#rp advice.

[soulrph]

I'm so happy to have your blog on my dash it has shown me that I'm not the only one struggling in the rpc. I feel like the rpc has fallen into a coma, people are so wrapped up in their own bubbles that they don't interact with each other anymore (it seems) like I'm so frustrated with tumblr at this point, I'm so sorry I just don't know what to do, it's really disheartening to have like 1k followers, writing an rp blog but no matter what you do, no one sends anything at all, no asks, no memes, no starters, nothing, it makes me sad and wonder if I have done something wrong? I checked the settings twice as to make sure asks are enabled and I try to regularly send the people on my dash things but now I'm questioning myself. Like why and how are so many people following me if it feels like they don't want to interact? Of course I know many of these are lurkers but not all? I'm so confused by this to be honest...

My Question is: Am I the only one who feels like that?

my lovely friend, let me tell you something. these feelings you’re having? we ALL have them at some point in our tumblr lives. it’s perfectly natural, there’s nothing wrong with them, much less with you for having them in the first place. you understand? i want to make that much clear before i continue, because i’m getting the impression that you might be trying to take on the blame and responsibility for other people’s actions, and that’s not close to being accurate, love, okay? you’re doing just fine! and now i’m going to go into a little detail on your message. but i don’t want you to read on unless you’re feeling solid and good about yourself again, because try as we might, we’re not responsible for other people. and you mentioned that you’re very active in your efforts to make people feel comfortable, so no. don’t go blaming yourself. you’re doing nothing wrong, my love, i promise.

NOW! i say as i slap my hands on my knees like a suburban dad in an american film! except not, bc my laptop’s there, but i digress. before i continue, i want to say that i’m only one person, my suggestions may not be applicable to you. if anyone reads this post, and would like to contribute their own suggestions, you’re all welcome to hop into the comments to help our lovely friend out! this is a sideblog, however, and i will not be able to interact with these comments directly!

the first thing that i’m going to say here is that 1,000 followers is a LOT of people. like that’s overwhelming to anyone, but i feel like it could also contribute to these feelings of isolation when you have a thousand people following you and nobody’s really reaching out. that’s why i would suggest that maybe you might feel better if you try and bring that number down? it’s like this; if you host a big party, realistically speaking, you won’t be able to invite a thousand guests. it’ll be next to impossible to have these intimate personal connections with one thousand individual people, right? but if we try, say, 500 people? instantly easier to handle, i think. personally i try to keep my own limit at 150 mutuals, because i’m oftentimes too tired and too stressed to handle the idea of much more than that, and it’s much fairer to 150 people than it is for 1000 people.  plus, those 150 people are far more likely to have solid friendships with me. i’m only one person, and so are you, and we can’t be pressuring ourselves into trying to interact with 1000 people!

in your case, this also applies. 1000 people is a LOT. if you bring the number down, perhaps then you can explain to people that you will be implementing a few changes in the way you do things. you want to plot with people. you want to develop solid relationships both OOC and IC. you also might find it useful to use an interest tracker or a permanent starter and plotting call, or a few open starters are also useful! 

i’m going to repeat something here. you are not responsible for other people’s actions. there are parts of the rpc that are withdrawing from the core purpose and values of the community, and the lack of interaction is a widespread challenge. it’s not their fault. it’s just something that’s happening. that being said, you can only control YOUR experience. which sounds powerless, but it’s actually entirely the opposite!

you can make that post and say what you expect to change in your blog. “i’ll be much more active in the rpc from now on, i’m here to make friends and write with like-minded people, and i’m going to be cleaning out my followers over the coming week. if you want to stay mutuals, please let me know, but i don’t want to stay mutuals unless we intend on building a solid friendship and writing together!”

you can obviously change the wording! be as nice or as blunt as you like! but try to be firm. your experiences of the dash are yours and yours alone. my suggestions might be worth nothing to you, and that’s more than okay too! but my earlier experience in the community was very much like yours in that i had about 500 mutuals, but it was so quiet and awkward that i may as well have had 0. it only changed when i brought the number down to 150, keeping my mutuals as people who i wanted to write with and befriend, and then posted a quick psa to let people know that i was planning on actually writing much more in the future, and i would be changing certain things in my blog to accommodate that.

you don’t have to do any of this, my love. you don’t have to soft block any followers, you don’t have to make a psa, you don’t have to do anything! my decisions came from a place when i was so frustrated by being stuck in the “nothingness”, or the “meh, idk, i don’t mind, idc” phase of the community, that i just decided to shift gears and change things. the way i see it, i could have 20,000 mute, withdrawn mutuals, but just one person who i genuinely loved to chat to and plot with and write with would outshine the lot of them! fortunately i found much more than just one person, though. and i know, i KNOW, you will too.

