One of the things that irritates me in forum based RP is the prevalence of bad writing. So I have decided that instead of critiquing a player’s post and suffering the inevitable negative reaction I am going to channel my rage into this thread.

What is bad writing? Its suprisingly hard to answer that question. In fact, I might go so far as to offer that there is no single understanding that covers all the errors which together we classify as bad writing. So instead I will try to deal with all the types separately.

1) The Linking Verb Bore

Example: Hera was mad at Zeus.
Corrected: Zeus enraged his wife Hera or Hera fumed at her husband

Using a linking verb in a sentence is like using a nail in carpentry. Sure sometimes they are necessary but the work looks a lot smoother and more natural when joined with pegs and wood.

2) Vocabulary Much?

Example: The car raced across the finish line. The other cars raced in seconds behind.
Corrected: The car raced across the finish. The other cars sped in seconds behind.

English is the Borg of languages, we have assimilated so many different languages that we have more similes for the word hallway than some languages have words. Use this power of English and vary your diction. That is unless you are using the same word for emphasis and DO NOT sound like this…..

Mike stared in disbelief as his hands fell off. From them rose millions of tiny maggots. Maggots!? Maggots. Maggots. Maggots. Maggots…Maggots. All over the floor of the post office, in Leytonstone.
-Garth Merenghi

3) Your….Cliches…..killing….meeee…

Example: Alvin drew and shot the gunmen. Paul fell to his knees and then flat to his face. Then a tumbleweed rolled by.
Corrected: Alvin drew and shot the gunmen. Paul fell to his knees and then flat to his face.

Cliches are distracting. They jolt the reader out of the story because the reader recognizes the cliche’. Also they are just dumb, unless of course you are crafting a parody.

4) Show Do Not Tell

Example: Rod was a desperado, the kind of guy no one messes with, a real loner.
Corrected: Rod leaned in the deepest shadow of the dark bar. When the waitress came by with his drink he left the bill but didn’t so much as glance at her comely face. He drank it in solitude beneath the tilted brim of his wide fedora.

The most common and, for me, irritating of writing errors. When we tell rather than show we are actually bypassing the entire point OF WRITING! If God wrote like this then we would have a omniscient voice in our heads that sounded a bit like Morgan Freemen telling us the exact truth behind every person or object we saw. In such a world there would be no scams, no illusion, no surprise, no tramps, no players and no low-income Republicans. In other words it wouldn’t be that interesting.

5) Purple Prose

Example: Thundering like a herd of elephants the massive granite stone came rolling slowly but decisively down the jagged mountainside a rough reminder of the inevitability of gravity.
Correction: Thundering like a herd of elephants the stone crashed down the mountainside.

Sometimes less is more. Don’t be like Garth and load your sentences down with more description and metaphor than they can handle. Of course sometimes you have writers like Tom Robbins who can defy this rule with mad genius and sheer talent, but, as with Mountain Dew commercials, just because he can doesn’t mean you can or should.

Conclusion…sort of

I will add more examples when I think of them or encounter them and I encourage you to add those that annoy you in particular. Until I return I will leave you with one last taste of Garth Merenghi, this time from the master himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcFWSExNJVk

I’ve noticed certain common mistakes in roleplay posts both in chat and in forums. Here’s a cheat sheet to use to avoid some common mistakes! Memorize it and impress your teachers or professors, or your boss, in your written assignments offline as well. If you want to find a particular word, you can try to use CTL+F for PC or command+F for Mac.

Personnel is a noun referring to people. (Authorized personnel with photo ID only beyond this point.)
Personal is an adjective referring to perspective. (That’s personal information; how did you find out about the affair?)

Its is possession. (Its color was blue.)
It’s is a contraction for it is. (It’s a beautiful day outside.)

Warily means cautiously or with suspicion. (He watched the guards warily, not wanting to give away his position.)
Wearily means with exhaustion. (She sighed wearily. “I’m tired of this conversation.”)

Phased means happened gradually or in stages. (We phased out the older computers.)
Fazed means intimidated or disturbed. (I didn’t expect to be fazed by a meeting with a fourteen year old.)
Unfazed means not intimidated, or not disturbed. (He was unfazed by the interrogator’s scare tactics.)

Their is a possessive pronoun. (Their house had been built in the nineteenth century.)
They’re is a contraction for they are. (They’re thinking about filing a lawsuit.)
There is an adverb. (The receptionist sits over there.)

Than is a conjunction that indicates a comparison. (I was colder in that school than I had been on a visit to Antarctica.)
Then is an adverb that indicates time. (Five years passed without any action. Then, a bold Senator gave a stunning speech, collected over one million signatures on a petition, and re-filed the legislation.)

Who is the relative pronoun used as a subject―or nominative―and only with people. (Who is coming to the party?)
Whom is the relative pronoun used as an object―or any case other than nominative―and only with people. (To whom does this scarf belong?)
Which is the relative pronoun used for ideas. (The age in which we live is marked by a postmodernist relativism.)
That is the relative pronoun used for objects. (The house that Thomas Jefferson built is now a tourist destination.)

Effect as a verb means to cause or execute. (The dissension under the previous Board effected significant changes to the established policies.)
Affect as a verb means to influence. (Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, do not let yourselves be affected by your preconceived notions about morality.)
Effect as a noun means a result. (Greater civil liberties were one effect of the government’s reforms.)
Affect as a noun means a feeling or emotional response. (Flat or nonresponsive affect is a characteristic of Autistic people.)

Accept is a verb meaning to receeve. (Please accept this tribute as a sign of peace.)
Except is a preposition that excludes. (They welcomed all immigrants except the Chinese.)

Complement means something that improves or adds. (The olive green napkins complemented the ivory tablecloths.)
Compliment means praise. (After his speech, Arun Gandhi received many compliments.)

Allusion means an indirect reference. (There are multiple Biblical allusions in Dante’s Divine Comedy.)
Illusion means misconception. (The Director’s openness gave the illusion of a willingness to share information, despite her reputation.)

Vice is an immoral behavior. (Despite her stellar reputation, she had many vices, not the least of which was compulsive gambling.)
Vise is a grasp. (He took Kara’s hand with a vise-like grip.)

To is a preposition. (I returned the necklace to my mother after finding it on the floor.)
Too is an adverb. (My daughter started crying; she wanted ice cream, too.)
Two is a number. (Under the American Constitution, there are two Senators from each state regardless of population.)

Capital is a city. (The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh.)
Capitol is a building. (The U.S. Capitol houses the Senate and House chambers.)

Tortuous means twisted or curved. (The freshmen were easily disoriented by the tortuous hallways inside the science building.)
Torturous means painful. (She nearly died after the torturous beating at the hands of the secret police.)

Elicit is a verb meaning to evoke. (The interrogator’s shouting elicited a strong emotional response from the subject.)
Illicit is an adjective meaning illegal. (He was arrested on suspicion of illicit financial dealings with overseas associates.)

All together means everyone or everything at once. (The twenty of them joined all together for a group photo.)
Altogether means completely. (We reject extremism altogether and without any inhibitions whatsoever.)

Your is a possessive pronoun. (The prosecutor thinks that this was your weapon, Mr. Sanchez.)
You’re is a contraction meaning you are. (I don’t think you’re going anywhere anytime soon.)

Less indicates something uncountable. (Americans felt less secure after September 11.)
Fewer indicates something countable. (There were fewer men in the program after six weeks of grueling training than on the first day.)

Principle is a truth, virtue, or law. (The principle of honesty is one to which we ought to aspire in our daily lives.)
Principal is a person or sum of money. (The high school’s principal was fired after allegations of sexual misconduct.)

