what's on your mind: RP Edition

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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 13:19:25 GMT
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i don't get angry when i'm pissed; i'm the eternal optimist.
honestly same hat as traveller, and i feel like it warrants sharing this tumblr post on a semi-similar subject, since choosing to take this approach re: characters and plots and dealing with "how do i (writer) get you (character) to do what i want" did a lot for me. may not be the same for everyone but, like, hey, worth a shot to share?

these days i tend to be more of a "have an idea of what i (writer) want in the end and then fill in the blanks of how to get there (character) as i go on". i think the same approach applies rlly well to dm-ing too: you set the goal, then just see what you can do to get there. sometimes, it takes grabbing your characters by the hair and going "no we're going THIS way" but tbh, as long as you can come up with some reason why (i.e. as the tumblr post mentions, "what would drive you to go this route") then that can be enough. sometimes too, all it takes is a light nudge — introduce something new to Get Them to follow your crumbs, or being willing to handwave if necessary and explain reasons later. end of day, you're the one writing. the characters are words (or drawings, or etc) on a page. 

edit: damn the link's broken. putting the image under a spoiler tab due to length.


SPOILER: Click to show
last edit on Apr 14, 2024 13:21:59 GMT by CEL



coming soon.
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 14:00:33 GMT
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in a similar vein, I see a lot of people "oh my character decides on the plots and I don't know them" is a really odd position to me. We are in charge of the characters, we're typing for them, we make want ads for them, etc. What you're telling me - personally (And all yous general) is you can't take acceptance for possibly your own decisions. I run the other way when anyone says that and they tell me the character just 'did' something. Your character is not living and breathing unless we're talking about a tulpa situation or something of the sort.

A character is a character. You write them. You are in charge of what threads you make with other people - etc. If a plot isn't going to work, it's okay to say you don't think it will. But let's say I come to you with a plotting idea and you accept, should I have checked in with the character instead that cannot talk and cannot communicate? Like who did I talk to? You can justify a lot with a character, but it's you. It's not your muse or whatever, it's what we decide. I'm seeing a lot of this in some younger fandoms (warrior cats) but it's not absent in animanga either. We can justify a lot, we can figure out a lot, should we think of it.

If a plot doesn't work for me and I don't think I can justify it, how do I justify it? If I can't think of a way, I tell the person. I think it's good to have responsibility for our own character choices, sure - but we should also wonder how or what can be used to break the little brats into pieces if we need to.

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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 14:17:00 GMT
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The thing is, you say that, but the way I write I'm not actively making decisions. I'm just letting things flow and doing what feels right. It's a much more instinctive process and definitely not thought out. There's no sitting around justifying actions or trying to fit square pegs into round holes. The easiest way to describe it is "my character does things" because the decision making and thought process aren't something that I really experience most of the time, or at least not in a way where it feels like that's what's going on.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this whole "my character does things" method isn't about actually thinking our characters are separate entities; rather, it's a way of saying that writing is a lot less thinking things out and a lot more feeling things out and letting them flow. I actually do a lot more active thinking about an OOC post than I do about an IC one.

I also don't think that people who do not write this way understand what's going on. I've never once met someone who is a plotter and planner who understands that there are people out there who write by letting go.
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 14:33:02 GMT
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Apr 14, 2024 14:17:00 GMT said:
The thing is, you say that, but the way I write I'm not actively making decisions. I'm just letting things flow and doing what feels right. It's a much more instinctive process and definitely not thought out. There's no sitting around justifying actions or trying to fit square pegs into round holes. The easiest way to describe it is "my character does things" because the decision making and thought process aren't something that I really experience most of the time, or at least not in a way where it feels like that's what's going on.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this whole "my character does things" method isn't about actually thinking our characters are separate entities; rather, it's a way of saying that writing is a lot less thinking things out and a lot more feeling things out and letting them flow. I actually do a lot more active thinking about an OOC post than I do about an IC one.

I also don't think that people who do not write this way understand what's going on. I've never once met someone who is a plotter and planner who understands that there are people out there who write by letting go.


