How does one go about advancing from Casual to detailed?

[pbtenchi]

I have been on this site for years now, but always doing simple or casual, I don't believe I am capable of multi paragraph posts, at least not regularly. And rps I'm in generally don't last more than a month. How do I get into Detailed or increase my literary ability?

 

[Chordling]

You just have to keep writing. If you believe it's because of length, then take the extra time to work on longer posts. Think of all of the possible ways your character could react to the world around them, and not just through their actions, but through all of their senses. Think of things to add to your writing that make the roleplay come to life.

 

[pbtenchi]

Thanks

 

[Chordling]

There is also a discussion here that talks about post length for detailed roleplays.

 

[Ktulu]

Hey there! Everyone starts out doing very casual roleplays, I think (at least I did), but my posts began to get longer and longer as I developed a grasp of writing and a wider vocabulary over time.


Moving from casual and simple really only involves adding more description to your posts, and giving more life to your characters. If somebody asks your character how they're feeling today, you could merely go with a response something like, "I'm pretty good," he replied.


But that's really boring, and not interesting at all. If I received that, I'd give up on the roleplay. So, alternatively you could add more description. What happened that day to make your character feel good? If it's near the beginning of the roleplay, you might also describe the character's surroundings, outfit and general appearance. Perhaps they add some more dialogue to the conversation. Obviously, don't go way overboard and write things that are unnecessary and don't add to the plot or development of characters. Quality of quantity.


It's a bit difficult to give advice on the subject, as the best way to pick up a grasp for detailed writing is to just read books. I'm assuming you like reading if you roleplay, so, read lots of books. While you're reading, you'll remember things. Such as words the author used, the attitudes of characters and their whole style of writing. Roleplaying with more advanced writers helps equally as well!

 

[Sunbather]

I'm on the site for about three months now. I've never RPd before (Not like this, anyway) and I've been doing primarily detailed-ish RPs. I think it's more about what you are looking for in roleplays. I hate simple. I don't like one-liners, it gives me no satisfaction at all. So I would ask myself, do you like these roleplays? If so, you don't really have to 'advance'. Detailed isn't better than simple or casual. It's different. If you WANT to partake in higher-effort roleplays, then I'd say completely stop with simple. Then, if you are comfortable with writing one meaty paragraph per post in casual RPs, try and post more and more. Really, it should be a natural progress IMO.

 

[JayTee]

You don't, really. The difference between "casual" and "detailed" is arbitrary and artificial. At the end of the the day, a good post consists of three elements:


- A response that has been posted previously.


- Your own character's thoughts and actions.


- A leaping point for the person who posts after you to do the above.


Post length is pretty much a personal preference, as is the level of detail. That said, remember that you are playing a game with others, not writing a book. Long posts are not bad, but they can be self-centered.

 

[Dragoneer Irako]

You don't, really. The difference between "casual" and "detailed" is arbitrary and artificial. At the end of the the day, a good post consists of three elements:
- A response that has been posted previously.


- Your own character's thoughts and actions.


- A leaping point for the person who posts after you to do the above.


Post length is pretty much a personal preference, as is the level of detail. That said, remember that you are playing a game with others, not writing a book. Long posts are not bad, but they can be self-centered.

Excellent way to express "Quality over quantity". I've been part of roleplays where long posts could be just as much of a thread-stopper as a one-liner.


Part of what helped me grow as a roleplayer was the kind of writers I was writing with. Mixing with good writers made me want to step up my game so they wouldn't decide to ditch me for greener grass elsewhere.

 

[Bacon is fluffy]

You don't, really. The difference between "casual" and "detailed" is arbitrary and artificial. At the end of the the day, a good post consists of three elements:
- A response that has been posted previously.


- Your own character's thoughts and actions.


- A leaping point for the person who posts after you to do the above.


Post length is pretty much a personal preference, as is the level of detail. That said, remember that you are playing a game with others, not writing a book. Long posts are not bad, but they can be self-centered.

You're not playing a game either,but rather you're writing a collaborative story with others. A good rp post interacts with others anda good rp'er goes out of their way to make others look good and conveying what they love about their character. Length is one of those things where you're supposed to strike a balance between writing enough to convey a scene and not cutting it short or over embellishing it.