Experiences What is the most difficult part of roleplaying for you?

[Fletchawk]

Everyone here likes roleplaying, otherwise why would you be here? However, most people don't excel at everything. Everyone's got something that one thing they wish they were better at.
What yours?

For me, it's getting into my character's head.

• How would they react to a situation?
• What would they say, and how would they say it?
• Why do they like this particular this thing?
• How do they move, and interact with the world?

Of course, it becomes easier as I spend more time with the character, but less like me they are, the longer it takes to really get comfortable with them. Trying view the world through a character I personally don't relate to is especially draining. It stems from my analytical mindset, as it's hard for me to express things I don't know with certainty. That's why I prefer characters with certain traits, otherwise it takes me that much longer to write a post.

 

[Idea]

For me, it's the typing. Specifically, getting myself to actually type my posts. I can usually come up with ideas fairly quickly, and I always give my characters and such a degree of forethought such that I can tell how they would think and act (though, I do still struggle with making fitting dialogue sometimes).

No, to me the issue is that I sit down to type and either find myself getting distracted or get this...feeling...it's hard to describe, it's like my fingers or my back get stiff and I only manage to type a little of the post at a time, despite having no problems typing relatively quickly otherwise.

 

[Fletchawk]

For me, it's the typing. Specifically, getting myself to actually type my posts. I can usually come up with ideas fairly quickly, and I always give my characters and such a degree of forethought such that I can tell how they would think and act (though, I do still struggle with making fitting dialogue sometimes).

No, to me the issue is that I sit down to type and either find myself getting distracted or get this...feeling...it's hard to describe, it's like my fingers or my back get stiff and I only manage to type a little of the post at a time, despite having no problems typing relatively quickly otherwise.

I'm a rather slow typist, but I know what you mean by getting distracted. It usually happens when I research something I'm not sure about (a regular affair), and down the rabbit hole I go. I admire those that can type up 5+ paragraphs in a hour.

 

[Idea]

I'm a rather slow typist, but I know what you mean by getting distracted. It usually happens when I research something I'm not sure about (a regular affair), and down the rabbit hole I go. I admire those that can type up 5+ paragraphs in a hour.

So do I- especially those who can actually do it on the hour they intend to

 

[d1uni5ys24si3o]

For me, it's the typing. Specifically, getting myself to actually type my posts. I can usually come up with ideas fairly quickly, and I always give my characters and such a degree of forethought such that I can tell how they would think and act (though, I do still struggle with making fitting dialogue sometimes).

No, to me the issue is that I sit down to type and either find myself getting distracted or get this...feeling...it's hard to describe, it's like my fingers or my back get stiff and I only manage to type a little of the post at a time, despite having no problems typing relatively quickly otherwise.

Literally same thing for me

 

[Onmyoji]

#1. Starting the rp. Especially original one. With fandoms it's easier because you already know the plot and the characters, but with original there needs to be some worldbuilding and character creation. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it, but sometimes it doesn't go as easy as I'd like it to be. Somewhat tied to #2 and #3.

#2. Writing the posts. Not always, but sometimes it's hard to just sit and write for many reasons. I may know *what* I want to write, but I get stuck on *how*. My number one reason is being exhausted irl to the point my brain goes blank and even if I can produce some coherent words for OOC chat, producing creative writing at this state is nearly impossible. Sometimes I need a drop kick from rp partner to get going. lol

#3. Research. Because I like historical roleplays, sometimes I research more than I rp. Because I want to reference that one authentic thing in my writing that absolutely has to make sense or else I wouldn't be able to face myself, even if the rp is not supposed to be very accurately historical... Again, it's fun and interesting and I wouldn't rp and research the topic if I wasn't interested in it. But It's definitely distracting from the rp! Writing a short reply can take hours (or days in worst case) just because I get lost in research.

#4. As far as roleplaying itself goes, when I rp a character that I know would behave differently from how I would behave it can be sometimes challenging to stay in character. I need to remind myself that the character is not me, and wouldn't do X just because I want to do X in this situation. But it's also part of the fun that roleplaying gives me, I like to challenge myself.

 

[PhoenixMire]

Actually enjoying it.
I’m only here because years ago, I used to love RPing. I’d get so excited and happy whenever I saw that my RP partners replied. Every twist and turn and little interesting plot point would make me really invested.

I ended up taking a break from RPing for a while, but decided some months ago that I wanted to get back into it. I joined this site and tried to get into the swing of things. It was fun at first - but not nearly as fun as it always used to be.
And now it’s gotten to the point where replying to RPs feels like a chore. I don’t have fun anymore. It makes me really sad because all I want to do is have that same type of fun I used to have when I was younger.