Writing instinctually is not what I'm talking about here. I'm saying you can write instinctually without saying a character is making decisions. You make decisions maybe in the moment - but what I mean is that people honestly different than you in saying there is a different entity. You don't have to 'plot' to decide the writing of the character. You however decide if you want to plot with someone's characters or make want ads. I am NOT talking about the writing process. This is why I said similar vein, not the same thing. You can write however you want, that's not what my post is about, so please don't assume I'm talking about the writing process for IC posts. I am talking about communicating outside the IC posts, and more about taking decisions for your actions and not saying a spaghetti meatball in the sky is denoting your actions outside posts.

and furthermore to clarify, this is specifically saying "Oh we agreed to have our characters be sisters" outside of posts and then "a character" decides several posts later, that they do not jive with this. I'm saying transactionally, outside of posts, tell people it's not jiving instead of "well x thinks you're a terrible sister."
last edit on Apr 14, 2024 14:37:43 GMT by Neko
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 14:50:57 GMT
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Apr 14, 2024 14:33:02 GMT said:
and furthermore to clarify, this is specifically saying "Oh we agreed to have our characters be sisters" outside of posts and then "a character" decides several posts later, that they do not jive with this. I'm saying transactionally, outside of posts, tell people it's not jiving instead of "well x thinks you're a terrible sister."

This is a you problem. You prefer things a certain way. Other people prefer things a different way. Both ways are valid. For some people, the fact that the character thinks you're a terrible sister is more important than what they think or want as a writer.
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 14:57:42 GMT
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Apr 14, 2024 14:50:57 GMT said:
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Apr 14, 2024 14:33:02 GMT said:
and furthermore to clarify, this is specifically saying "Oh we agreed to have our characters be sisters" outside of posts and then "a character" decides several posts later, that they do not jive with this. I'm saying transactionally, outside of posts, tell people it's not jiving instead of "well x thinks you're a terrible sister."
This is a you problem. You prefer things a certain way. Other people prefer things a different way. Both ways are valid. For some people, the fact that the character thinks you're a terrible sister is more important than what they think or want as a writer.


Sure, I can understand that. I can also understand that when you speak as something that doesn't exist, is also bad form. If someone takes a want ad from me, I don't want to hear from the character, I want to hear from the person I made the agreement with. Call this 'wanting my own way' but I rather hear from a person than an imaginary friend. The "character" can vibe differently all they like, I however don't ask the character I ask the owner of said character when I need to adjust something or terminate an agreement. What the thing you control matters not on reality, they only exist in game. The character does not pay taxes. The character does not have a ID. However, you, who I'm talking to usually does = which I think is much more important.

Better yet, you're the "translator". I can't understand their language, so either tell me it's not working out, but don't tell me the *character itself* has risen out of the grave to tell me something to my face. If we're at that point, the fact that I prefer a grasp of a shared reality which you're right, is totally preference in my partners.
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 15:14:41 GMT
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I think what Neko means is that at the end of the day, you are responsible for everything your character does in roleplay.

It's definitely been a problem at times where people tell me that "the character didn't cooperate", or "their muse left" so they aren't able to write the post they want. That tends to come across as shoving off responsibility, like saying you couldn't possibly prevent your character from steering in a different direction than you agreed on with your writing partner.

But you can. You may not be "actively" making decisions, but you're making decisions nonetheless. Everything we do is a decision we make. Foisting off responsibility for your choices to some imaginary force can be irksome for those of us who want to communicate.
"Once upon a time I was a baker and everybody was impressed. But I didn’t need approval because I already knew I was the best. Everything I made was a masterpiece - it all taste like heaven! But then unfortunately I turned seven."
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 16:22:22 GMT
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maybe wallace being my fav was foreshadowing
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Apr 14, 2024 15:14:41 GMT said:
I think what Neko means is that at the end of the day, you are responsible for everything your character does in roleplay.

It's definitely been a problem at times where people tell me that "the character didn't cooperate", or "their muse left" so they aren't able to write the post they want. That tends to come across as shoving off responsibility, like saying you couldn't possibly prevent your character from steering in a different direction than you agreed on with your writing partner.

But you can. You may not be "actively" making decisions, but you're making decisions nonetheless. Everything we do is a decision we make. Foisting off responsibility for your choices to some imaginary force can be irksome for those of us who want to communicate.
This was really well-put and enlightening to me. I am completely in the side of letting characters decide and not minding at all (prefering, even) of prior plans/plots differing because of character action. To me, that's part of the game, and the natural flow of things. I never thought of it this way, where it comes off as not taking responsibility for it. I can't say I made someone experience this - I must have, at one point - so it's nice to be keeping this in mind from now on so I can meet halfway with my rp partner/s.


【 POKEMON EVOLUTION: TERRORS 】
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 17:08:10 GMT via mobile
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I hate how anxious and hyper-viligant I feel myself get, especially towards stuff I care about. I'm aware that the habit comes from my rp experiences which were more negative than positive, i.e. always feeling not good enough, frequently ignored, losing things to "better" writers, plots, characters, to actual bullying on server, etc. It became routine for me for years, and as much as I try to be more positive it's unfortunately a "ok but I'll be expecting to be treated like this bc that's how it always goes." Then I feel immense guilt for being so paranoid the moment I see one sign or the flips my brain does LOL.