[ellierenae]

write unpublishable things. it's good for you.

[joseefinwrites]

Ultimate "Know Your Character Inside Out" Template

The ultimate template for creating a character, without losing your mind, while you're at it.

Character Background Template ... (open)

1. Name:

2. Age:

3. Gender & Pronouns:

4. Physical Appearance:

   - Hair color:

   - Eye color:

   - Height:

   - Build:

   - Distinguishing features (scars, tattoos, etc.):

5. Background and Upbringing:

   - Where were they born and raised?

   - What was their family structure like (parents, siblings)?

   - Describe their childhood environment and upbringing.

   - Were there any significant events or traumas in their past?

6. Education and Skills:

   - What level of education did they receive?

   - Did they excel in any particular subjects or skills?

   - Have they pursued any additional training or education since then?

7. Personality Traits:

   - Describe their personality in a few words.

   - What are their strengths and weaknesses?

   - How do they typically react under stress or pressure?

8. Motivations and Goals:

   - What are their short-term and long-term goals?

   - What drives them to pursue these goals?

   - Are there any fears or insecurities that motivate or hinder them?

9. Relationships:

   - Who are the most important people in their life?

   - How do they interact with family, friends, and acquaintances?

   - Do they have any romantic interests or significant relationships?

10. Past Experiences:

    - Have they faced any major challenges or setbacks in the past?

    - How have these experiences shaped their beliefs and values?

    - Have they experienced any significant losses or tragedies?

11. Worldview and Beliefs:

    - What are their core beliefs and values?

    - How do they view the world around them?

    - Are there any cultural, religious, or philosophical influences in their life?

12. Inner Conflict:

    - What internal struggles do they face?

    - Are there any unresolved issues from their past that continue to affect them?

    - How do these inner conflicts impact their decisions and actions?

13. Connection to Outer Conflict/Plot:

    - How does their personal journey intersect with the main plot or external conflict?

    - What stakes are involved for the character in the larger story?

    - How do their goals and motivations align (or conflict) with the central conflict?

 

(Shorter) Knowing Your Character Inside Out Checklist

Personality Traits:

   - Introverted/Extroverted

   - Optimistic/Pessimistic

   - Assertive/Passive

   - Empathetic/Self-centered

   - Logical/Emotional

   - Adventurous/Cautious

   - Honest/Dishonest

   - Ambitious/Content

Beliefs and Values:

   - Religious beliefs (if any)

   - Moral code

   - Political beliefs

   - Views on relationships

   - Attitude towards authority

Fears and Insecurities:

   - Common fears (spiders, heights, etc.)

   - Deep-seated insecurities (failure, rejection, etc.)

   - Traumatic experiences (if applicable)

Desires and Goals:

   - Short-term goals

   - Long-term aspirations

   - What motivates them to pursue these goals?

Strengths:

   - Intellectual strengths

   - Physical abilities

   - Emotional resilience

   - Social skills

   - Unique talents or abilities

Weaknesses:

   - Personal flaws

   - Areas of vulnerability

   - Bad habits

   - Limiting beliefs

Backstory:

    - Family background

    - Childhood experiences

    - Significant life events that shaped their identity

    - Education and career path

    - Previous relationships

-Josie

[poohsources]

it's okay if you aren't writing right now. it's okay not to be online. it's okay to take breaks. this is a hobby, not a job, and you should spend your time however you want to, not how others may want you to. don't stress yourself over not being around enough; it doesn't matter if you take days, weeks, or even months — it's okay to do things the way it works best for you. and if that means taking longer to reply, then so be it. people are usually far more understanding than we give them credit for.

[mcflymemes]

please don't mistake silence for hatred. please don't mistake unanswered plotting messages as indifference, or a lack of enthusiasm towards you. considering the ages of most roleplayers, many of us have bills to pay, families to take care of, medical conditions to treat, appointments to make, classes to take, homes to clean, and lives to live away from the computer that are far, far more important than writing on tumblr — life has a tendency to get in the way of hobbies and fun things like this. be patient with your fellow writers. if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. of course you can set your boundaries, keep your space comfortable, and softblock whoever you wish, but do so while recognizing it's probably not hatred or apathy that keeps them from leaping into your dms with message after message. they probably love this hobby just as much as you... but sometimes life gets in the way.

