Post by Set on Jun 11, 2012 16:44:04 GMT -5
These are some basic tips for making quality IC roleplay posts, taken from a forum Bhae and I run. I think it's very simple and informative; I recommend it for anyone who's new to forum roleplaying, or anyone who feels they could improve. I know it's a long read; you can skim over some of the roleplay samples if you want. But I hope it helps. n_n
Opening Posts
Opening posts are the introduction, the first post to start off a roleplay. Obviously, they are very important - for setting the scene, introducing the character(s), and sometimes lending the roleplay a sense of atmosphere.
Good Example
Post submitted by AnimalityOpera
This post does several very important things to get a good roleplay started. It sets the scene gives you a time of day introduces the characters with enough detail to know what they’re doing, or how they could be approached, and it openly encourages a second post with the ending. That’s probably the most important part, is leaving an open-end so that other people can actually respond and join in. Posts do not have to be long to be good, but they do need to have the right information in them to encourage following posts.
Bad Example
Post submitted by Rae
This is not a good intro post. As a post itself, it’s not bad, but the choice of setting is very poor. She’s isolated in her house, and it does not leave much room for other characters to interact with her unless they break in. It should have been continued with her moving outside into an area where others can more easily access her.
First Responders
Responses to the first post are almost as important as the first post itself. They determine whether or not the original poster’s inspiration is maintained, or completely snuffed out. They also determine whether or not any plot is allowed to develop further.
Good Examples
Submitted by KC
This is a very good second response, as it establishes the character in the previously described setting, which proves the second poster paid attention to detail in the original post. It’s always nice to see someone took the time to carefully read everything, and understands what they are walking into with their own character. Not only that, she directly responds to the prompt presented in the original post, also leaving her ending open for others to continue.
Another good example submitted by AnimalityOpera,
This is an example where the characters don’t notice each other right away, and don’t even react immediately. It’s still good, though, because it introduces the character—even going so far as to take a look at his past and state of mind—while acknowledging the setting and activity level of the first post. The important thing about this post, though, is that there is acknowledgement of the other character present. If you go on forever, five or six posts, and you still haven’t run into each other yet, you’re just wasting posting space. This gets to the point without losing any of its mystery.
Bad Examples
Submitted by KC
Now, there’s nothing wrong with the construction of this post. It’s just unnecessary. It’s called a status-post. All you’re doing is telling. Nothing important is done by making this post, and the story would have flowed the same with or without it. Try to avoid these, or, pick an important point and expand on it so that it makes the post important to either the story or character development. For example, it’s fantastic that she notes Anton’s eye color. It makes us curious—it makes us wonder what the significance of his eyes are. Even if we read the character profile, it’s important to mention things in your posts. Like, your character’s thought process, and why they are doing what they’re doing, or why they are the way they are, because it gives that character a chance to grow.
Everyone has their own style. As mentioned before, posts do not have to be long to be good posts. They just need to do enough to progress the story or character development. Here are some examples of story progression posts.
Submitted by Rae
Sometimes characters walk away, and while it’s annoying if they do it all the time, it is wired in some people’s personalities to be solitary. Just following them isn’t enough—give them a reason to acknowledge you once you have. It keeps the story from dying out right there.
Submitted by KC
This post is short, and not much happens, but it creates interest and a level of curiosity that helps the story progress.
Now here are some examples of character development posts.
Submitted by AnimalityOpera
Gives a good look into pattern of speech, personality, and even nationality with the second language thrown in.
Submitted by Cabbage
This post gives a good look into character personality, but as a second post, never directly responds to the original post. In fact, it hardly seems to acknowledge it beyond saying grass. However, if more posts had this type of insight into the thought process of the character it would help the characters feel more real and relatable, thus making the stories more interesting, now that we feel a connection to the characters, and therefore care about what is happening to them.
