«CxC's Guide to Roleplaying
by the Admins.

Many people have trouble putting together a good post, whether its a starter or a reply. Sadly, some don't even realize their difficulty. You know, the ones with the posts that don't make sense? Fortunately, the staff and I have come up with a guide to help those in need. Even for those who think they're really good, they should at least skim through. There might be something you don't know.

• Conceptualize
  Many people simply start out writing, but its smarter to think it out first. Form thoughts and ideas about where the post will be heading towards. Who's in the picture? What's going on? Where are you? There are many questions to be reached in your post. Is your character cheerful at the moment? Or are they down? Deciding what your character's mood is is a big point in your thread. This affects the other person's reply. Clearly state other details like the weather, what item of day it is, what your character is wearing, the mood of the environment, and etcetera. Even discussing it with the other person will help.
  
  
• Thread Naming
  This is where many roleplayers get stuck. You have the plot of the thread, but you can't think of a good title to fit it. "Just chilling" or "Hanging out" is constantly overused, so some creativity will have to be used. You can write out your post first, then think up the name too. This is recommended because you exactly what its about. Now the most used solution to this problem is song titles or lyrics. Its pretty easy and simple. Find a title or phrase that fits the post well, and you're done.
  
  
• Lengthy Posts
  Now everyone wants to have a nice, long (but not too long) post that gives every single juicy detail. Well sorry, but there's no cheat or pill through this. Its all about description. Without it, you'd have nothing. A blank page. If you are the one replying, make sure you read the starting post thoroughly, just like the other ones by the opposite character. Always do this. You need to interact with the character, as well as express your character's thoughts and mood, so you're not in the shadow, and the other character in the spotlight.
  For the starters, making occasional or constant modifications is completely normal and expected of you. You need to build the environment by describing its every aspect. FOr example, if you are in a park, talk about the trees, the snow on the ground, the wind in your hair, the kids playing on the swings, etc. You can never run out of things to talk about.
  
  
• FAQs
  I'm role playing with my character's crush. How do I start it out?
  All you have to do is think it out. Should I play hard to get? Should I be dramatically shy? Or should I be confident and upfront? None of these are the wrong answer. Its completely up to you. Don't be afraid to conceptualize with him/her via PM. And don't worry if you think your post is stupid and embarrassing. You'll improve with every time you try.
  
  Help! I'm role playing with someone who's post doesn't make any type of sense at all.
  One thing. Nobody said you had to reply. Its your character and you don't have to reply to anything you don't want to.
  
  I've completely lost my muse. What do I do?
  Reading books will help you a lot. You can also read other people's posts to help expand your ideas.
  
  Remember, everybody makes mistakes, and stay confident. Also, try not to think of a character as the person behind them. They are two different people. A super dramatic person could have a super preppy character or vice versa. If your character has an enemy, that doesn't mean the person playing as them is truly your enemy. Just hang in there and don't stop trying.
  
  "Don't be intimidated by how difficult a task appears. Remember, the worst thing than failing, is failing to try."
  -Anonymous
  
  
  © Do not rip or use without explicit permission.