About Narrative Styles and Metagaming

Hello! Lately I’ve been talking with one of my fun RP partners about the writing styles we use in our scene. Then I’ve looked up a bit and come across a blog which precisely categorize what I’ve been thinking about pretty point on. I’m not very experienced in RPing, so it was interesting to learn that the way I’ve been writing had an actual name or category of sorts. I couldn’t find that blog again, but will link to it if I can, although I’m sure it’s pretty common knowledge to the experienced players out there.

I’ve learnt that two common ways to write a post are using narrative and immersive styles. I guess what I do falls into the narrative style. It’s a bit hard to explain, but I usually write my posts as an all knowing narrator, while limiting MC’s dialogue and actions to what they know ICly. Though, that immersive style as it’s named, uses a more, well immersive approach, explaining things through what YC already knows, as in writing their inner thoughts. I admit, it’s more fun to read posts written that way for me. But sometimes it could also cause confusion. For example, in dub-con or non-con themed RPs, one can wrongly assume that when a character doesn’t like how things are going in a scene, it also means that its player also feels the same. Or worse, it could be the opposite. I know that can be easily prevented by a simple OOC message, but still.

One more thing, I also don’t like writing fighting scenes in a RP, or I can say I’m not good at it. Mostly because I can’t help but get afraid of godmodding. If I’m going to lose it, that’s ok, since in these terms, losing is pretty safe and easy, if that makes sense. And if MC somehow starts to gain the advantage unlike what’s planned, I usually hint at a weakness of hers to give an IC hint at my partner within the narration. Yeah, it breaks the immersion, but sets things back on track. Apparently, there’s a name for this as well. If I got it right, it’s called positive metagaming. I knew what metagaming was, and it being a no no in the community. Using OOC knowledge to your unfair advantage, not much different than godmodding really, which I too unfortunately suffered from in the past. But even godmodding can be necessary in some cases. Like, while doing scene transitions, assuming your partner’s character following yours. I don’t know if there is a term for it as well though, like positive godmodding, haha!

Anyway, I was wondering how the other users handle those situations. And their thoughts about positive metagaming and occasional godmodding to move the plot, and if those are even ok to do in a RP. And I’m also curious about people’s writing styles. Also, feel free to correct me at points I got wrong.

Thanks for this great topic!

I despise narrative writing. I've actually ended stories just because the writing was too narrative for my taste. "X did this, said this, then this thing happened, they responded by doing this, Y did this, X said that". It doesn't matter if you expand into details or try and set up the environment, it still reads like a crime report. The characters are reduced to tools that are impossible to relate to, the plot seems like a synopsis of an average movie. Its just so boring and non-immersive that I just can't handle them. I try to be as immersive as I can in my writing.

I've rarely done fighting scenes but I'd approach them the same way I approach dialogues. I agree to a specific outcome with my partner then we write towards that goal. Due to the nature of these things, I typically expect shorter posts. In the past, I've proposed to partners that we do all the dialogues in PMs first then we get to do portions of them in our posts so that I could write some of his lines and he gets to write some of mine. I don't mind relinquishing control of my characters in such instances. I value the fluidity of the story and it's progression in a reasonable pace. Having to build a post around a singular line my character says then waiting for a similarly written response is boring. The same mentality expands to fighting scenes. I don't mind it when my partner controls my character to facilitate a scene. My only red line is when that writing bypasses narration and wanders into the character building realm. (Say that Katie tried to resist your choke but don't say that she hated it).

Aww, thanks for responding

Yeah, did this, said that, afterwards went there kind of narration can be quite boring and uninteresting. Less action and more explanation is better I think. And I usually prefer slow paced scenes. I used to play RPs with much slower pace compared to now, trading a good amount of posts before MC even drops her underwear. But sometimes people get bored of it and stop responding, so I don’t do that anymore. I’ll give an nsfw example here, so hope that’s ok. Instead of reading specific measurements of the opposing character’s member, it’s more fun to figure that out by reading how much effort they spend while trying to fit it in or how strongly they need to pull MC in. Though, I admit, I like to describe that part myself too

Though what I’ve been trying to mean was different. Let’s say YC has two names X Y. ICly YC mentions her first name, but not the other. Then, some players don’t include the name their character hasn't heard yet in narration at all. While I, outside the dialogues, don’t mind using the second name. I mean it’s another pronoun. I usually try to avoid having two following sentences starting with a noun. Like if I write a sentence starting with “she,” that means the next one can’t have it at the start, or at least should have a different pronoun like ‘the blonde’ ‘uppity woman’ etc. I also try not to start a paragraph with a noun. If I can’t think of anything, I just put a dialogue at the start. I hope it didn’t feel like I’m trying to sound crafty or knowing, since I’d be the first one to object that.

