After you've gotten started in your RPing, you may find it hard to keep up with the standards that make HPU the quality RPG that is. Even members of the Admin will admit to having problems coming up with substantial posts from time to time.
However, short and/or one-line posts are simply not acceptable. Threads in a RPG are built on the contributions of several members. Any posts that do not significantly add to a given thread can only be seen as a disruption, and may very well spark complaints from other members.
Therefore, I've put together these advanced tips for role-playing. They were originally created for our prefects (who should recognize them). But the time has come for me to pass them along to everyone. I hope that they will not only inspire you when your creativity is on the fritz, but help you to remember to make your posts longer and more meaningful in relation to the plot.
1) I'm sure everyone knows this basic English lesson: A paragraph is considered to be at least 3 complete sentences long (regardless of the number of words therein). Fragmented sentences used for emphasis do not count here, so be aware of this when proofreading your posts. In a typical post, I would expect at least 2-3 paragraphs, which may include dialog since it is acceptible to put speech on a line by itself if you choose to do so.
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Example:
Breena walked into this thread, and looked around. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, exactly, but she knew she'd recognize it when she saw it. After searching for a moment, her eyes lit up.
"There it is!" She said, pointing. "I knew I'd put that in the wrong place!"
She picked up the sentence, and folded it carefully. Placing it in her pocket, she winked, and murmured something to herself. In the next second, she was gone in a puff of smoke.
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2) Action is everything. People can't see you, and they certainly can't read your mind. So, when RPing, you must be very descriptive with your actions. This does not mean that you should go overboard ("Breena inhaled, Breena exhaled," is going overboard unless the fact that I'm breathing is significant in the plot). However, the fact that you move from one side of the room to the other, for instance, can be elaborated upon.
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Example:
What I'm basically doing: Breena moved across the room.
What I'm doing with a bit interesting details: Breena moved slowly across the room. Her eyes darted here and there, and she was practically trembling with fright. As she reached the far side of the room, she paused to look over her shoulder.
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You see? With just a bit more detail and imagination, I took one line of action, and turned it into an entire paragraph.
3) Emotions and feelings must be described as well. Trust me when I say that I do NOT like talking about how I feel in real life, but role-playing is definitely not real life. So, if you're like me, it may make you a wee bit uncomfortable to do so, but this too is something that you must convey to the other readers. Again, they cannot crawl inside of your head (despite how badly some of them might want to), so the more descriptive you are, the more profound your feelings become to a given reader.
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Example of what I mean:
What I'm basically feeling: Breena was very sad.
What I'm feeling with a bit of detail: Breena had never known such pain. Her heart felt as though it'd been ripped from her chest, and if her head were not throbbing in time with her pulse, she might actually believe that it had. The feeling seemed to rob her of breath.
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Okay, so that was a bit dramatic, but you get the idea. Even seemingly indescribable feelings can be likened to something that people can relate to.
4) Thoughts count, too! Even though readers have to pretend they don't know what your character is thinking (unless they are telepathic, of course), it still plays a vital role in understanding situations. Sometimes, I like to use Breena's thoughts as a sort of voice inside her head. This is my voice--the voice behind the character. Other times, they're her own thoughts derived from what I think she would be thinking at that moment.
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Example of what I mean:
Ordinary paragraph: She thought it best not to say anything at the moment. Instead, she simply walked away. There would be plenty of time to deal with it later.
Paragraph that thinks for itself: She stood there for a moment, silent in her thoughts. Should I say anything? I mean, what if I'm wrong? I'd look like an idiot. Perhaps I should think about it for a while, then decide... Without a word, she turned, and walked away. There would be plenty of time to deal with it later.
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As always, remember to keep thoughts clearly distinguished from the rest of the text in your post. Typically, this is done by putting the thoughts in italics.
5) Where the heck ARE you, anyway? Describing the scene around you, from your point of view, is another way to fill your posts and create interest. What room are you in? How did you get there? What does it look like? Is it night or day? Is the air cold or warm? Are there any other people around? If so, what are they doing? You could even express how the place makes you feel.
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Example of what I mean:
Basic location: Breena was in the Slytherin common room.
Location in full color: Having spent all day cooped up in the Divination tower, the Slytherin common room was a welcome change. Even though it was cold and damp as usual, the dim light, and cool air was deliciously refreshing. She looked around and saw that most of the leather couches and chairs were empty, but the few students that were present made the room more inviting. She spotted a friend reading in the corner, and decided to go say hello.
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That's all I have for now. I hope these examples help, and as always our
HPU Advisors are around if you need help with anything. Happy RPing!! :happy:
NOTE: These role-playing tips belong to Prof. Breena Brightheart. If you wish to use them on your own RPG site, you MUST obtain permission from her first. You may do so by PMing her on these forums, or e-mailing her at breena_brightheart@yahoo.com. If you do not have permission, do not use them. 