Viewpoint What makes a good RP story?

[supermartinbros]

I have been recently been wondering, as I always plan many stories before I intend to post them but then I read them again then they all feel very trashy or bad but I’m not to sure to ever put them up on a thread so then I make another story and then a process starts again. I used to be able to think of many interesting things when I was a small child such as flying cyborgs and humans which try to take over heaven and such but nowadays I’m stuck in a loop to try and figure out a good story which I find interesting and others would enjoy but something that is original.

Is there a trick on making good RP stories? Or does it simply come into mind by thinking or do we all simply get an inspiration? ​

 

[Inno]

Oh, I was the opposite. When I was younger, thinking back on it now, I had some terrible ideas for stories. Just plan awful. But now, I think they are pretty good. What makes a good story, I feel, are the characters that you put in the story. Sure, plot and twists make up a portion but without decent characters there's really nothing else to go on. I make up characters. Give them back stories and put them into these elaborate worlds my long term partner and I create.

Whenever I feel stuck, I don't force it. I take a step back from roleplay. I write on my own to get inspiration. Reading also helps as does music. The latter of which, depending on the piece of music, lets me see scenes or characters I would like to put in those scenes. I really honestly don't think there's some kind of trick to it. I think when we set out to create something, we hope it succeeds.

 

[Comicwolf]

I have been recently been wondering, as I always plan many stories before I intend to post them but then I read them again then they all feel very trashy or bad but I’m not to sure to ever put them up on a thread so then I make another story and then a process starts again. I used to be able to think of many interesting things when I was a small child such as flying cyborgs and humans which try to take over heaven and such but nowadays I’m stuck in a loop to try and figure out a good story which I find interesting and others would enjoy but something that is original.

Is there a trick on making good RP stories? Or does it simply come into mind by thinking or do we all simply get an inspiration? ​

When it comes to rp stories, your not gonna know if its good unless you put it on a intrest check and test it out by rping it with someone.
If it makes you feel happy or excited to roleplay it then the plot is something you love and maybe want to continue using even if you get ghosted don’t give up.

Now when it comes to planing and writing a few questions come to mind:
- what is the rp about? Sometimes you get inspired by a book, fandom or something original.

For myself, in the past i make a list of ideas sometimes on the spot then ask the rper im planing with what they would prefer to play. Today i sometimes still do make them on the spot but i also pick plots to put on threads or to keep as pm only
when stressed or overwhelmed i try to limit my rp time to certain times especially on days i’m busy on, or even go back to what inspired me like series, movies or books

 

[A Sparkling Zombie]

I think a good story is one where the GM is capable of taking the lead and has the passion for their idea and their group. I think passion alone can make even the most cliche story appealing, because usually it will come through the idea pitch. There are quite a few users on here, I imagine, so there is probably a good chance of recruiting a group. And if it doesn't work out, sometimes it can be a timing issue, not necessarily because the idea was poorly received.

So my advice is to find something that interests you first and foremost.

 

[supermartinbros]

Thank you all, that really helps. This also makes so much more sense! I should put an RP thread most of the time but in the end I don’t, haha. Which is probably the reason why I never know. Thank you again for your advice!​

 

[Waterbelon]

It depends on what you really want out of roleplay.

For me, I enjoy roleplay because of the experience of seeing how characters interact to build a story. I'm more interested in the story that is unfolding or developing - so I care less about how pretty the story is written, perfect grammar or vivid imagery or beautiful prose. These things are important for me, of course. But I've learned to care less about how nice my writing is and more about how I can 'push' the game forward, introduce hooks for my co-writers to interact with, and basically play off my partners' character(s).

It seems like you're more interested in writing a story by yourself, and less in writing one with other people? It might help if you tried to lean more into improv, trying to listen more to what your players want, and take things one post at a time. Some of the best roleplays I've been in have come from improv, where it was both me and my partners throwing ideas into the thread and seeing where they went from there.

Unoriginal ideas also aren't a bad thing too! For example, the "magical/powers academy" concept is very common. Many ideas are unoriginial, but in the end it's how they are played out that matters.

 

[supermartinbros]

Thank you for your feedback, and while I do tend on planning the story myself at first, I still do enjoy writing with people but there has been a time where a RP has gone out of control, (my fault) for being careless and continuing on the story without actually having a story plot to it. Which caused a few players going OP.

Which is why I now take caution to stories so I do enjoy writing with other peeps but I just want to make sure we have a smooth story and how everyone’s writing would effect the ending and I do like planning with others if it is on 1 x 1 but if it’s a group RP the I hosted I would prefer it if to have control of the story without moving too fast or slow but character development continuing on with the flow of how the story goes if that makes sense. ^^

I hope my statement wasn’t misleading, it wasn’t like I dislike unoriginal ideas simply to be put I wish to make a new kind of story with other people’s ideas, but to add onto an idea I first started sprouting. And yes, magical academies are cool and I enjoy them as well.

^o^​