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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 6, 2011 21:34:09 GMT -5
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:01:36 GMT -5
How They Do It!
Now, you must be asking yourself how you’ll ever manage to make such drool worthy posts! It’s actually easier then you might think! There are just a few things to remember.
When you read a book, what makes it good? What makes it bad? I’m not talking about the plot here! I mean grammar and sentence structure! If it isn’t written well, you won’t like it! It’s the same with posts!
The first thing we learn is to make sense in what we write. If we can’t understand our own posts, how can other people understand them? Before you post something, remember to reread it. Make sure you didn’t do something weird!
Second, run ons. We don’t like run on sentences. Remember periods and commas. It makes everything easier. We know where and when a sentence ends. (Can you figure out what I am talking about if I don’t use anything to separate my sentences like this hard isn’t it yeah I know we find it really annoying and basically have to guess what your trying to say we don’t even know if you are asking questions or not or if you are yelling or anything like that.) Do you see what I mean? How can anyone understand what you are trying to say?
Third, spelling, spelling, spelling! We know there will always be some typos, but when you read over your posts and noticing you misspelled something, fix it! Don’t just shrug it off! Sometimes typos can make things really confusing, because, sadly, in the English language some words are really similar spelling wise! Truck-Track. Dam-Damn. Mellow-fellow. Collar- molar. You get what I mean? Some typos make different words! Imagine reading a post with typos like that! You’d be guessing the whole time!
Fourth, watch everyone else. See what they do. What works, what doesn’t work. You can learn a lot just from watching! But to actually get better, you have to use those little secrets you learn!
Last but no least, you need to practice! Practice makes perfect! Write whenever and wherever you can! Many great authors have said, write every chance you get. Some have even gone as far as saying devote several hours a day just to writing. Sadly, some of us don't have hours because of school, work, friends, and other engagements. Just remember though, you won't get any better if you don't write. So if the opportunity presents itself? You better jump at it!
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:02:08 GMT -5
Getting Started –Amazing First Posts!
Every thread has a starter, and the starter is one of the most important parts in a thread! The starter is just that, the start! Without a good start, there is no middle or end because, frankly, if the beginning doesn’t catch your attention you won’t keep reading. Now, starting a thread isn’t always easy, but there are a few tricks to ease the pressure just a bit. And they are...
Set the scene. Where is this taking place? What is around you? Who is around you? Is it sunny? Raining? Thunderstorm? Day? Night? Draw us a detailed picture…. But don’t go overboard! We don’t need to know that random person A has charcoal colored hair, purple eyes, and a hooked nose. Or the random person B wore a wedding ring that was worth half a million dollars. Sometimes, detail is just fluff. If you aren’t interacting with that specific thing/person, and aren't likely to, you don’t need to tell us everything about it, just a simple "The shop was fairly crowded", or "The shop was filled with people from all walks of life", will do.
Set the mood. What is the overall feel of the post? Is your character skipping, humming a preppy tune? Are they barely able to take a step, with the weight of world suffocating them? Is there a dead look in their eyes? Do they just reek of intimidation? Humans have a ‘somewhat’ sixth sense, where we can feed off each other. We can hone in on each other’s emotions. We know when something is off or if someone is chipper. And when we are roleplaying, our characters should be able to do the same thing. This also includes just the vibe that can be picked up. Dark alley at night? It's going to be a little freaky, mention it. His the air thick with dread? Give us something to work off of!
Leave an opening. You need to leave openings for other characters to come in. Give them something to work with. Make it easy for them. What really sucks is wanting to post somewhere but there not being an entrance for you! A really common way to leave an opening is to include your character hearing the footsteps, a door opening, being spoken to, anything! Maybe you're character is at a popular hang out! Have them interact with NPC's, or characters that can join. Basically? Hinting at someone else interacting with your character is one of the easiest ways to get a response.
Last, but not least, my word of advice. Reread you're starter post before publishing it! If you feel it's to slow or lack luster? Just rewrite it! And, obviously, have fun with it!
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:02:22 GMT -5
To Post or Not to Post, That is the Question!