Godmodding:
I am okay with a decent amount of Godmodding. If I can't trust a partner to guide my character to some extent, I am probably not a good match with them, writing wise. I tell all my partners that I prefer moving the story forward to having perfect control over over my character. Hell, I've given a few partners permission to write dialogue for my character, when appropriate. I've also done the thing Fruit mentioned, about pming dialogue to my partner a head of time, so we could work out how a conversation will go before the post is written.

I like to plot, and have a goal in mind to work towards in rp. This eliminates some of the godmodding stress, because if my partner and I agree on the direction we are going, it empowers me to lead things that way. So we usually know ahead of time the outcome of combat, and take turns striving towards that goal.

Metagaming:
I try to stay away from metagaming, and will even have my character reach erroneous conclusions at times, given her understanding of a situation. I will go to great length to justify knowledge my character has, if they aren't supposed to have it. Including writing a character to be basically Sherlock Holmes in her deductive prowess. I will admit to having less patience for metagaming over godmodding.

Amusingly, as part of a couple of my rps, I have dealt with situation of a character having multiple names, or disguising her identity, so that my partner's character only knows her by assumed name. Later, it ended up switching off, with him referring to her by her real name in my partners post, while my posts referred to her in the persona she had become.

Writing style:
Stylistically, I guess I am narrative writer? Not entirely sure I understand the differences. I tend to control more than just my own character when writing, and even on occasion write the thoughts and feelings for multiple characters in a scene. I have been accused of being more of a writer than an RPer, which I took to be a compliment. I definitely consider the bigger picture when writing, like character development, plot arcs, theme and plot devices, and I work well with others who consider these as well.

But I think I am also immersive. I get deep into a character's mindset and really explore their thought and feelings and thought process. Hell, I spent a weekend sobbing my eyes out because one of my favorite couples broke up in rp, because I felt her pain so strongly.

Consider the following two sentences:

He had a twelve inch cock.

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When she brushed against him, she could feel his thick organ throb against her thigh.

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The first is boring. It is straight up telling the information, in a rather vulgar way. It adds rather little to the scene.

The second tells much more information, in a more interesting way. While we don't have exact measurements, we have a general idea -large- in the reader's mind. This also shows the read the the male character is aroused by the female character, or is having a physical reaction, if not a mental one. It tells us the the characters are in close proximity and that they are rubbing up against another suggesting intimacy. This is establishing tension between them and developing their relationship. Showing is almost always more interesting than straight up telling.

Mmm, I wouldn’t like it if someone else writes MC’s dialogue. Occasional godmodding is fine by me as well though. And I think it’s necessary to move the plot sometimes, at least to move it faster. Even more so if I’m playing the down role. I mean how else can you tie someone up etc Oh, you’ve done the PMing the dialogues beforehand too? That’s the first time I hear something like that. Or more like the second time. I used to RP on somewhere else. It had this system as an option where you rolled dice and had to calculate all those numbers and points. I sucked at that too, but you didn’t have to think about possible godmodding or metagaming at least.

Yeah, writing multiple characters is a different thing. You need to be more narrative to do that I guess. I think it also depends on the domme and sub roles you play. While playing as a sub, I try to react to every event happening to MC, thus having longer replies. If MC has the top position, I usually go with a more narrative, safer approach, to make sure not to hit a wrong spot of my partner. It’s a bit hard to explain.

Yeah, the second quote sound better for sure. It’s not like you’re gonna make YC measure it or anything, haha!