[creation-help]

Getting to know your character better

Here's some (hopefully) less basic things to think about when deepening your character.

- What would they be embarrassed to admit about themself? What would they deny about themself?

- Opposite to the above: What would they proudly admit, and what would they like to claim about themself?

- If caught in an inconsistency or a hypocrisy, how do they react? How would they go about fixing it, or alternatively, how would they go about denying and deconstructing it?

- How much, and how deeply do they think about other characters' opinions that aren't about them specifically? For example if they knew one of their friends liked or disliked another person, how much thought do they give it?

- Are they able to perform something 'Quick'? Do they prefer to sacrifice time over quality, or vice versa? How do they dispense effort per task?

- How patient are they with themself vs. Others? Why, and how so?

- How seriously do they carry other people's worries? How much does this impact their actions?

- What would make them focus on themself more?

- What would they Not want to change about themself? What parts of their self do they cling to, desperately? Even when those things would be already gone?

- Do they think of something as "Their thing", even though other people would disagree? Why so? Are they just not as open or upfront about it as they think? Or do they have gaps in self perception?

- Opposite of the above: Are there some things that others would consider "Their thing" in relation to your character, but they disagree? Why?

- How do they tread around controversial opinions? Is it case by case, or depending on company? In what way? Are they assured in their worldview or unsure? Are they open minded?

- How easily do they relate with other characters?

[bunnysrph]

—  𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐓-𝐘 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒

"I know I should leave, but I can't stay away from you."

"Why did you have to hurt me like this? Don't you know how much I love you?"

"I wish I could go back in time and change everything. Maybe then we wouldn't be here."

"I hate you for making me feel this way. I hate myself even more for letting you."

"I know I shouldn't love you, but I do. And that terrifies me more than anything."

"You've broken my heart too many times. I can't keep forgiving you."

"I wish I could hate you, but every time I look at you, all I feel is love."

"I don't know if I can ever trust you again. You've shattered everything we had."

"I can't help the way I feel about you, even though I know it's wrong."

"Why did fate have to bring us together, only to tear us apart?"

"I never wanted to fall in love with you, but now I can't imagine my life without you."

"You're the only one who can make me feel alive, even though you're also the one who's destroying me."

"I know I should let you go, but I can't bear the thought of living without you."

"You've made me question everything I thought I knew about love."

"I never thought I could love someone so much, only to have that love ripped away from me."

"I wish you could see how much you're hurting me. But you're too blinded by your own pain."

"Why did you have to choose them over me? Wasn't I enough?"

"I thought our love was unbreakable. I never realized how fragile it really was."

"You're the only one who's ever truly understood me. And now you're gone."

"I hate how much I still love you, even after all the pain you've caused me."

"I know we can never be together, but I can't help hoping for a different ending."

"You're the one who's always on my mind, even when I try to forget you."

"Every time I close my eyes, I see your face. And it hurts more than anything."

"I wish I could turn back time and fix everything, but I know it's too late for us."

"You're the one who's always had a hold on my heart, even when I tried to push you away."

"I never thought I could love someone so deeply, only to have that love thrown back in my face."

"You're the only one who's ever been able to see the real me."

"I thought we had something special, something that could withstand anything. But I was wrong."

"I know I'm not perfect, but I didn't deserve to be treated the way you treated me."

"Why did you have to come into my life and turn it upside down? Why did I let you?"

"I keep telling myself that I don't need you, but every time I try to move on, I fall apart."

"I never thought I could feel so much pain from loving someone. But you proved me wrong."

"I can't believe I ever thought you were the one for me. I was so naïve."

"I wish I could erase you from my memory, but I know that's impossible."

"You're the only one who's ever been able to make me feel this alive. And that's why it hurts so much."

"I thought we had a chance at something great. But I was foolish to believe that."

"You're the one who's always been able to break down my walls. And that's why this all hurts so much."

"I wish I could tell you how much you mean to me. But I know it wouldn't change anything."

"You're the one who's always been able to make me smile, even in the darkest of times."

"I never thought I could feel so betrayed by someone I loved so much."

"You're the only one who's ever been able to make me feel complete. And now I'm shattered."

"I wish I could forget you. But every time I try, I'm reminded of everything we had."

"I never thought I could be so lost without you. But here I am, trying to pick up the pieces."