Please remember that none of the commentaries given here are rules, only observations, and some suggestions. Everyone makes good posts, and bad posts, but what we all need to work on keeping in mind is being thoughtful when we post. Don’t just throw something together and hit reply when you know you don’t have enough time to make a decent post. Wait, and come back later. Don’t’ post just to post—if you really have nothing to work with, ask the other person politely if they can alter or extend their own post so you have more to work with. It’s not rude to ask for a little more, as long as you’ve honestly made an effort to respond first, and found there just wasn’t enough information. <3
Posting Style
Opening Posts
Opening posts are the introduction, the first post to start off a roleplay. Obviously, they are very important - for setting the scene, introducing the character(s), and sometimes lending the roleplay a sense of atmosphere.
Good Example
Post submitted by AnimalityOpera
A nearly full moon cast light down on an empty village in the woods. It was a small settlement of just a few little homes, cottages, and shops, whose modest farms had been abandoned to grow on their own. Scattered crops still sprouted from the patches of fertile soil that had been gardens or miniscule fields. Most of the buildings were still in decent shape, though plants and animals had begun to overrun both their exterior and interior. Bats roosted in the attics and all manner of forest creatures scavenged through the innards of the houses and stores.
A white-haired child simultaneously stood out and seemed to fit in the ghost town. At a distance of indeterminable gender, the little boy shuffled across the dirt street with something in his arms. His snow-white hair, pale skin, and bright blue hoodie seemed to emanate a ghostly glow in the moonlight. He cradled a dark mass of feathers - what would appear to be a dead bird, until it lifted its head. The boy held a crow so big it looked like it might be heavy for him. The corvid glanced about rather nervously, its eyes shining an almost sinister navy when caught by the moonlight. The boy also held a small bag of something, clutched somewhat awkwardly in a hand that was also trying to support the bird in his arms.
Ekhosef was just about across the street when he stopped before the building he was headed for, a little cottage made of wood and stones with a front porch. The porch was adorned with a swinging chair, small table, and several hanging pots of overgrown flowers that now almost formed a curtain of vines around the porch - clearly once someone's pride and joy of their home.
He looked back, yellow eyes cautiously scanning the street he had come from. The crow in his arms opened its beak and, after a minute of gathering its voice, rasped a short, hoarse call. "Shhh," the boy hushed it. "What is it?" Ekho didn't see anything, but was wary after he felt the crow tense in his arms. He couldn't help but feel he was being watched.
Regardless, he continued up the porch and into the house. He made no move to turn on a light or even light a candle, perfectly comfortable in the darkness and scattered rays of moonlight. He sat in a chair beside a wooden table, setting his bird down in a makeshift nest of a felt blanket arranged on the table. "Kak. Kak, kak." The crow made quiet sounds, though it was difficult to tell if they were of contentment or discontent. The boy tore open the bag in his hand with his teeth, then taking out a strip of jerky. He ripped a little piece off and offered it to the bird. "You would heal faster in human form, Uncle..." He half-muttered quietly. But the crow gave no response, only snatching the offered jerky out of the boy's fingers and gulping it down.
The corvid's feathers rose in an aggressive gesture just a second before there was a creaking from the front porch. Ekhosef stood suddenly, yellow eyes fierce though not without a small amount of fear. "Who's there?" He called sternly, flexing clawed hands at his sides.
A white-haired child simultaneously stood out and seemed to fit in the ghost town. At a distance of indeterminable gender, the little boy shuffled across the dirt street with something in his arms. His snow-white hair, pale skin, and bright blue hoodie seemed to emanate a ghostly glow in the moonlight. He cradled a dark mass of feathers - what would appear to be a dead bird, until it lifted its head. The boy held a crow so big it looked like it might be heavy for him. The corvid glanced about rather nervously, its eyes shining an almost sinister navy when caught by the moonlight. The boy also held a small bag of something, clutched somewhat awkwardly in a hand that was also trying to support the bird in his arms.
Ekhosef was just about across the street when he stopped before the building he was headed for, a little cottage made of wood and stones with a front porch. The porch was adorned with a swinging chair, small table, and several hanging pots of overgrown flowers that now almost formed a curtain of vines around the porch - clearly once someone's pride and joy of their home.
