Onto adding detail to your
posts... one of the easiest parts of RPing, yet so many people fail to grasp the
concept and to continue to RP their three sentences of nothing but 'blah blah
blah'. I'm here to stop that from happening.
You may be thinking that you're a
great RPer already, and don't need to add any more detail to your posts.
Let me tell you this straight out.... and sorry if I'm brutal... YOU CAN IMPROVE
A TON! Everyone can. If you can honestly go through this entire
section of the guide and say 'yes, I always add all of the things listed here',
then I will give you a sticker and a handful of monopoly money.
-
List Of Details
-
5 Senses
-
Clothes/Looks
-
General Location
-
Emotions/Thoughts
-
Actions
I'm going to
list off every basic detail that you can add in your RP, and will talk in
length about the most important ones.
What you see
What you smell
What you hear
What you touch
What you are
wearing
General
landscape
Plantation
around you
Animals around
you
Weather
(describe sun, clouds, wind, precipitation)
What you are
thinking
What emotions
you are feeling
Why you are
where you are
Where is your
character in the landscape
What posture is
your character in
What are you
carrying with you
Where were you
just before this
Where are you
planning on going after this
Those were just
a few topics that you can include in your posts, there are a THOUSAND more you
can think about if you put your mind to it.
If you don't include all five
senses in your RP, then it isn't a good RP. You can do this on EVERY
post if you really push yourself to do so. There are so many things in
every environment that it would be nearly impossible to run out of things to
include in your post. Just use your creativity and imagination.
SIGHT: This can range from many
different things... most importantly, the general landscape around you.
This gives the reader an idea of where you are at. If you don't include
this, the RP is pointless, as it has no scenario. As the RP continues,
you can add more sight into the RP. You could say a bird hopped on
a branch, or a dry leaf fell off of a maple tree, or a frog leaped in the
grass nearby. The possibilities are endless.
SMELL: Sometimes it is hard to use
this sense, but it is a necessity. Is the air filled with smoke, is it
fresh, is it salty? This can depend on your location. It makes the
post seem more real.
HEARING: Very important, although
few people include this in their posts. This can be the sound of your
characters voice, to the sound of the birds chirping nearby. Just like
sight, as the RP continues you can bring more noise into the scene.
TOUCH: This is another sense that
not many people have in their RP's, but its easy to include. How does the wind feel on
your skin? If you're sitting down, what does the ground feel like?
This can range from many different things, you just have to get your creative
juices flowing.
TASTE: Taste isn't always possible
to incorporate into your posts, although if you are including food it is
something that needs to be there. Food = include taste. Food =
include taste. Food = include taste.
Is my brainwasher working? I
mean... uhhhh... *shifty eyes* I don't have a brainwasher... ^_^
At the beginning of the RP, I
always suggest that you give a paragraph describing your characters looks and
clothing. Although your profile is there for people to read, they may
not do so, so it's always a good idea to state everything anyway. Make
sure not to have it be the same paragraph in every post, as that gets
annoying.
Instead, incorporate it with your
landscape. If there's wind blowing, a good way to tell the reader the
color of your hair is to say that your 'blond hair was blowing in the wind',
etc... There are many other ways you can do something similar. Say
that there was 'laughter dancing in your jade green eyes'. Now we know
your hair is blond, and your eyes are green. Simple, but it does add to
the picture you're trying to create.
Also, your clothing can change in
every RP you do. This can be a fun part, if you enjoy clothing, or else
it can be a bit of a hassle. If you don't like the thought, simply state
you're wearing a cloak and what color it is, etc... it doesn't have to be
huge. For those who actually get into it, they can make it an
interesting process.
Although clothing and looks are
only a paragraph long, in most cases, it can be an excellent way to increase
your post's detail.
You need to include what your
general location is in your very first post. This is probably why most
of us have no problem with long first posts, but then trail off as the RP
continues. Well, I have news for you...
General location doesn't have to
be for the first post only. Landscapes change, so make it that
way! If the breeze blows stronger, talk about the leaves dancing in the
wind. If the temperature drops, talk about the rabbits huddling
together. There are multiple things you can add to the location as the
RP continues.
Also, don't waste all your general
location details on one post. Save some, because its a great way to
increase the length of a short post. Be careful what you save, because
if it is something basic like you're in a forest, you don't want to hold off
saying that until your very last post...
Emotions and thoughts are another
huge part of adding detail to your posts. They can change the expression
on your characters face, therefore they are an important part of detail,
because it changes the readers image of the scene and your character.
Always, always, always include
what your character is feeling/thinking. Some people say that it's a bad
idea, because the person you are RPing with will take advantage of it.
That is completely untrue, if you are RPing with someone who knows anything
about RPing.
Writing about your
emotions/thoughts actually helps an RP move along a lot better, and you'll get
better results from those you are RPing with (we'll discuss this in another
lesson).
A suggestion for when you talk
about your emotions... don't just say "She is happy" or "She is
angry"... compare it to things. She's as happy as what? As
angry as what? It makes the RP a lot more interesting to read, not to
mention it gives you a chance to show off your literary skills.
Actions are, once again, a very
important part of your posts. Even if your character is just sitting on
the ground, there can be actions. Perhaps you are fiddling with the hilt
of your sword, or pulling out grass stalks. Maybe you're brushing a
strand of loose hair behind your ears, or scratching an itch on your arm.
Whatever action your character
takes is completely up to you, but it is always a good idea to have one.
Saying your character is 'standing by a tree' is all well and good, but it
leaves the reader with a lot of blanks. Where are their arms, are they
leaning against the tree, are they yawning in a bored fashion, are they
scanning the surroundings, or are they simply getting a good nap because of
all this RP guide rambling?
The reader can't tell these
things, you've got to say them. If your character is scanning for
enemies, have their hand above their forehead shielding the sun.
You get the idea, I hope. If
not, you're duller then an ape's ripe banana... half-peeled, I might add!
