Advice/Help How do I improve my writing?

HowlingWolf64

HowlingWolf64

The awkward one
I'm very, VERY new to roleplaying, and I've only ever done one-line rps. How do I improve my skill so I can do multi-paragraph roleplays?
 
My best advice would be to actually throw yourself into a multi-para, or perhaps try with an RP partner that's up for something with 1-2 paragraphs. As for content, it's usually filled with more descriptions of how the characters feel, what they're doing, how they're doing it and sometimes their surroundings. It gives a lot more context and feel to the RP and makes it a lot more interesting
 
Thank you so much! I might just try. Do you think it would put people off if I told them I was new to multi-para rps?
 
Some, maybe. But it's not hard to learn - just ask them if they could write the starter and plan out the plot a little beforehand. It'll make it easier.
 
Reading a lot of books is how a lot of people actually start writing multi-paragraph posts ( called novel length by a lot of people ) because obviously in books the author is putting in a lot of detail and information that can be mimicked in roleplays.

The more you read the more you'll get a feel for adding descriptors to your posts and adding information. There used to be a tutorial on it but I think it's been deleted.

Now you don't have to go from one line to three paragraphs and indeed people are usually more interested in a well described scene than they are in actual words.

Which is where books are helpful because books are all about writing out scenes in such a way as the reader can visualize what is going on.

And all multi-paragraph responses ( or really anything over one-liner ) are is just you as the roleplayer writing out a scene so that your partner can visualize what is going on and respond.
 
As a rule of thumb, Conciseness > Length.

Now, write a post describing what a jar is, you'd say something like "Well, a jar is a container, normally see through with a lid, that you put items in."

Now try describing what a jar is with three paragraphs.

See what I mean?

Don't worry about long posts, nobody cares about your character's fluorescent green eyes tracking where the minimally sized bug known as a fly is in the colorless space that you breathe in called air.

And certainly, nobody wants to read through that.
 
geeking out said:
Reading a lot of books is how a lot of people actually start writing multi-paragraph posts ( called novel length by a lot of people ) because obviously in books the author is putting in a lot of detail and information that can be mimicked in roleplays.

The more you read the more you'll get a feel for adding descriptors to your posts and adding information. There used to be a tutorial on it but I think it's been deleted.

Now you don't have to go from one line to three paragraphs and indeed people are usually more interested in a well described scene than they are in actual words.

Which is where books are helpful because books are all about writing out scenes in such a way as the reader can visualize what is going on.

And all multi-paragraph responses ( or really anything over one-liner ) are is just you as the roleplayer writing out a scene so that your partner can visualize what is going on and respond.
Click to expand...

Thank you, that was very helpful! I'm glad so many people are offering their advice here :)
 
Leveque said:
As a rule of thumb, Conciseness > Length.

Now, write a post describing what a jar is, you'd say something like "Well, a jar is a container, normally see through with a lid, that you put items in."

Now try describing what a jar is with three paragraphs.

See what I mean?

Don't worry about long posts, nobody cares about your character's fluorescent green eyes tracking where the minimally sized bug known as a fly is in the colorless space that you breathe in called air.

And certainly, nobody wants to read through that.
Click to expand...

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. So I need to focus more on just describing a scene properly than on length?
 
Someone else already said it but reading helps a lot. In my experience, writing for RP is virtually the same as writing a novel--you're just splitting the work 50/50 with someone else. So if you google how to write a book or how to write x type of scene, all the advice that comes up is applicable.

The more you read, the more you'll be influenced by what you read as well and your reading experience will mix with your writing style to make something unique and great. Plus, reading is fun!

