I understand your reasoning about wanting people to play a canon character before apping an OC, and I'm NOT asking to be a special snowflake to whom the rules don't apply. Buuuuuuut I do have a question regarding this rule which yeah I am hoping will lead to the rule being modified I'll admit, but for everyone, not just an exception for one sparkly person.

I don't really play any canon characters. I could pick one up for the purpose of playing one for a while to demonstrate my writing ability, but it would be picking up a character I have next to no experience with, and therefore wouldn't really be showing the extent of my skill as a player.

I don't really like playing canon characters; this is why I don't really play them. If I found one I would be decent at, apped them, played them through the first activity cycle, apped one of my OCs, and that OC got accepted...I think you can guess what my next official act would be. Which really isn't fair to anyone that had CR with that character, nor do I think I'd be able to put my full writing ability into a character that is...essentially disposable.

I'm prepared to offer just about anything else other than playing a canon character. People have confused the character I'm looking to bring here for a character from an obscure canon, and if it weren't for the almighty Google I could probably bluff my way into convincing you guys that she's from a book simply for the sheer amount of detail I've put into her. However, I'd rather actually follow the rules than get in by lying.

Is there any chance that you guys would amend this rule to look at other sources to find out about OC players?