I sincerely apologize! Work has been very busy these past couple of weeks, and as such I have not had very much time to answer questions with the full attention they deserve.
I go into work again tomorrow and Saturday, but I will try my hardest to get to all of the unanswered questions after my shift ends on Saturday! :)
Aw, thank you so much, you’re so sweet! My name is Hannah (Han), and I’m just another roleplayer trying to help out anybody who might have some tough questions. C: <3
Hanswer: Ooh, good question. I haven’t done very many roleplays where the format allows for extracurricular character development (Tumblr roleplaying format is fantastic for this), but a few that I’ve discovered that were pretty neat were:
Community: Any other (better, probably, as mine are a little weak) suggestions? :)
Hanswer: Sorry for taking so long to get back to you! Work has been particularly busy this past week (but I won’t bore you with my troubles). Man, talk about your nasty breakup. What is it with some roleplayers not realizing the line between in-character and out-of-character developed relationships? Rats. Unfortunately, this is too often the case, when it comes to character relationships. The two of them are doing fine when suddenly somebody thinks a curveball will be just the thing to spice it up, only to throw the wrong sort of curveball and wind up messing up the character chemistry entirely. Have you spoken to her, telling her about how she has changed her character, O, and how this is affecting your muse for T?
Try approaching her with a note of geniality, perhaps asking her how her day was and chatting a bit about the characters and some happy memories of how their relationship used to be, and then tell her, “I very much enjoy roleplaying with you, and I very much like the relationship that Oberon and Titania are in. However, I was wondering what your motivation was for making Oberon do X, Y, and Z? That seems different from what he used to do, and it’s been making it difficult for me to adapt Titania and therefore very much affecting my muse. I really enjoy the way their relationship was, and I would like to get that same spark back, but it’s simply difficult for me at the moment. Might there be some way we can come to a compromise so that both of us might be happy with the characters and their relationship might continue in the same way?”
Or words to that effect, as it goes. If you have already told her what it is about her newly-changed character that is bothering you and she still refuses to change, however, then perhaps it really is time for a breakup – but if you think that means that she is going to make her characters (all of them) now hate your character, then perhaps a bit of sidewinding is called for.
Talk to your partner, telling her that you had an idea for Oberon and Titania, and that it involves a breakup (maybe nasty, maybe involving a fight? I’m not sure if the two of you enjoy that kind of drama in your roleplays or not) and the characters taking a break from one another for a bit to allow them to “discover themselves”, or something to that effect. Tell her that a breakup will allow the two of them to develop on their own for a while, and perhaps also will allow them to have an arc wherein they rediscover their love for one another and fall in love all over again, or perhaps they will find other people and stay great friends, despite no longer being together. And then you just never get them back together.
It’s backhanded, it’s a little bit nasty, but it will make the breakup seem genial and agreed upon by both parties so she cannot really have a legitimate objection to it or to you. And besides, someone who refuses to change even a little to make others more comfortable/happy in a roleplay (without exceptionally good cause – i.e., if the change being asked of them is so astronomically out of canon for that character as to be ridiculous) is hardly the person who should be left in charge of deciding who does what or goes where, as far as characters, relationships, or plots in a particular roleplay should go. If that were the case, then everything would fall apart in a very one-sided sort of way.
I hope this helped, if only a little! :)
Community: Any other suggestions for Anonymous?
Hanswer: Hello! Now, first of all, let me try to understand what you are saying here – you have been roleplaying for four or five years on one particular format, which I assume is your preferred format, but no matter how many times you try to do this, every time, without fail, something disagreeable inevitably happens, and while you do not want to abandon this type of roleplaying because you enjoy it, you are frustrated and want to know what you can do about it. Yes? C:
Now, it seems that, according to your question, you have come across several people who overreact to things said in a character voice as if they, themselves are being personally insulted/attacked, and since you are around people like that so often, you now find that you are beginning to act like them? Is that correct? Unfortunately, I (and probably a lot of others) have found that being easily offended has become a big, big part of internet culture recently. You can’t really say anything anymore without offending someone, even something as simple as stating your own opinion (i.e., saying “I dislike the colour green” and instantly someone who likes green will jump on you saying “you’re just trying to shame me for liking green!” regardless of whether you knew they liked green to begin with or not – things like that).
When people begin to raise a fuss over things said IC in this way, you simply have calmly explain to them that the comment was not directed at them as a person, but rather at their character; provide them with the plot/story circumstances under which the offending statement was made; and then assure them that you enjoy playing/interacting with them/their character and were only hoping to further said plot/story by adding some sort of conflict to it, whatever variation of conflict you may have (unintentionally?) started. If this does not work, and they still continue to make a big deal over things said IC, explain the situation to others in your group out of ear/eyeshot of the person raising the fuss so that the other members may see that you are not the one being unreasonable, and plots may continue, with or without the person who is insisting on taking things far too seriously.