Disinterested means objective and lacking bias or prejudice. (The disputing parties sought a disinterested mediator to resolve their conflict.)
Uninterested means lacking interest or concern. (Students in Professor Binn’s class were almost always uninterested in his droning, monotonous lectures, and rarely recalled what he said more than a few hours later.)

Imminent means impending. (The trial was imminent, and already, Samuel was filled with anxiety.)
Immanent means indwelling or inherent, and usually refers to a deity. (God is both immanent and transcendent.)
Eminent means illustrious or prominent. (The eminent scholar of Islam, John Esposito, is scheduled to speak today.)

Nauseous means something that causes sickness. (The smell of excrement was nauseous.)
Nauseated means the state of feeling sick. (After conducting his first autopsy, Gibreel was thoroughly nauseated.)

Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to rest in place. (He liked to lie beneath the shady branches of the oak tree.)
Lay is a transitive verb meaning to place an object. (Please lay your shoes on the conveyor belt and step through the metal detector.)

Rise is an intransitive verb meaning to ascend. (According to some Christian traditions, believers will rise to heaven at Christ’s Second Coming.)
Raise is an intransitive verb meaning to lift an object. (Raise your hands and step out of the vehicle!)

Farther means distance. (Fatima had never lived farther than twenty miles away from home until she went abroad for college.)
Further indicates ideas. (Please describe your proposal further, using the additional attachment.)

Hangar is a place. (Please dock your ship in the hangar by the security station.)
Hanger is an object. (Put your clothes on the metal hangers.)

Ensure means to make certain. (His lobbying ensured that the bill would pass.)
Insure means to buy insurance. (Always insure a new car against damage or theft.)

Whose is a possessive pronoun. (That depends on whose papers were left on the table.)
Who’s is a contraction meaning who is. (Who’s coming to the party tonight? I don’t want to go alone.)

Foreword is the beginning of a book. (The foreword of my book is to be written by a prominent researcher.)
Forward is a direction. (Move the troops forward toward the hills!)

Discreet means circumspect. (The CIA typically handles its operations in a discreet manner.)
Discrete means having separate parts. (This molecule has four discrete parts.)

All right is the correct form. Alright is wrong.

Toward is the correct form. Towards is wrong.

A lot is the correct form. Alot is wrong.

Should have is the correct form. Should of is wrong.

Afterward is the correct form. Afterwards is wrong.

Anyway is the correct form. Anyways is wrong.

Okay is the correct form. OK, Ok, ok, and o-kay are wrong.

…, the ellipse, indicates an omission of words, such as inside a quote.

―€•, the dash, which is the longer one, indicates a definition, literal or metaphorical. (The conversation―€•interrogation, rather―€•continued for hours.)

-€, the hyphen, which is the shorter one, is used to combine two or more words into one word. (The happy-go-lucky man died yesterday.)

:, the colon, indicates a list and must be immediately preceded by a noun. Do NOT use it to precede a quotation. (There were several people on the most wanted terrorists list: Usama bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki, and Ayman al-Zawahiri, among others.)

;, the semicolon, is used to join two or more independent clauses―preventing run-on sentences, or to separate multiple lists. (We had three major goals: identifying, labeling, and describing the problems; discussing, drafting, and proposing potential solutions; and pitching our proposal, explaining it to the Board, and convincing the Board of our ideas.)

( ) , parentheses, are used for side information that is interesting but irrelevant. (I’ve noticed that on the internet, people tend to use parentheses so liberally that the punctation mark has become ubiquitous in status updates on social networking sites, roleplay posts [tons of them, in fact], or even the middle of articles about grammar.)

[ ], brackets, are used for the author’s voice inside a quote, or an aside within parentheses. See above.

‘, the single quote mark, is used for quotes inside quotes. (“She said to me that I have ‘strange ideas,‘” said Adam with a confused look.)

/, the slash, means and or. Do not ever, ever write and/or. That means and and or or.

I have come to RPG in hopes of joining quality RPs. Quality by my own definition, not yours. I have found a few and it was good.

However! I am noticing some RPs that are being created that are inadequate completely. I know, everyone RPs differently and whatnot but the ones I have in mind are something you free-thinkers would have trouble defending. I bet you all know what what I mean. I, for one, am tired of seeing these as they hurt me. A lot. And I would like people to improve and grow as RPers and GMs so better RPs are born each day!

That was all in case you thought I was doing this out of the goodness of my heart. No way, this is purely selfish.

So, without further ado…

What’s an RP?

This is crucial to define, as if I do not, everything I say might as well be gibber-jabber if you think an RP is something else than what I write below.

An RP is a game between multiple parties. There are two types of parties: the GM and the Player. The GM is responsible for the creation of the RP, it’s continuity, and it’s immersion value. Players are responsible for progression, enjoyment, and the immersion.

The GM is the one who sets the story, the mood, and gives something the Players to work with. Without him, all you have is a blank piece of paper and wild ideas coming back and forth between the players and nothing gets done without one, or more, of them ultimately transforming into a GM.


What should a GM do?

Glad I asked, as this is an important question.

The GM has to create a story. Unless you are going for the "sandbox" type of RP which is usually how generic vampires/werewolves/high school romance RPs start, which I beg of you to stop as I am afraid of your mental states, you may want to think more than 5 seconds on it.

The story is what catches the players in the first place. Think of it as the hook. People will have different preferences for their own reasons but one thing all good players expect of a GM is a story that makes sense, a story that is clearly told to them, and good grammar. I know many players who simply cross-read and lose complete interest when even at that speed they spot multiple, and obvious, mistakes. It shows that the GM did not care and would generally mean the RP is not going to have someone working behind the scenes to insure it’s success.

A very common trait for RPs is to have fights and super powers. Why? Because we all love kicking butt and taking names. However, we all our own version of what an elf is or how spells work or whether trolls live under bridges or in your grandmas’ cookie jar. Solution? LORE! Sweet decadent lore.

Lore is the flesh of the world you create. You told the players the story and got their interest. Now, they want to partake in the game but don’t know what to imagine. Can their character have cat ears? Can they be amnesiacs with latent supernatural abilities? Can they wield a 10 foot buster blade and jump higher than a skyscraper as they slash Neo Behamut in two? They need to know these things or characters will greatly, greatly clash and the world will be without integrity and your RP will suffer. Unless you’re going sandbox mode than thumbs up to you.

How does a GM do what a GM does?

As a GM, you must remember that the players who apply to your RP are not your friends and sometimes you have to be the bad guy. Why? Because it’s not a sandbox.

A GM’s main purpose is to have the game succeed and to do that he has to select the applying players that best understood the lore and story and who made the best work of their characters. If the GMs can see genuine love, interest, and understanding through the application, than odds are the player is going to give a good portion of his fun into the RP unlike the applicant who scarcely remembered the rule that said "NO MARY SUES!".

Give their fun? Yes, exactly. The RP isn’t fun because it IS fun. The RP is fun because people make it fun together.

Sometimes, you have to tell people that their character needs editing and tell them what makes you think so. This helps the player improve their character and shows that the player is interested. The GM is responsible for who gets in and who goes out. It’s his duty to make the best RP he can.

Should a GM reveal the plot?

Of Course! Give everyone a good idea on where the story is going. Let them know where it begins, what occurred to incite the game, and what the desired end result is.

IE: Local heroes meet up at the temples entrance to eradicate the sudden appearance of evil jelly men pouring out and attacking the villagers. Can they find the end of this mystery?

This gives everyone a clear goal and idea what will happen and gives them time to think of how they want to deal with the situation.

However, the GM should never tell more than necessary because the players want twists and turns to happen at a moments notice. Sometimes, they find a treasure or a locked door and the GM should keep the contents hidden and reveal them when they arrive there.

