How to translate my request thead & other tips.

[Melandrey]

Introduction and reason:​

I'm writing this here, mostly to link to in my signature, because I've had an increasingly lengthy run of RP partners who fail to meet what I consider the standards I set out on my threads, true, perhaps this is partly my fault for the following reason. The problem I have with request threads is that I do have rather strict (if not amazingly high) standards about who, what, and how I roleplay. Yet if I try to write all of this on my thread it makes me sound like a soulless bitch who only cares for grammar, rules and general bureaucratic nonsense.

So my solution? I'm going to write out a nicely detailed cheat sheet for how to translate what my request threads actually mean which I can link to in order to keep my threads neat and light in tone, while still having a visible and accurate representation of my roleplaying standards. On the off chance that anyone else finds this matches up with their own frustrations and preferences, then please, feel free to link to it as well as this is not intended to be something private. It will include notes on grammar, post length, content of writing and how to properly start a discussion about a roleplay.

A translation of 'my roleplay preferences' which I have on my thread.
​

First off and foremost, 'preferences' is a polite and less bitchy way of saying rules, so that does not mean that these things are open to discussion. Below is an expansion of the key points that I ask for in partners and an attempt to remove any ambiguity which might result in differing opinions.

1) Have good grammar and spelling.

Nobody is perfect and I do not expect you to be, nor do I assume that I am. However, there are hundreds of online spell checkers which are free to use, or you can even get one that is built in directly to your browser. So yes, the occasional misspelled word is fine, but frequent large errors are not.

As for grammar, this mostly relates to correct punctuation and capitalization. Again, if you forget to spell your characters name without a capital letter every now and again, not a problem. But failing to use commas, never starting sentences with capitals or massive sentences that go on forever with the use of commas are not acceptable. Again I shall point out that if you forget once in a while, it is not an issue, but if it happens frequently it will become a problem.

Also please check the correct usage of the words:

I/i (one is for speaking in first person singular, the other is the imaginary square route of -1)
There, Their and They're
Its and It's
a lot / alot (alot is not a word, would you type alittle or ayear? It's two separate words.)

2) Write “X” number of paragraphs per post

This is, by definition, an ambiguous term as a paragraph can be anywhere from a single compound sentence of 1-3 words, or upwards of two hundred words. As for what a paragraph actually is? Well, one is supposed to start a new paragraph each time the subject of discussion is changed in writing. However in a roleplaying context most people use it as a measurement of writing length, which given how changeable paragraphs can be is not terribly useful.

As such I'm offering the following tip: When I say paragraph, I mean in the region of 90-180 words which is regardless of what format they are in, on new lines, as many short, or a few long sentences.

3) Descriptive writing

Again this has varied degrees of what is actually considered acceptable for the term, so I am going to explain in bullet points what descriptive means to me. This is one of the most important things to me because detail is what you reply to in an RP, if I don't know what your character is doing or looks like... well, what chance have I got of replying to that properly?

> At some logical point summarise your character's appearance, or at least what is visible of it.
> Explain your character's thoughts and feelings, Make their speech match up, not 'said' every time.
> state what your character is wearing – make your partner undressing them easier.
> Facial expression – Smiling? Crying? Sitting there with a blank look because you forgot to say?
> Certain actions require more detail than others, for examples see the list below.

Doesn't need detail.

Does need detail.​

Sitting down in a chair.

Performing oral sex – which parts of the vagina, how fast, only tongue?​

Drying yourself getting out of the shower.

Penetrative sex – how hard, how fast, how deep?​

Getting dressed in the morning.

Undressing for a partner – quickly to start faster or a slow show?​

Scratching your balls (should never be included)

Orgasms – Moaning? How does it feel?
​

4) See my F-list for kinks!

Because I don't want to have to explain that, no, I'm not interested in water-sports to twenty different people individually! If it's in the no column just don't ask for it, if it's a 'maybe' then ask before trying to include it. If your partner has been smart enough to give you useful information like that then don't ignore it, at best it will make them think you're just not paying attention or didn't read the thread, at worst it could seem like you're trying to pressure them into something they don't want - which usually will just get you ignored.


5) Please let me know if you're going to be away

Scenario A – Telling me BEFORE you go away.

You: Hi Mel, I'm going to be away on holiday / because I'm ill / working for the next fortnight, would you mind putting the RP on pause for a while?

Me: Sure, no problem. Have fun on holiday / get well soon / hope work doesn't suck.

Scenario B – Telling me once you get back.

You: Hi Mel, sorry for the delay there, I just got super busy with work and being ill, can we pick up where we left off? (AKA - excuses)

Me: Sorry to hear that, but I'm afraid I thought you had dropped out and I have lost interest in the RP. This one is over but best wishes and good luck finding yourself a new partner!

How to start a discussion about an RP:​

> Start with Hi, Hello, Hey, nice to meet you or something along those lines – even if you put it in the subject line its better than nothing. This is a real person behind the screen, treat them like that and not a piece of meat. Better yet, use their name and show you haven't just copied out the same message to fifty people.

> Tell them what you are messaging them for. Did you see a plot you liked on their thread you'd like to talk about? Did you have an idea you wanted to put forwards of your own? Would you like to talk about the weather while taking naked pictures of yourself? How the hell are they supposed to know unless you tell them? This is something for the first message.

> Check that they are interested before drowning them in all of the details like your favourite kinks, what your character is going to look like, how many different colours the rope you're going to use to tie them down in is going to be. It also gives them more of a reason to message you back if they don't know everything.


> Sign the message with what you want to be called when out of character. If you have a username like “Ilovebuttsecks” I'm sure as hell not going to know what to call you. For all I know Ilovebuttsecks” is a really nice girl by the name of Tina who made a horrible drunken mistake on her  application form.

And thus ends Mel's first and probably not last rant thread​