GRoup rp tips
Dear all,
Just a message from the Moderators this evening regarding the group RP dynamic. While we know that the great majority of you came from other groups/fandoms, and therefore are experienced role-players, we still feel like we should write up a few points that we've been discussing together. Here are a few quick 'do's and don'ts' in a group like this, to ensure that everyone is getting the opportunity to get along and create good SLs and character development.
Things that we think everyone should partake in are as follows:
1. Write solos! We really cannot express how important this is. We would recommend, as well, to use a program such as twitlonger instead of spamming the TL with 10+ tweets. Twitlonger is also easy to scroll back and read for people in other timezones who may have missed your writing, and you can promote it later in the day with the link it provides if you feel that's necessary. We're aware from the application process that some users haven't used Twitlonger before, and we'd like to take this opportunity to assure you all that Twitlonger is easy and free to use, and does not require a download of any kind. You simply authorise your account to use it and you will even be able to log all your solos and search back through ones you have posted through the account before.
2. Read other character's bios and reach out to one another. This goes for everyone. No one can sit and wait for a miracle. This point is really raised on the back of some people commenting that they are not getting any scenes while new characters are getting a lot of attention - please know that being accepting of new members is a part of this group that we take great pride in. We are accepting from the very first tweet and it's great to see that a new character can be welcomed so eagerly. There's absolutely no reason why one person should feel unable to reach out to another if you wish to play more, and that goes with 4WT, TL tweets and reaching out in DMs. It's far easier to present an idea to somebody and make a scene with that then to ask someone for a scene and expect them to make a starter for it. We understand that not everyone has a wide range of ideas to run to people with, but it's easy to start off simple - why might your characters meet? Do they have any common ground? An SL idea? Approaching each other with ideas shows just how dedicated you are.
3. 4WT. We've explained in our FAQ page what this means, and looking at the TL at any time of day makes it easy to see how good a first step it is. It's a fantastic way to talk and have fun without arranging a big scene or if you're short on time one day. However, please don't only rely on 4WT. Yes, without naming anyone, it's obvious that some characters are incredibly popular with 4WT, but for those who have this observation we'd like to point out that these people do ritualistically interact in 4WT which makes it easy for others to do so. We'd also like to remind people that unless discussed writer to writer, most 4WT does not count as common knowledge or actual knowledge for SLs. People may make comments via the fourth wall, but that doesn't mean their characters /actually/ know what happened.
4. Small scenes. Meet another character for coffee, go for a drink, do homework together in the library, study sessions, party planning, play sports. It's a college environment with many possibilities. Even bump into someone on campus, wing it, and see how well your characters connect and how you can work together. It never hurts to try, and sometimes the most unlikely of character friendships can form.
5. SLs. Either solo or with others, this is arguably the best way to show your writing skill and develop your character further. With others its also a chance to develop friendships and relationships. As you've seen, this can be done on the TL, in twitlongers, or in a combination of both, and it's easy to get people to read along now with the SL feature on our website (which we've had no further enquiries about - please do come forward at the email address and let us know!) There's no pressure to make these extravagant long storylines if you don't have the time, but even a quick character thought can work wonders for interactions and character muse.
Things we would recommend NOT doing:
1. Tweeting ((RP?)).
We are all here to RP, so this seems unnecessary. If you're going to announce that you'll be online in such and such time and replying to mentions, then we entirely understand this. But make an effort to reach out to people on the TL or DM them instead of blindly asking for RP. We have 100+ members and at least 70% of these are active and tweeting each day. If you really insist that you have no one to write with, then this issue is down to you. We're sorry to phrase it as such and it may seem harsh, but all scenes are arranged between writers and the only way to so is to communicate with one another. If you cannot communicate with other writers in the group, then it's unlikely that your character will get as many interactions as the ones who do.
2. Tweeting ((I'm bored))
We're objecting to this because it's a bad critique to the TL and the people on it at the time. Also, when this is posted what is it supposed to achieve? If you're bored and you've come to RP, then welcome to the internet - let's face it, how many of us made our first RP account with the idea of "sure, why not?". It's a perfect opportunity to do something - to write up a solo, do some character development, reach out to others (even if they're not online, we're sure they'll respond to DMs when they're available!) and never forget that away from the internet there are many great things like books, movies, or (psst, it's a secret) fresh air and non-internet social activities! But posting that you're bored with the TL when people are filling it with their creations can ruin their mood and make them feel bad that their contributions to the group aren't valued.