So you come across a thread, and you ask yourself ‘Should I join?’, or ‘How can I join?’. Well, all of us have these moments, and the answer can be yes or no, depending on the thread! The things that should influence your decision are…
How many people are in the thread already? Sometimes, how many people are already in the thread can influence your decision to joining. And how many is to many? That is a question you need to ask yourself! Depending on your preference, three people already in can be to many, or almost a dozen! You need to decide this for yourself. If there are too many people in the thread for you, you shouldn’t even consider posting there unless you have to. The exceptions are event, class, or meeting threads. Those threads are supposed to have a lot of people.
Who is in it? Sometimes, the other characters in the thread will make your decision for you. If your character is so shy they won’t talk to other people, why are they joining threads with people they don’t know? If your character completely loathes someone else, does your character hang around them? They would avoid that person as much possible! Unless, of course, your character wants to take every chance they can to take out that person…
What is the plot? Is it something you can enter? Not all plots are easy to come into, and what’s worse sometimes people really won’t appreciate you messing with their plot, especially if it’s already been developed to a point. Joining a developed plot like that can sometimes ruin and kill the whole thing! So ask yourself before you join, is there an opening for you?
Location, location, location! Probably one of the most important factors! If your character has no mean, or reason to be somewhere they won’t be there! X-men aren’t going to be at the Brotherhood ruins. Brotherhood aren't going to be at the Exiles castle. The only exceptions are if you are forced to be there, or if you are after something at the place.
And last but not least… Is it open or closed? If the thread is closed and you’re not the one supposed to be there, what the heck are you doing joining the thread? Not only is it disrespectful, but it upsets them! You aren’t supposed to be there, so don’t even think about joining unless you have the person’s permission! Please, just don’t invade private RP’s.
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:02:29 GMT -5
How to Keep the Thread Alive!
One of the biggest problems a lot of us has, is keeping threads active and alive. All of us have a problem, where we let a thread die, and we all hate it when that happens. It’s so sad to see a thread go unfinished! So here are some tips to help keep things going!
Don’t forget about the thread! This is something a lot of us suffer, forgetting about it. Sometimes, if you are in too many threads you forget about one or two! You can bookmark each thread if you need, or make a list somewhere to help you keep track. And if you think someone forgot about a thread you are both in, give them a reminder! A lot of us need those little friendly reminders from time to time! Just to keep track of everything!
Change things up. Sometimes, threads can just get boring. When that happens, a great way to keep things going is to throw in a twist, or ask someone to come in and give you something new!
Don’t try to drag things out when they are dying! If the thread is dying because there is nothing left to do/the purpose of the thread has been served, don’t keep it going! End it! If you don’t end it, you’ll just keep things going until it gets ridiculous and is abandoned. End things on a good note!
Remember, finished threads are satisfying! What better feeling is there knowing that you’ve finished a thread and not just abandoned it?
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:02:38 GMT -5
Posting Etiquette
One of the biggest problems I have faced in all the RPing I’ve done in my life, is a lot of times people don’t seem to understand one thing. That just like in real life, there is still a fine line between manners and disrespect. More often than not, they are just plan disrespectful. And we don’t want any of you making those same mistakes.
Ignoring posts directed to you is one of my biggest pet peeves. People put a lot of time and effort into these posts, and people hate it when you just ignore your work. You are meant to respond to them, so do it. Would you like it if you made a post only to be completely and totally ignored? Sometimes, even just partially ignoring a post is annoying. Just ignoring certain parts of a post that a normal person wouldn’t ignore is very rude. So when you respond to a thread, respond to as much as possible! Not just what you want to.
If you know how to spell and write properly, do it. Don’t ignore periods or commas just because it’s ‘easier’. This is a literate roleplay forum. We expect you to write like you are being graded on it. Do your best work. No one will want to rp with you if you are known for being an idiot when it comes to writing, but being capable of writing well.
Break things up. Do you know how hard it is to read a post you make if you have everything in one HUGE paragraph? Instead of one paragraph that is basically the length of a page, break it into several smaller paragraphs. But don’t just pick random spots! The end of a paragraph is just that, the end of that part. The start of a paragraph is the start of something different.
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:02:46 GMT -5
Ten Tips to Improve Your Writing
Some of the explanations were written by myself, and others are done by well known authors.
