Sometimes I find myself struggling with getting inside my characters head, or describing what my character is doing. I can see it in my head, I just have trouble sometimes translating it from pictures to words.

I'm just curious what you guys struggle with and what tips and tricks you've come up with to deal with it.

For me it's mostly inspiration related. Like I might not feel like posting as a particular character or in a particular storyline. If it requires a lot out of me (like the Metamorphosis posts) then I'd have to be in just the right head space, not tired, able to deal with angst, etc. These things are usually eventually solved by time, because the muse is fickle.

And then when I RP as two different characters in the same storyline, it's harder to think about how their reactions to things would differ. Sometimes they may appear repetitive. I usually don't have trouble figuring out what a character would do, but it happens within the same storyline sometimes cause they get muddled together.

You are an amazing RPer Mercury! Your posts are always so long and detailed, having a lot of introspection for your characters and I feel like in comparison, mine are always small and dinky and insignificant, even though I try hard not to compare myself to other people, cause everyone is different.

Sometimes I find it difficult to do an RP post when there was really nothing to go off of and I'm like...uh huh and I'm suppose to write 100 words how now?

Aww, thanks! And lol dinky xD Nah, people have different writing styles and I guess I'm just one of those word vomiters? I have a lot character stuff to say at all times and my character's mind tends to get away from them. But in comparison I don't write a lot of action stuff and action scenes are def my weakness. I usually can't be bothered going through what a character does from point A to B to C in detail cause I find it tedious, but again that's personal preference.

Ha I get what you mean with nothing to react to. That's when I usually ramble about what the character's thinking (SOME MORE) or just give up and make one-liners (like in the event *cough*)

I struggle trying to write awesome posts. I am still new to RP but sometimes I feel like my posts are corney and basic in their wording.

Oh gosh, here I go.

I really struggle when roleplaying mainly because the way I view a character may differ from the way someone else views a character. This happens especially when roleplaying with the shittenou, because they were never truly given a personality in canon (PGSM is probably the most personality I've seen from them). And so the way I view the shittenou may be different than the way someone else views them, and so our ideas can contradict. I try to be flexible when writing, but it is a struggle.

It's hard to roleplay as a character who is canon, but isn't very personalized in canon. But practice makes progress xD.

I find myself struggling with showing characters' emotions right. I have a good sense of personality and what they might do in a situation, but if a character is feeling something, I have a hard time expressing that without being too obvious. And if I go too subtle, I risk everyone missing what I was trying to convey.

Since I'm a more visual person, I usually have to imagine the entire scene in my head, like I'm planning out a shot in a tv show, and then try to figure out the character's body language and facial expressions that way. This helps when I'm writing multiple people at once too.

For dialogue, I work out the general gist of what I want the character to get across, and then play with the exact wording until it sounds the least awkward in that character's voice and tone. The trick here is that I have to kind of know what they "sound like" beforehand. XD

I have a hard time getting into character's head that are complete opposite of my personality.

Addelyn wrote:

Sometimes I find myself struggling with getting inside my characters head, or describing what my character is doing. I can see it in my head, I just have trouble sometimes translating it from pictures to words.

I'm just curious what you guys struggle with and what tips and tricks you've come up with to deal with it.

YOU PUT THE THING INTO WORDS! This is what I struggle with: elaborate beautiful worlds, characters and events that I literally can't explain!!!! This is why I want to improve my writing so that I can express what is trapped in my incompetent mind.
 

Lol I feel like Zhu Li from legend of korra XD when you say I did the thing.

I feel like I can't write posts that are deep and just make someone go wow. I feel like my posts are just meh and I write stuff but yea, idk. I like RP'ing but I feel like I am not good at it, but I am trying.

Addelyn-DO-THE THING O.O
I feel you Artemis, but don't give up! We'll get there, eventually! XD

just like everyone else, i feel like i write okay posts, but not anything that would make someone go "okay, i totally see why she's a mod"

other problems are like mentioned before, yeah the inspiration, in so many ways. sometimes, i just don't feel the drive to write a post. my biggest problem that i cannot find a solution for is coming up with rp plotlines, and getting people involved with them.