He looked back, yellow eyes cautiously scanning the street he had come from. The crow in his arms opened its beak and, after a minute of gathering its voice, rasped a short, hoarse call. "Shhh," the boy hushed it. "What is it?" Ekho didn't see anything, but was wary after he felt the crow tense in his arms. He couldn't help but feel he was being watched.
Regardless, he continued up the porch and into the house. He made no move to turn on a light or even light a candle, perfectly comfortable in the darkness and scattered rays of moonlight. He sat in a chair beside a wooden table, setting his bird down in a makeshift nest of a felt blanket arranged on the table. "Kak. Kak, kak." The crow made quiet sounds, though it was difficult to tell if they were of contentment or discontent. The boy tore open the bag in his hand with his teeth, then taking out a strip of jerky. He ripped a little piece off and offered it to the bird. "You would heal faster in human form, Uncle..." He half-muttered quietly. But the crow gave no response, only snatching the offered jerky out of the boy's fingers and gulping it down.
The corvid's feathers rose in an aggressive gesture just a second before there was a creaking from the front porch. Ekhosef stood suddenly, yellow eyes fierce though not without a small amount of fear. "Who's there?" He called sternly, flexing clawed hands at his sides.
This post does several very important things to get a good roleplay started. It sets the scene gives you a time of day introduces the characters with enough detail to know what they’re doing, or how they could be approached, and it openly encourages a second post with the ending. That’s probably the most important part, is leaving an open-end so that other people can actually respond and join in. Posts do not have to be long to be good, but they do need to have the right information in them to encourage following posts.
Bad Example
Post submitted by Rae
Christiana sighed, watching steam from her cup of hot tea twirling up in front of her face. The phone had been ringing on and off for nearly two hours. In fact, the calls were so constant that the ringing sound had become a muted, background hum to her ears. Occasionally there was a knock at the door...a violent knock, at that. Sometimes she would hear the windows rattle, but all the blinds were shut. She was sitting in the light of one little lamp above the small kitchen table of her home. She grumbled, taking a sip of tea before she set the cup down.
After another moment of silence, the phone rang again. Irritated, she let her face fall forward and thunk against the table. All it had taken was one person recognizing her in the grocery store, and now they had her phone number and address. If she ever got her hands on that rat, she was going to strangle him.
The sudden sound of music caught her attention, and she sat up, staring off down the hall toward the living room. Was that...the Brother Bear soundtrack? She crinkled her nose, and stood. Christiana did not remember ever taking that out of the case. She rounded the corner, and spotted what appeared to be the ghost of a small girl sitting on the floor in front of the stereo. The girl turned to look at her, and Christiana gave a two finger wave before sitting down next to her, curious.
"You like this song...?" the girl nodded, and Christiana did the same, "Me too.."
After another moment of silence, the phone rang again. Irritated, she let her face fall forward and thunk against the table. All it had taken was one person recognizing her in the grocery store, and now they had her phone number and address. If she ever got her hands on that rat, she was going to strangle him.
The sudden sound of music caught her attention, and she sat up, staring off down the hall toward the living room. Was that...the Brother Bear soundtrack? She crinkled her nose, and stood. Christiana did not remember ever taking that out of the case. She rounded the corner, and spotted what appeared to be the ghost of a small girl sitting on the floor in front of the stereo. The girl turned to look at her, and Christiana gave a two finger wave before sitting down next to her, curious.
"You like this song...?" the girl nodded, and Christiana did the same, "Me too.."
This is not a good intro post. As a post itself, it’s not bad, but the choice of setting is very poor. She’s isolated in her house, and it does not leave much room for other characters to interact with her unless they break in. It should have been continued with her moving outside into an area where others can more easily access her.
First Responders
Responses to the first post are almost as important as the first post itself. They determine whether or not the original poster’s inspiration is maintained, or completely snuffed out. They also determine whether or not any plot is allowed to develop further.
Good Examples
Submitted by KC
From down below Corbin would just look like an odd shaped bird as she flew towards the town. Her jacket was tied around her waist so she could use her feathery wings, and her backpack was dangling from her hands. The sunglasses she normally wore were not on her face at the moment, because most people thought it odd when she wore them at night.
