms: | |
| See also: | Mary Sue, Anywhere But Here |
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When an author appears in his or her own story, either explicitly or in thinly-disguised form, the result is self-insertion.
Mary Sues are often self-insert characters, although they tend to be idealized rather than realistic versions of their authors. Authors may also write self-inserts as humor (for example, in metafic featuring an author arguing with her characters) or as an in-joke (for example, making an extremely minor character a self-insert that will only be recognized by friends).
Self-insertion in Canon
Wesley Crusher on Star Trek is widely considered to be a self-insert character for his creator, Gene Wesley Roddenberry. In the Dark Tower series of books by Stephen King, Stephen King appears as a character in the sixth and seventh books.
