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What makes a 'good' rp partner for you?

M

Mummysgoodboy

Meteorite
Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Just what it says on the tin ;-) What key attributes do you look for in your ideal RP partner?

For me, I need someone who is creative, articulate yet also lighthearted and not afraid to joke a bit - even in the midst of an intense sex scene! Open mindedness is key as well - I want to establish trust and explore boundaries on the basis of that trust.

What do you say, Blue Moon?
 
Limits respect is one of the most important characteristics an ideal or any good partner should have. Friendliness and OOC chatter is incredibly welcome too!
 
Oh great question.

I wonder how many times 'communication skills' are going to crop up here.

For me, communication above all else. Tell me if you want to move a scene along. Tell me what's good, what's bad, what we can write differently (or next!) Tell me what inspires you, toss me fanart (if we are writing fandom), or just general shenanigans. Plot with me!

Also, being able to write the following keywords with really beautiful prose: kitsune, fun & sexy, 🍑!!!

sorry not sorry
 
Can be boiled down to a few things really, if a partner has all of these, then I consider them a good partner.

Communication: It's already been said so let's get it out of the way, this one is important. Tell me when something is wrong, tell me if there is something you'd like in the story, tell me if I need to change something or if I made a mistake. Talk to me, it helps!

Patience: Sometimes I will get your reply to you fast, sometimes I will be busy even if I'm on the site. Making me feel that I have to reply now is no good, won't serve either of us. Have patience with me and I'll have patience with you and we will be just fine.

Creativity: Nothing can feel more exhausting than the feeling you're the only one driving the plot and/or coming up with ideas. If you have nothing to add and are just along for the ride I'm sure it can feel fine but it can be quite draining. I'm sure some don't mind, but I'm here to collaborate, I want and need your input for this to work.

Don't be a cunt: I dislike rude people. You don't have to be super chatty, it's nice but not a requirement for us to write well together, but if you're snarky and passive-aggressive then I'll be ending it rather quickly. This category holds a special award for those that try to jarringly pull the RP in a different direction from where it is going because they want something that isn't happening naturally, try to manipulate your character into a situation you clearly don't want them in or ignores what you write if it isn't exactly what they wanted to read. It's a collaboration, we write together, I am not there to service your RP.
 
Flexibility, collaboration and communication skills. All things I work on myself but also look for in partners. I like a partner that brings ideas to the plot, is willing to explore a bit with our character dynamics and development but also isn't trying to push me into something I don't want to do. I've also found a bit of a pet peeve with grammar, mistakes happen and we all goof here and there but when it gets hard to understand what your partner is writing it can be difficult.
 
I basically echo the same points as the people who replied before me, but:

Communication: Is the most important thing for me if I'd have to pick one. From creating characters and throwing ideas around to being upfront with problems in the play and willingness to solve them together is something I appreciate a lot. Or if all else fails a partner who can be upfront and drop-out of the RP if they don't want to continue is a good quality in my eyes

Also something that I've noticed is that regular OOC chit-chat also helps to contribute to the play, even if not directly related to it. If the OOC is going smoothly then it more often than not contributes RP going smoothly based on my experience.

Patience: I'm not the fastest with my RP replies, and I never want to be pressured to reply. I want all my partners to understand this, and a good partner in my opinion is someone who respect the chill pace we will have.

Creativity/eagerness: Nothing kills my interest to the play or planning than a partner who doesn't contribute. You definitely don't have to be hype-beast about the RP we are going to play, but for example when you compare a starter post that just says "Hey. Want to RP?" to a starter where partner clearly introduces themselves, tells what they are looking for, and possibly go over their kinks, limits and ideas that caught their interest you clearly notice which one of them seems more eager to play and collaborate with you and usually gives a good picture if we are a good match or not.

So ability to drive the plot and bring own ideas to the table whether it's in planning or playing-phase is something thatsomeone who I consider a good partner would have.

Respecting limits: I am fairly limitless roleplayer when it comes to setups, kinks and whatnot, but this does not mean I'm 100% limitless, or that I don't have cravings and preferences. Partner who takes these into consideration and at the very least don't intrude to my few hard no's is something that makes a good partner in my books.
 
I don't mind taking over when it comes to writing or doing the heavy lifting in plotting in a story. In that way, I'm not terribly picky. Mostly, I look for personality compatibility.

Articulate and emotionally stable. I like to feel like they're in charge of themselves, confident, and with a mature, balanced, and healthy view on life. Someone who is very laidback in tone and demeanor while also being open and friendly. I like them to be responsive to my ideas but also patient and casual as far as conversation and plotting OOC goes.

Some highlights might be a sort of dark/sadistic edge to their storytelling ideas(nothing too twisted but on the same wavelength as me when it comes to darker rp themes and torturing our characters through angst), and a willingness to gush over current dynamics/future plans without getting lost in over plotting. I like people who are simply fun to write with without making this hobby their entire life.
 
Knowledge, creativity, and the ability to write.

My ideal partner knows about the topics they are writing about. I don't have to roll my eyes as they get ideas and concepts entirely wrong, yet their character is supposed to be an expert. I don't expect my partners to be experts, but at the very least they should have a basic idea of how things work. This idea of knowledge extends to literary concepts like characterization and other good narrative tools.

I very much prefer a partner that has the ability to be creative. I'm not suggesting they have the most original ideas in the world, but have the ability to actually come up with sensible and reasonable story beats and character traits.

Lastly, and just as important, is the ability to write. This doesn't just encompass the idea that my partner can string together sentences of words. Many people can describe things and write out actions. What I'm looking for is someone that knows how to write a good story. I'm interested in people that know how to translate the plot and story beats into something worth reading.

When all of these things come together, even to less than ideal degrees, you have someone that can really give you a good experience. This is a person that isn't afraid to tell a story, and knows that conflict can be a good thing. They're someone that allows tension to build, and knows that problems shouldn't be solved in a single post. They know that characters can disagree and have fights. They also know that sometimes their moody and miserable character has things outside of the bedroom that gives them joy. A good partner knows how to tell a story.

A good partner is hard to find.
 
There are lots of aspects of being a 'good' RP partner, imo. However, one of the things that's important is to not treat your partners as basically your beck and call. I know the thrill of being engaging and having lots of fun in an RP, but that doesn't mean it's okay to be entitled about nagging your partners to post/reply whenever you want them to constantly.

Had a partner that was like this with me, and I think this is something to be mindful of as it's a habit anyone can easily slip into.
 
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