She was soon above the town, and began to circle above. It didn't look like anyone lived there, but she couldn't be sure and continued to fly in circles. After a few minutes of waiting, she spotted a white haired individual. Interested, she watched it move from one side of the street to the other. She kept well above the boy, tilting her head curiously when she saw something black move in his arms. Her eyes continued to follow him until he entered a small building that might have once been a home. She bit her lip, attempting to decide weather to land or not. She was hungry, and had forgotten to pack herself food. Of course she should have remembered to bring food of all things, but she had been in a hurry to get out of town for a few days and it had slipped her mind. With a quiet sigh, she made her decision and glided down to the porch.
Corbin landed in front of the house, just steps away from the porch. She quickly folded her wings on her pack and slipped into her jacket to hide them before throwing her backpack quietly over her shoulder, flinching as the keychains made quite clinking noises. The figure she had seen enter the house hadn't seemed to have heard, so she slowly and cautiously walked onto the porch. Everything was alright until she took her third step and it creaked loudly. Hearing a call of, "Who's there?" she bit her lip. A few seconds later she replied to the voice. "A person." Well that was the most creative response ever... she thought as she looked at the door, half expecting to see something that wanted to eat her.
She was soon above the town, and began to circle above. It didn't look like anyone lived there, but she couldn't be sure and continued to fly in circles. After a few minutes of waiting, she spotted a white haired individual. Interested, she watched it move from one side of the street to the other. She kept well above the boy, tilting her head curiously when she saw something black move in his arms. Her eyes continued to follow him until he entered a small building that might have once been a home. She bit her lip, attempting to decide weather to land or not. She was hungry, and had forgotten to pack herself food. Of course she should have remembered to bring food of all things, but she had been in a hurry to get out of town for a few days and it had slipped her mind. With a quiet sigh, she made her decision and glided down to the porch.
Corbin landed in front of the house, just steps away from the porch. She quickly folded her wings on her pack and slipped into her jacket to hide them before throwing her backpack quietly over her shoulder, flinching as the keychains made quite clinking noises. The figure she had seen enter the house hadn't seemed to have heard, so she slowly and cautiously walked onto the porch. Everything was alright until she took her third step and it creaked loudly. Hearing a call of, "Who's there?" she bit her lip. A few seconds later she replied to the voice. "A person." Well that was the most creative response ever... she thought as she looked at the door, half expecting to see something that wanted to eat her.
This is a very good second response, as it establishes the character in the previously described setting, which proves the second poster paid attention to detail in the original post. It’s always nice to see someone took the time to carefully read everything, and understands what they are walking into with their own character. Not only that, she directly responds to the prompt presented in the original post, also leaving her ending open for others to continue.
Another good example submitted by AnimalityOpera,
"Mr. Breaj, do you ever sit around and watch people?" The small voice of a little girl inquires.
"I am always watching people," a boy answers softly. His enunciation has an unusual distinction to it for a six-year-old. "I'm really observant. You are too, I can tell."
"Heehee. I guess I am. Can you tell a lot about people just by looking at them?"
"Oh, yes. The clothes they wear. The look on their face, or in their eyes. What they do with their hands. How much they fix their hair. It all says something about a person."
"Yeah," the girl agrees. She swings her legs as she sits, her feet not reaching the ground from the park bench the two are sitting on. Her bright blue eyes, nearly the color of the sky, drift from person to person as park-goers pass by. Strangers passing a little girl on a bench, oblivious to the dark-haired boy beside her.
His deep scarlet eyes are glazed. The thing of nightmares, the dark figure that dares to take the form of a slender, messy-haired young man, weaves between people in an eerie dance. He strides forward, and as someone approaches, waits until they're within an inch before twirling out of the way, arms spinning languidly around him like a doll's. But nobody sees him to give him funny looks. Fine by him. Devan had seen many a mocking eye sit open in the socket of a dead, blood-spattered face. A glistening prize for the first bird to notice it.