The GM creates the story and knows what happens next. The players don’t and will do what they believe their characters should in the given situations. Sometimes, it changes the story and the GM should be prepared for that. Half the fun is seeing how the players twist the story around by adding their own uniqueness to it.

What should a GM expect of his players?

When a player applies for an RP, the GM should assume the player is a good roleplayer. Meaning, that he or she understands by joining that they have given the GM notice they are willing to dedicate a bit of their day now and then to write a post and commit to the RP. Think of it like when you are hired at a job, the last thing your employer expects is for you to shrug your shoulders and leave the day after.

If a Player doesn’t post or his posts are inadequate in length, relevancy, or have serious lore/typo issues, than he should send them a PM to let them know they need to look over this and that. Why? Because the story and lore is there for a reason (To create immersion) as well as control the world. Typos can usually be ignored unless it’s blatant they did not even pay attention. It’s horrible to read and will bother more RPers because it draws them out of the story and sometimes they have to figure out what’s written and writing was created to avoid the figuring out.

Should GM post first?

Yes, the GM should post first to describe the current events, what’s happening, who’s who, and where’s why. This will give everyone something to work with in their own introductory posts and keeps everything mostly localized. You don’t want people to be too far away most of the time or starting off in a way that would inhibit the story or not go anywhere.

What else?

A GM should think about keeping track of everyone and working with the NPCs, monsters, and hidden things to create a sense of dynamic for the players and him/herself. Players should normally only play their characters and use certain NPCs as necessary but it’s a lot funner when they can’t control everything and their own desires clash with the story’s desire (GM’s Will) so to speak.

Make sure you are willing to PM other players or answer all their questions. Sometimes a player needs clarification on something and at times you have to ask them to edit a post because it simply doesn’t work. It’s up to you to play janitor as well.

GM should not be afraid to record events, write and describe new happenings/places, and surprise his players.

Should I GM?

No. You probably shouldn’t.

But if you do want to, there’s a few things to think about.

Do I have a story?
Is it fleshed out and could I tell it aloud from event A to event Z?
Does the world have lore?
Is it a kissy vampire romance with high schoolers? If yes, please pull the computer power cord.
Is the story linear or can players change it depending on what they come up with?
Is there a satisfactory ending for whatever outcome?
Do I have time to check on my RP and insure things are running smoothly?
Do I have the integrity to control my world and not be bullied into ripping the lore up for someone who can’t get enough of his kamehameha powers?

If you answered correctly to these questions, you would know which answer is correct if you can be a GM, than you’re golden!

This does not guarantee your RP will be good, liked, or even succeed. It guarantees that you will appear to know what you are doing and improve your GMing skills.

How do I find players and succeed in my RP?

Simply put, the "Interest Check" forum is there for all your ideas to be presented. Most members of RPG will look there to see if there’s anything brewing that might catch their interest. This let’s you find some players who are interested in the RP and save you the trouble of making it without knowing if it will generate any interest.

Secondly, there’s the "Players Wanted" forum where, if your RP needs more, even after interest check or if someone drops out, you can find additional players who are seeking to join an existing RP that is either new or has already begun.

Finally, make sure you have the time, patience, and desire to keep an eye on the RP and to keep pushing it along until the very end. Some parts it’ll be tedious, sometimes you won’t want to deal with it, but as the GM you are needed and you should not abandon your projects. However, sometimes you may need a day or so off from it just to get away and relax. Don’t ever think you need to check every single day what’s going on but feel free to find your own comfortable pace. Note, however, that taking a week off without notice is not acceptable for the most part if the RP is active. People will wonder what happened to you.

What if a player doesn’t post?

Hit him with the biggest stick you can and run!

Or, just PM him to let them know they are missed and needed. If they don’t respond, hope you can find a replacement or they were expendable as you feed them to the goblin hordes to save the rest of the party. Do it only once when their allotted wait time (A fair wait time is two days when it’s specifically their turn or the rules state otherwise).

I have mixed feelings about the usage of pictures.

Good, you should.

To each their own but the GM should set the example to allow pictures in the RP, applications, and whatnot. Some prefer descriptions because most pictures tend to never really fit into the world/lore and some don’t care too much. It’s up to you but I suggest no pictures for more "literate" RPs as it encourages descriptive writing and works the imagination. Besides, the pictures are never exactly what you want anyways…

As a player, what are my responsibilities?

Glad I asked, this is quite a serious topic.

When you apply to an RP, remember that, odds are, the GM is trying to succeed in creating a fun and memorable RP. This should make you ask the following question if you are not a troll and a horrible, horrible person.

Do I have time to post every 2-3 days to keep the story going?
Do I understand the story and lore?
Can I ask questions about the lore/story before joining to make sure I want to join?
Am I brave enough to ask questions when I require clarification?
Am I willing to play even if the story becomes a bit stale for me in the end?
Is my character the dreaded Mary Sue and within the character skeleton regulations?
Does my Character fit into the world and could they be of use in the story?
Am I here for romance?
Am I willing to comply to the posting regulations?

If you answered correctly, you would know, you’re a shoe in and a great person! You deserve the best of all RPs.

What to remember when making a character

Your characters should never ever be a Mary Sue, meaning a generic one-dimensional character. They’re boring and bring nothing to life. Because they’re a bit like stillborns. I know it’s horrific but it works.

Your characters have history and that is what shapes their personalities. People aren’t who they are just because that’s who they are. People are someone because of their experiences.

Not every character is good or evil. That is an archaic mindset. There’s more to a person than being the dark, mysterious emo or the ditzy rich blond. There’s loads of flavors in the world and don’t be afraid to write someone who seems more plain or boring because, odds are, those are the most real and interesting characters you could ever make.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. All of those make up your character and helps to flesh them out. It doesn’t have to be something related to a tragedy but maybe they have a mild form of OCD or they like pickles? When you create a character, try to make them real. Pretend them, imagine them, fantasize them. It creates new life for them and sparks your imagination.

Should I mention if I might not be able to post?

YES!

Nothing is worst than a player suddenly disappearing. It, often, halts the entire RP and everyone has to start throwing out all the ? marks above their heads as there’ll be far too much up there by the time they realize you disappeared and left for good.

Make sure to let the GM know you are going away or anything of the sort if planned when you apply. During the RP, leave an OOC post describing what’s up or shoot a PM to the GM.

This makes you a better person, a better RPer, and is appreciated by everyone who will then not hold anything against you because everyone knows that life happens.

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Introduction

The introduction is the first thing people will notice and this is what will hook them. If it’s baddy organized or has nothing to read but a single line, expect the player to move on.

What you, the GM, should do in the introductory post is numerous but I’ll break it down. Please write in an easily readable font and color. Many people love their retinas and have no interest in straining them.

Story

Write out the story. Not to complicated.

Make it with a slight oomph though. Don’t just blurt it out and vomit a million events into a single line. Ever read a book? Think of it as a summary that doesn’t give out the end.

You should write about everything related to the events that are occurring in the story and what is the obstacle that prevents peace from reigning supreme. Give the characters and places proper names, make it a good clean read that interest and hooks your player. It can’t be just "Bam, Bam" it has to be more like "Boom, boom, bop, bip, bop, BAM, bop, bop, BAM, BAM, boop?"

See what I did there? I pity the fool who did not follow that.

Lore

This is mostly optional for certain games but it’s quite important for the more controlled, less sandbox RPs.

What are the races like? The towns? The magic? The weaponry? The technology? Does everyone called each other Messere and end their sentences in Ha-Ha?

