Post by Adriana Bell-Black on Aug 29, 2007 21:29:14 GMT -5
10 Helpful RP Guidelines for everyone:
1. Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Sometimes at a first glance the post may be unreadable but that is because the grammar and spelling is off. I often don’t even want to continue the thread much less post with someone who does this. I understand not everyone knows their stuff, I also have my slip ups quite often but this is why we are here to improve. There are plenty of websites out there that will help you out, should English be your second language, or maybe you just forgot those long ago English lessons.
As for spelling and minor grammar problems, first writing out a post in a Word processing program can help, I do this myself. It should catch all of your spelling right off, and some grammar issues. Should that not be available, the latest Mozilla Firefox comes equipped with a built-in spellchecker, though it will do absolutely nothing for your grammar.
2. Write in third person.
When typing posts, it’s best to always write in third person. The exception, of course, is in dialogue.
Example:
-Right:
Bella ran her hand through her hair. She idly noticed that it was becoming tangled and would probably give an interesting result in the morning. It was unimportant, though, compared to the problem at hand. Edward could hear her talking in her sleep.
“I’m not so sure,” she said, sighing. “You really think it’s cute?”
Here, I’ve referred to myself consistently in third person, keeping my actions in the past tense. Note that the dialogue is in first person, as it’s more natural to speak that way.
-Wrong:
I run my hand through my hair. I idly notice that it is becoming tangled and will probably give me an interesting result in the morning. It is unimportant, though, compared to the problem at hand. Edward could hear me talking in my sleep.
“I’m not so sure,” I say, sighing. “You really think it’s cute?”
Here, I‘ve not only referred to myself constantly in first person, but also placed my actions in the present tense. This isn‘t inherently wrong, but it‘s irritating to some and difficult to follow at times.
3. Be true to your character.
Your character should be consistent at all times. It’s best to keep your celebrity the same for this reason, too. It’s easier for others to relate to your character if he/she is consistent in look and feel. So that means that if your character is nice, keep them nice. That doesn’t mean that your character can’t change over time, with sufficient reason, of course. Also remember that with Canon Characters we don’t want them to become Polar opposites, minimal changes will be allowed with approval from an Admin.
4. Have a plot.
You should always think about where your character is going. In real life, we develop our personalities over time, and often change depending on what happens to us. Your character should do the same.
Plotting events helps, too. Do you want your character in a relationship? Should they have an accident that scars them, and maybe they change their personality a little accordingly? Don’t go overboard in your plotting, your character isn’t single one day and suddenly, the next, they’re married with twelve children. Give it time as things don’t have to happen on real time. Overnight changes are difficult for others to keep up with, and could hurt your character’s other relationships on the board and how people interact with them.
5. Don’t God-mode.
Your character is only responsible for him/herself, and no one else. You cannot control the actions of others in real life, so you shouldn’t be trying to do it in your posts. However, if you have a specific goal worked out between the two of you, you can sometimes RP a few of their actions, to get the thread moving, but state that you have permission by the other Character. It’s not fair, and you wouldn’t want someone else doing so to your character.
6. Read everything there.
Before joining a thread, or even while you’re there, be sure and read everything already written, so that you can react properly. You need to know what’s already gone on as well as what’s going on at the moment. If you don’t, you might very well end up either repeating what someone else has already said or done or even end up not realizing what’s going on.
7. You don’t always have to post next.
Assuming you’re in a multi-character thread, you don’t always have to post in order. If you can’t add anything to what’s been said, then just don’t post. You don’t have to refrain from posting, of course, if you stay out of the dialogue and only post actions. That’s fine, as it’s nothing that anyone else has to react to while other things are going on. It’s irritating when the characters are having a conversation, or doing something specific, and out of the blue, someone steps in and just says a quick, “Hi,” or something else just as off-topic.
This is also true if you’re joining a thread for the first time. If you can’t add to what’s going on, but still want to post in the area, then go ahead and start a new thread there, and leave the other characters to themselves.
8. Closed topics.
If a topic has the word ‘Closed’ ‘Private’ in it before or after the title somewhere, or a name that isn’t yours, then let it be. It was obviously not meant for you, or you would know about it. You can always PM the person responsible for the thread to see if you can join, but accept their decision one way or another.
9. Creativity counts.
A post that’s all dialogue is rather boring and difficult to react to. Just be creative in what you say and do. It’s not all that difficult to post a good amount when you’re creative about it. Try including what the character feels, sees, thinks, etc., and reacting to what the other character(s) in the thread is doing is a must.
10. If you’re new, get help.
This isn’t mandatory, but it always helps as there are plenty of veterans around. Just taking a really good look around the board helps. Read some of the threads, take a look at what you do and don’t like about posts, and try to mimic what you do like. If you still need help, just try any one of the administrators for help.
Also, don't be afraid to make a new, open thread. Someone will come along, join, and give you some practice.