Passing a bench, the figure pauses. A man walking by, one of the few left in the park by now, bumps past, roughly pushing through his shoulder. "What the hell..?" He murmurs. He sees nothing when he glances back. Devan lifts and tilts his head to peer back at the man, the orange light of the setting sun catching the red glint in his dark eyes. But the man shakes off the unseen obstacle he seemed to have bumped into and keeps walking.
Devan turns his head further as if with the idea he is an owl, but soon his body is forced to swivel around also. He eyes the bench he had just passed, occupied by a sleepy-looking girl. He feels somehow drawn to this bench, and vaguely irked by the girl sitting there. A single brow pushes slightly downward to convey just a hint of confusion at these sensations.
"I am always watching people," a boy answers softly. His enunciation has an unusual distinction to it for a six-year-old. "I'm really observant. You are too, I can tell."
"Heehee. I guess I am. Can you tell a lot about people just by looking at them?"
"Oh, yes. The clothes they wear. The look on their face, or in their eyes. What they do with their hands. How much they fix their hair. It all says something about a person."
"Yeah," the girl agrees. She swings her legs as she sits, her feet not reaching the ground from the park bench the two are sitting on. Her bright blue eyes, nearly the color of the sky, drift from person to person as park-goers pass by. Strangers passing a little girl on a bench, oblivious to the dark-haired boy beside her.
His deep scarlet eyes are glazed. The thing of nightmares, the dark figure that dares to take the form of a slender, messy-haired young man, weaves between people in an eerie dance. He strides forward, and as someone approaches, waits until they're within an inch before twirling out of the way, arms spinning languidly around him like a doll's. But nobody sees him to give him funny looks. Fine by him. Devan had seen many a mocking eye sit open in the socket of a dead, blood-spattered face. A glistening prize for the first bird to notice it.
Passing a bench, the figure pauses. A man walking by, one of the few left in the park by now, bumps past, roughly pushing through his shoulder. "What the hell..?" He murmurs. He sees nothing when he glances back. Devan lifts and tilts his head to peer back at the man, the orange light of the setting sun catching the red glint in his dark eyes. But the man shakes off the unseen obstacle he seemed to have bumped into and keeps walking.
Devan turns his head further as if with the idea he is an owl, but soon his body is forced to swivel around also. He eyes the bench he had just passed, occupied by a sleepy-looking girl. He feels somehow drawn to this bench, and vaguely irked by the girl sitting there. A single brow pushes slightly downward to convey just a hint of confusion at these sensations.
This is an example where the characters don’t notice each other right away, and don’t even react immediately. It’s still good, though, because it introduces the character—even going so far as to take a look at his past and state of mind—while acknowledging the setting and activity level of the first post. The important thing about this post, though, is that there is acknowledgement of the other character present. If you go on forever, five or six posts, and you still haven’t run into each other yet, you’re just wasting posting space. This gets to the point without losing any of its mystery.
Bad Examples
Submitted by KC
Fenzi stayed near the truck, not wanting to scare anyone like he often did. He watched his friends go up to the door, while Anton's german sheperd Duke sat with him.
Anton walked close to Viv, attempting to make his eyes lighter but failing to do so. He could feel Hannah behind them and Trixi with her, but didn't look at them.
Anton walked close to Viv, attempting to make his eyes lighter but failing to do so. He could feel Hannah behind them and Trixi with her, but didn't look at them.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with the construction of this post. It’s just unnecessary. It’s called a status-post. All you’re doing is telling. Nothing important is done by making this post, and the story would have flowed the same with or without it. Try to avoid these, or, pick an important point and expand on it so that it makes the post important to either the story or character development. For example, it’s fantastic that she notes Anton’s eye color. It makes us curious—it makes us wonder what the significance of his eyes are. Even if we read the character profile, it’s important to mention things in your posts. Like, your character’s thought process, and why they are doing what they’re doing, or why they are the way they are, because it gives that character a chance to grow.