Lore creates an immense amount of immersion value because it works the players mind to create a very specific image every time the re-enter your world. I am not saying to describe every single detail, but like a good book you would give out the general feel of the world so people can morph their imaginations to something similar instead of being wild.

This is also a good place to explain how certain things work such as magic or super powers as many RPs have these. You want everyone to understand the limitations and how imaginative they can be about it or how powerful certain things are. If you want a bunch of Z fighters wailing on each other go ahead but if you want something safer for the environment make sure to let your players know.


Character Sheets/Skeletons

This is a very popular thing to do these days. Actually, even back in D&D we did this so never mind that last bit…

You have two choices. You can either create editable/fixed characters for your players to adopt or let them create one from scratch. Make sure to write out what you expect in application such as length, subjects, styles, or picture/no pictures. This will control what kind of applications you get and keeps everyone on the same page.

Rules

Very important.

Make sure to write out what you expect. People aren’t going to figure this part themselves. Trust me, they won’t.

Can you God-Mod? Do you have to post daily? Is there a word minimum/limit? Do you have to follow certain key aspects? And so on!

An RP without rules is a sandbox waiting to happen. Heck, without anything I said it becomes a sandbox. And we’re trying to stay away from that.


Places

RPG has a very neat tab system and Places is on of the better features for the most part. A GM should use it to describe key locations and give players an idea of where they can go and what’s it like. It creates more immersion value and controls the world a little bit better.

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Now, none of you have a reason to create introductions with 1 line, spammed with oversized pictures, or half-bummed tries. GMing is both fun and a job. If you’re not sure whether you’re up for it, than work on it by writing it out or taking time imagine everything before posting online. And if you’re still not ready or confident, try joining an RP. There’s many excellent players looking for buddies and groups needing new additions. Don’t be afraid. It’s all online. What’s the worst we could do to you?

If you have any comments or things that you think I should fix/mention please post below ^_^

I’ve been wanting to post this primer for some time and I thought it would be fitting to make it my 1,000th post on the forums here at RPGateway.

We all want to be better writers than we are. That’s a given. I know that others have given their opinions and advice regarding how we can improve certain facets of our writing. Whether it be character descriptions, character development, action, plot development – you can find a guide or a Mentor with plenty of thoughts on the topic. One thing I feel passionately about and would like to offer some thoughts regarding is our need to make sure that our posts actually do something and add to the game.

When posting in a game that is on a more “advanced” level – that is, not a game that is almost entirely made of one-line posts or something of the like – every post should have a clear purpose. To that end, there are two types of posts – horizontal and vertical. Let’s dive into it, shall well?

Think of the story in your RP as a timeline drawn on a piece of paper. As the story moves along, things move up and down that timeline. Horizontal posts are exactly what they sound like – posts that describe the action and make a move horizontally down that timeline because it progresses the story. Vertical posts will often barely move the timeline at all, instead going into a great detail regarding a very specific moment. Both are useful and needed, so the questions now are: (1) How do I know when to use each kind of post; and (2) How do I write each kind?

Horizontal Posting: Use a horizontal post to tell a part of the story or to describe a piece of action. If your character is performing a task, he or she is moving down the timeline. In a horizontal post, something is happening. Time passes. This is an effective means of telling the story and moving things along. Such a post sets up a course of action to which other characters must react, contend, and adjust. Here is a very short example of a horizontal post.

Jack didn’t waste any time stepping out of the car as soon as the vehicle pulled to a stop. The moment that his feet hit the ground, the man knew there was no turning back. His made was made up and there was no more need to decide, deliberate, or talking about feelings. The game was on.

Stepping through the door of the convenient store, Jack didn’t draw much attention from the patrons or employees inside, all wrapped up in their business. No one seemed to notice as the young man dropped his duffel bag to the ground and removed a small chain. Acting quickly, Jack wrapped the chain around the only doors leading out of the store and clamping the lock shut.

Kneeling back down again, Jack took a deep breath and said a silent prayer. Then he quietly removed the pistol from the bag, pushed a young boy out of the line for the cashier, and pointed a gun directly at the face of the young lady behind the counter. Clicking off the safety, he spoke with a voice even Jack could barely recognize

“Everything in the cash register. Now.”

Even though a lot of time didn’t pass, you can see from this example what it means to move the narrative along the timeline horizontally. In a short period of time, a lot just happened there. A horizontal post in like a scene in a movie. Something happens and you can describe and follow the action.

Vertical Posting: If a horizontal post is a like a scene in a movie, a vertical post is a snapshot image. As the cliché so accurately describes, a picture is word a thousand words. A vertical post captures a single moment and provides an insightful description. Although the post doesn’t move us down the timeline, it provides some crucial insight to what is going on and is one of the most effective means of character development available to a writer. Let’s continue with our example.

The moment that the click of the gun registered in Katie’s mind, the girl could swear that time stood still. Instantly, the young woman knew that she would never forget any detail of the moment. The man that stood in front of her now couldn’t be much older than she was. His leather jacket was a bit tattered, probably a hand-me-down that shouldn’t have survived another generation

The smells around here were suddenly very intense. The gun welding man in front of her had gone a day too long without a shower, the barely-functioning air freshener next to the counter was instantly stronger than the day she’d first plugged it in. Even the faint sickly-sweet smell fro where a can of soda had been spilled that morning now filled her nostrils with absolute clarity.

This could not be happening. Two days from now, she was supposed to leave this job for good. The boyfriend she’d been devoted to for years had finally heard back from the job interview from God – a chance for the two of them to finally leave this broken down town and have the life Katie had always dreamed of living. Her mother had told her to expect a proposal any day now. Foolishly, she’d bought a wedding magazine on her way to work and stashed it beneath the counter.

God had finally given her everything she’d been patiently praying for. Now this man was threatening to take it all away.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel nothing but pity for him. After all, she’d taken this low end, thankless job to help put Mark through school. She’d made sacrifices, put everything on hold when the light seemed darkest. Katie couldn’t help but feel a great deal of sadness from the other end of the gun. How dark did it have to get to drive someone to this?

Out of nowhere, the young woman smiled with a sense of strength she didn’t know to be within herself.

“Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Notice that Katie’s post was almost twice as long as Jack’s. Now, what happened in that post. Katie saw the gun and smiled. That’s it. No time passed and no action occurred. Still, there was a great deal of useful content to that post. It revealed a great deal about Katie’s character and, in many ways, enhances the quality of Jack’s post as well.

A good vertical post will make a horizontal post before or after it look even better. That’s how you can write a team.

Balance is key. You can’t do all of one or another. If you only post horizontally, you are going to have every little character development and there won’t be a lot of interaction between your character and others which makes writing in a group so much fun. At the same time, you can’t always been a vertical poster. This forces the other person to always direct the action or nothing will ever happen and the story fails. Write what you know and use your judgment to decide what you post, but make sure that you do one of the other. You never want someone to read your post and think: “That was pointless.” And you

I hope this helps everyone get a little more out of their writing in their upcoming games and stories. Cue discussion!

Compiled by Ylanne Sorrows, with references

If you’re like me, when you first began to roleplay (or if you are a beginner), you were probably confused by the many acronyms, abbreviations, and other jargon sorts of terms that roleplayers casually toss around, even if you did roleplay a fair amount, and migrated here from another site or game, and suddenly were attacked and hushed into silent confusion at Roleplay Gateway’s seemingly innocuous but convulted use of certain terms.

Well, never fear, for I have decided to compile a list of many of the terms used in roleplay, especially those on this website. They are arranged alphabetically, so feel free to use CTRL+F to find the term you are looking for. If you think of additions to this page, send me a PM using that fancy button over there –> and I will add it and credit your username in the acknowledgements section.

