Writing a Roleplay Post

[Throndir]

Especially useful to new roleplayers, please read this along with the Roleplayer's Creed

Source: http://www.iwakuroleplay.com/content.php?r=139-Writing-A-Roleplay-Post

WRITING A POST
Posting in the roleplays is where all the fun happens. That is how you interact with other characters, develop the plot, and become engrossed in exciting stories. Your posts do not have to be novel length, written like beautiful prose, or be an author?s best seller. However, without enough content in your post you will leave other players uninspired or unable to post replies, simply because they have nothing to reply to and build off of. Ultimately leaving you with a go-nowhere roleplay.

Remember: In a forum roleplay, ?one liners? should not be acceptable. You are trying to create a scene and atmosphere. Helping the other players imagine and see what is happening by using words. Without this atmosphere the roleplay becomes uninteresting and boring to other players.

Things that can be described in your posts:

Appearance: Your characters looks, facial expressions, clothing.
Scenery: Where is your character. In a room? Outside? A garden? Jail?
Scents: The sweet aroma of flowers, or the rotten stink of bad breath?
Thoughts: Are they thinking of something private? Profound?
Feelings: What kind of emotion is driving them at that moment? Love? Hate? Sadness?
Actions: Are they walking, talking? Taking a run? Moving across the room? Picking up a book?
Dialogue: Are they speaking to themselves, or to another in the room? Praying to a god, or singing to a pet?

You don?t need to put all of the above things in to a post to make a good one. But a combination of them can give you that added oomph to give a good idea about what?s going on with your character. Here are a few more tips:

It?s not about the length of the post, but the content of the post!
Meaning: You can write several paragraphs, but if it?s all talking about a butterfly sitting on a fence, that has nothing to do with your character or give something to the story of the roleplay, then it?s useless fluff. Equally, a single line or paragraph might eliminate useless fluff - but it may also lack content that progresses the plot.

When posting, consider this: ?Does this post add something to the story? Does it display a tidbit about my character, hint at a connection in the plot, or help move the scene forward??

Get your character involved with others.
Roleplaying is all about interacting with other characters. Standing in a corner somewhere talking to yourself is not roleplaying - it?s writing a story. Find a way to get your character involved with others. Put them somewhere they can run in to other characters, accidentally stumble in to a Plot, or simply create action that might draw other characters to you.

Use standard English and grammar.
Players need to be able to READ and understand your post. User proper grammar, such as capitol letters, punctuation, quotation marks and spelling. Internet shorthand is a big no-no. Anyone outside of elementary school should know how to write a proper sentence - so use your knowledge! You don?t need perfect skills, but it?s important that people can understand what you?ve written.

If you are interested in doing more reading, take a look at:
http://www.lotrplaza.com/forum/eriador/beginnersguiderp.asp