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batman4560

batman4560

Her Bat
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Ive recently moved on from one line roleplays to doing about a paragraph but I find that most can do two to five. I really want to get to that level and was wondering if anyone could offer advice on this?
 
Oh oh oh I can I can pick me pick me!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I like to expand on what the other person did... for example if I caved in the ground under you you'd naturally didn't know what happened until the ground came from under you right? So....

what were you doing prior to that... (one paragraph)

Expressions about the cave in... was it an explosion? Dirt fall... did it hurt (1 paragraph)

How did you react to said falling (i.e how did you fall and where 1 paragraph)

Who did it where they were and what they looked like (a couple of sentences)

see 3 paragraphs easy. Also remember a paragraph is 5-10 sentences. Elaboration and Detail LOOOOVE DETAIL
 
When you're thinking about what you're saying and what's happening next in the arc, visualize it. Imagine you're seeing it happen, and call on the details like you're describing something happening in front of you. It also helps to really put yourself in the situation and think what you're feeling or what's going through your mind as it happens.

Something like "I felt him hit me, and I fell" can turn into "The blow struck me in the shoulder. An immediate shot of pain had my mind reeling just as my body spun from the blow. I landed face first, tasting the dirt."

It's also good to read a lot of fiction. It helps you find new ways to describe and elaborate on things.
 
Honestly it comes easier to some than others, but the key is for you to be patient and stop to think about what you're writing. Don't just write that something happened, write about how it made your character feel, what was going through his mind when that happened, how it affected him as it happened, what affects him after it happened.

A small line about you getting punched, could turn into a paragraph on it's own if you just keep stretching it and stretching it until you milk all the details out.
 
Rave said:
Honestly it comes easier to some than others, but the key is for you to be patient and stop to think about what you're writing. Don't just write that something happened, write about how it made your character feel, what was going through his mind when that happened, how it affected him as it happened, what affects him after it happened.

A small line about you getting punched, could turn into a paragraph on it's own if you just keep stretching it and stretching it until you milk all the details out.
Click to expand...

Touche, very well typed out. If you search most of my threads and/or posts, that's how a majority of my own posts are also. Because I include thoughts and reactions to certain things happening to my characters -- intimate or not. Feel free to glance at my posts and see for yourself .. and if that helps out any.
 
I suppose I'm in the minority, but I pretty much always felt that quantity never meant quality. For writing (as in not roleplaying) it's a little bit different, but if you put down a lot of detail it also slows down your post and could ruin aspects that you're trying to imply. Descriptors are also very good for that kind of thing, if something is happening fast...don't make it a long read. Drawing out detail for details sake is probably one of the reasons I don't roleplay much on here, a some people have length requirements that I just don't enjoy being settled into. A good roleplayer doesn't need massive posts, roleplaying is an experience between two people that I don't think should really be labeled for length...but it should be labeled for characterization, growth and things that make a story good.

But just my opinion, I'm not saying large posts can't be quality...but assuming that quantity makes someone a better roleplayer than someone who doesn't is a little silly to me.
 
I agree with what Broomhandle45 has to say.

Before I came to join this site, I thought up the following: If the content is sufficient, then the length will be sufficient. What I mean is that one should work on creating compelling, interesting, purposeful content before length. You can stretch, and squeeze, and milk your paragraphs for all they are worth, but what you have left is a long-winded, bloated read. Instead focus on making a post that deals with the situation at hand, that reveals what needs to be revealed, and moves that narrative forward in an interesting, or even obvious, direction.

The usage of descriptors are in fact very important, but they should not rule your post. They should set the scene, provide characterization, and give important information. To do this every single post becomes redundant. You can only describe the room so many times, and you reminding the reader that your character is smiling every other sentence insults the reader's memory and/or intelligence. A character that switches emotions from paragraph to paragraph is in a rather manic state, and can be hard to believe. This is where pacing comes into play.

Your pacing will dictate the length of your post, and the flow of the narrative. Your opening posts, in any one scene or new situation, should be among the longer of the collective of posts that you will make during any one role-play. As mentioned above, they will set the scene. You will use these posts to describe the environment, the situation at hand, the motivations of your character, and how they feel about where they are and what they are doing. After this post, you are likely to then change focus. Depending on the reply you receive, you may then focus on your partner's character. Your descriptions are going to focus on that character, and perhaps how your character feels about them. Another post in, and perhaps you have less to describe. You are now only writing about how the character might feel about what is being said, or an action taken by another character. What you are writing now is noticeably different than your opening post (for the scene or the entire role-play). It is perfectly reasonable for these posts to be much shorter in length.