For more specific advice:
  • Length doesn't matter if at the end of the day nothing happened in your reply so your partner can't use it. Maybe, at first, try just writing what your character does without any extra description then go back and fill in the fancy stuff.
  • Alternatively, outline your reply like an essay for school (this is so extra though I think I'm the only one that does this)
  • Just proof-read and make sure your character actually did something in your response.
  • Action scenes are typically shorter in general so don't stress about length when you get to them.
Things to consider to make your post longer without doing it just to hit a paragraph minimum:
  • Your partner's character said something. Write how your character responded but also how it made them feel. Maybe write what your character thought but didn't want to say out loud. This is a great way to show off your character's personality!
  • Your character got punched. That probably hurt. Write that it hurt. Later you can write about the bruises it left behind. This could set off all sorts of scenes and dialogue about how awesome/stupid that was, how we should lay low/get revenge for that, etc.
  • Your characters went to a place for the first time. What's the place look like? Who else is there? Does this place have a certain atmosphere? At first glance does your character love/hate it/feel indifferent? What's the first thing to catch their eye? Do they approach it?
  • Not all consequences require your partner to reply first. If your character lights a fire you can totally say in the next sentence that they lit the curtains on fire too, for example.
  • Romantic moment? Stop to describe the tiny details. Not all of them but some of them. The way the other character's eyes shine, the way their fingertips brush, their lips part, etc.
  • Literally have no idea what to write? Advance the plot. Take your characters somewhere or have something sudden happen. Mix it up!
 
You can also add your character's body language to your post, such as when they're nervous your character would look to the side or try to avoid eye contact. This not only is concise, to some degree, but it also gives more.

Does this allow you to picture it in your head easily?

"But... What if I can't help anyone, what if all the things I did were pointless? Donate to charity, fight crime on the street, and for what? The big boss is still up there, flexing his money, his... Power, like a god damned muscle. Damn it to hell, I wasn't able to do shit." He said sadly.

Or does this let you picture it better?

"But... What if I can't help anyone, what if all the things I did were pointless? Donate to charity, fight crime on the street, and for what?" He made a low chuckle. "The big boss is still up there, flexing his money, his... Power, like a god damned muscle." He took in a quick breath of air, then slammed his fist into the desk, exhaling with a scream. "Damn it to hell!" He said, his words echoing against the walls.

The second one increased the post by one line. However, if you are more to detail with their body language, you could probably lengthen the post by two lines or three.

I won't give you all the tips, habits, and tricks I know, because if I did, I'd turn you into another me. And this world can only tolerate one Leveque.
 
Feyre said:
Someone else already said it but reading helps a lot. In my experience, writing for RP is virtually the same as writing a novel--you're just splitting the work 50/50 with someone else. So if you google how to write a book or how to write x type of scene, all the advice that comes up is applicable.

The more you read, the more you'll be influenced by what you read as well and your reading experience will mix with your writing style to make something unique and great. Plus, reading is fun!

For more specific advice:
  • Length doesn't matter if at the end of the day nothing happened in your reply so your partner can't use it. Maybe, at first, try just writing what your character does without any extra description then go back and fill in the fancy stuff.
  • Alternatively, outline your reply like an essay for school (this is so extra though I think I'm the only one that does this)
  • Just proof-read and make sure your character actually did something in your response.
  • Action scenes are typically shorter in general so don't stress about length when you get to them.
Things to consider to make your post longer without doing it just to hit a paragraph minimum:
  • Your partner's character said something. Write how your character responded but also how it made them feel. Maybe write what your character thought but didn't want to say out loud. This is a great way to show off your character's personality!
  • Your character got punched. That probably hurt. Write that it hurt. Later you can write about the bruises it left behind. This could set off all sorts of scenes and dialogue about how awesome/stupid that was, how we should lay low/get revenge for that, etc.
  • Your characters went to a place for the first time. What's the place look like? Who else is there? Does this place have a certain atmosphere? At first glance does your character love/hate it/feel indifferent? What's the first thing to catch their eye? Do they approach it?
  • Not all consequences require your partner to reply first. If your character lights a fire you can totally say in the next sentence that they lit the curtains on fire too, for example.
  • Romantic moment? Stop to describe the tiny details. Not all of them but some of them. The way the other character's eyes shine, the way their fingertips brush, their lips part, etc.
  • Literally have no idea what to write? Advance the plot. Take your characters somewhere or have something sudden happen. Mix it up!
Click to expand...

Thank you! This was super helpful!
 
Leveque said:
You can also add your character's body language to your post, such as when they're nervous your character would look to the side or try to avoid eye contact. This not only is concise, to some degree, but it also gives more.

Does this allow you to picture it in your head easily?

"But... What if I can't help anyone, what if all the things I did were pointless? Donate to charity, fight crime on the street, and for what? The big boss is still up there, flexing his money, his... Power, like a god damned muscle. Damn it to hell, I wasn't able to do shit." He said sadly.

Or does this let you picture it better?