To say “just don’t look at it and it will go away” would be childish advice to give, so instead I’m going to suggest that you figure out who or what is causing the problem that makes you not enjoy your roleplaying experience, and simply block them from your subconscious. Do not allow them to take this from you. It is yours just as much as it is theirs, and unless they have come to you specifically telling you that you have done something that wrongs them on a personal level and they are willing to discuss it like reasonable human beings to get to the bottom of the issue (i.e., “your character said _____, and this offends me as a person because it is a hurtful stereotype to my religion/race/etc., would you mind changing it?” vs. “U R AN ASSHOLE”), they are simply not worth worrying over.
If you continue to deliberately do the same thing after they approach you reasonably about it, however, then U simply R an asshole (just kidding). ;)
Similarly, if someone is starting to ruin the experience for you in some way, do not let it continue. Confront them about what they are doing and tell them how it is affecting your ability to enjoy your experience. Nip the unpleasant experience in the bud, as it were. If they continue to do the same thing despite having been asked/warned about it, talk to the other members of your group about finding a replacement for this person (and provide chat logs of your conversations proving you have tried to be more than reasonable with them, if need be), or, if it is a one x one, go looking for a new person/account with the same character and make some new friends. Troublemakers and bullies should not be allowed to triumph for their bad behaviour, and should not be allowed to ruin the experiences of others – including you. So don’t let them!
I hope this helped, if only a little. :)
Community: Any other words of advice for ThisKid?
This is exceptionally true! If you can make it yours and make it shine, it doesn’t matter how many people have done it before you! :)
Hanswer: You know what, I got so enthused writing the answer to the first part of your inquiry here that I wound up writing a big ol’ manifesto on accident (whoops)! Here it is, recently posted as a Daily Rant for convenience. C:
As for the second part of your inquiry, here are some examples of plots/story elements I have seen my fair share of in roleplays/movies/books/etc., and then some (and then some more):
I hope this helped, if only a little! :)
Community: Any other helpful hints or done-to-death plots you can think of? C:
Daily Rant - “Daily” meaning that it takes place in the daytime, not that it will necessarily be an everyday occurrence, and “rant” meaning that it is a stream of consciousness wall of text with an ultimate point.
Today’s topic of discussion is: THE SEVEN C’S, a post exploring seven easy, effective, integral parts of every roleplay, big or small (with a witty name, to boot!).
The things that make a good roleplay, whether it be fandom-based or OC-based, can be summed up in a principle that can be easily remembered as the SEVEN C’S:
Character Development:
The number-one most important thing when writing fiction involving characters, your own or someone else’s, whether it be in a roleplay, a fanfic, or if you are writing your own novel, is that characters grow and develop. Every character has the potential to grow and develop from their starting point as they learn about the world and the people around them, and also as they begin to learn more about themselves, whether this means being put into situations where they must make hard choices or having their hearts broken (among other things).
A character who never changes is called a static character, and while some static characters are fun to have around as background noise to add flavour to the story as a whole (think of the comic relief, the sage friend, or the sassy secretary), the fact that these characters never grow or change would make them irredeemably boring, if they were to be put in the spotlight as the protagonist in the story/a main, interacting character in a roleplay you are involved in. Too many static characters suffer from the Mary Sue/Gary Stu affliction, wherein the person playing the character believes the character is so perfect as he/she is right now that any further development would be pointless or detrimental.
Which is a dirty lie.
No matter how fond of your character you may be, any and all characters can use some form of character development to help them on their life journey. A character who will not change cannot develop, and a character who will not develop cannot change.
Aka, he might be funny now but in three threads you’ll despise him.
Communication:
Communication goes hand-in-hand with collaboration, for the most part, but could easily be called the most essential element in any roleplay, big or small. Roleplaying is like putting together a puzzle of a story, and if everyone thinks they are putting together a different puzzle/telling a different story, then the pieces are not going to fit together very well at all. If you intend to do something that will affect someone else’s character, check with them about it first. If you want to include someone else in something you are doing, talk to them about it.
However, this does not mean that you have to inform your partner(s) of every little thing you intend to do in the roleplay/thread, as this would quickly grow stale, but do make sure you are not doing anything to step needlessly on your partner(s)’s toes. Shyness is no excuse, either. We all know you can write – you have no excuse not to write to one another! ;)
Complaisance:
Be willing to be flexible about certain aspects of your roleplay, no matter what the genre. Treat your partner(s) the way you would like for them to treat you. If your partner(s) have a suggestion for the roleplay that will take it in a different direction, or have an issue with the roleplay that they feel can be remedied, then be willing to bend a little to make them happy.
However, this does not mean that you have to sacrifice your own opinions and happiness and be at your partner’s proverbial beck and call, as far as the roleplay goes. You and your input matter to the roleplay just as much as they do, and so, if something is keeping you from enjoying your roleplaying experience, don’t be afraid to speak up about it and see if your partner(s) would be willing to accommodate your suggested change so that everyone in the roleplay might be able to enjoy themselves fully.
Collaboration:
As I have said many times before, collaboration is the lifeblood of collaborative storytelling. Collaboration is what moves roleplay forward. If we did not collaborate on roleplays, they would be no different from fanfiction (or fiction, depending on your genre of choice)! Playing our characters off of one another is what makes roleplay work in the first place, and the interesting and exciting stories we create together involving those characters is the reward we reap for successful collaboration.