Without further ado, I present to you my guide to roleplay terminology:

Advanced
See Literate.

Anthropomorphic
See Furrie.

Apocalyptic
Any roleplay with an apocalyptic theme, typically set in a modern or futuristic timeframe. Usually, such roleplays are also realistic, but on occasion may permit things such as biomodifications or magic.

Autohit, also Autohitting,
1.) During a roleplay fight, or text-based fighting, your post includes mention of actions that affect the other character with certainty. (For example, "Peter swung his fist in Jake’s direction" is NOT autohitting, but "Peter hit Jake in the face, breaking his nose", is autohitting. The first allows the other player to dodge, or to take the hit, whereas the latter does not.)
2.) The action of writing such posts.
3.) The habit of writing such posts.
Autohitting is also considered a form of godmodding.

Bunny
See Godmode.

Canon
1.) The official or generally accepted storyline or turn of events, as in "According to the canon, Han Solo marries Leia Organa and they have three children".
2.) The original history or backstory of a character, as in "In my canon, Tahira Ali is arrested by the FBI and sentenced to death, but in this roleplay, she was sentenced to life imprisonment".
3.) A character originally created by a published author or which already exists in another fandom, as in "In this roleplay, no one may play canons, such as Harry, Ron, or Hermione".

Character, also Charrie, Char,
1.) A fictitious persona or entity, typically personified with human emotions and sentience, created by a writer or roleplayer. Typical examples may include: an anthropomorphic wolf named Appomattox, an FBI agent named Natalie Schultz, a vampire named Fletcher Godeaux, an android named Aiyanna-A, or a sorceress named Sylvire.

Closed
1.) A roleplay that is no longer accepting players or characters.
2.) A roleplay between two people.

Cybering, also Cyber
1.) A roleplay which contains explicit sexual or obscene material.
2.) Any post containing such material.
3.) The act of roleplaying sexual or obscene activities.
4.) Specific guidelines on what does and does not constitute cybering differ among GMs and roleplay sites. Ours specify that if sexual content is written tastefully, has literary value by itself and in context, and contributes to the storyline of a roleplay, it is permitted provided other players do not respond to the post in order to continue the activity. These stipulations have been expounded upon at this article: Regarding Sexualized Role-Plays by Robert M. Wright (Skallagrim).

Cyberpunk
1.) A roleplay characterized by characters that are "marginalized, alienated loners who lived on the edge of society in generally dystopic futures where daily life was impacted by rapid technological change, an ubiquitous datasphere of computerized information, and invasive modification of the human body". (Lawrence Person)
2.) A story characterized in the same manner.
3.) The genre consisting of all fictitious works characterized in such a manner.

Dieselpunk
1.) "Fiction inspired by mid-century pulp and set in a world similar to steampunk though specifically characterized by the rise of petroleum power and technocratic perception, incorporating neo-noir elements and sharing themes more with cyberpunk than steampunk." (Wikipedia)
2.) Roleplay in such a setting.
3.) The broad genre of all such works.

DM, also Dungeon Master
See GM.

Fandom
An existing setting or ‘universe’ in which writers may create roleplays. For example, the Star Wars fandom, the Harry Potter fandom, the Lord of the Rings fandom, the Naruto fandom.

Fantasy
1.) Any roleplay in a fantasy setting.
2.) Sometimes also used as a catch all term for any non-realistic roleplay.

Freeform
1.) A type of roleplay where there are no explicit guidelines on length or format of posts, usage of player characters, plot, or determining the success of various actions including combat.
2.) Another term for text based roleplay.

Furrie, also Furry
1.) An anthropomorphic character consisting of an animal with humanlike clothing, sentience, sapience, and behavior. Typically such a character walks upright, but furries may also be more animal-like in behavior, but possess humanlike emotion and sentience.
2.) An anthropomorphic character consisting of a non-human animal, especially horses, lions, wolves, foxes, and dogs, who possess sapience and sentience, as well as humanlike emotions and thought processes, but who otherwise behave and appear as their feral counterparts.
3.) A roleplayer who portrays such a character.

Game
A roleplay.

Gary Stu
See Mary Sue.

GM, also Game Master,
1.) A person who writes roleplays.
2.) A person who runs roleplays.
3.) The player who controls the overarching plot and/or any NPCs.
4.) The player who directs the actions of the player characters and enforces the rules of the roleplay.

Godmodding, also God-mode, or Godmode, or Godmoding,
1.) Controlling another player character’s actions, dialogue, or thoughts without that player’s permission to do so, typically by writing a post in which you direct the actions, dialogue, or thoughts of that player’s character.
2.) May also refer to autohitting.
3.) Sometimes used as an umbrella term for any unfair tactics in a fight.

Handwaving, also Handwave or Hand wave,
Skipping a scene either because it violates site rules (such as on romantic or sexual content), an individual roleplay’s rules, or because the players involved agree not to write out the details of the scene (i.e. the uninteresting parts of a criminal trial, a speech, or a romantic scene with which one or both roleplayers are not comfortable). The content of the omitted scene is assumed to have happened, and the players whose characters are involved reach a mutual agreement before the handwave as to what occurs.

In Character (also In-Character, or IC)
1.) A post or piece of writing made from the point of view of one or more characters that adds to a storyline, or roleplay.
2.) Comments or remarks made in such a manner.
3.) Behavior consistent with that of a roleplay character, as opposed to a player’s own personality.

LARP, or Live Action Roleplay,
1.) A roleplay in which the participants (roleplayers) physically meet and act out their characters’ actions. Typically LARPers dress up in costumes, and may use foam weapons, die throwing, or rock paper scissors to determine the outcome of simulated comat. Most LARPs are in a fantasy setting.
2.) The general idea of such roleplays.
3.) The act of participating in such a roleplay.

Literate, also Literacy,
1.) An in-character post consisting of at least a few good-sized paragraphs, with good grammar and spelling.
2.) The ability on a roleplayer’s behalf to make good usage of the English language, with respect to common usage, stylistic choices, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, while simultaneously adding coherent posts to an existing roleplay through careful development of character and plot.
3.) May also refer to the capability to write posts consisting of upwards of 500-700 words, although exact parameters differ between roleplayers.
4.) A roleplayer who is capable and willing to write such posts.

Mary Sue
1.) A character who is idealistic, lacking flaws, an overidealized self-insertion of the player, unrealistic, or characterized by several cliched and archetypical traits, including physical appearance, nomenclature, history, and personality. (For example, a half-demon half-vampire girl named Ebony Starblossom who was abandoned by her parents and raised in a society where halfbreeds are hated, in abject poverty, who was abused and raped, who has the power to control fire, who speaks twenty languages, who is stunningly beautiful with purple hair with silver streaks, who hates herself, etc. etc. etc. Don’t make me puke in my guide.)
2.) The act of playing such a character.

Metagaming, also Metagame, or just Meta
1.) Information or knowledge in an In Character post which does not reflect the character’s range of information or knowledge, but information or knowledge gained by the player in an Out of Character setting, discussion, or research.
2.) The act of writing a post with such content.
3.) The habit of writing posts with such content.

Minimum Posting Requirement
1.) A minimum word count for in character posts mandated by a GM for a specific roleplay. (Example: Minimum 2-3 good sized paragraphs, or minimum 75 words).
2.) A minimum posting frequency for in character posts mandated by a GM for a specific roleplay. (Example: Post once a day at least, or post once every other day).

Multiverse
1.) A ’setting’ for roleplay where all ‘universes’ and ‘fandoms’ and ‘characters’ simultaneously exist at once. (For example, Obi-Wan Kenobi can hang out with Harry Potter, Gil Grissom, and Napoleon Bonaparte all at once).
2.) The thread where such a setting exists.
3.) Posts made with such a setting in mind.
4.) Relating to such a setting.