"But... What if I can't help anyone, what if all the things I did were pointless? Donate to charity, fight crime on the street, and for what?" He made a low chuckle. "The big boss is still up there, flexing his money, his... Power, like a god damned muscle." He took in a quick breath of air, then slammed his fist into the desk, exhaling with a scream. "Damn it to hell!" He said, his words echoing against the walls.

The second one increased the post by one line. However, if you are more to detail with their body language, you could probably lengthen the post by two lines or three.

I won't give you all the tips, habits, and tricks I know, because if I did, I'd turn you into another me. And this world can only tolerate one Leveque.
Click to expand...

Oh, I really do see the difference there. Thanks for the awesome example!
 
Might be a bit late for this, but the best advice I've got for roleplaying and really, writing in general, is just to listen to yourself talk. Write exactly as you speak. I know so many roleplayers who talk fine in OOC, perfectly eloquent and easy to understand, who then morph into 'highschooler who just discovered the theasaurus'. Don't try and use words that you don't get. Don't try and be fancy or poetic. Say EXACTLY the words you would use to describe it to someone if you were speaking to them; cleaned up a little, sure, maybe slightly embellished, but don't try and morph your voice into something it's not. The best writers do not write with words so long they take up half the page, they write with simple, easy to understand words that are crafted in such a way as to make them important and poetic. Learning to appreciate the simplicity of words, and using those words to communicate meaning is the most important part of learning to write well. At the end of the day, there is NOTHING wrong with using 'said'. So many people feel an urge to avoid those simple verbs, 'said' and 'walked' and 'ran' and god forbid 'picked up', and they're all perfectly fine.

Anyway, sorry for sounding like a drill sergeant, haha. I suppose what I mean to say, is just to have faith in your own words, no matter how simple they are. Your voice will grow the more you write, and you will pick up more and more of those complex words, and you will know when and where you should be using them. I guarantee that your writing will be worlds better for that slow growth.
 
When writing a multi-paragraph post, imagination is useful. Before you try to describe what the character does, imagine it happening as if though you were actually seeing it in real life, or if it helps; as if you were watching a movie or playing a video game. Imagining your character's reaction to something can be helpful, then once you have set what the character does, you write it down and use fitting words and adjectives to describe it. This can also be used with locations and item descriptions, especially if you know words and stuff.

I advise you to avoid repetitive words and dull synonyms. If you need further help in finding the right word to describe your posts' contents, I advise using Grammarly. It's a helpful tool that I sometimes use to fix small grammar errors that slip past my eyes or to find the right synonyms for boring words.
 
My two cents:

1. Read something that you think is well written, something you'd like to emulate. And then deliberately write it out on your own. If you're really finding it hard to put down interesting words, put down someone else's interesting words for practice. At least a part of writing is muscle memory; train yours.

2. A writer writes. The best way to improve your writing is to write more. I've seen a dozen writers get substantially better doing nothing but writing a dozen stories. You find a rhythm, you start to develop a sense of pace, a feel for how to juggle dialogue with description. Practice.

3. Description's a weakness of mine. So I try to write it like a movie camera. Think (or just watch) a scene in a movie or show you think is cool. Note what the camera looks at and how long it looks at things. There are many writers who do fantastic description and argue that doing your description like a camera is weak. Me, I think the average reader has an imagination. Writing a scene is like Monet or French Impressionism; you don't need to define every brush stroke, just provide a pattern and the mind fills in the rest. Also: The burden is heaver if you're the one running an RP vs. playing in one. If you're playing, you leave more of the camera work to the person who set up the scene. Instead, focus on what your character's doing.
3a. While you're at it, engage with the environment. Take a few steps and look out a window. Adjust your coat or check your phone. Cough. Get distracted by something. People do this all the time IRL. And it provides pacing, breaking up lots of dialogue with natural (but brief) description that lets you get right back to the dialogue without losing the reader's attention to what's being discussed.​

Lots of smarter folks than me up in this thread already. This is just what I've found successful.
 
In my experience, "book style" writing has been the most effective. I read a lot as a kid, which definitely helped. The thing to remember is that quality of content trumps quantity of content every time.