[agronzky]

⠀⠀⠀𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 & 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐏. ♡

under the cut you'll find a list of 56 diverse outings and trips to use in starters or replies withing plots. this can be used to bring new cenarious to plots, starters and rps, helping to differ threads and put characters in new experiences.

Walking in nature

A bicycle ride

Visit to an art museum

Historical city tour

Boat trip on the river/lake

Mountain trail hike

Visit to a botanical garden

Picnic in the park

Bird watching

Gastronomic tour of the city

Hot air balloon ride

Cave exploration

Visit to a zoo or aquarium

Shopping itinerary in local stores

Winery tour

Panoramic train ride

Visit to historical sites

Trip to a neighboring city

Kayak/canoe trip

Tour of movie locations

Drive-in cinea

Walk on a beach

Visit local fairs and markets

Photo expedition

Horseback riding

Visit to an astronomical observatory

Urban art trail tour

Excursion to a theme park

Traditional cooking class

Helicopter ride

Camping trip

Visit to a cultural festival

Tour of haunted places

Surf lesson or other water sport

Motorcycle ride

Exploring historical ruins

Regional dance class

Treasure hunt tour

Tour of panoramic viewpoints

Rollerblading or skateboarding

Day at an amusement park

Visit to a nature reserve

Quad bike ride

Participation in a local marathon

Wildlife watching

Zip line ride

Tour of architectural monuments

Participation in a spiritual retreat

Sailing boat trip

Motorcycle ride

Visit to a contemporary art exhibition

[crownmemes]

Advice Sentences, Vol. 1

(Sentences to send to muses that need a little advice. Adjust phrasing where needed)

"Life never turns out the way you think it will."

"There's no such thing as forgiveness. People just have short memories."

"It never hurts to try and see ourselves as others do."

"If you insist on living a dream, you may be taken for mad."

"There are always repercussions for failing; the key is to adapt before they arrive."

"To kill the snake, you have to cut off its head."

"You must strive to find your own voice, because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all."

"Do as I say, not as I do."

"There's a thin line between obligation and obsession."

"No game is worth playing if you can't win."

"If you make a mess on your own doorstep, you're bound to slip on it."

"None of us go on forever."

"You can't win them all."

"There are always unintended consequences to everything we do."

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

"If there's one thing I've learnt, it's you can't run away from your own life."

"A lie is most convincingly hidden between two truths."

"Every choice you make has a consequence in the future. One wrong choice and you lose."

"We all have a great need for acceptance, but you must trust that your beliefs are unique - your own - even though others may think them odd or unpopular."

"You were out of line today."

"Don't do anything rash."

"There's a time for daring, and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for."

"Don't ask a question you don't want to know the answer to."

"Eccentrics are only tolerated so long as they come up with the goods."

"There's no point in fighting battles you can't win."

"Nothing makes a smart man stupid like a thirst for vengeance."

"Nobody gets rich on their own money."

"My advice? Don't dwell on that man's petty deceptions."

"You want my advice? Never sleep with someone you work with."

"Just a quick tip; you never want to block a punch with your face."

"To truly defeat an enemy, you must know him better than yourself."

"Your reputation won't last if you don't do your job!"

"If you live the lie long enough, you become the lie."

"Sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone."

"Out of order is no good to anyone. Out of step is much better. That way, you tread on the bits the other people miss."

[piers-official]

Punk advice for the day:

Always stand up for your fellow queers. Yes, that includes neogender/pronouns, "contradictory" labels, anything ya might think is "weird" or "confusin'".

Queer means weird/strange and If ya can't support them, then ya don't support any of us. Ya got the ability t'educate yourselves and learn acceptance. And the others who are antis? they're spoutin' the same jargon and arguments that are used against YOU.

Stand united or Fall divided.

[maelancoli]

Writing Intimacy

i often see writers sharing a sentiment of struggling with writing kiss scenes which honestly bleeds into other portrayals of physical intimacy. i see it a lot in modernized styles of writing popularized by the recent trend in publishing to encourage short, choppy sentences and few adverbs, even less descriptive language. this makes intimacy come across awkward, like someone writing a script or clumsy recounting of events rather than a beautiful paragraph of human connection.

or just plane horniness. but hey, horny doesn't have to be mutually exclusive with poetic or sensual.

shallow example: they kissed desperately, tongues swirling and she moaned. it made her feel warm inside.

