Post by The Writer on Nov 7, 2021 18:14:46 GMT
Role Playing Tips
Role playing, or as we also like to call it, collaborative or interactive writing, is a wonderful way to delve into your character's minds! With it however, can come some challenges and moments where we may feel stuck! This thread is meant to provide some ideas, suggestions and things to be mindful of when engaging in threads with other members/characters on the forum.
NOTE: Having over 10 years of staffing various role play forums, these are some of the notes that we have compiled just based on experience with a variety of role plays and members! We hope you will find it helpful and if you have anything to add, please feel free to send a PM!
- Plotting & Tagging
- We have a detailed thread regarding ways to get the plotting ball rolling, which you can find HERE! Be sure you get to know the character you are writing with; read over their application, chat with the member who role plays them, make sure that the plot doesn't go against their interpretations of the character or your own!
- Always be sure you discuss the desired plot with the member before tagging a them in a starter! This avoids any confusion or uncertainty regarding details of the thread (i.e plot, timeline, situation, etc). Discussion with the member is absolute key rather than creating a starter for them where they may not know how to respond to.
- Writing Starters
- As stated above, make sure you have discussed the thread with the member/character that you are tagging in that thread, before you post it.
- Try to give enough for your writing partner to respond to in the starter. For instance: if it was decided that your characters are meeting at a ball, try to have something happen in your starter to help set the scene (i.e. your character approaching them, accidentally bumping into them, spilling a drink, etc). This takes off some of the pressure from the other member to come up with a way for their character to join the scene, if of course there was no plan previously discussed.
- It is helpful to let the other member know via PM or DM on discord, that you have started the thread for them. Tagging them is wonderful but sometimes it may get lost in their profile notifications, so it is always helpful to also send them a message to let them know that the starter is posted!
- Writing Content
- Make sure you thoroughly read your writing partner's post. This is so that you can be sure to have your character respond to what they did or said in the thread. We completely understand that sometimes we may miss such things in their reply or there may be things that do not need to be reacted to, but if it happens on a repeated basis, it can be discouraging for the other member. One way to avoid doing this is to re-read their post after you write yours just to make sure you covered the important parts.
- Be sure you give enough content for your writing partner to respond to. We do have a rule stating that role play replies should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs. This is to ensure that your writing partner has lots to reply to. It also gives the opportunity for you to delve into your character's inner thoughts, emotions, mindsets and so on. Please avoid any one or two liners as it can make it difficult for other members to reply it and can also be discouraging if they are writing more detailed, lengthy posts.
- Make sure there is a clear distinction in dialogue within your post. It is extremely important to use quotation marks, or even color your character's dialogue with another color. This makes it visually easier for your writing partner to make that clear distinction when they reply.
- Ending Threads
- If you get stuck with a reply, and aren't sure how to proceed, reach out to your writing partner! Collaborate with them to see if there is anything else that can be done in the thread, or if you both feel that it has reached its natural conclusion.
- Avoid having your character leave in the thread if not discussed with your writing partner. This can be potentially discouraging to the person you are posting with as it may seem that you no longer have interest in writing out the scene. It can also cause the other writer to become stuck on how to reply and confused as to whether the thread is going to carry on or not.
- If you find that in a particular situation, your character would indeed leave rather than stay (i.e if a conversation got too heated, or circumstances pulled them away) then discuss it with your writing partner either before you reply, or immediately after you post your response.
- Ending a thread should be a decision that involves all writers in it so that there is no uncertainty or confusion.
- God Modding & Meta Gaming
- Please respect a character's private thoughts and discretion. When members delve into their character's thought processes, mind sets, concealed emotions, traumas, etc, please do not have your character miraculously become aware of such things, or make comments that would address these inner thoughts if the character gave no indication to revealing them.
- Along those same lines, we as the audience knows more about our characters than the character we are writing with do. Please do not have your character suddenly aware of everything just because we the audience knows it. This is especially the case with canons that have any secrets that they had on the show (i.e. Penelope being Lady Whistledown, Henry being in a relationship with a man, Anthony and Simon dueling, etc). If you have discussed it with the member, then that of course is different. But please to not make assumptions of your character knowing all these things without previous discussion.
- The great thing about role playing is that we have full control of our character! We can have them say or do as we please, and what seems most fitting for our muse. Please just focus on writing for your character and avoid having the character you are writing with do anything in your post that was not in your writing partner's reply.