I guess I might keep searching for that “perfect RP” that’ll get me invested and excited again - but idk...

 

[Onmyoji]

Actually enjoying it.
I’m only here because years ago, I used to love RPing. I’d get so excited and happy whenever I saw that my RP partners replied. Every twist and turn and little interesting plot point would make me really invested.

I ended up taking a break from RPing for a while, but decided some months ago that I wanted to get back into it. I joined this site and tried to get into the swing of things. It was fun at first - but not nearly as fun as it always used to be.
And now it’s gotten to the point where replying to RPs feels like a chore. I don’t have fun anymore. It makes me really sad because all I want to do is have that same type of fun I used to have when I was younger.

I guess I might keep searching for that “perfect RP” that’ll get me invested and excited again - but idk...

That's all very relatable.
However I managed to find that mythic perfect rp here on this site. And it totally reignited my spark.
So I'd say it's possible but chances are still low. Good luck with that anyway ^^
On the other hand, falling out of hobby is nothing unheard of, so it could be the case too. Can still enjoy the community.

 

[Beckoncall]

For me, I always wonder if what I have in mind (or am winging) is going to be good enough. I try to give my partners what they want but very often that's not totally clear or I might just not feel up to the task... but I always give my best.

 

[PaulHaynek]

No, to me the issue is that I sit down to type and either find myself getting distracted or get this...feeling...it's hard to describe, it's like my fingers or my back get stiff and I only manage to type a little of the post at a time, despite having no problems typing relatively quickly otherwise.

I get the same feeling and people tell me it's procrastination.

Like, I wanna write but the body don't wanna.

 

[rootz2000]

Everyone here likes roleplaying, otherwise why would you be here? However, most people don't excel at everything. Everyone's got something that one thing they wish they were better at.
What yours?

For me, it's getting into my character's head.

• How would they react to a situation?
• What would they say, and how would they say it?
• Why do they like this particular this thing?
• How do they move, and interact with the world?

Of course, it becomes easier as I spend more time with the character, but less like me they are, the longer it takes to really get comfortable with them. Trying view the world through a character I personally don't relate to is especially draining. It stems from my analytical mindset, as it's hard for me to express things I don't know with certainty. That's why I prefer characters with certain traits, otherwise it takes me that much longer to write a post.

Personally, as a writer, I don't struggle to much with RPing online, however if I'm in person, whether LARPing or just tabletop, then my struggle is to not let my OOC self to take over!

 

[PhoenixMire]

That's all very relatable.
However I managed to find that mythic perfect rp here on this site. And it totally reignited my spark.
So I'd say it's possible but chances are still low. Good luck with that anyway ^^
On the other hand, falling out of hobby is nothing unheard of, so it could be the case too. Can still enjoy the community.

Thanks for the encouragement!
Part of me still desperately wants to get back into RPing and feel the same way about it that I used to... but yeah, the spark is kinda gone at the moment. I'll probably stick around for a while and hope to find something that reignites that spark. c:

 

[Melpomene]

I'd have to agree with PhoenixMire . The hardest part for me has also been actually having fun with it, especially after one RP that ended up being a bit brutal to my psyche. RPing feels like a chore, more often than not. At times I feel like a slave to the keyboard rather than someone actually typing up a good engaging story and that hurts.

I absolutely love writing and I love meeting new people on here to engage with in terms of Rping. The spark just ended up being crushed so that I usually feel rather... Uninspired by most things. I admit I am hoping to have a moment when the spark reawakens but... I'll say when it happens haha

 

[Fletchawk]

So do I- especially those who can actually do it on the hour they intend to

Ugh. Another trait the perfect me would have, but alas, I can only keep trying.

Actually enjoying it.
I’m only here because years ago, I used to love RPing. I’d get so excited and happy whenever I saw that my RP partners replied. Every twist and turn and little interesting plot point would make me really invested.

I ended up taking a break from RPing for a while, but decided some months ago that I wanted to get back into it. I joined this site and tried to get into the swing of things. It was fun at first - but not nearly as fun as it always used to be.
And now it’s gotten to the point where replying to RPs feels like a chore. I don’t have fun anymore. It makes me really sad because all I want to do is have that same type of fun I used to have when I was younger.

I guess I might keep searching for that “perfect RP” that’ll get me invested and excited again - but idk...

