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How would you describe your replying process?

Cupcakes4days

Cupcakes4days

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Jan 10, 2021
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I've seen similar topics - but maybe I just don't understand everyone's answers so thus I'm asking this my way.

But, I've always been curious on how the mind of rpers is. What is your process for replying? Strategies? How much is discussed how much is your own head plotting?

My answer:

Generally when the brainstorming starts off, and randomly through, there is a central goal/plot. Ok so each reply has even just a whisper or echo towards that end. But, I think of it as a chess game. We all know the rules that we are making for this story, it's pieces/move types/end goal. Even with that knowledge I want to surprise my co writer. Have a character preform a small or big action, say something, or write a description, to a certain end. Sometimes its cause I want a particular response back to reply to. Sometimes I just want to make my co writer smile or laugh. Sometimes I'm hoping to push buttons a little. Knowing what I want to see in their reply honestly determines how much of their actions I'm focused on replying back to vs just replying back with my own character's actions.
 
I mean, in an ideal world, I'd like to stay in touch OOC with my partners and discuss the scenes as they play out. Perhaps gush over them like fans? It doesn't happen a lot, but when someone does talk to me frequently via OOC, the story just becomes that much better. We keep our expectations aligned, there might still be surprises but they won't be nasty ones, etc. etc.

When it comes to the individual reply, I usually just read everything that someone wrote, pause to think about it (perhaps take a nap if it's a hard scene, it helps me think, lol), and then once I have an idea or a 'thread of logic' which the post will follow, I start writing. I do so in notepad usually. From this point onwards, I just kind of discover what happens as I write. Once I'm done writing, I copy-paste it into BM's editor and then edit it through. I'll clarify, shorten sentences, clean up, etc. If I'm really giving it my all, I'll go into every line and ask myself how I can make it pop more, how I can make it feel just a bit better, perhaps adding to the scene in the process. But it's rarely that I give an RP that much effort, to be honest.

Then, when the editing process is over, I hit send and hope I didn't spring too many nasty surprises for my partners, lol.

I don't really know in advance exactly what my plan or strategy is per say. I try to write what I think will be interesting to me and my partner, whatever that might be. To fulfill their expectations and have fun at the same time. And I undoubtedly fail at doing so from time to time, but such is life.
 
Laa said:
When it comes to the individual reply, I usually just read everything that someone wrote, pause to think about it (perhaps take a nap if it's a hard scene, it helps me think, lol), and then once I have an idea or a 'thread of logic' which the post will follow, I start writing. I do so in notepad usually. From this point onwards, I just kind of discover what happens as I write. Once I'm done writing, I copy-paste it into BM's editor and then edit it through. I'll clarify, shorten sentences, clean up, etc. If I'm really giving it my all, I'll go into every line and ask myself how I can make it pop more, how I can make it feel just a bit better, perhaps adding to the scene in the process. But it's rarely that I give an RP that much effort, to be honest.
Click to expand...

OMG! That is so organized....ya I am not that good on the editing side...I'm envious that you have the patience to take that much time. lol your co writers are lucky.

But, you are def write about the OCC. Not everyone's thing or good habit, but your right it tends to lead to good outcomes.
 
I mean... I'm describing my ideals and what I aim to do, not necessarily what always happens.

*cough*

There are times when I slack on the editing, and err, I apologize to my partners who've seen that, lol.
 
Laa said:
I mean... I'm describing my ideals and what I aim to do, not necessarily what always happens.

*cough*

There are times when I slack on the editing, and err, I apologize to my partners who've seen that, lol.
Click to expand...


lol no one is perfect. I get all excited and tend to shoot off so I warn all mine in the front end lol If you even take the time a quarter of it I think you deserve a big brownie plate! *presents brownie plate but steals a cherry blondie for self*
 
Hah, well, thank you! I shall be munching on this brownie while being overtly bitter at the missing cherry. :p
 
As a man only reacting to female request threads, and thus reacting on written out ideas, for me it's a matter of getting MC aligned with what is asked. But much more than a general outline, mainly to do with hard no's, I don't do and have never done in the 28 years I am involved in this fun. But when a play is agreed, plus limits, I usually write a starter.

I write and save all my plays in Word, I have two folders for that, one is called On-Going, the other Stopped. But I write my replies basically in one go, and very rarely edit what I've written. I will check for spelling mistakes, but that's it. I've never agreed a full play beforehand, it's usually always more of a let's see where it goes (but obviously taking care of limits, which is why I will regularly go back to the request thread or an F-list if available). I base my reply both on where I want to steer a play and what I am being given in a reply.

Unfortunately, it happens all too often that where I want to steer a play (heavily non-con) goes too far. Oh well.
 