- Cut the boring parts.
This is called useless fluff. We don’t like useless fluff. We skip the useless fluff. Leave out the parts that you know people are going to only skim, or even completely skip over!
- Eliminate unnecessary words
Some words just get in the way and are completely useless, just like the useless fluff. Get rid of them and never look back.
- Write with passion
Your feelings will come out in your writing. We know when you really don’t care what you are writing, and most of us won’t even read it if we think you’re not passionate about it. If you’re not excited about you’re writing, no one else will be.
- Paint a picture
Merely saying the moon is pretty tonight doesn’t capture someone’s attention. Comparing the moon to the glint of light on broken glass does. Use metaphors, similes, and vivid imagery to capture your audience. Take them on a journey.
- Keep it simple
If you can get the same message across in a paragraph rather than a whole page with the same ferocity and passion, do it. Save us some time.
- Do it for love
Write because you love it, write because it makes you happy. Do your best work only because you love it, not because people expect it of you.
- Learn to thrive on criticism
Writing means putting yourself at the mercy of anonymous hecklers and shameless sycophants. Learn to make the most of the insults and distrust the praise.
- Write all the time
Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed. The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn’t behave that way you would never do anything.
- Write what you know … or what you want to know
Successful writing is all about trust and authority. It makes sense to write about your area of expertise. If you don’t have an expertise, reading and writing is the best way to develop one and put it on display.
- Be unique and unpredictable
Following what works will only get you so far. Experiment with new styles, even if it means taking criticism. Without moving forward, you’ll be left behind.
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:02:59 GMT -5
Conquering the Dead Muse
Everyone has a muse, a desire to write, whether just to write about anything, or about a specific character. And sometimes that muse likes to…. Well run off for a while. Sometimes it can be gone a few hours, and sometimes it can be gone for months. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Having absolutely no desire to write for months at length. Yeah, it’s tons of fun. For the muse stealers. It absolutely sucks for us writers. Now, being a devoted writer for most my life, I’ve figured out a few little tricks to try and bribe that muse to come back, and being the wonderful person I am(Don’t laugh… I’ll fork you!) I have graciously decided to share them with you. Remember though, these are tricks that have worked for me, so they might not always work because… Well face it, everyone is different. Different things work for different people. Now, different tips will work for different situations, so just try a couple before deciding your muse won’t come back! - Get up and walk away from the computer. Sometimes, trying to force yourself to post only makes it worse. The best thing to do, is get moving! And I’m not talking about going and playing a Wii game or something! Go for a bike ride, go rollerblading, take your dog around the block a few times, jump on the trampoline, do something outside for a few minutes! Get some fresh air to clear your head.
- Sometimes you really do just need a break. Take the day off and do something else. Don’t RP at all, let your mind rest from it for the day! Pick up a book, watch a movie, spend time with friends, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you aren't writing until you are ready to write again!
- If you have multiple characters and you’ve just lost your muse for one, try rping as different character for a bit! Sometimes, you just get sick of a specific character, and playing someone else can help rejuvenate your muse for the other.
- Keep things interesting. If you aren’t doing anything fun with the character, of course you lose interest in them! Throw them into a plot or something to rekindle that fire!
- Try, try again. Get as much as you can down… Delete it, and start over. Soon enough you’ll start thinking of little things to add here or there. You’ll change certain parts. Think of it like writing a paper. You have the rough draft, followed by several revises. Sure, this may take a while, but sooner or later you will get something good out.
- Do some spring cleaning! And by spring cleaning, I mean take a look at their profile, and play with it. Add onto their personality, change things up, get yourself motivated to RP as them! Sometimes, you don’t want to RP as a certain character because they are outdated! This happens to be one of my most successful tricks to return my muse!
- Morning Pages. Morning Pages. MORNING PAGES! Okay, you don’t know what those are. Get a pen(or pencil) and a few pieces of blank lined paper. Put your pen or pencil to the paper and just write. Don’t think about what you are writing, just write! Don’t stop writing. Don’t use commas or periods. Don’t capitalize words. Don’t double check your spelling. JUST WRITE. Write about anything you want. You can repeat the same word a thousand freaking times if you want. It doesn’t matter. Do this for at least five minutes. Why are you doing this? Well, this is a trick I learned from one of the most amazing women in the world, my Creative Writing teacher in high school. In her words you are ‘clearing your head of all the crap that builds up’. You are clearing and organizing your thoughts by getting all the useless blah out of your head and down on paper. It doesn’t always bring back your muse(That doesn’t mean it won’t!), but one thing is for certain, it definitely improves your writing.