Thanks for the input Hey, I just checked that resources link on your signature. That’s pretty useful! I wish I found it before. Would you consider adding something for eye colors too?

xanaphia said:

Not entirely sure I understand the differences.

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Well, you are writing a story. So you are narrating it. Its just that non-immersive posts feel like your being told what is happening in a step-by-step description. It barely expands on what the character is experiencing or what their inner thoughts/feelings are. Its just a narrative of the sequence of events that are unfolding. Main characters and sub-characters get the same treatment, its just that the main character gets featured more.

Adding in the five senses makes the whole thing more immersive. Continue expanding on the character's feelings and your post slowly changes from being blandly narrative to engaging and immersive. If the reader can relate to your character, its immersive.

Your first example is very narrative. The second one mentions how your character feels, and not fixate on how the cock is from an abstract, third person point of view. So its more immersive.

"She looked very sad" -> Narrative.
"She felt devastated, her heart was boiling with rage" -> Somewhat immersive.
"She glared at him with cold eyes. You fucking bastard, she thought as she fought the urge to punch his throat" -> Very immersive.

Physical description of a character is tricky in first person or with a very close third person narrator because people don't think about the essentials of their own bodies very much. I find that the best way to describe a character is through the eyes of another character (technically, a foil.)

Jack wiped steam from the mirror and saw his own hollow green eyes staring back at him.

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While that's not bad as far as it goes, it's very direct information dumping and it's unlikely that a character (a male character anyway - I won't speak for female characters) is going to notice his own eye color. He might notice if his eyes were hollower than usual, but he won't notice that his hair is black. A single sentence probably won't be a problem, but a bunch of sentences like that in a row will start to bang on your reader's eyes:

Jack wiped steam from the mirror and saw his own hollow green eyes staring back at him. His black hair dripped water onto his tanned features and he covered his face with his large, calloused hand.

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Mirrors are obvious and boring (reflections in general... you can't get away with using a store window to squirm around this.) They are necessary sometimes, but it's better if you can avoid them as a way to describe a character.

If you introduce a second character, the description can get much more interesting.

Jill pressed her own emerald earring into Jack's ear to match his eyes.

"You need sleep," she said, touching his cheek, her fingers porcelain against his bronze. She hoped that was all he needed. She resisted the temptation to sink her fingers into that black mop of his, and contented herself with running her fingers over his rough palm.

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An outside perspective makes your reader much more tolerant of information dumping, especially if you're making the descriptions do double duty by creating tension and hinting at conflict or desire.

In that little passage there are several techniques:
Comparison (emerald = eyes)
Contrast (porcelain fingers vs bronze cheek)
Suggestion ("you need sleep" = hollow eyes) This requires you to trust your reader to arrive at the visual you're after.
Negative Space (Jill not sinking her fingers into Jack's hair creates the actual texture and sensation of his hair in the reader's mind.)
Sensory Description ("rough palm" = callouses)

Some things don't need to be described at all. I don't think I've ever actually described penis length in an RP, and certainly not using inches or centimeters. The mood and texture of a cock is more interesting in a story than its size anyway- brooding, eager, serene, enraged, heavy, hard, silky, etc. And if you need to give a length, these techniques will make it more interesting than anything you can learn from a seamstress's tape.

You made a good point there. If you’re telling the story through YC’s eyes and thoughts in a more immersive fashion, describing YC’s physical traits must be a tricky one, since YC wouldn’t just describe how they look or what they’re wearing to themselves. I guess you can use clever ways to do that like looking in a mirror as you mentioned. But if you assume there is a third person who describes the events, you can do it without much trouble. I’d write it like that.

Jack wiped steam from the mirror, seeing his own green eyes staring back at him.

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And see no problem in it. If you had just said, “Jack had green eyes.” That wouldn’t have been good though. And if more sentences like that come after each other subsequently, it certainly becomes more painful to read as you said. Makes you feel like you need to be taking notes.

Mirrors can be quite fun if you’re playing as a vampire character

What an interesting thread!
Indeed measurements are generally ridiculous unless you're speaking about an autopsy or something. I'm also fine with some godmodding with a trusted cowriter. Nothing big unless it has been discussed previously, and nothing from my offs ever.