3. Tweeting ((The TL is dead))
This is usually because people are out/sleeping/lurking/busy, the list is endless. For instance, with many group members in the US, the 4th July was, essentially, a dead TL bar a few accounts in the evening - because it was a busy day for a lot of people. People have jobs, families, classes and other responsibilities which naturally come before RP. Commenting that a TL is empty is not going to fill it, but tweeting that your character goes to the library, sports event, etc may provide others who are lurking with the opportunity to start a conversation.
4. Focusing hard on seeking a mate.
This is an RP group, not a dating site. We recognise that there are a lot of couples, and lets be honest, we love them all! Charles and Eric, Axel and Tony, Amora and Clint, Maria and Logan, Marco and Dominic, Rogue and Sif, etc. We adore our couples in the group because we have watched them from their first days here and they have all developed. The key being that none of these couples advertised themselves and went dedicating themselves to relationships only - they developed from the first 'hello' and it was decided between the writers that the characters worked. If you do want a partner for your character, then you have to be sure that you not only get along as characters, but as writers, we cannot stress that enough. There are also characters that have stated very clearly that they do not wish for the characters to be 'mated', and we also ask that people do respect the decision of the writer of this and not badger them for dates or flirtations etc.
Also, remember that we've done many announcements as moderators recently concerning the group and we hope that you remember these. We've now got MANY means of promoting yourself and your writing within the group, including and not limited to:
- A new SL page where you can promote your ongoing SLs (solos or groups)
- The opportunity to write an updated twitlonger bio for your character now that the first year is completed (to feature on the website)
- Mod account promoting any parties or events for all TZs to be aware (but we can't unless you tell us about these!)
- Opportunities for teacher accounts to promote summer classes for college-based interactions
The list is always growing, as I'm sure you're aware that each weekend the moderators update the website and the group in some way or another to make sure that this is a good place for everyone - though if we're going to be updating with these features please let us know how you feel about them. If you have any recommendations or something that would make it easier for you, tell us so we can look into it.
Please don't consider this a lecture in any way. We just want you to have fun together and to communicate with one another - yes, really! Go write solos, show off your character if you feel they are hidden in the shadows - show yourself and what you are capable of! Complaining about your empty TL, unmated character or lack of interactions is, at the end of the day, going to resolve nothing. Remember, your applications to the group were accepted because your character sounded interesting - show us why! :-)
Just a message from the Moderators this evening regarding the group RP dynamic. While we know that the great majority of you came from other groups/fandoms, and therefore are experienced role-players, we still feel like we should write up a few points that we've been discussing together. Here are a few quick 'do's and don'ts' in a group like this, to ensure that everyone is getting the opportunity to get along and create good SLs and character development.
Things that we think everyone should partake in are as follows:
1. Write solos! We really cannot express how important this is. We would recommend, as well, to use a program such as twitlonger instead of spamming the TL with 10+ tweets. Twitlonger is also easy to scroll back and read for people in other timezones who may have missed your writing, and you can promote it later in the day with the link it provides if you feel that's necessary. We're aware from the application process that some users haven't used Twitlonger before, and we'd like to take this opportunity to assure you all that Twitlonger is easy and free to use, and does not require a download of any kind. You simply authorise your account to use it and you will even be able to log all your solos and search back through ones you have posted through the account before.
2. Read other character's bios and reach out to one another. This goes for everyone. No one can sit and wait for a miracle. This point is really raised on the back of some people commenting that they are not getting any scenes while new characters are getting a lot of attention - please know that being accepting of new members is a part of this group that we take great pride in. We are accepting from the very first tweet and it's great to see that a new character can be welcomed so eagerly. There's absolutely no reason why one person should feel unable to reach out to another if you wish to play more, and that goes with 4WT, TL tweets and reaching out in DMs. It's far easier to present an idea to somebody and make a scene with that then to ask someone for a scene and expect them to make a starter for it. We understand that not everyone has a wide range of ideas to run to people with, but it's easy to start off simple - why might your characters meet? Do they have any common ground? An SL idea? Approaching each other with ideas shows just how dedicated you are.
3. 4WT. We've explained in our FAQ page what this means, and looking at the TL at any time of day makes it easy to see how good a first step it is. It's a fantastic way to talk and have fun without arranging a big scene or if you're short on time one day. However, please don't only rely on 4WT. Yes, without naming anyone, it's obvious that some characters are incredibly popular with 4WT, but for those who have this observation we'd like to point out that these people do ritualistically interact in 4WT which makes it easy for others to do so. We'd also like to remind people that unless discussed writer to writer, most 4WT does not count as common knowledge or actual knowledge for SLs. People may make comments via the fourth wall, but that doesn't mean their characters /actually/ know what happened.
