Honestly I can't see you catching too much static from it. But then I'm not exactly a pedant.

Well it's up to you if it's really a self insert or not. However using the same name people will be quick to judge that it is one until you basically explain it isn't.

My opinion is, yes, it will. Rightly or wrongly, that will be the impression created (without significant explanation to the contrary). It's, of course, your decision if you're comfortable with that.

That's exactly what I've been thinking. On the other hand, I don't want to end up having to explain that issue again and again when I really just like the name. :p

If you avoid the Yet Another Over-sexed Alpha Character cliché, you'll have less to worry about.

I have always seen 'Self-Insertion' as when you place your own character into a situation in a world that has been established and do things that are just plain wrong. Like 'Mary Sueing' your char to beat up the big name baddies or woo the important guy/girls and stuff like that.

With online games such as WoW and City of Heroes you have the option to forge your own small part of that world without it messing up the histories already set up for them.

I've done fan fiction where I have added my own char by request but I don't consider them fan fiction for this very reason. They are non canon stories that have no real effect on the characters already created and from what I have heard people liked them.

So as far as my experience has shown, if you are happy with what you do and you don't over do it, and the readers like it, then where is the harm?

<i>YUGI: Those bullies are being mean to Gary Stu!
JOEY: Who the hell is Gary Stu?
YUGI: I don't know, but apparently, he's my best friend.
—Yu-Gi-Oh! The OTHER Abridged Movie</i>

Well, I'm not going to be working on fanfiction with this, and the only trait I'd share with the character is the name. Heck, if I had the ambition, I'd go the way of Arleston who has created several different series and spin-offs within the same universe, but I'll have to get started with just one story for now. ;)
In terms of wish-fullfillment, I don't want to give the feeling I'm projecting my needs and desires through the (main) character either. Me lacking a love interest in real life shouldn't mean my characters aren't allowed to have one themselves, does it? :p
Regarding that same issue, I'm also trying to keep myself from creating an Anti-Sue, which is just as bad in the end. Purposefully making a character ugly, unloved and just plain unlikeable isn't good either.

Was that really in there? Seriously? lol.

Well if the only connection between you and the character is the name then I can't see how it can be self insertion.

I would assume it's a fursona, but that wouldn't necessarily make it a bad story or anything. Like using a persona doesn't automatically make it a Mary Sue/Gary Stew story. While I realize that's not always the case, that's just what I'm use to see more. That said, I know that a lot of people assume that your fursona is your pen name or that you go by your fursona's name. I get called by my fursona's name a lot, especially at cons. Which I don't mind, but people make the assumption.

All that put aside, if it's a good story it'll speak for itself. You might just have to be extra careful that it doesn't sound like self-insertion.

To put it bluntly, No-one's opinion or theory about your "self insertion" or non self insertion matters. When you're creating a character, I think that naturally and subconsciously you will be putting some of yourself in them.

Even if it isn't an idealistic portrayal of yourself, and if you're creating say, a bad guy, you'll be thinking about it in the same way. You will make that bad guy a part of yourself, not necessarily saying "hey im this badass dude who's evil and stuff!" but you'll be giving that character the qualities that perhaps you prefer in a villain or whatever.

You can't really excape that, when people create they are expressing themselves in whatever way it is. If someone's going to troll you, it's their problem. People either love you or hate you, whatever you do, someone will be jealous or envious or utterly fanatical about what you are/do/create. That's jsut the way the world is, and worrying too much about it and letting it affect your life is not worth it. We only get one life and you might as well use it how you see fit. To hell with anyone else.

I get some stupid comments on FA, but it's only a handful compared to the good comments. If I get one of the shit ones, I say "cool story bro" and instantly block them. It annoys them because they no longer have their chance to start sum dramas.

When I came to FA, I didn't have any real furry characters. I had an idea for a cat-girl called Lily. so my account happened to be Lilyness (my friend used to add -ness to my real name, so I used it, you see). I know have Lily as a character but I don't see her as me, I gave her characteristics that I find attractive though, so in a sense I am still projecting my ideals on her as a character.

I think that when artists or writers identify and indulge their preferences or their fantasies and are attached to their characters it only gives them more life and substance, so shying away from that would lessen the creativity and impact of the things you create.

If you want to give your character your pen name (Dalehan) I doubt anyone would even care that much. No ones ever really bothered me about my username being the same as my character's name.

TL;DR: Fuck the rest of us, do what you want to do. The End.


XD!

Hear Hear!

I totally do self-insertion in some of my stories. Doesn't seem anyone cared. But I suppose it mostly depends on the type of story. If the character is supposed to be 'you' then well yeah, it's going to be self insertion to some degree. That in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. If it's not supposed to be you at all, and it's just the same name, then I don't think you have too much to worry about as long as you stick to that character's personality and really make them their own. There'll probably be someone who'll complain either way, so I wouldn't get worked up over it.

Use the mighty force to decide.

I'm a self-insert. My human guy is just myself. With all defects and stupidity along. Though if you are using them for self representation and you can't use yourself, even with the names. Makes me wonder one thing, how in the hell are you gonna represent yourself better than that way?

And why can't there be multiverse theory? Aside your point of view is the only way of free speech. Let me tell you something. A self insert is totally approved. But if you do a self-insert by changing a character (officially) then that's lame (AKA creative director of DMC5 link).

As long it's in a good way to express what'd you do in something or something else. It's not like everyone would cross a river with a strong current by holding onto a rope that's attached from side to side. Some will use a bridge, others will ride a horse, or like in my case I'd just cross the river like if I was walking with no water in it.

There are point of views and there are also events that won't be the same as others. Not everyone uses their hands for drawing, writing. There are many ways of doing stuff. Of thinking. Not just only one way.

Yes. Using the same pen-name and character name will draw flack. I'd say there's absolutely no doubt there whatsoever, although how much attention people pay and how much flack it draws seems to depend on the medium and the genre. The characters in Superbad were named for the scriptwriters - see how much you can of people tearing it down over that. I can't think of a more serious work to offset that against at the moment, but a drama and especially one in a largely textual form will catch a lot more hell.

I'm doing it and i don't have any "holdbacks" you mention.

If ppl have comments you can just simply say the thruth.
"It's a character, not me"
And they will have to accept that. If they don't, they are the fools.

I know your problem and i had the same thoughts in the very beginning of my furryfandom interest.
But sooner or later you learn to "just do your stuff" and "dont give a shit" about what preconceptions other ppl make.

In the beginning i spent 10% effort on Furryfandom and 90% trying to explain it for ppl.
Nowdays i do 99%Furryfandom and 0.1% explaining.
The other 0.9% i just laugh at other peoples rediculous efforts to act superior by telling everyone they meet that you are nuts.

I have that problem all the time since I used the same user name across W0W and a bunch of other forums and that user name was the character's name. My characters are so far away from self inserts it's painful but I still have to explain to people that no, Moondai is not "me" goddamit! I just used the same user name so friends could find me >.<

People tend to associate a person with the character if they share the same name. *shrug* There will be idiots who can't see that the name's the same even if it's a different ball game.

There will also be smart people who know a self-insert from a similarity in names.