...well, excluding my halloween events, at least i can say those are fabulous.

No one ever said we're mods because we're fantastic writers. We each were chosen for various reasons for the skills we bring to the table. 

Consistency. It's hard for me to realize sometimes that several posts can often take up to minutes of a time. I've had characters go through waves of different emotions in the course of several minutes. Of course, that's humanly possible but my characters do it a ton.

My main problem is staying on track with posting. I'm in so many right now and I keep joining more. Thus causing me to get behind in posts. Plus sometimes I plan a RP and never get it started.

My other problem is writing super detail posts. There are times where I can write a lengthy posts, but other times it's hard for me to get super detailed. Especially if there's nothing for my character to do in the RP. 

I also have a fear making characters become too OOC.

Goddess Yami wrote:

My main problem is staying on track with posting. I'm in so many right now and I keep joining more. Thus causing me to get behind in posts. Plus sometimes I plan a RP and never get it started.

My other problem is writing super detail posts. There are times where I can write a lengthy posts, but other times it's hard for me to get super detailed. Especially if there's nothing for my character to do in the RP. 

I also have a fear making characters become too OOC.

For you Yami, and this is something I've noticed RPing with you, is get inside your characters head. What are they thinking, what are they feeling. I think your writing would benefit from that a bit. Start slow, start with the characters thoughts. I tend to put my in italics and have them comment on events they wouldn't necessarily say outloud. It's internal dialogue. 

I hope that helps a bit. 

I acutally RP in my head and have my characters make comments. The things Jadeite says. 

My problem is putting things into words. But yes your tips do help!

I do that too. I can see the scene in my mind, it goes perfect but sometimes translating what I see in my head into words is not always the easiest of tasks.

Exactly! Sometimes I wish I can make a post just with that one line. XD

Sometimes I have no motivation to do anything. This is bad on my end, but it happens. Like, I lay down, and I physically do not want to turn on the computer to make a post....but I know 100% what I want to post.

Addelyn wrote:

No one ever said we're mods because we're fantastic writers. We each were chosen for various reasons for the skills we bring to the table. 

but kaaayllaa....i look at how Chimi and Kyra roleplay, and i'm usually kind of struck by how good their posts are, and how much fun it is to read their posts. it makes me feel insecure...>.<

i used to be a decent multiparagraph rper, but usually one when someone had huge posts to help drive me to match them...i can't seem to do it on my own...

Crystalsetsuna wrote:

Addelyn wrote:

No one ever said we're mods because we're fantastic writers. We each were chosen for various reasons for the skills we bring to the table. 

but kaaayllaa....i look at how Chimi and Kyra roleplay, and i'm usually kind of struck by how good their posts are, and how much fun it is to read their posts. it makes me feel insecure...>.<

i used to be a decent multiparagraph rper, but usually one when someone had huge posts to help drive me to match them...i can't seem to do it on my own...

Ok, that's Kyra and Chimi. That's them, this is you, and this is me. We are all different. And comparing ourselves to others, can be good in some ways, can also be bad.

Sometimes people can just carried away with their posts. I did with Jadeite and Zoisite in Forgotten Heroes.

Sometimes it can be alright xD Just remember not to get carried away too often xD

Although I have over a decade of role-playing experience, I definitely still have difficulties with role-playing.

It has taken myself a long time to build up to longer role-playing posts, but I still struggle with producing a role-playing post over five or so paragraphs long. Once upon a time, I was in a role-play that prized role-play posts that were close to 1000 words and oh my, I had to spend an hour or more crafting each post. It helped me sooooo much in the long run, but I still struggle to add meaningful words and not fluff.

I also struggle with ways to name a character other than his or her given name.

And, lately, I have trouble finding the time to role-play. ):

Sailor Venus wrote:

I also struggle with ways to name a character other than his or her given name.

Yes this. I'm like ok name....ok pronoun...ok how many times can I say s/he in a sentence?

Or describe their hair style? lol

Action is something I struggle with or conveying emotions without saying he said sadly or basically telling the reader outright.

Getting into it at all! It seems fun but just making a character seems very time consuming to me. Uranus was nice enough to send me some tips on making one but I still haven't been able to set aside time for it @_@