Last but not least, try and find your own little tricks! Not everything works for everyone. Ask other members, see what they do. Try some of their tricks, adapt them, make them your own and you shall finally have your own little secrets to keep your muse going!
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Post by Head Administrator on Feb 7, 2011 1:03:08 GMT -5
Creative Writing –How to make people laugh!
You know that book that just has you laughing until you can’t breathe? Have you ever desperately wished that you could write like that? Well you can! It’s actually a lot easier then it sounds! Now, for this little, guide, I’ll be using one particular novel for most(if not all) my examples. Sadly, it isn’t available in English(copy wise), but you can read 1/2 Prince in a translated version online. Believe me, it’s worth reading. If you like, after each example I will also include what volume and chapter the quote is form. Wh-What is with this scene?! I looked at the horde of women. They all had a predatory gleam in their eyes, gazing at me as though they were hungry wolves looking at a piece of meat. At last I understood how a steak must feel…(V1C1) Metaphors and Similes. They will either be your best friend, or worst enemy. Before you can use them though, you need to learn the difference! The best way to explain them, is to just give an example! If I wanted to compare a cloud to cotton candy, and I used it as a Metaphor, it would be “Clouds are cotton candy”. If I used it as a simile, it would be “Clouds are like cotton candy”. Metaphors are substitutions, and Similes are comparisons. Here are just a few examples of Metaphors and Similes. - Let it seep into your bones.
- M: A shadow of his former self.
- Body bent with age.
- Caught my eye.
- Long faces.
Similes
- Built like a tank.
- Still as stone.
- A face like an open book.
- Webbed toes like skis.
- Flapping wings like air brakes.
Remember, come up with your own! It’s much more fun that way! … The moral of the lesson is, one should never, ever cross a woman, especially one who has lots of experience in the kitchen, or you might share the same fate as those unsuspecting vegetables…(V1C1) This one is pretty self explanatory. It’s part of the narration, author notes. It isn’t the character’s thoughts. It’s your own. Sometimes, adding little things that you know, that your character doesn’t can have a really neat affect! Oh… I did as I was instructed, and stuck my tongue into Phoenix’s mouth and moved it around… Finally, when I ran out of breath, I stopped the snake kiss, and licked my own lips, wondering Has Phoenix eaten some candy? Why does her mouth taste sweet? (V4C2) This one covers both actions and thoughts. Sometimes, knowing exactly what the character is doing and thinking can make things down right hilarious. …. As I immediately noticed three vengeful spirits… Gui was being held up by Wolf-dage in mid-air with his legs kicking out at the air; Wicked was held back by Zui and White bird, his eyes blood-shot; Fairsky was being pulled back by Rose and Broken Sword, so angry that her cheeks were puffed up. (V4C2) This is one of my favorite quotes from the whole series. You can literally see everything that is happening, and what does it do? Make you laugh of course! Be descriptive! But use language that people understand. Sure, we love to show off our huge vocabulary, but sometimes, just getting your meaning across in a normal, everyday fashion is much nicer then showing off your wealth of knowledge. ”You’re not allowed to kiss him; I’ll leave the issue of you kissing girls alone, but.. You! Must! Not! Kiss! Gui!” Wicked’s flames of wrath were strong, almost to the point of materializing.(V4C2) As for my left hand… I tried to move it, but the pain nearly drove the tears form my eyes. I glanced at my left hand and thought, oh, fantastic! My white bones are already outdoors, shopping. Next, I weakly opened my mouth to shout, but blood gushed out from my mouth like water from a tap. I no longer dared to verify whether my legs were capable of walking…Now, this isn’t funny. At all, but it’s strong. You connect with the character. You feel their pain, you understand, you actually feel like you are in their shoes. That’s what great writing does. You can take your readers into the character, so they literally feel like they are there!
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