I guess although this has been a thing for me, rp has become a hobby where I can just relax when actually writing. It's helped me with enjoying writing, media, and more. I do feel like it's made me respect how stories are crafted and the catharsis it gives its writers. I guess it's just the social aspect that kind of kills the joy. I suspect that I should just not put so much of my heart into partners and our plots but that seems so cynical LOL.

I hope as I continue on with the hobby I can have a good balance eventually and feel more at ease. I've been trying to do my healing era so here's to continuing. Things take time and that's okay.
last edit on Apr 14, 2024 17:09:39 GMT by clefairy 🌙
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 18:24:22 GMT
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People take it literally when they describe characters as wanting or doing things against the author's direction?

I've always just meant it jokingly as "whoops I wrote myself into a corner when trying to make X personality interact with Y plot and now I have to figure out a way to reconcile the two." And I'm a fairly extensive plotter (to the point that my rp confession is whoops, I have a habit of outlining entire plots that never end up getting threaded, maybe I should rein myself in on that).
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 19:02:18 GMT
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oh, um a bit ouch lol.

I know some people have a general “writing muse” thing and can sit down and write posts in order and cycle between written characters at will but that has never been a thing for me.

I have individual muse for each character (usually it rotates based on my mood or stress levels = ie if I am in a calm mood i can write fluffy happy peoples, but if I am uber stressed I can’t and can only do depressed or villainous or -insert descriptor here- type characters.)

So a specific character’s muse just not being high enough for me to write them at random points is totally a thing that can happen with me. My activity levels with any character in particular rises and falls based on these outside factors independently of each other. It’s not a general shared pool I can just pull some sorta author’s magic from.
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 19:31:00 GMT
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as for the whole... character thing upwards a bit.

despite the fact that, yes i am the writer, im also not going to change a character's whole personality to fit a situation. i tend to write inspirationally as well like rabbit does, and i do assume as much responsibility as i can with my characters, but they do have their own personalities, their own thoughts, their own feelings, about whatever situation they are in. as a writer, it is my responsibility to uphold the voice that they would have if they were a real person. i always find it annoys me in shows/movies/books where a character's wants/needs/feelings do a 180 and do things they wouldn't usually do in situations involving a love interest or a sudden loss or something. sometimes its justified as a reasonable response to trauma, other times you can tell the show writers just had to introduce a love interest.

take the show Wednesday for example. Wednesday Addams has always been an Ace symbol as far back as I can remember, and yet here she is, forced into something she clearly had no interest in simply because all shows need a love story. it was weird and not true to the character. as writers, it is our responsibility to take accountability for the actions of our characters if it comes to it, but it is not our responsibility to mold characters to fit a certain narrative.

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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 19:47:45 GMT
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Apr 14, 2024 17:08:10 GMT said:
Then I feel immense guilt for being so paranoid the moment I see one sign or the flips my brain does LOL.
Don't. Your feelings are valid.

I get that it sucks (for yourself) to start from a position of mistrust and low expectations. But you didn't choose to be this way, and from the sounds of it, you're trying to break out of that cycle.

Don't feel guilty when you've got a bad moment. Once you recognise you're falling back in that pattern, just take a little distance, reorient yourself, do something you enjoy, then come back with a refreshed mind.

Healing isn't something that happens at the snap of a finger. It takes time. So give yourself that time, and don't feel guilty if you sometimes take a step back.
last edit on Apr 14, 2024 19:48:11 GMT by traveller
"Once upon a time I was a baker and everybody was impressed. But I didn’t need approval because I already knew I was the best. Everything I made was a masterpiece - it all taste like heaven! But then unfortunately I turned seven."
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what's on your mind: RP Edition written Apr 14, 2024 19:49:43 GMT
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Apr 14, 2024 19:02:18 GMT said:
I know some people have a general “writing muse” thing and can sit down and write posts in order and cycle between written characters at will but that has never been a thing for me.
I don't have a muse, I write whenever I please. If I don't feel inspired, I'll get myself inspired. And sometimes I'll write something I'm not proud of, but I vastly prefer "the post that exists and sucks" over "the perfect post that doesn't actually exist".

As for "get into the specific character", I always have small lists of notes for characters to guide their behaviour. For the last character I wrote, for example, I wrote "nervous around people he doesn't know well", "say the right thing in the wrong way", "everyone's out to get you. EVERYONE", and it works pretty well at ensuring I capture the essence of the character.
last edit on Apr 14, 2024 19:51:05 GMT by traveller
"Once upon a time I was a baker and everybody was impressed. But I didn’t need approval because I already knew I was the best. Everything I made was a masterpiece - it all taste like heaven! But then unfortunately I turned seven."