Posts tagged rp advice

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. ;)

It’s that time of week again: Frankenstein Friday!

The way Frankenstein Fridays work: I give you a list of certain characteristics (or a predetermined playby, there will be a choice, since I know some people prefer playbys and some people despise them), and you use these predetermined characteristics in conjunction with your own ideas in order to make new characters. :D

When you finish your character, you can post him/her up on your blog and send an Ask to FYRA telling me you have finished it, and I will reblog it back to FYRA with a “read more” link back to your original post.  You don’t ever have to use these characters ever again (unless you want to, which would be awesome) but it would just be an exercise in rapid-fire character creation and development.

Ready?  Here we go. :)

The two options for predetermined traits are:

CHARACTERISTICS:

- 20-40 years old
- Does not have to be human, and may only look 20-40 years old (i.e., a vampire, a shape-shifter, etc.)
- They are desperately in love with someone, but for some reason they feel that they cannot express this feeling for fear of some consequence.

OR:

PREDETERMINED PLAYBY:

Morgan Freeman (please note that the picture I choose should have no influence on your character)

Now that you have your characteristics/playby…

Ready, set…

CREATE! :)

Hey guys.  Sorry I missed yesterday’s Writing Prompt Wednesday, and, well, have been sort-of slacking off when it comes to events and things in general.

Things have been pretty stressful, and they aren’t getting any better.  Yesterday I got into a car crash on my way home from work and had to spend several hours dealing with things resulting from that.  Thankfully nobody was hurt but my poor car didn’t much appreciate being backed into… as can be expected.

Either way, just wanted to let everybody know that this blog is still up and running, and that I will try to get updates posted up more frequently, even if they are not always right on time.  I’ll try to come up with some more “special” events, if people want, but remember that this is, first and foremost, an advice blog - thus why it’s called Fuck Yeah Roleplaying Advice.  Advice is open every day! ;)

And don’t forget - keep writing, and stay curious. :)

WEEK THIRTEEN PROMPT:

This week’s theme is: LUCK.

You may choose one of these two prompts for your character (or if you want, you can do both!):

1.) Luck can come in many shapes and sizes, good and bad.  Perhaps your character has just come across a stroke of excellent luck.  Was this luck completely random, or was it brought on by some other contributing force?  Does it have a catch, or a price that your character must pay?  Is your character only able to enjoy their stroke of good luck while they wait for the other shoe to drop and their good luck to end suddenly and terribly?  Or perhaps it is bad luck.  Perhaps your character has been hit with a sudden stroke of bad luck, or perhaps they have been having a string of bad luck.  Was their bad luck a result of something they did, or is it just that - luck?

2.) Write a short character-centric blurb-story around the quote: “A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck.” - James A. Garfield

Don’t forget - if you do write a short story pertaining to this week’s prompt, feel free to post it on your blog and then send an Ask to FYRA telling me that you’ve posted it.  I will go to your blog and reblog your story back here as a “read more” for others to go check out as well. :)

Now that you’ve got your prompt(s)…

Ready, set…

WRITE! :)

Goodness gracious!  There seems to be an influx of new followers to FYRA!  Out of curiosity, who was promoting FYRA that got you all to come over here?  (I assume it was being promoted somewhere - regularly FYRA does not get more than one or two new followers at a time!)

Either way - WELCOME!  I am so pleased and flattered to have you! :) <3

As a note - the regularly-scheduled writing activity prompts will start up again next Wednesday (January 4th) with Writing Prompt Wednesday (FYRA admin is still out of town this week), but advice is still open every day.

And don’t forget - keep writing, and stay curious! :)

I hope everyone is having a good holiday season!  Is everybody ready for 2012? :D

I apologize for the lack of writing activities this week - FYRA admin is visiting family for the holiday season and it’s been pretty hectic.  However, you can expect the writing activities to come back in full swing in the new year!  Don’t forget, despite the holiday rush, advice is still open every day, even if it might take FYRA admin a little longer to get to the question than usual (I usually try to respond within 24 hours to all inquiries unless I am unable to get to a computer with internet access).

And never forget - keep writing, and stay curious. :)

It’s that time of week again: Frankenstein Friday!