in depth example: she reached for the other woman slowly and with a small measure of uncertainty. the moment her fingers brushed the sharp, soft jaw of her companion, eliza's hesitance slid away. the first kiss was gentle when she finally closed the distance between them. she pressed her lips lightly to gabriella's in silent exploration. a tender question. gabriella answered by meeting her kiss with a firmer one of her own. eliza felt the woman's fingers curling into her umber hair, fingernails scraping along her scalp. everything inside eliza relaxed and the nervousness uncoiled from her gut. a warm buzz of energy sunk through her flesh down to the very core of her soul. this was right. this was always where she needed to be.

the first complaint i see regards discomfort in writing a kiss, feeling like one is intruding on the characters. the only way to get around this is to practice. anything that makes you uncomfortable in writing is something you should explore. writing is at its best when we are pushing the envelope of our own comfort zones. if it feels cringy, if it feels too intimate, too weird, too intrusive, good. do it anyway! try different styles, practice it, think about which parts of it make you balk the most and then explore that, dissect it and dive into getting comfortable with the portrayal of human connection.

of course the biggest part comes to not knowing what to say other than "they kissed" or, of course, the tried and true "their lips crashed and their tongues battled for dominance" 😐. so this is my best advice: think beyond the mouth. okay, we know their mouths are mashing. but what are their hands doing? are they touching one another's hair? are they scratching or gripping desperately at one another? are they gliding their hands along each other's body or are they wrapping their arms tightly to hold each other close? do they sigh? do they groan? do they relax? do they tense? are they comfortable with each other or giddy and uncertain? is it a relief, or is it bringing more questions? is it building tension or finally breaking it?

get descriptive with the emotions. how is it making the main character/pov holder feel? how are they carrying those emotions in their body? how do they feel the desire in their body? desire is not just felt below the belt. it's in the gut, it's in the chest, it's in the flushing of cheeks, the chills beneath the skin, the goosebumps over the surface of the flesh. everyone has different pleasure zones. a kiss might not always lead desire for overtly sexual touches. a kiss might lead to the desire for an embrace. a kiss might lead to the impulse to bite or lick at other areas. a kiss could awaken desire to be caressed or caress the neck, the shoulder, the back, the arms etc. describe that desire, show those impulses of pleasure and affection.

of course there is the tactile. what does the love interest taste like? what do they smell like? how do they kiss? rough and greedy? slow and sensual? explorative and hesitant? expertly or clumsily? how does it feel to be kissed by them? how does it feel to kiss them?

i.e. examine who these individuals are, what their motives and feelings are within that moment, who they are together, what it looks like when these two individuals come together. a kiss is not about the mouth. it's about opening the door to vulnerability and desire in one's entire body and soul.

[soulrph]

Dude, you don't undo a ctrl Z by hitting ctrl z again, that just undoes more things further. You undo a ctrl z by pressing ctrl y. Ctrl Y is the redo button.

while this is super helpful information to know in the future, i really feel like i should highlight that it's a really understandable thought process to think that ctrl z would undo an undo! there's nothing silly or foolish about making that assumption! i once went through years of college before i realized that "double spaced" didn't mean "two spaces between each word"! i also spent an alarming portion of my life believing that if i deleted an email from my sent folder, it would actually delete it from the recipient's folder too!

computers are very confusing, but this is invaluable information!

CTRL + Y is a redo feature, CTRL + Z is an undo feature!

[totally-not-peter-parker]

Guns are so uncool and uncreative people should really start using blowdarts or slings again, at least make things interesting if you're gonna commit a crime

[justsigma-bsd]

SIGMA. theres this guy i went on a ‘maybe-date’ with, and i didnt- ohhhh sig. what do i do.

- @reaper-beneath-the-moon

"Okay, deep breaths. First of all, do you like him? Second of all, you didn't...?"

[rockinrpmemes]

Reminder you can blacklist and block stuff that simply annoys you. It doesn't have to be something that enrages you. It can be something *stupid* that tumblr Ai deems worthy of a mass dump in your feed that clogs your desired feed. It doesn't have to JUST be about stuff that offends you or ships you hate. This is a very annoying place at times. 😒 🙄 Unlearn that you only block or blacklist hate or triggers. Cultivate your time here!

You have to train this interface like a neopet I swear...

[mcflymemes]

when i send memes, i usually send a handful to give you a variety of options to choose from. you don't have to answer every single meme i send — i just want to give you plenty of lines to pick from so you can decide which works best for you. you can also hold onto the extras and come back to them later when the muse strikes... or, if they're taking up space in your inbox, go ahead and delete them. that's okay too! i'll send you more another day! whatever the case may be, don't feel pressured to answer every single one!