Newbie, also Newb, Noob, N00b
1.) Any person with little to no experience with roleplay.
2.) Any person who is a newly registered member of the site.
3.) May also have derogatory connotations, referring to any person with immature behavior either OOC or IC.

Non-Player Characters, also NPC, NPCs, or Non Player Characters
1.) Any character which is not available for any player to play.
2.) Any character controlled by the GM, or whose posts are written exclusively or semi-exclusively by the GM. Typically, such characters play supporting roles, or background roles, or may be considered too powerful for players. For example, canon characters are often NPCs, as are minor characters.
3.) Any character with a minor role, who is shared between players, or who is played exclusively by one player in supporting roles, without access by other roleplayers. For example, the family members of a PC, or a clerk at a store, or a passerby on the street.

One-Line, also One line, one liners, or one-liners
1.) An IC post consisting of one sentence, or one line of text in a very literal sense.
2.) The act of writing such posts.
3.) The habit of writing such posts.
4.) A roleplayer who consistently writes such posts.

One on One, also 1×1, OnexOne
A roleplay exclusively between two players. They may choose to only play one character each, or to play multiple characters each, and write the plot together.

Open
1.) A roleplay which is still accepting players and characters.
2.) A roleplay without a clearly defined plot, beginning, middle, and end.
3.) A roleplay allowing for freeform play.
4.) A roleplay permitting the players to collaborate to develop their own plotlines and subplots, without the burden of an existing overarching plot.
5.) A roleplay that is not forcing the story to go in one particular direction, or forcing the characters to work towards one specific goal or ‘end’, or conclusion.

Out of Character, also OOC, or Out-of-Character
1.) A post or piece of writing made from the point of view of the player, not related to a roleplay.
2.) A post of piece of writing made from the point of view of the player related to a roleplay, typically made to comment on one’s own or another player’s in character post(s), or to discuss furthering the plot or creating overlapping character backstories or future character interaction.
3.) Comments or remarks made in such a manner.
4.) Behavior consistent with that of the player’s own personality, as opposed to a roleplay character.

Player Character, also PC,
1.) Any character which may be created or controlled primarily by one roleplayer, and which is typically a major character in a roleplay.
2.) Sometimes may mean any character not created by the GM.

Powered
Any character with a special power. For example, a character who controls an element, who can read minds, summon demons, see the future, or defy death.

Private
1.) A roleplay exclusively between two players. They may choose to only play one character each, or to play multiple characters each, and write the plot together.
2.) A roleplay with all spots already filled, or already collaborated by a specific group of roleplayers in advance of either the OOC or IC thread being posted publicly.
3.) A roleplay that has never been publicly open to signups.

Profile, also Character Profile
1.) A post containing a description of a character for roleplay.
2.) A brief biographical account of a character given for reference purposes.
3.) A list of attributes of a character, such as name, age, race (for fantasy), gender, appearance, personality, and history, which may be simplified or extended as the GM desires.
4.) Such a description.

Realistic
1.) A roleplay set in the real world, whether historical, modern, or futuristic. This last one is very rarely associated with the term ‘realistic’, except in near future settings.
2.) Any roleplay where there is no form of magic nor of technology which does not exist in real life.
3.) Also sometimes used as a general term referring to any non-fantasy roleplay.

Roleplay, also RP, Roleplay, Roleplaying Game, RPG,
1.) Any collaborative writing project in which the participants typically control one or a few specific characters and work together to establish interaction and a coherent storyline.
2.) Any game where the players take on the role of one or more characters in a separate reality from their own lives.
3.) May refer to the concept in general, the community of people who participate in such games, a specific game, or a very specific collection of participants and the story they are creating.

Roleplayer, also RPer,
1.) Any person who participates in roleplaying games.
2.) Any participant in a roleplay.

Semi-Literate, also Semi-Lit
1.) An in-character post consisting of one to three good-sized paragraphs, with good grammar and spelling.
2.) An in character post of sizable length, but lacking perfection in terms of grammar and spelling.
3.) Any in-character post shorter than, or with worse mechanics than, a literate post.
4.) A roleplayer who is capable and willing to write such posts.

Sheet, also Character Sheet
See Profile.

Signups, also Sign Ups,
1.) A thread in which prospective players may submit profiles for the GM’s consideration.
2.) A thread containing Out of Character information for an open roleplay, where players may submit profiles for the GM’s consideration.

Skeleton, also Skelly
See Profile.

Steampunk
1.) A roleplay characterized by Neo-Victorianism, where characters exist in a Victorian era, and modern technological devices are modified to fit into such a time period.
2.) A story characterized in the same way.
3.) The genre consisting of such works.
4.) The subculture of fans of this genre.

Storyteller
See GM

Subplot
A plot developed by players, typically without the inclusion of the GM, involving some of the characters in a roleplay, which takes place within the frame of the overarching plot.

Sue
See Mary Sue.

Tabletop Roleplay, also Pen and Paper roleplay
A roleplay where the participants physically meet together, where the scenario is guided by a GM, where the roleplay is focused around the use of character sheets (physical pieces of paper), spoken actions and dialogue, and where the success of actions is often determined by throwing of die. Example is Dungeons and Dragons.

Text Based Roleplay
Roleplays which are primarily constructed and continued through written pieces, each player controlling one or more player characters, posting in sequence such as on an internet forum.

Vampire
Any roleplay containing references to vampires, or vampire characters.

Werewolf
Any rolepaly containing references to werewolves, or to werewolf characters.

Yuri/Yaoi
A roleplay with sexualized themes, especially one including characters of deviant sexual preferences. (Warning: If you include this in the tags or title of any of your topics, moderators will take notice. See our Site Rules.) Also see Cybering.

References

Roleplay Gateway
Mary Sue by Wikipedia
Roleplaying Games by Wikipedia
LARP by Wikipedia
Character Profile Template by Ylanne Sorrows
Treali Storm: A Mary Sue Case Study by Ylanne Sorrows
The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test
Encyclopedia Dramatica: Mary Sue by Encyclopedia Dramatica
The Starter’s Guide to Forum Roleplay by Eric Martindale
What is Roleplaying? by Lord Saladin
The Purpose of a Roleplay Post by Lord Saladin
Building NPCs by Eric Martindale
Tipes for One Liners/Speed Posters by Vexar
The Roleplay Academy by Sonata

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Sonata, Rem (Eric Martindale), Marionette, Jehanne, Skall (Robert M. Wright), BBClock, Roleplay Gateway community members, and all newbies (both to the site and to roleplaying) who ask questions about what something means. Your inspiration means a lot.

2.) Every post must be exactly and only as long as it needs to be. You hate it when you ask how long a teacher wants an essay to be, and he responds "As long as it needs to be." Well, he’s right. Get the point across. Make the plot point. Fill in a few details on the character by means of showing them. Make it long enough to do those things, but no longer.

3.) Be sure there is a sense of place. You don’t have to write four rambly paragraphs about the location. One or two sentences will often suffice, so long as you provide the other roleplayers/reader with an idea of where this is, what the atmosphere or milieu of the place is, and the like. It can be as simple as the character’s perception of a room/area/etc.

4.) Be sure there is a sense of person. With few exceptions, there is no need to spell out the exact details of a character’s outfit and physical appearance, but carefully chosen details can serve you very well – i.e. ink stains, coffeestains, uncombed hair, STYLE of dress (i.e. "He was dressed in soft, muted colors", or "She wore a flowing white skirt"), manner of speech (i.e. mumbling, avoiding eye contact, staring, commanding sharply, etc.), and such, when dispersed throughout the post, can paint the picture of a person without spending unnecessary paragraphs on verbose descriptions.