4. Small scenes. Meet another character for coffee, go for a drink, do homework together in the library, study sessions, party planning, play sports. It's a college environment with many possibilities. Even bump into someone on campus, wing it, and see how well your characters connect and how you can work together. It never hurts to try, and sometimes the most unlikely of character friendships can form.
5. SLs. Either solo or with others, this is arguably the best way to show your writing skill and develop your character further. With others its also a chance to develop friendships and relationships. As you've seen, this can be done on the TL, in twitlongers, or in a combination of both, and it's easy to get people to read along now with the SL feature on our website (which we've had no further enquiries about - please do come forward at the email address and let us know!) There's no pressure to make these extravagant long storylines if you don't have the time, but even a quick character thought can work wonders for interactions and character muse.
Things we would recommend NOT doing:
1. Tweeting ((RP?)).
We are all here to RP, so this seems unnecessary. If you're going to announce that you'll be online in such and such time and replying to mentions, then we entirely understand this. But make an effort to reach out to people on the TL or DM them instead of blindly asking for RP. We have 100+ members and at least 70% of these are active and tweeting each day. If you really insist that you have no one to write with, then this issue is down to you. We're sorry to phrase it as such and it may seem harsh, but all scenes are arranged between writers and the only way to so is to communicate with one another. If you cannot communicate with other writers in the group, then it's unlikely that your character will get as many interactions as the ones who do.
2. Tweeting ((I'm bored))
We're objecting to this because it's a bad critique to the TL and the people on it at the time. Also, when this is posted what is it supposed to achieve? If you're bored and you've come to RP, then welcome to the internet - let's face it, how many of us made our first RP account with the idea of "sure, why not?". It's a perfect opportunity to do something - to write up a solo, do some character development, reach out to others (even if they're not online, we're sure they'll respond to DMs when they're available!) and never forget that away from the internet there are many great things like books, movies, or (psst, it's a secret) fresh air and non-internet social activities! But posting that you're bored with the TL when people are filling it with their creations can ruin their mood and make them feel bad that their contributions to the group aren't valued.
3. Tweeting ((The TL is dead))
This is usually because people are out/sleeping/lurking/busy, the list is endless. For instance, with many group members in the US, the 4th July was, essentially, a dead TL bar a few accounts in the evening - because it was a busy day for a lot of people. People have jobs, families, classes and other responsibilities which naturally come before RP. Commenting that a TL is empty is not going to fill it, but tweeting that your character goes to the library, sports event, etc may provide others who are lurking with the opportunity to start a conversation.
4. Focusing hard on seeking a mate.
This is an RP group, not a dating site. We recognise that there are a lot of couples, and lets be honest, we love them all! Charles and Eric, Axel and Tony, Amora and Clint, Maria and Logan, Marco and Dominic, Rogue and Sif, etc. We adore our couples in the group because we have watched them from their first days here and they have all developed. The key being that none of these couples advertised themselves and went dedicating themselves to relationships only - they developed from the first 'hello' and it was decided between the writers that the characters worked. If you do want a partner for your character, then you have to be sure that you not only get along as characters, but as writers, we cannot stress that enough. There are also characters that have stated very clearly that they do not wish for the characters to be 'mated', and we also ask that people do respect the decision of the writer of this and not badger them for dates or flirtations etc.
Also, remember that we've done many announcements as moderators recently concerning the group and we hope that you remember these. We've now got MANY means of promoting yourself and your writing within the group, including and not limited to:
- A new SL page where you can promote your ongoing SLs (solos or groups)
- The opportunity to write an updated twitlonger bio for your character now that the first year is completed (to feature on the website)
- Mod account promoting any parties or events for all TZs to be aware (but we can't unless you tell us about these!)
- Opportunities for teacher accounts to promote summer classes for college-based interactions
The list is always growing, as I'm sure you're aware that each weekend the moderators update the website and the group in some way or another to make sure that this is a good place for everyone - though if we're going to be updating with these features please let us know how you feel about them. If you have any recommendations or something that would make it easier for you, tell us so we can look into it.
Please don't consider this a lecture in any way. We just want you to have fun together and to communicate with one another - yes, really! Go write solos, show off your character if you feel they are hidden in the shadows - show yourself and what you are capable of! Complaining about your empty TL, unmated character or lack of interactions is, at the end of the day, going to resolve nothing. Remember, your applications to the group were accepted because your character sounded interesting - show us why! :-)