Keeping up post length.

[TheGodSnake]

I've noticed lately, a large number of people that I've been RP'ing with have had trouble staying with the RP's post length requirements. Now, the GM is understanding and there's no bad blood there, but sometimes it can simply be frustrating, for either yourself as being someone who isn't exactly sure how to keep up that paragraph or longer post, or the opposite end. The role player who has to fight harder to keep their length up because they have so little to work with. I hope that in this thread I can assist those who need assistance.


First a bit of a background on myself. I started roleplaying about four years ago and I really enjoyed it. I was able to keep up about a paragraph, sometimes two, per post and everything was great. Then, after about a year of RP'ing, I took a two month hiatus. Upon return to the wonderful world of worlds I found RPN and found myself struggling to pump out a few sentences per post, much less whole paragraphs. This behavior continued for two years, and I started getting really frustrated with myself. This, believe it or not, made things even harder for me. In my frustration I was losing further creativity than what I was already struggling to find again. At this point I forced myself to take a step back and I started working on writing my own short stories, or "chapter one's" to longer stories. When I got back into roleplay at the beginning of this school year, I was able to commit to those paragraph and longer posts again. And now I want to help others too.


One of my key tips is to explore with your words. Describe the surroundings, how your character is feeling, even add in their little mannerisms. A sure way to keep up length is to start at the end of your last post instead of the beginning of the character who replied to you. If you continue the action you're character was previously committed to then work their reaction to the reply post, you should have about a paragraph. From there you should continue on your character to add to the story and give your counterpart something to reply to. The second part should take at least one more paragraph.


This is just the short version of many things that you could do to help your post length. Post here for more specified advice and I can even take it to the PMs if need be.


Happy Roleplaying!


-GS

 

[JayTee]

A good post will contain:


A response to what has been posed perviously.


Your own character's thoughts and actions.


A springboard for other people to launch their posts off of.


Length is largely optional so long as you can meet those three requirements.

 

[call me rae]

@JayTee I think what @TheGodSnake is talking about is when you've already made the commitment to join a group or roleplay where the requirement is one or more paragraphs.


Not that you always have to post a paragraph but you should definately match the length everyone else is posting at, especially if it's in the rules of that roleplay.


Another tip I find helpful is to read books. Sounds time consuming but I learned a lot by looking at how professional authors set up their scenes and such.

 

[JayTee]

Fair enough, although in general I find those kinds of length requirements to largely nonsense. So long as you have a coherent post with the three components above, any length is fine.

 

[call me rae]

Fair enough, although in general I find those kinds of length requirements to largely nonsense. So long as you have a coherent post with the three components above, any length is fine.

Some levels do require them though. Mostly detailed ( you have to write three paragraphs per post ) but casual has the suggestion of I believe one or two.


And that's just RPNations guidelines. That has nothing to do with what the GM requires.

 

[JayTee]

True enough. The guidelines set by RPN are pretty solid, I'm speaking in a more general sense, though.

 

[ManicMuse]

I know that feeling. I have been there, staring blankly at the screen going, "What the heck am I going to do?"


Honestly, what helps me is taking away distractions. Ask the roommate to go in the other room, turn off that tv. Maybe put on some music and set the mood. That is really what gets me in the space to write. However, even if that does not work I will sometimes step away and try it the next day. Or even start, save it in a word doc and go think about it.


If all else fails, I ooc with my writing partners, who are in the scene with me to maybe move the story along. Sometimes that is my block. Our characters have just been sitting there talking for X period. I need some action, I need some movement in my storyline, I NEED A TIME SKIP.


Then again, I am also the other extreme too. Yes, I will sometimes getting a little offended if someone shorts me on several posts. One or twice in a row? Not a problem, I get it. Life happens, not every post is going to be an in depth detail. Heck, sometimes the scene does not even really allow much response on one person's part. However, I continued pattern of short changing me? I tend to feel a little insulted. I work hard on my posts. I am proud of them. I want people to play off their content and give me things to play off in return.


On that note, I tend to go a little heavy handed on my words. I am not looking for a match on length. Just get in the ballpark for me.

 

[sorrow made you]

Sometimes its just hard to write a long post. I do detailed roleplays 80% of the time, and so I always write a lot more than what people usually desire. xD ;;


But when I write, I like to think of the 5 W's, H, and T&E.


5 W's = who, what, when, where why


H = how


T&E = thoughts and emotions


In my post, I may make reference to my character's senses--what they see, smell, hear, touch, taste--and sometimes, these senses are repeated (looks at one thing, then looks at something else when their attention is brought to something else). Adding character thoughts or even a narration of thought process not only adds depth, but adds length. Not everyone likes to write out their character's thoughts, but it is definitely a way to bulk up a post.


Utilizing the 5 W's is helpful in being aware of the roleplay around you. Sometimes people forget that your character isn't simply "there", but rather, they are "existing in this world." Don't be afraid to immerse them with descriptions of things, people, ideas.


How is a question that is often difficult to answer in a roleplay. One good way is to describe a situation by how it related to your character. Say, your character is a school kid and sees someone get beat up right in front of their eyes. They just stand there and watch. How come they are just standing there? You could easily reference a past situation, something that may affect how they think or act in the current.

 

[Sarai]

@TheGodSnake I can understand how hard it is when your deep into role play then leave for a while, suddenly it's sooo much harder then before! I began RP with a group of friends when I started high school. None of us had ever RP-ed before! We learned how together, literally! Like, the first one we did was just a joke, in first person perspective. We learned fast third person was easier and together our group of like seven progressed from simple to casual and at the end we were high detailed. (We were a Camp Half-blood fandom RP group only.) Right after we all graduated from high school (none of us knew each other IRL though) our website supporter shut down unexpectedly. We lost contact. It was really sad!


I went off to University, started an English writing major, literally because of my role play group! Now I'm taking time off from school and thought it'd be fun to try RP again, scene it kind of started it all for me. It's taking me some time to build myself back up, this stuff is not as easy as it looks. Right now I am some where between casual and detailed. Mostly trying to help myself get better at being more descriptive.

 

[MISTER UN. 0W3N]

For me, the way I see a roleplay thread and what not helps me "pump up the volume" in my posts. I visualize the scene going on with my character and how to drive the scene forward. If it involves having the character progress on their own, I try to tie back on on their current problems/situations they're facing. How are they feeling? How does their current mindset read via body language. How does the current tone of their voice sound? And, piece by piece, I expand the scene with descriptions and internal thoughts. From there, I build layers around this simple core, slowly expanding my posts with how the character influences their environment. ... sorry if it seems like nonsense. xD When I'm stuck to post, I make it clear to others since I'm not the type to force it out. When I have my "scene" (post) visualized, it'll be out within hours.