I'd have to agree with PhoenixMire . The hardest part for me has also been actually having fun with it, especially after one RP that ended up being a bit brutal to my psyche. RPing feels like a chore, more often than not. At times I feel like a slave to the keyboard rather than someone actually typing up a good engaging story and that hurts.

I absolutely love writing and I love meeting new people on here to engage with in terms of Rping. The spark just ended up being crushed so that I usually feel rather... Uninspired by most things. I admit I am hoping to have a moment when the spark reawakens but... I'll say when it happens haha

I find that inspiration doesn't always come from roleplaying, so I try to get it from the world around me, or from events I've experienced in the past. It's like making a pot of soup. You can have the best pot and ladle on the block, but unless you go out and find new ingredients, even the best tasting soup is start losing its pizzazz. Just don't forget the best part about making soup, which is sharing those new and unique flavors we prepared with others.

I know it got really metaphorical, but experiencing things and sharing them through my characters is something I enjoy doing. But it requires time away from the keyboard. Which is why I'm not really a fan of post requirements, because sometimes I just get stuck, and I need to go gather what I need to continue. Whether it's reading some books, go out and about, or just need time to reminisce with past experiences. You can stoke the fires of your imagination to create great infernos of expression, but without more fuel, it'll only last for so long. Whoops, did it again. Sorry.

For me, I always wonder if what I have in mind (or am winging) is going to be good enough. I try to give my partners what they want but very often that's not totally clear or I might just not feel up to the task... but I always give my best.

If you're not sure what they want, ask them. I always try to talk to those I roleplay with, especially those I'm not familiar with. It's ok to build a foundation of what everyone wants rather than keeping everything under the table. At first it can seem a bit stiff, but talking regularly outside the RP makes all the difference. Once everybody starts gets comfortable with each other, that's when the ideas start flowing. I mean, we may be roleplaying a variety of different characters, but it's still a single person at the core.

Stop always giving your best, and just enjoy yourself. You don't have to cater to their every single need. It's nice if you happen to do so, but if you force yourself and burn out, what's the point?

 

[Idea]

I get the same feeling and people tell me it's procrastination.

I mean I guess technically it does result in procrastination- as effectively it stops me from getting things done the moment I can and thus differs my work to a later date- but at the same time I don't think it's quite accurate. I'm not so much putting off the work, I still do the research and plan out the post and everything prior, but it's when I'm sitting there to write that I often don't get very far before my hands just stop cooperating with me on the typing.

So, like, procrastinating would be seeing that first blank page and deciding either out of sheer distraction or out of a notion that there is time to do it later, to go do something else entirely instead.

Writer's block is sitting down to work in that blank page and just not getting any ideas on what content to put there and/or how to put it there.

Slow typing is just filling in the content at a slow pace.

I don't think my problem is any of those. What happens with me is that I see that white page, I write and prepare all the set up, I'm excited about the post even, but I just become more uncomfortable the more time I spend working on something, and that discomfort in turn makes it harder to really think of what and how to write, on writing itself and so on...

 

[ParadoxicalMotion]

For me it's dialogue. I love to write big, meaty posts full of detail and really paint a scene...but I'm still trying to figure out how to mesh this desire while leaving room for natural conversations to happen. Mostly pertains to 1v1 but it's certainly my most in need of improvement area.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Communication. I enjoy world building and talking with my partner. But time and time again I find myself talking into a void.

I’ve talked to my partners about it and they say that I’m intimidating and they feel like I want things all my way.

Even when I’m explicitly asking them for their own feedback.

I think it’s because I’m best at brainstorming, give me an idea or a question and I’ll run with it for hours.

Unfortunately this means that often times when I present my idea I’m accused of just railroading my partner because I tend to get fairly in-depth. But if I don’t get in-depth then we run into the problem of too little communication and the two us us not being in the same page.

 

[EmberYouth]

I'd say my biggest weakness during roleplaying is thinking of interesting plots. It's a problem I've always had, which is probably why almost all of the roleplays I had hosted previously ended up dying. The sad thing is, even I knew the plot was bad, and when no one showed any interest in wanting to continue, I didn't even feel like wasting time trying to get everyone back. That automatically means I'm also bad with world building, which, whenever I try, ends up being something either totally cliché or totally lame, or a combination of both.

 

[Sachihiiro]

I have aphantasia, so I can't visualize the scene at all and I have a hard time keeping track of the placement of characters and layout of the settings in my head. I used to always hear about people reading books and playing the scenes in their head like movies and I never actually believed that that was a thing that some people could do and not just an expression until recently. Like, I love reading and writing, and I can read the words and understand what they mean and grasp the story as a whole, but I can't form a picture of it in my mind's eye at all.