If something big is going to happen in the roleplay, make sure everyone is on the same page about it. If you intend to do something to your character that would affect someone else’s character, tell them about it. If you want something to happen in the roleplay but cannot do so all by yourself, talk to your partner(s) and tell them your idea, and then ask if they would be interested in having their characters participate in your particular idea. In order for people to work together on something, the idea must first be presented so that it can be collaboratively expanded upon.
There’s no group without the individuals that make it up and contribute their unique and exciting ideas to it, but don’t forget that in roleplay, the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts it’s made of.
Consistency:
Don’t let your roleplay devolve into a rehashing of the third season of LOST. If you make something canon in your roleplay, be sure you stick with it to the end unless some very good, solid explanation for why lore has been broken in a particular instance can be found and agreed upon by everyone involved in the roleplay.
Established settings/lore should not be broken or changed to suit particular situations, and at all costs avoid “but you see actually” situations (i.e., “yes under normal circumstances, according to the established lore, everyone would, in fact, perish – but you see actually there are bomb shelters we forgot to mention earlier that everyone crawled into so everybody is okay”). Establish a simple set of ground rules for your roleplay that everyone has to follow so that everyone is on equal playing grounds, as far as the setting/lore of the roleplay goes (i.e., “wizards can talk but ponies cannot – similarly, ponies have powerful, bone-breaking kicks but wizards do not”).
Characters who are established to be one particular way do not suddenly change overnight into someone completely different, figuratively or literally (unless some groundbreaking or supernatural outside force makes them do it, which is a whole different matter entirely). Again, try to avoid the “but you see actually” scenario (i.e., “no my character was not a vampire before but you see actually she is an immortal half-dragon elf princess with a magical amulet that you didn’t see until just now that turned her into a vampire”). If someone wants to change the way their character is, make sure they have a good, solid reason for it (yes, lack of muse counts as a good, solid reason).
Creativity:
This one pretty much explains itself. Don’t strive for mediocrity, overdone tropes, and overplayed clichés, as far as your roleplay goes. Always be thinking of new ways you can spice up the story. Surprise your partner(s). Surprise yourself! When you’re roleplaying, there’s really nowhere to go but up and up, so shoot for the stars! :)
Conviviality:
No matter the roleplay, whether it be an action-based roleplay with lots of things happening and a super-fast pace, or a slow-moving romance roleplay (or anything inbetween), the biggest goal is for you and your partner(s) to have fun while roleplaying. If you are not enjoying your experience, then what is the point of devoting your time and effort to it?
In all, don’t forget the most integral lesson: no matter what you may have been told about the “seriousness” of roleplay, roleplaying is really about creating joy through your own distinctive brand of creativity and love for writing and sharing that joy with others who get the same pleasure out of it that you do, and in doing so, creating something totally unique and amazing that can turn complete strangers into best friends like no other medium or hobby in the world.
And as always, never forget FYRA’s mantra:
Keep writing, and stay curious. ;)
Tumblr did not inform me that I had messages, and so there are several unanswered Asks in my inbox that I had no idea were there! To anyone who sent in a message that has gone unanswered - I am so sorry, please do not think I was ignoring you! I will get started on all of the answers right now! :C
M-me? You want to know about me? D:
I don’t want my particular preferences to potentially influence people reading this blog one way or another (I use things I’m familiar with in examples but try to keep the feel of the blog pretty genre-neutral apart from that), but if you want me to then I, er, I guess I can answer this… D:
Were you wanting a list of my original characters, or just the canon characters I have played in the past? I’ll answer both, I guess…
As far as canon characters go, as long as I am not entirely opposed to the idea of playing a particular character/genre, then if the person wanting to roleplay has a good enough pitch, I usually go for it. I like expanding my boundaries by playing characters that aren’t necessarily in my so-called “comfort range”, and who aren’t always big, important characters in a story (because what is a story without quirky background characters?). One of my favourite roleplays to this date was the time I was lucky enough to get to play 42 different obscure Batman-verse characters/villains in a single roleplay.
Yeah… that was an awesome experience. :3
But if you want particulars, then (the short list of) some of the canon characters I’ve found myself playing are, in no specific order:
A majority of those listed above are big hero types, but I also really, really enjoy playing villains. Villains are just so much fun to play! People who refuse to play badduns are missing out on a fun and eye-opening experience – sometimes it really is good to be bad! C:
Which is not to say that if you are uncomfortable playing villains, you are in any way less of a roleplayer! Just that sometimes taking a few steps outside your box can be unexpectedly enjoyable. If playing a particular type of character makes you in any way uncomfortable and you find yourself not enjoying the roleplaying experience as a result, you should not force yourself to continue playing that character. Roleplay is about having fun, after all!
(And I know, I’m a geek. Please don’t look down on me for it! xD </3)
As for original characters, erm, I will post them in a separate post and put it under a cut so people do not have to be spammed with my brain garbage unnecessarily. xD
Why do you ask, Anon? Sheer curiosity? Or were you testing me? ;)
