Bombia's Tips to Happy Roleplaying.

Roleplaying Tips and Etiquette

Hello, my name is Bombia and I have been roleplaying for about thirteen years. Over those years, I have learned many things and I would like to pass on some knowledge to other roleplayers who are newer to it or would like some tips.

First off, let me talk about some etiquette tips.

Etiquette

Noting a person as part of a roleplay request:

What I find annoying and irritable is if someone just notes me with a "Hello." and nothing else. If noting a person for a roleplay, please tell them why you are noting them. That way the person who you are sending the Note to knows why you are noting them and the process is smoother.

Ending a roleplay

If you no longer wish to do a roleplay, please note the person and let them know that you do not wish to continue and if possible providing them with feedback as to why. That way you do not leave the person longing and waiting for a roleplay. It gets very annoying and rude. In some cases, it can lower someone's self-esteem.

Trying to push someone into something they are uncomfortable with.

Don't, don't, don't do that! If someone says they are not comfortable with something in a roleplay (Such as furries or a fetish.), do not try to push them into doing that. You will make them uncomfortable and you can guarantee that they will not roleplay with you again. Listen to your roleplay partner, and respect them.

Don't spam them with notes asking if they got your response.

Let's face it, life is unpredictable and busy. You don't know what will happen. One day you can have a very slow day where not much happens, the next you could be run off your feet. People do get busy, and people have lives outside of the Internet.
They have other commitments to attend to.

If you do not get a response after a few hours, please don't note the person asking if they got your previous note. That is pushy and rude. Please wait three days to ask if they got it. Each person is different, and they might ask for less/more time.

Godmodding

DON'T. Do not do that. Massively overpowered characters are not fun for the other person. Your character having no weaknesses and all strength is not fair. Create a balance between strengths and weaknesses, so it is fair. People become frustrated if your character can never be hurt or beaten.

Taking control of another person's character.

That is frowned upon because the character is not yours to control. Unless the person gave you exclusive permission to do so, do not control their character. Sometimes you may have to write a snippet where their character does an action, but seek permission first.

Tips

Practice both male and female characters/dominant and submissive.

Quite often, I get asked to play the male character and/or the dominant character. That is often attributed to people saying that they cannot play males or the dominant character well. Do you know how to conquer that? You practice. You practice, practice, and practice some more. The only way to become better is to practice. If you constantly ask for someone to play the male and/or dominant character and you insist on playing the female, then you will be limiting the amount of people willing to roleplay with you.

When noting someone

What makes things go smoother and go along faster is when you note someone, you include the following information:

-What you are interested in roleplaying.
-Any characters you have that you think would suit the roleplay with links to pictures of them/character biographies, if you have those available.
-What you are and are not comfortable with in a roleplay.
-Any preferences you may have.
-Any ideas you have.

Characters

I would highly recommend writing up character biography of your characters and submitting them to your page. Tha eliminates the need to describe your character to every new person that you roleplay with. Please be descriptive and as clear as possible with your information so the person gets know your character through the biography and can decide if that character will suit.

Become familiar with the following terms

- First person:

When a roleplay is written in first person, it is written like this:

I looked at her and shook my head, clicking my tongue. "You do know that is a bad habit, right?" </i>

- Third person:

When a roleplay is written in third person, it is written like this:

Harriet looked to the sky and sighed. "Another gloomy day today. Just what I need."
Michael shook his head at her with a grin. "Cheer up!"

- Paragraph style

Paragraph style is when you roleplay with at least a paragraph in your reply. A paragraph is at least four sentences. Below is an example:

Maxwell was on the move, the anthropomorphic bounty hunter a swift runner. He could morph into a fox for even an even swifter travel but he needed his hands for the capture. He was in hot pursuit of the demon who had killed several townspeople and he was closing the gap fast. His black clothes helped him blend into the dark of the night. "I am coming for you, demon. You will soon pay for this." He muttered to himself, readying his net.

- Script style

Script style is written how you would read a script for a play, television show, etc. Actions are put into asterisks. Here is an example:

Maxwell: I am not sure if that is a good idea. Do you have proof? *He frowns, twiddling his thumbs.*
Juliet: Yes! He hurt me! *Tears run down her face and she shakes.*

- Past tense

Past tense refers to things that have already happened. For example, something that happened yesterday.

He frowned, looking at her face. His eyes closed as he pondered the implications.

- Present tense

Present tense refers to things that are happening right at the present moment in time. For example:

He frowns, looking at her face. His eyes close as he ponders the implications.

Collaborate!

A roleplay is the merging of two people's thought and ideas into one story. There is nothing worse than one person being forced to do all the thinking. Both roleplayers should think of ideas and come to a consensus. Let your thoughts be heard.

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Well, those are my tips and proposed etiquette. Whatever you roleplay is your choice. Have fun with it. Happy roleplaying!

-Bombia, 2014