Sometimes, I'll have to grab a pen and some notebook paper and make notes for longer or more complex scenes.

 

[GV Butterworth]

Finding a partner!!

It's so difficult finding someone who's interested in RPing the same thing as you. And then, the question of even getting the thing started (I feel like maybe 5% of my RP discussions actually become RPs...) Then, are you compatible? Do you have the same writing style? Envision the same world? Keep each other interested? Same ability level?

Even if you get the thing off the ground, is it sustainable? I had one RP partner who was fun to play with, but clearly had personal issues about conflict, and would go into a personalized trauma response in a very mundane storytelling situation -- so, after several months I realized I was RPing with someone who had no coping mechanism for drama! Imagine -- a storyteller unable to write drama! I had to let that partnership go...

Now I'm trying to find new partners, but getting stories off the ground is a lot of heavy lifting... only to have someone disappear three exchanges in....

 

[cadence]

For me, it's undermining my actual ability to write. I feel like I'm pretty decent at getting long replies up, typing, realistically portraying characters and whatnot, but I always get lost inside my head and end up doubting myself so much I just lose the inspiration to write. I'm constantly worried that I've misspelled something, or that I interpreted something wrong, or I'm simply not writing as well as I think, or that my partner will think I suck, and etc. It's pretty difficult finding the motivation to write sometimes when your brain is constantly going, "this suuuuucks."

 

[Eliasynne]

My biggest thing is getting back into roleplay. Before I had a job etc I was an avid roleplayer; i had plenty of active groups going on, etc. I've been so busy for the past two years though that I've dropped out of it and now all the rp communities i was in before are dead, and I am still trying to find a way to get back into it without the connections i used to have >>

 

[PhoenixMire]

I have aphantasia, so I can't visualize the scene at all and I have a hard time keeping track of the placement of characters and layout of the settings in my head. I used to always hear about people reading books and playing the scenes in their head like movies and I never actually believed that that was a thing that some people could do and not just an expression until recently. Like, I love reading and writing, and I can read the words and understand what they mean and grasp the story as a whole, but I can't form a picture of it in my mind's eye at all.

Sometimes, I'll have to grab a pen and some notebook paper and make notes for longer or more complex scenes.

Huh, this is really interesting. I'm the opposite of this - I picture things incredibly vividly in my head. It's why I love drawing and doing character design, because I can see all the little details about my character and I wanna draw it. I also very clearly picture scenes in my head - scenes I invent and wanna write out, or scenes I read in a story.
My vivid imagination is a huuuuuge curse sometimes tho...
But my mom has the exact same problem you do. She says she can't fathom how other people can picture things in their head. She loves reading books, but never clearly imagines anything. I wonder if she has aphantasia too?

 

[Windsock]

Finding a good RP

 

[Sibelle Grey]

Finding a partner!!

It's so difficult finding someone who's interested in RPing the same thing as you. And then, the question of even getting the thing started (I feel like maybe 5% of my RP discussions actually become RPs...) Then, are you compatible? Do you have the same writing style? Envision the same world? Keep each other interested? Same ability level?

Even if you get the thing off the ground, is it sustainable? I had one RP partner who was fun to play with, but clearly had personal issues about conflict, and would go into a personalized trauma response in a very mundane storytelling situation -- so, after several months I realized I was RPing with someone who had no coping mechanism for drama! Imagine -- a storyteller unable to write drama! I had to let that partnership go...

Now I'm trying to find new partners, but getting stories off the ground is a lot of heavy lifting... only to have someone disappear three exchanges in....

I feel you.
To this day, I’ve only found one Goldilocks partner and they’re the best thing to have happened to me, rp-wise. I’ve had another partner who I wrote really well with, but real-life got in the way of that and inspiration dried up. Partners you really, truly click with are seemingly hard to come by. And now I’ve quit all roleplays but the one I’m really passionate about (with said Goldilocks partner), I’m looking for a partner to start a new one with, and compatibility is a huge worry. Writing style, frequency, interests, similar vision of where you want to go . . . So many things you might not share.

Also, replying sometimes. Sometimes, I get really, r e a l l y busy and I can’t really sit down and write with all the attention I think a post deserves, or when I do, I have no inspiration because irl worries and general fatigue.

And finally, dialogue. Tfw you can’t quite get into the character’s head and proceed to write and delete five consecutive responses because none of them fit.