[[ These tips are a combination of things I've seen along my RP career, nothing is entirely mine and I do not take credit for it either]]
1. Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Sometimes at a first glance the post may be unreadable but that is because the grammar and spelling is off. I often don’t even want to continue the thread much less post with someone who does this. I understand not everyone knows their stuff, I also have my slip ups quite often but this is why we are here to improve. There are plenty of websites out there that will help you out, should English be your second language, or maybe you just forgot those long ago English lessons.
As for spelling and minor grammar problems, first writing out a post in a Word processing program can help, I do this myself. It should catch all of your spelling right off, and some grammar issues. Should that not be available, the latest Mozilla Firefox comes equipped with a built-in spellchecker, though it will do absolutely nothing for your grammar.
2. Write in third person.
When typing posts, it’s best to always write in third person. The exception, of course, is in dialogue.
Example:
-Right:
Bella ran her hand through her hair. She idly noticed that it was becoming tangled and would probably give an interesting result in the morning. It was unimportant, though, compared to the problem at hand. Edward could hear her talking in her sleep.
“I’m not so sure,” she said, sighing. “You really think it’s cute?”
Here, I’ve referred to myself consistently in third person, keeping my actions in the past tense. Note that the dialogue is in first person, as it’s more natural to speak that way.
-Wrong:
I run my hand through my hair. I idly notice that it is becoming tangled and will probably give me an interesting result in the morning. It is unimportant, though, compared to the problem at hand. Edward could hear me talking in my sleep.
“I’m not so sure,” I say, sighing. “You really think it’s cute?”
Here, I‘ve not only referred to myself constantly in first person, but also placed my actions in the present tense. This isn‘t inherently wrong, but it‘s irritating to some and difficult to follow at times.
3. Be true to your character.
Your character should be consistent at all times. It’s best to keep your celebrity the same for this reason, too. It’s easier for others to relate to your character if he/she is consistent in look and feel. So that means that if your character is nice, keep them nice. That doesn’t mean that your character can’t change over time, with sufficient reason, of course. Also remember that with Canon Characters we don’t want them to become Polar opposites, minimal changes will be allowed with approval from an Admin.
4. Have a plot.
You should always think about where your character is going. In real life, we develop our personalities over time, and often change depending on what happens to us. Your character should do the same.
Plotting events helps, too. Do you want your character in a relationship? Should they have an accident that scars them, and maybe they change their personality a little accordingly? Don’t go overboard in your plotting, your character isn’t single one day and suddenly, the next, they’re married with twelve children. Give it time as things don’t have to happen on real time. Overnight changes are difficult for others to keep up with, and could hurt your character’s other relationships on the board and how people interact with them.
5. Don’t God-mode.
Your character is only responsible for him/herself, and no one else. You cannot control the actions of others in real life, so you shouldn’t be trying to do it in your posts. However, if you have a specific goal worked out between the two of you, you can sometimes RP a few of their actions, to get the thread moving, but state that you have permission by the other Character. It’s not fair, and you wouldn’t want someone else doing so to your character.
6. Read everything there.
Before joining a thread, or even while you’re there, be sure and read everything already written, so that you can react properly. You need to know what’s already gone on as well as what’s going on at the moment. If you don’t, you might very well end up either repeating what someone else has already said or done or even end up not realizing what’s going on.
7. You don’t always have to post next.
Assuming you’re in a multi-character thread, you don’t always have to post in order. If you can’t add anything to what’s been said, then just don’t post. You don’t have to refrain from posting, of course, if you stay out of the dialogue and only post actions. That’s fine, as it’s nothing that anyone else has to react to while other things are going on. It’s irritating when the characters are having a conversation, or doing something specific, and out of the blue, someone steps in and just says a quick, “Hi,” or something else just as off-topic.
This is also true if you’re joining a thread for the first time. If you can’t add to what’s going on, but still want to post in the area, then go ahead and start a new thread there, and leave the other characters to themselves.
8. Closed topics.
If a topic has the word ‘Closed’ ‘Private’ in it before or after the title somewhere, or a name that isn’t yours, then let it be. It was obviously not meant for you, or you would know about it. You can always PM the person responsible for the thread to see if you can join, but accept their decision one way or another.
9. Creativity counts.
A post that’s all dialogue is rather boring and difficult to react to. Just be creative in what you say and do. It’s not all that difficult to post a good amount when you’re creative about it. Try including what the character feels, sees, thinks, etc., and reacting to what the other character(s) in the thread is doing is a must.
10. If you’re new, get help.
This isn’t mandatory, but it always helps as there are plenty of veterans around. Just taking a really good look around the board helps. Read some of the threads, take a look at what you do and don’t like about posts, and try to mimic what you do like. If you still need help, just try any one of the administrators for help.
Also, don't be afraid to make a new, open thread. Someone will come along, join, and give you some practice.
[[ These tips are a combination of things I've seen along my RP career, nothing is entirely mine and I do not take credit for it either]]