Biggest Insecurity While RP-ing?

[acautionarytale]

I feel like we all have something that we want to work on or change about our RP style or characters.

I'm personally always afraid I'm not moving the story along enough, or adding enough spice into the curry mix.
There's always a fine balance between dramatic scenes and unrealistic ones, but I never feel like I'm getting it right, even if the story is progressing along fine.

What are some of yours?

 

[Lord Aphrodite]

I feel like we all have something that we want to work on or change about our RP style or characters.

I'm personally always afraid I'm not moving the story along enough, or adding enough spice into the curry mix.
There's always a fine balance between dramatic scenes and unrealistic ones, but I never feel like I'm getting it right, even if the story is progressing along fine.

What are some of yours?

Exactly all that you listed, along with the worry that I’m making my powered characters Mary Sues.

 

[Idea]

I do a lot of things that are quite taboo. The most reocurring example is that I like to play child characters, and I do it a lot but there is always that hint of it being ...generally viewed with prejudice. I like playing my characters, and I want to play as I like, but that doesn't mean I have no concerns for whether the people I am playing with feel comfortable.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Character creation. I'm kinda of horrifyingly bad at it. I honestly make variations on self-inserts ( not just of myself but of people in my life ). If I try to make someone up whole cloth I feel like they're bleh and one note.

Also just keeping stories on track. I really am not good at keeping a story moving along long term.

Lastly names. I'm kinda embarrased to say I'm super bad at naming things/people/places.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I do a lot of things that are quite taboo. The most reocurring example is that I like to play child characters, and I do it a lot but there is always that hint of it being ...generally viewed with prejudice. I like playing my characters, and I want to play as I like, but that doesn't mean I have no concerns for whether the people I am playing with feel comfortable.

How taboo exactly? Like I mean are you putting them in sexual situations?

 

[Idea]

How taboo exactly? Like I mean are you putting them in sexual situations?

No. I mean stuff like playing child characters, my favorite kind of characters to play. Provided I can work them into the story and am willing to accept the fact that in some ways I may be at a disadvantage due to the type of character I am playing, it shouldn't be an issue, but what I often hear is that it makes some people uncomfortable to have a child character on the same roleplay as them. That's the most common example, there are more of course.

 

[Tove]

At times I get afraid to move the story along. I get and feel confined if the story is stuck I place where the dialogue between the characters has gone on for far too long but the other person seems satisfied the way the pace is going. I feel a bit guilty but after a while if nothing is happening I'm ready to move on.

 

[rae2nerdy]

No. I mean stuff like playing child characters, my favorite kind of characters to play. Provided I can work them into the story and am willing to accept the fact that in some ways I may be at a disadvantage due to the type of character I am playing, it shouldn't be an issue, but what I often hear is that it makes some people uncomfortable to have a child character on the same roleplay as them. That's the most common example, there are more of course.

That's weird. As long as your not putting them in sexual situations I can't think of any reason children would be particularly unsettling. I mean unless they're wanting to do romance and your character is too young? Like they only want to roleplay Their Character Is Romantic With Your Character. I can see the discomfort then. But otherwise that's a really arbitrary line to draw.

 

[Idea]

That's weird. As long as your not putting them in sexual situations I can't think of any reason children would be particularly unsettling. I mean unless they're wanting to do romance and your character is too young? Like they only want to roleplay Their Character Is Romantic With Your Character. I can see the discomfort then. But otherwise that's a really arbitrary line to draw.

Well, that's sorta my point. The line is arbitrary. I have hardly ever encountered a legitimate reason for them to be banned. Of course, though, if that is the GM's ruling I accept it. But even when I'm allowed to there is still some insecurity I feel about it, mostly because as stated I don't want to make people upset.

 

[marshmarrow]

I sometimes doubt my ability to world-build effectively. I rarely ever GM because I have difficulty coming up with good ideas, but I love creating RP's when I have something interesting!

 

[rae2nerdy]

Well, that's sorta my point. The line is arbitrary. I have hardly ever encountered a legitimate reason for them to be banned. Of course, though, if that is the GM's ruling I accept it. But even when I'm allowed to there is still some insecurity I feel about it, mostly because as stated I don't want to make people upset.

So you're talking groups? Because I can sort of see the reasoning for a group. It's sort of the same reason people hate it when you make anti-social or cardboard cut out characters. If your playing a child in a group the fear could be that the adult/older characters will be stuck dragging this tiny useless character around from scene to scene.

I mean I don't think you would write them like that. But with groups ( especially larger ones with strangers ) you can't really bank on everyone being deft at writing characters. So it's often easier to just cut out characters with problematic elements from the jump.

 

[Onmyoji]

When I'm doing fandom rp, I'm worried to get out of character too much.
I understand some OOC is inevitable. I'm the one writing and I'm not the actual author who created the character. I naturally put something of my own in the character. But even so, I try to stay as much in character as I can. And I'm worried about not keeping it up.

It only applies to fandom characters, when it's OC I don't have that problem because I created the character myself.

 

[FlyingDemon]

The fear of being unable to move a story or putting something interesting.

 

[R.Storytale]

The first few posts!
I say that because I feel those are crucial on whether your RP partner will stick around or not.

Another thing would be whether I'm giving my partner enough wiggle room but at the same time push the story ahead. I know some people get icky towards god-modding but I'm perfectly fine for my character to be pushed into a new scene (Such as our characters going from talking in the hall to bringing them into the classroom for an example.) if it helps the story push forward.

 

[cosowarrior]

I feel like we all have something that we want to work on or change about our RP style or characters.