General Postage
Everyone has their own style. As mentioned before, posts do not have to be long to be good posts. They just need to do enough to progress the story or character development. Here are some examples of story progression posts.
Submitted by Rae
Though she had seen a few strange things here and there throughout her life, Zinnia had never quite come across someone with wings like Janice. Curious, she followed after her, once again folding her hands behind her back.
"My name is Zinnia.”
"My name is Zinnia.”
Sometimes characters walk away, and while it’s annoying if they do it all the time, it is wired in some people’s personalities to be solitary. Just following them isn’t enough—give them a reason to acknowledge you once you have. It keeps the story from dying out right there.
Submitted by KC
Janice was looking at the ground when she suddenly stopped walking, kneeling down for a moment to grab a small rock before standing again. She put the rock into one of her pockets and continued walking.
This post is short, and not much happens, but it creates interest and a level of curiosity that helps the story progress.
Now here are some examples of character development posts.
Submitted by AnimalityOpera
"Daisuke... Katsuo?" He said the name slowly to parrot its pronunciation. "Who is that?" He frowned, his eyes widening. "Shhhhh! Don't give him... s-suggestions!" He glanced about nervously as if checking for the spirit. "That spirit is full of hate, strong hate. He's been hurting a lot of people in his search for.. Daisuke Katsuo. Vhatever that spirit vants vith him, I am.. confident it's nothing gut," he said in a hushed tone.
She introduced herself. "Christiana..." He repeated this name slowly, too. It had a strange combination of sounds in it. "Hmm", he thought for a moment. "Last I remember, I vas at a little.. ah.. church, quite a vays from the city." A slight scowl crept into his face. "I vas in the middle of something, too. Das Waschbären ist vermutlich Verrotten auf dem Boden.... wenn sie nicht von Maden gegessen," he grumbled.
She introduced herself. "Christiana..." He repeated this name slowly, too. It had a strange combination of sounds in it. "Hmm", he thought for a moment. "Last I remember, I vas at a little.. ah.. church, quite a vays from the city." A slight scowl crept into his face. "I vas in the middle of something, too. Das Waschbären ist vermutlich Verrotten auf dem Boden.... wenn sie nicht von Maden gegessen," he grumbled.
Gives a good look into pattern of speech, personality, and even nationality with the second language thrown in.
Submitted by Cabbage
Hunter yawned as he looked around. He had to admit it now. He was lost. He held up the paper that he had been relying on but couldn't see the writing. He tilted it to try to use the sliver of a moon as a light, but there just wasn't enough. He sighed and stuffed the paper into his small pack. He looked around. He was in the middle of nowhere. Just grass and weeds and grass and more weeds. He sighed and luckily heard the sound of running water. After a couple seconds of self infliction he decided it was to his right and he tiredly strode to it. He had been correct and after a drink out of his cupped hands, which made the top of his shirt soaking wet and did not in the slightest help against the harsh night wind, he laid down. He used his pack, filled with the paper a box with a present and a single apple, as a pillow. It was frightfully uncomfortable but it would have to work. He lay awake for awhile, trying to decide on what he was going to do in the morning. Though he'd kept the paper, he doubted it would do much help. He rolled on his side and yawned. He could always just follow the stream. Water generally lead places.
This post gives a good look into character personality, but as a second post, never directly responds to the original post. In fact, it hardly seems to acknowledge it beyond saying grass. However, if more posts had this type of insight into the thought process of the character it would help the characters feel more real and relatable, thus making the stories more interesting, now that we feel a connection to the characters, and therefore care about what is happening to them.
Please remember that none of the commentaries given here are rules, only observations, and some suggestions. Everyone makes good posts, and bad posts, but what we all need to work on keeping in mind is being thoughtful when we post. Don’t just throw something together and hit reply when you know you don’t have enough time to make a decent post. Wait, and come back later. Don’t’ post just to post—if you really have nothing to work with, ask the other person politely if they can alter or extend their own post so you have more to work with. It’s not rude to ask for a little more, as long as you’ve honestly made an effort to respond first, and found there just wasn’t enough information. <3