5.) Avoid discussing a character’s memories or dreams too much. Done in moderation, in small dosages, and without the ever-annoying ‘telling’, memories or dreams can further shape your character in a roleplay. I suggest that if you include snippets of a memory or dream, they be exactly that – snippets, no longer than two sentences, average length ones, at that. Further, that these not be used in every post. More like once, possible a few times, in the course of a roleplay, at PIVOTAL moments, not whenever you feel the desire to include them.

6.) Write what needs to be written. What happens here? What is your purpose in writing this post? Fulfill it. Portray what needs to be portrayed. Don’t worry if it is too short or too long. Proofread for grammar and spelling (and inconsistencies), and post.

7.) Typically, roleplay posts are in the third person, past tense. Use of the future conditional is advised against. Use your discretion when departing from the standard point of view in roleplay posts, and when in doubt, ask the GM of the roleplay in question – or simply refer to the rules.

8.) The roleplay post is typically expected to contain the point of view of one character only – yours – and if you are playing multiple characters who are not in the same location or conversation, it is considered considerate to clearly separate the segments. Sometimes, there is a need to include the actions or dialogue of NPCs as well, and in some roleplays, dependent on the GM and the other players involved, light forms of puppeting are considered acceptable for longer posts.

9.) Good roleplay posts are good writing. While there are some differences in the ways in which one is permitted to portray actions, thoughts, and characters’ points of view, a good roleplay post will also demonstrate a good handle on vocabulary, syntax, effective use of detail, and other elements of style.

If running your own roleplays, you can definitely benefit from devoting a little thought to how you state your information, especially if there’s a lot of it. I’m going to attempt to offer some tips here for any interested. This is written mostly for newbie GMs that may be wondering, "How do I get my RPs to look better?" Perhaps others will find something useful in it, too.

There are multiple methods for organization; I’m not intending to tell anyone their way of setting up a game is wrong. This is merely what I have found to be effective.

Tip 1: Separate your information into sections.

Dividing the information into several "chunks" can help to prevent "wall of text" and aid people in finding exactly what they’re looking for. Think of a restaurant menu. Usually, dishes are divided into categories: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Sides, Drinks, etc. Sure, it could just list everything at once, but how easy would it be able to find something in this menu? "Pancakes, roast beef, Coke, waffles, tacos, beer, ice cream, fish sticks…" Not very easy! Likewise, categories will speed up referencing information in your RP. If you’re astute, you may notice I’m doing exactly this in this topic.

I suggest some variation on the following (keeping in mind that categories can be added or omitted as is necessary; every RP is different):

Intro (contains a short summary of your roleplay to catch people’s eye without overwhelming them (though the summary can be skipped if using the RP tab since it has a specific field for the summary), plus a numbered index with the order of the categories)
Plot & Setting (the full description of the roleplay; I often divide this into two separate categories rather than one if I have a lot of setting info)
Rules (the rules of your RP)
Character Skeleton (if you require a specific skeleton/sheet/form, whatever you want to call it, it would go here)
Accepted (entirely moot if you’re using the RP tab, but otherwise, this is a place to list the people who have been accepted; I find it’s best to ask people to post their profiles in the OOC so that you can link to them rather than copy/pasting the entire profile into the first post, especially if there are images in the profiles, as that way the first post doesn’t get weighted down)

Again, each RP has different requirements, and so you may find you need more or less sections.

Tip 2: Break down those sections into subsections if necessary.

Let’s go back to the menu metaphor. A menu can further separate its dishes by breaking sections up even more. For example, under Dinner you might have the subcategories Beef, Chicken, and Vegetarian. These could be divided even further, the Beef category containing Sandwiches, Burgers, and Steaks. Now you can really pinpoint what you’re looking for.

Likewise, if your a category contains a lot of information, it might be best to break that down even further. Let’s look at Setting. Say you were concentrating on the fictional country of Naros which is home to three different magical races, the Ilians, the Karians, and the Marans. You need to explain a little about Naros’s terrain and government, and you also need to explain a little about each race. You could divide it as such:

Setting

The Country of Naros

1. Terrain: Narros has very rough terrain with its fair share of hills and valleys, but there are wide plains to the south.
2. Government: The land is ruled by a tyrant king of Maran descent who despises the Karians, sending soldiers to slay many unfairly. He is not fond of the Ilians either, but he fears their power too much to target them.

The Races of Naros

1. Ilians: The Ilians are a blue-skinned race with the power to control water.
2. Karians: The Karians are a green-skinned race with the power to control wood.
3. Marans: The Marans are a crimson-skinned race with the power to control fire.

Obviously, in a real RP, you’d usually have much more information than that, but this is the basic idea. If there were a lot more information, doing it this way would really help to keep it manageable.

Tip 3: Use formatting to make things clearer.

You’ll notice in the above example I established "levels" of categories by formatting. Setting is the main category, so it’s in large, bold font. The Country of Naros and the Races of Naros are the two subcategories of Setting, so they’re bold, but they’re smaller. Each subcategory has a numbered set of its own subcategories. If there were no formatting, it could get confusing. It only takes a little extra time to do, but it makes a big difference in how orderly your RP looks.

The key here is to use it as necessary. Highlight titles by bolding, italicizing, underlining, listing, increasing the font size, changing the font, and using colors. Try to make it follow some logic: a subcategory heading isn’t going to be smaller than a main category heading! Personally, I prefer colors and larger font sizes for main categories only, then bolding, italicizing, underlining, and/or listing (lettered, numbered, and bulleted) for subcategories. It’s also good to try to arrange it in a way that’s easier on the eyes; I’d suggest avoiding clashing/overly bright/too many different colors and incredibly small font (do you really want to read a thread like this?).

Another helpful piece of formatting is the "hr" tag, which you can see in your list of BBCode at the top. It makes a line go across the page. I like to use these lines to separate my main categories from each other. For example:

Plot

Pretend there’s a really awesome plot here!

---

Setting

Pretend there’s a really engaging setting here!

---

Rules

Pretend there are some really boring rules here!

For BBCode formatting help, I’m happy to answer questions, but first you should check out RPGateway’s guide on the subject. This forum has a great selection of BBCode (most of which is simplified for you with the code bar) for us to use, so make use of it!

Examples

Lastly, here are some real examples of effective organization in action. The first is mine; the rest are RPs I found around the site which I felt were exemplary. The others may not follow my suggestions exactly, but, as noted, there’s not one right or wrong way to do this.

At a Price
Galra Outpost
Sword of the Abandoned- Revival
The Echoes of War

This character profile template (with instructions and prompts throughout) is provided on the resources page of my writer’s website, linked above. I have posted this character profile here to aid in character development. The purpose of using a character profile is to flesh out a character who is little more than a ’sketch’, or who has not had much thought put into him or her. This profile was written primarily for literary purposes and not roleplay purposes; however, it is easily adapted for roleplay purposes, and has a roleplay counterpart (which you are able to find if you dig deeply enough into my posting history which is slightly altered.

If you wish to use this profile, or portions of it copied and pasted directly, as the standard skeleton in a roleplay of yours, please credit me as the profile creator with my name clearly visible. No one likes to see their work stolen. You may also download a copy in Word 2007 format from this page of my website which may be reproduced for personal or classroom use only. (It’s on the bottom right hand side of the page).