I love Sue Grafton. Well...the couple of books I read, anyway. She has a real flair for description. However...she's got this hangup for flowers, for some reason. I get halfway through a paragraph and it's all about how the petunias looked. It felt..odd, and off-putting. She's still a great author, I still love her, but...the filler was definitely a negative.

Remember that your character is present in a moment in time. Things are happening all around him/her. How observant is your character? Would he notice the kind of shackles they used to chain him up? Are they zip ties, or hand cuffs? You might get away with breaking zip ties. Can he hear water dripping? Might indicate being kept underground. Any voices nearby? Are they muffled? That could tell you how many guards, and whether they're in the same room.

All of those elements are additive to the plot. They matter, which means you can use them to your (or someone else's) advantage later, and other people might pick up on them as well. Making your post longer doesn't have to be empty fluff and filler.
 
Start reading some books and select inspo from different authors writing styles

SOURCE:Read a lot when i was in kindergarden cause reading was mandatory but i havent picked up a book in years since
 
Birdsie said:
When writing a multi-paragraph post, imagination is useful. Before you try to describe what the character does, imagine it happening as if though you were actually seeing it in real life, or if it helps; as if you were watching a movie or playing a video game. Imagining your character's reaction to something can be helpful, then once you have set what the character does, you write it down and use fitting words and adjectives to describe it. This can also be used with locations and item descriptions, especially if you know words and stuff.

I advise you to avoid repetitive words and dull synonyms. If you need further help in finding the right word to describe your posts' contents, I advise using Grammarly. It's a helpful tool that I sometimes use to fix small grammar errors that slip past my eyes or to find the right synonyms for boring words.
Click to expand...

Thank you! All the feedback I've gotten has been super helpful :)
 
Epiphany said:
My two cents:

1. Read something that you think is well written, something you'd like to emulate. And then deliberately write it out on your own. If you're really finding it hard to put down interesting words, put down someone else's interesting words for practice. At least a part of writing is muscle memory; train yours.

2. A writer writes. The best way to improve your writing is to write more. I've seen a dozen writers get substantially better doing nothing but writing a dozen stories. You find a rhythm, you start to develop a sense of pace, a feel for how to juggle dialogue with description. Practice.

3. Description's a weakness of mine. So I try to write it like a movie camera. Think (or just watch) a scene in a movie or show you think is cool. Note what the camera looks at and how long it looks at things. There are many writers who do fantastic description and argue that doing your description like a camera is weak. Me, I think the average reader has an imagination. Writing a scene is like Monet or French Impressionism; you don't need to define every brush stroke, just provide a pattern and the mind fills in the rest. Also: The burden is heavier if you're the one running an RP vs. playing in one. If you're playing, you leave more of the camera work to the person who set up the scene. Instead, focus on what your character's doing.
3a. While you're at it, engage with the environment. Take a few steps and look out a window. Adjust your coat or check your phone. Cough. Get distracted by something. People do this all the time IRL. And it provides pacing, breaking up lots of dialogue with natural (but brief) description that lets you get right back to the dialogue without losing the reader's attention to what's being discussed.​

Lots of smarter folks than me up in this thread already. This is just what I've found successful.
Click to expand...

Oh, wow, the movie camera thing helps a lot! I'm a big movie buff and I tend to notice that sort of stuff already, but I never thought of applying it in roleplay! Thanks!
 
Weaver said:
In my experience, "book style" writing has been the most effective. I read a lot as a kid, which definitely helped. The thing to remember is that quality of content trumps quantity of content every time.

I love Sue Grafton. Well...the couple of books I read, anyway. She has a real flair for description. However...she's got this hangup for flowers, for some reason. I get halfway through a paragraph and it's all about how the petunias looked. It felt..odd, and off-putting. She's still a great author, I still love her, but...the filler was definitely a negative.

Remember that your character is present in a moment in time. Things are happening all around him/her. How observant is your character? Would he notice the kind of shackles they used to chain him up? Are they zip ties, or hand cuffs? You might get away with breaking zip ties. Can he hear water dripping? Might indicate being kept underground. Any voices nearby? Are they muffled? That could tell you how many guards, and whether they're in the same room.

All of those elements are additive to the plot. They matter, which means you can use them to your (or someone else's) advantage later, and other people might pick up on them as well. Making your post longer doesn't have to be empty fluff and filler.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much, I never really thought about the tiny details like what they might be hearing or noticing
 
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