It's a person by person case. I think the most common thing is I almost never rewrite posts. Unless I have to. And in those cases I generally feel like the rewrite is weaker than the orginal version that wasn't saved. But OOC, I like to think I'm pretty okay. I will admit I can be a bit brief OOC but it's mostly because I don't say more than I need to say.
 
I want to keep in touch and make sure we're on board with what happens. I rewrote only if I made a mistake, but this is super rare. I like an arc so it doesn't go weird. New ideas are welcome but not if it changes the heart of the matter.
 
I enjoy talking to my partners about RP developments as well as our personal lives sometimes. It keeps us going in the same direction... and if ideas hit us, we can discuss before introducing, as to better tailor the characters to that specific event. I do it all the time, usually extending an RP's longevity.
 
If we are talking about responding to an RP in play than I try and advance the plot a little by either adding some element to my character, fleshing them out a little etc or by having them do or say something that progresses it. I also always try and leave off in a way that is like a "cue" for my partner, something they can bounce off basically. Like a conversation where you have open and closed questions, open questions always allow for fuller answers.

If I think something new could be added or a slight shift in direction or what has previously been discussed I will talk about it OOC with my partner first.
 
I do like a certain degree of planning with a partner, for example, what type of plot we want to go for or characters we envision for said plot. I don't like planning out everything however. Brainstorming about scenes, what should happen in those scenes, or how characters may react in such situations. Too much plotting takes away from actually writing out everything. I always like having a decent beginning that way my partner and I can come up with ideas and other side plots to go along the way to whatever end goal we decide.

I usually come up with plot twists as I write. Like maybe my character isn't really as good as they portray themselves to be or an artifact the characters are searching for is something dangerous. Same thing with brainstorming, things I think up don't go too far ahead because something is likely to change. Most importantly, keeping in touch with my partner helps.
 
I generally tend to send feelers out from a middle point. I should gave started with i like hashing things out in ooc, but whatever lol. Being honest i tend to use ooc to get a feel for someone's level of enthusiasm. If i get a message from someone and they are super excited and have some kind of grandeur idea, then i tend to get very invested and excited!!

How my ooc chat goes usually sets my level of interest. Not even the story itself. Like man id rp going to the store and buying groceries with someone if they were enthusiastic and passionate about it. As for the erp side of things, i use ooc to set boundaries and whatnot, but i think mostly everyone uses it for that. But all in all i just really like getting to know someone prior. Idk why but i just love learning how someones mind works prior
 
IC, I usually start by drafting up an outline. I get an idea of what it is that I want to communicate with my post, and then I just write each paragraph according to plan. I make a few tweaks here and there, as one does, but I try not to get too lost in the details; I'm a perfectionist, so sometimes I can spend days writing & re-writing a single reply if I forget to check myself.

After I proof-read everything, I submit the finished result! Done.
 
I read the OOC first to see if anyone is raising "important considerations". Then I read the IC post and reply what that character(s) I control would do. That ties up with the previous part - if there is a clash with an OOC agreement, I find something else that the character (s) might plausibly do.
I hate going to the "find something else" stage, however. So the less time I spend on it, the better it is for the game.

I don't do elaborate planning other than that, though I usually edit the post to make it clearer where clarity would be desirable. Some IC developments might contradict that, though.
 
That's an interesting question. I admit I wing most of my RP after the start. I do like to plan stuff out, talk about the rough idea of the RP and plot, touch on kinks and other things one might should avoid or pay extra attention too.

With very good RPers I started to think about it more as I get more 'invested'. Plan plot points and get fun ideas where to move the character/story development
 
My replying process is not super complex but it's not really simple either. I'll read over my partners post a few times to make sure I have the gist of it. Next I usually make a draft or two of what I'd like to post, and then see what details feel undercooked or perhaps overdone in my post. My posts will usually see a good amount of revision. I have had posts that start out simple end up much more elaborate or completely redone, and likewise I've trimmed what I feel is a lot of unnecessary natter/fluff from a post, in order to shorten it and make it more snappy. When I feel most satisfied with a post, is when I decide to send it. Of course the second I send it I'll suddenly go 'Shit maybe I should have done X/Y/Z in my post...' but I try not to let that feeling be too overwhelming, since if I spent eternity fixing up every detail of a post to an absolutely 'perfect' level I'd never get anywhere.
 
My reply process is fighting that little voice in the back of my head that tells me to continue procrastinating because if I write it'll turn out to be shit, then listening to appropriate music for hours at a time as I produce the work. Visualize the scene, repeat the chosen dialogue several times in my head, then continue to write as much as possible. If I need a break, I try to hit 1k words before I stop.
 
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