The way Frankenstein Fridays work: I give you a list of certain characteristics (or a predetermined playby, there will be a choice, since I know some people prefer playbys and some people despise them), and you use these predetermined characteristics in conjunction with your own ideas in order to make new characters. :D

When you finish your character, you can post him/her up on your blog and send an Ask to FYRA telling me you have finished it, and I will reblog it back to FYRA with a “read more” link back to your original post.  You don’t ever have to use these characters ever again (unless you want to, which would be awesome) but it would just be an exercise in rapid-fire character creation and development.

Ready?  Here we go. :)

The two options for predetermined traits are:

CHARACTERISTICS:

- A character struggling with or recovering from an addiction.
- Whether this is grounded in reality, science fiction/fantasy, or whatever is up to you.  The addiction does not have to be substance abuse, either - it can be an addictive behaviour (gambling, sex, etc.) or it can be an addiction to/obsession with a particular person/thing.

OR:

PREDETERMINED PLAYBY:

(Young) Elle Fanning (please note that the picture I choose should have no influence on your character)

Now that you have your characteristics/playby…

Ready, set…

CREATE! :)

It’s that time of week again: Frankenstein Friday!

The way Frankenstein Fridays work: I give you a list of certain characteristics (or a predetermined playby, there will be a choice, since I know some people prefer playbys and some people despise them), and you use these predetermined characteristics in conjunction with your own ideas in order to make new characters. :D

When you finish your character, you can post him/her up on your blog and send an Ask to FYRA telling me you have finished it, and I will reblog it back to FYRA with a “read more” link back to your original post.  You don’t ever have to use these characters ever again (unless you want to, which would be awesome) but it would just be an exercise in rapid-fire character creation and development.

Ready?  Here we go. :)

The two options for predetermined traits are:

CHARACTERISTICS:

- A character who has just lost someone close to them.  Whether this is due to death, a falling-out, or something else, is for you to decide.
- How recent the loss is, and how they react to it, is up to you.  Are they angry about the loss?  Are they sad / in mourning?
- The character lives sometime in the past (before the 21st century).

OR:

PREDETERMINED PLAYBY:

Cliff Curtis (please note that the picture I choose should have no influence on your character)

Now that you have your characteristics/playby…

Ready, set…

CREATE! :)

WEEK TWELVE PROMPT:

This week’s theme is: HATRED.

You may choose one of these two prompts for your character (or if you want, you can do both!):

1.) Hatred can manifest itself in many ways, some entirely unexpected.  Perhaps your character has a long-time nemesis, which they hate entirely for their choices and is constantly clashing with.  Perhaps your character was once best friends with said nemesis, but they have grown apart due to differences of opinion or morals.  Perhaps your character is starting to realize that the person they thought they were in love with is not the person they thought they were at all, and a creeping sense of hatred is beginning to settle in.  Perhaps someone or something hates your character, and they cannot figure out why.  Any of these could prove for a short origins-type story, or really any kind of short character-development-centric story at all - the possibilities are endless!

2.) Write a short character-centric blurb-story around the quote: “In time we hate that which we often fear.” - William Shakespeare

Don’t forget - if you do write a short story pertaining to this week’s prompt, feel free to post it on your blog and then send an Ask to FYRA telling me that you’ve posted it.  I will go to your blog and reblog your story back here as a “read more” for others to go check out as well. :)

Now that you’ve got your prompt(s)…

Ready, set…

WRITE! :)

It’s that time of week again: Frankenstein Friday!

The way Frankenstein Fridays work: I give you a list of certain characteristics (or a predetermined playby, there will be a choice, since I know some people prefer playbys and some people despise them), and you use these predetermined characteristics in conjunction with your own ideas in order to make new characters. :D

When you finish your character, you can post him/her up on your blog and send an Ask to FYRA telling me you have finished it, and I will reblog it back to FYRA with a “read more” link back to your original post.  You don’t ever have to use these characters ever again (unless you want to, which would be awesome) but it would just be an exercise in rapid-fire character creation and development.

Ready?  Here we go. :)

The two options for predetermined traits are:

CHARACTERISTICS:

- A character who is having difficulty adjusting to a new school or workplace.
- This does not have to be realistic-earthbound.  Their new school could be one for supernatural creatures, and their new workplace could be on board a spaceship.  Don’t let initial boundaries keep you from your creativity!
- They have a best friend who is handicapped.  Whether that best friend is or is not also at their school/work is up to you.  How difficult are you going to make it for your character to adjust?

OR:

PREDETERMINED PLAYBY:

Helen Mirren (please note that the picture I choose should have no influence on your character)

Now that you have your characteristics/playby…

Ready, set…

CREATE! :)