RP Funk

[Firm Master]

Anyone else go through this? I've just been feeling like crap about RPing lately. I don't really want to reply to some, I've gotten rather irritable about others (particularly when I'm asked about things that I don't want to do), and even RPs that I honestly love, I just can't seem to find myself really getting excited about hopping into them right now.

I'm suspecting it's more to do with a good bit of schoolwork that piled on me last week and spilled over a little into this week. I'm also suspecting that some minor annoyances at home have helped contribute as well (for one, I had to wipe my computer recently). On the other hand, I do go to another website to RP and suddenly I'm getting tons of horrible, horrible people there and think that's dragging my mood down as well.

So yeah, anyone else go through this sort of thing? I'm thinking I need to sit out for a few days, but my first thought is that I need to RP when I stop, lol.

 

[PredatoryFantasia]

I have gone through this several times in the past. It tends to come and go with my depression and I have found out that if you have just one good partner playing just one good story with you then even when you need to 'sit out' on others, that one will always keep you coming back and inspire you to return to the less inspired stories.

My best advise - Sit back and don't start anything new while you look for that one golden RP. Then take the time to look for some other stories to develop and play on the side. Dedicate equal time to all of your partner's, of course, and give them all the respect of your best effort.

One good RP can end a funk as easily as a bunch of bad ones can start it.

 

[Ms_Muffintops]

I think we all do. I'm going through one right now, and I feel bad because I have certain individuals an certain RPs whom I love to roleplay with, but I just can't get anything out

 

[Rudolph Quin]

Usually, when I reread the role-plays old posts, I'm able to remember what got me hooked and excited in the first place and return to that fervor. If it doesn't work - like, if I have a particularly negative reaction when rereading old posts - then it usually means it's dead and I abandon ship.

Another thing I've found that helps is if you've over plotted with your partner, abandoning a story direction can give the story new blood. I've found that mutually planning the story with my partners acts as a tourniquet that I don't realize is there because I can't feel it, until we've planned so far ahead that I look over and the role-play's limb is completely black and slimy. Try keeping secrets and allowing some individual control to enter the scenes without needing to consult each other on every idea. Might make for a change of pace and keep you both on your toes, guessing and trying to anticipate the other person's reactions and moves.

I've never experienced success while "waiting" for inspiration to strike me(6 months of sitting on my ass and doing nothing but playing video games and watching movies before the urge to write/draw finally hits me again, is not success. Not when you want to be into it right now and you have role-play partners waiting). The Muse is a hot bitch you gotta chase. Sometimes, forcing yourself to sit down and just write down the stupidest shit your character could say, even if you don't post it in the final IC thread, it can get you on the path to thinking and feeling originality. I've giggled myself into inspiration before. There are ideas in there. Telling yourself that they're not is what makes them inaccessible. The Muse is a fertile and enticing lover and she wants you to pursue and then fuck the shit out of her. But at some point, you gotta do a little work, because she's a tease and likes to keep things interesting. But she wants it! Believe me. Ohhh, yeah, she wants it bad...

 

[PredatoryFantasia]

Another suggestion might be to just read through random threads here on the site. Sometimes, I pull inspiration and fervor from other people's work. I don't take their ideas and make them my own roleplay stories or anything, but sometimes when you see someone else having fun doing something, it make you want to do that same thing all the more.

 

[Ms_Muffintops]

I feel awkward reading other peoples threads. I'll read posts when seeing what a potential RP partner writes like, but I dunno, I don't like reading other peoples stuff lol.

Sometimes it just isn't there. Life and other things occupy our mind and leave little drive to do anything creatively. Everyone varies.

 

[MasterOfWhispers]

My primary problem at the moment is finding a partner who doesn't ditch me after I do an opening post. Still holding out hope though. There are also some rps where I know in my heart are really good and have the potential to be long runners but I myself can't really get any more posts in because of riders block. Worst case scenario is real life interference.

 

[PredatoryFantasia]

My primary problem at the moment is finding a partner who doesn't ditch me after I do an opening post. Still holding out hope though. There are also some rps where I know in my heart are really good and have the potential to be long runners but I myself can't really get any more posts in because of riders block. Worst case scenario is real life interference.

Currently having this problem myself with on of my RPs.

 

[Calyx The Neko]

I’m in something almost along those lines at the moment. The first one I thought ditched but ‘appeared’ again with a post. The other all was going well then??? So I’m hoping to change that average here. What is horrible though is when someone goes ‘poof’ that tends to make you a little less enthusiastic about resuming. Who wants to get the momentum started just to have the same thing happen again?

But you know what MasterofWhispers as far as “…the writers block or real life interference…” I’m the type of RPer I understand stuff happens but I would prefer the person to say, ‘I have writers block let’s put this on Hiatus’ or something to that affect. Then it’s a win/win. I know I didn’t get ditched and that I have another RP that I’m in the thick of waiting in the wings.

Be well…
Calyx