Another note upon the use of character profiles: ninety-nine chances out of a hundred that your readers will never read or see, or need to see, your completed character ‘profiles’. They may not know the vast majority of the information you will write and create about your characters. In fact, it is probably best if they do not. Nevertheless, the use of the profile as a resource for you as the writer cannot be understated. It is an aid for you when you have writer’s block, and must wonder what the character would do, say, or think in any given situation or moment – as one’s history and beliefs will always be a significant influence in one’s decisions – or when something comes up where you need an answer from the character’s point of view. It may also be best to fill out the profile as if you are the character himself. . . or as if you are some sort of investigator or psychiatrist called upon to complete a thorough dossier on the character, leaving no metaphorical stone unturned.

Without further ado, I here present the character profile which I myself have created and refined, with instructions and prompts throughout, over the past year and a half.

Role: For example, general role, or story-specific role. The former, things such as ‘main character’, ‘main character’s best friend’, ‘bad guy’, ‘mentor to protagonist’, etc. might be used. The latter, things such as ‘detective’, ‘older wizard’, ‘disgruntled ex-boyfriend’, ‘lieutenant’, etc. may be used.

Full Name: The character’s full, complete, and legal name.

Name at birth: Same thing, but only if it was different when the character was born, i.e. if s/he changed name because of marriage, adoption, religious conversion, or other reason.

Aliases/Nicknames (if any): Any aliases or nicknames that the character is addressed by, referred to as, or uses for whatever purpose on any regular basis.

Title(s): Any title, such as "Dr.", or "Master", or "Special Agent", or "Venerable" may here be reference and noted.

Preferred name: What name the character prefers to be addressed by. For example, foreign exchange student Yeonggwang goes by ‘Paul’, or Nicholas goes by ‘Nicky’. It may also be that someone is referred to primarily by their surname, or by their complete, unabbreviated forename.

Age/Date of Birth: Both the character’s age at the start of the story, or ‘canon’, as well as the complete date of birth with the appropriate calendar. In a realistic story, this would be using the Gregorian calendar (unless your character’s religion or culture dictate use of the lunar calendar). In a non-realistic story, the calendar will depend on your universe.

Sex: Male or female.

Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity: How does the character identify his or her gender? What is his or her sexual orientation? This may be ‘heterosexual’, ‘homosexual’, ‘transgender’, or whatever pleases the character in question.

Race/Ethnicity: What is the character’s race? This may be ‘White/Caucasian’ or ‘Black/African-American’ for example. It may also include nationality, or ethnic group. Hispanic or Latino status should be denoted here. If the character exists in a fantasy world and is not human, the appropriate race and/or sub-race should be listed.

Skin Tone: What is the character’s skin tone? This may be ‘dark brown’, ‘light brown’, ‘olive’, ‘pale’, ‘albino’, or perhaps even some fantastical hue for a non-realistic character.

Height: The character’s height, in the most accepted unit. This may be realistic, inches or centimeters, or may be specific to the universe or culture.

Weight: The character’s weight, in the most accepted unit. This may be realistic, inches or centimeters, or may be specific to the universe or culture.

Build: What is the character’s build? Slender, athletic, frail, sturdy, stocky, muscular, or plump may be some of the adjectives that come to mind.

Eyes: What is the character’s eye color? Be specific without using purple prose. For instance, ‘light brown’, or ‘hazel’, or ‘black’, or ‘pale blue’ would be acceptable. If the character wears contacts that change the natural eye color, both colors should be noted and explained.

Hair: What is the character’s hair color? Be specific without using purple prose. Also describe the texture, thickness, length, style, and any other significant attributes, such as whether it is oily or particularly shiny. If it is dyed, has highlights, or otherwise has unnatural alterations, those should be noted and explained.

Clothes Style: What style of clothes does the character wear? With very few exceptions (such as a story that takes place over one day, or in a prison or boarding school where students wear uniforms), your character will not be wearing the same outfit throughout the story. Does your character follow fashion trends? What materials, colors, and type of clothes does the character wear? Where does he or she obtain the clothes? Are they ethnic or traditional clothes? Is the character promiscuous or modest?

Tattoos, Piercings, Marks, Scars, etc.: Describe the location, size, and appearance of any tattoos, piercings, marks (such as moles or birthmarks), scars, or other notable or significant physical traits not already discussed.

Appearance: Describe the character’s appearance without reiterating anything already said. Anything that has not been said in this category that should be noted will be described and explained here. A note – this is physical appearance only. Equipment and such will follow later.

Religion: Does the character have a religious affiliation or sense of spirituality? Has the character ever converted to or from a religious affiliation or sense of spirituality? Describe in detail the character’s religious or spiritual beliefs or experiences.

Political Affiliation: What sort of politics does the character have? Has the character ever changed parties, affiliations, beliefs, or public platforms? Describe in detail the character’s political platform and activities.

Education: How educated is the character? Is he or she literate? Does he or she have a secondary school diploma (or equivalent)? What about higher education? Is he or she still in school? Describe in detail the sort of education the character has, noting and explaining any degrees or academic honors or awards.

Languages spoken: What languages does the character speak, including his or her native language(s)? Specifically, what dialect of each language does he or she speak? When, how, and why did the character learn any secondary languages?

Weapons (if any): Does the character have any weapons or other sorts of equipment? What are they, how did he or she obtain them, and why does he or she keep them? Has the character ever lost or had confiscated any weapons or equipment? What were they, and why did this happen?

Occupation(s): What is the character’s occupation? Does he or she have multiple concurrent occupations or jobs? When did he or she start? How high up on the ladder is the character?

Past Occupation(s): What past occupation(s) has the character had? Did he or she have multiple concurrent occupations or jobs? How long did each last, and when was the character employed? By whom? And how far did the character advance? Most importantly, why is the character no longer employed in these former positions.

Special Abilities/Skills: Does the character have any other special abilities or skills, whether highly desirable or not? Talents, learned skills, and such may all be listed here.

Activities/Organizations: What sorts of activities does the character engage in? What organizations is he or she actively supporting or participating in, and what organizations is the character loosely affiliated with? What sorts of activities and affiliations has the character had in the past and why are they no longer current?

Hobbies: What sorts of hobbies does the character engage in? Anything such as knitting, collecting money, or listening to music may be listed here.

Interests: Any other interests that the character has or has had, such as philosophy, economics, or weaponry.

Serious Problems/Flaws/Addictions/Disorders/Disabilities: What are the character’s most significant problems or flaws? Does he or she have any addictions or bad habits? What about criminal history? Does the character have any disabilities or psychological disorders? If so, what are they, when and how did they onset, and when were they diagnosed? To what degree is the character affected, and what is being done about it? Most importantly, what is the character’s attitude toward his or her flaws or disabilities?

Citizenship: In what nation or nations does the character have citizenship rights?

Place of Birth: Where, city and province or state, was the character born?

Now lives: Where does the character now live?

Lives with: With whom does the character live? This may be spouse, cohabitant, child(ren), roommate(s), pet(s), parent(s), sibling(s), etc.

Current Relationship Status: Is the character currently in a romantic relationship? With whom? When did it start? Is the relationship healthy or unhealthy?

Relationship History: What sorts of romantic relationships has the character had in the past? With whom? When did they start, how long did they last, and why and how did they end? Were they healthy or unhealthy?

Family: Who is in the character’s family? Immediate? Siblings? Children? With whom is the character in contact? How are the relationships? Healthy or unhealthy? Why? Also, describe both the current family relationships and childhood relationships with family.

Other Biographical Remarks: Write the rest of the character’s biographical information. Anything that was missed, or not expounded on already.

I hope this profile has been of some use to you. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, as I am always open to improvement and revision.

Revision: Latin; re- prefix, "back", "again"; visio nom. noun, "act of seeing", "sight"; from video, v, "to see". Revision – to see again.

Blessings and peace,

Ylanne Sorrows