I'm personally always afraid I'm not moving the story along enough, or adding enough spice into the curry mix.
There's always a fine balance between dramatic scenes and unrealistic ones, but I never feel like I'm getting it right, even if the story is progressing along fine.

What are some of yours?

Same. I know I'm quite bad at moving a plot along, especially in Fantasy settings.
I think it has more to do with how comfortable with my partner. Maybe I worry about crossing the line, pushing too hard, or going for something stupid.

Also, even though I like the Fantasy Genre, I'm terrible at RP with magic. I worry that I don't understand the conventions, and if I improvise, I'll accidentally godmod.

 

[Idea]

So you're talking groups? Because I can sort of see the reasoning for a group. It's sort of the same reason people hate it when you make anti-social or cardboard cut out characters. If your playing a child in a group the fear could be that the adult/older characters will be stuck dragging this tiny useless character around from scene to scene.

I mean I don't think you would write them like that. But with groups ( especially larger ones with strangers ) you can't really bank on everyone being deft at writing characters. So it's often easier to just cut out characters with problematic elements from the jump.

Yes, mostly talking groups. And I agree you can't expect people to be expert writers. Heck, I'm probably far from one myself. Still, I don't think a character being not useful is really grounds to reject a character if the player wants to play them, again with the understanding that if the player decides to play a type of character they don't get to whine about the kind of things you'd expect from that type of character happening to them.

 

[Darkmaster006]

So many things! When I first opened the post, I had thought of something already, but forgot it in the next seconds for some reason. Anyways, I think my main worries are as follows:
- Repetition: Am I repeating the same thing over and over? And, does it need to be repeated? How does it affect the atmosphere of the post? Of course, there are times when it makes sense to repeat or relexicalise stuff you've written already, and what I worry is that I don't know when to do it correctly.
- Keeping a character consistent; Making a character be themselves: How do I deviate from traits I think are normal and therefore I wouldn't think of any other way of responding to a situation? How do I make the character be themselves in a situation?
- Multiple parallel conversations: This stresses me out a lot, but I fall into it too many times. When is it enough of my char's talking? When should I leave it open for the next character's post so that they answer. Or, for example, stuff that would only require a single nod (most of the time) by the other character, does it make sense to stop there? With 'making sense' I mean... does it make the RP get stuck too much in a conversation? Or, if I am to answer to something, but then the char has already talked again in their last post... ugh.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Idea i think you misunderstood what I meant by useless. Maybe a better way to put it would be prop character.

I mean like pretty lampshade characters. Where you serve literally no narrative value and you might as well be a non sentient prop. Like a lampshade. And the problem is that everyone around you has to pick up that lampshade and physically haul it from scene to scene.

So yeah I’m not talking a character that isn’t plot relevant in the sense that if they leave for a little bit the action can be moved forward. I’m talking a character who could be replaced with a non sentient object and they would have the exact same narrative impact.

And I think that’s the fear in groups with kids. That they’re props who will just serve no playable purpose but will force the actual playable characters to have to haul them with around.

 

[Idea]

rae2nerdy I see what you mean. I would argue that opens up a whole can of worms about what is narrative impact and all, but then again, fear isn't really something people can generally be argued out of.

 

[BriiAngelic]

I got one! The entire thing :3
I started up rping because I was absolute garbage at writing and had very little ways that I could express creativity. I knew that I tend to do better on things that I want to do so I figured if I found writing that interested me I'd get better at it as I went. My first characters were extremely dry in making sure I wasn't making a mary sue I would accidentally give them no personality. Once I got more into rping I realized that in reality you can only sue so much in a group rp as surprise surprise most just wont interact if you are. It helped me to build confidence to make characters with stronger personalities. I look back at my old writing and I'm not sure if the quality is increasing, I like to think so, but at the very least the length is. I add more thoughts and descriptions now that I'm less worried to just enjoy getting into character.
(I used to struggle w a paragraph but recently I can get out 4 paragraphs in an hour which is really great now)

 

[manicpixiedreamtarantula]

I'm always afraid that people will think my plots are boring or not interesting enough cause a lot of time they don't involve romance.

 

[kevintheradioguy]

That I will come off as rude. I never socialized as a kid (I was forbidden to have friends), so I am blunt, direct, and still don't know how to talk to people. I might try to be funny, but be rude instead, and though I work to overcome this, it's hard, steps are tiny, and it might be too late to do anything. So, yeah, That.

 

[Vince_Werewolf]

I feel like we all have something that we want to work on or change about our RP style or characters.

I'm personally always afraid I'm not moving the story along enough, or adding enough spice into the curry mix.
There's always a fine balance between dramatic scenes and unrealistic ones, but I never feel like I'm getting it right, even if the story is progressing along fine.

What are some of yours?

Not paring up with the number of lines my RP partner(s) write. Like, I know it's not too much of a concern as long as I get a decent reply, but me replying three lines and they said a paragraph triggers me.
Also when my tone of RP would seem unfitting for the general tone of the RP.

 

[Umbrie]

i'm not very original with characters, i have rather tightly defined archetypes i stick to and recycle that aren't even that creatively named, i have a Shadow Faerie named Umbrie and a fire Faerie named Pyrus. those are clearly overused names.

 

[loftilyhonest]

Ahh, I'm always worried that my posts lack personality. Like -- am I getting the mood across correctly? Is this character's voice distinct enough? Will my partner find this enjoyable to read? ... Will I find it enjoyable to read?

It makes me overwrite by a lot when only a few sentences could have worked, which is another thing I worry about. OTL. I wanna get all of this stuff across but I don't wanna be excessive with it, you know?