Consider a real conversation. When speaking with someone, generally, it's a quick process; it's a back and forth exchange of information and ideas. Your focus is on what is being said, and what you are going to say in return. There is normally very little time for deep though, and introspection. Granted this may change, if the person I'm speaking to is particularly long winded. Consider the urge to internalize after a single, simple collection of words has been spoken to your character-- a simple sentence, or greeting. Is your character actually likely to think paragraphs worth of content? They'll end up just staring blankly at the person that greeted them, while making odd expressions and running through emotions. Oh, but perhaps the intention isn't to actually write about the character's current consciousness. In that case, why not use characterization to express those thoughts and feelings? Why tell your partner that your character finds their character to be a sex symbol, or the most frightening warrior ever? Instead, use characterization.

When writing, it takes a decent amount of skill to properly express your character by showing versus telling. It is not the easiest thing to do, but it is the most effective. A character cannot be mysterious when their thoughts, plans, and designs are laid out before my eyes. A seductive, sexy character is not sexy or seductive when I am merely told they are. A martial arts master is not a martial arts master, when you "tell" me they beat up the group of thugs hassling my character. You must show that they are what they are. You do this by considering an actor. What does an actor do to convey a character? They use posture, tone of voice, mood, and method of movement. You describe these things, and you do so in a clear, concise manner. If you delve heavily into the details of every action, then you dilute the significance of the important actions. Actions speak more loudly than words, and this is true even in text.

I'd like to mention that a paragraph is not any set length. A paragraph can be a single sentence, twenty, or more. It is only when you properly express your idea that you move onto a new paragraph (interesting literary devices aside). You should not move onto a paragraph only when you hit five, or six, or seven sentences. Length does not make interesting content, otherwise the dictionary would be a riveting read.
 
I should post on this since its been some time since I made this thread. I have, over the past few months noticed that I do have standards to my role plays now and understand that, while not asking for a book of text. I do want more than a few lines in a role play. If you can give me three complete sentences I will be happy. But I have also noticed my writing has improved.
 
Glad things are improving, Batman! Here comes some late advice anyway.

I usually write quite long posts, sometimes overly long ones, but then I also roleplay with people who write a lot. That gives me a lot to respond to, so my posts becomes long and that gives my partner a lot to respond to etc etc. It is a circle, vicious or virtuous depending on your preferences.

So if you try to write longer posts in a roleplay where you have been doing one liners for a long time and you find it hard to come up with something that is quite expected. Creating something out of nothing takes a lot! So my recommendation would be to search for partners that write about the length you want to write (or slightly longer) and let their inspiration help you.
 
I agree with the post above mine, my suggestion is to find a writer that will challenge you. There are some authors that will take a chance on a partner who is less experienced than them and wants to be better. When they give you more to work with you try to match their post length and depth. It is always fun to find someone who can challenge you, make you want to write better.
 
I often use this checklist I created from browsing the web, just picking out things from here and there and whabam!

• Did you describe where you are?
 Pick five things that stand out in the scene that appeal to the senses and create a general feeling.
• Did you talk to someone or to yourself (in your mind of course, unless you are crazy)?
• Did you use the five senses (possible six)?
 Sight - what do they see around them.
 Smell - sour milk in the fridge.
 Sound - include something from the setting.
 Taste - a mothers cooking, or tasting snow.
 Touch - painful or pleasurable, hot or cold (punched in the nose or cool side of the pillow).
• Did you mention what the character felt or thought?
 What did they like or hate?
• Did you include something from the characters back-story?
 A memory the character recalls
 Or the narrator mentioning something about their history
Click to expand...
 
I have been finding that writing about what my character feels and thinks in regards to the situation and what the other other characters are saying and doing to be quite useful, not just to build a story but it also is a way to communicate with my RP partner, perhaps either by dropping hints or just to make my character seem more real, nothing worse then not caring about the characters in an RP because you only see them as devices to torture or have sex with etc.
 
I think that one of the best pieces of advice I could give to anyone interested in being able to write more is from Niven's Laws for Writers; it is rule 5 from that list which can be found here.

If you've nothing to say, say it any way you like. Stylistic innovations, contorted story lines or none, exoticor genderless pronouns, internal inconsistencies, the recipe for preparing your lover as a cannibal banquet: feel free. If what you have to say is important and/or difficult to follow, use the simplest language possible. If the reader doesn't get it then, let it not be your fault.

Otherwise, I have seen a lot of good advice in this thread so far. A little innovation can go a long way. Creativity can turn a simple sentence into a novella.
 
I love all of these ideas and that checklist I am soooo stealing this.

Writing is what you make it... so make it your passion

If it is your passion it becomes something you want to improve and make better

If you make it better you learn to put all of your heart into what you do

When you put your heart in everything you do it becomes something you love

When you love something that you do... you always always give it your best

That is my advice.
 
Why thank you love.

I want to thank boredom

I want to thank the fact that I love writing

And I also want to thank you Batman for being my motivation at times.
 
To get longer lines in Roleplaying, i suggest taking the time to study, and think out how you want the situation to go, and every time try to increase the length. Push your self further and further.
 
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