#roleplay advice

[maelancoli]

Writing Intimacy

i often see writers sharing a sentiment of struggling with writing kiss scenes which honestly bleeds into other portrayals of physical intimacy. i see it a lot in modernized styles of writing popularized by the recent trend in publishing to encourage short, choppy sentences and few adverbs, even less descriptive language. this makes intimacy come across awkward, like someone writing a script or clumsy recounting of events rather than a beautiful paragraph of human connection.

or just plane horniness. but hey, horny doesn't have to be mutually exclusive with poetic or sensual.

shallow example: they kissed desperately, tongues swirling and she moaned. it made her feel warm inside.

in depth example: she reached for the other woman slowly and with a small measure of uncertainty. the moment her fingers brushed the sharp, soft jaw of her companion, eliza's hesitance slid away. the first kiss was gentle when she finally closed the distance between them. she pressed her lips lightly to gabriella's in silent exploration. a tender question. gabriella answered by meeting her kiss with a firmer one of her own. eliza felt the woman's fingers curling into her umber hair, fingernails scraping along her scalp. everything inside eliza relaxed and the nervousness uncoiled from her gut. a warm buzz of energy sunk through her flesh down to the very core of her soul. this was right. this was always where she needed to be.

the first complaint i see regards discomfort in writing a kiss, feeling like one is intruding on the characters. the only way to get around this is to practice. anything that makes you uncomfortable in writing is something you should explore. writing is at its best when we are pushing the envelope of our own comfort zones. if it feels cringy, if it feels too intimate, too weird, too intrusive, good. do it anyway! try different styles, practice it, think about which parts of it make you balk the most and then explore that, dissect it and dive into getting comfortable with the portrayal of human connection.

of course the biggest part comes to not knowing what to say other than "they kissed" or, of course, the tried and true "their lips crashed and their tongues battled for dominance" 😐. so this is my best advice: think beyond the mouth. okay, we know their mouths are mashing. but what are their hands doing? are they touching one another's hair? are they scratching or gripping desperately at one another? are they gliding their hands along each other's body or are they wrapping their arms tightly to hold each other close? do they sigh? do they groan? do they relax? do they tense? are they comfortable with each other or giddy and uncertain? is it a relief, or is it bringing more questions? is it building tension or finally breaking it?

get descriptive with the emotions. how is it making the main character/pov holder feel? how are they carrying those emotions in their body? how do they feel the desire in their body? desire is not just felt below the belt. it's in the gut, it's in the chest, it's in the flushing of cheeks, the chills beneath the skin, the goosebumps over the surface of the flesh. everyone has different pleasure zones. a kiss might not always lead desire for overtly sexual touches. a kiss might lead to the desire for an embrace. a kiss might lead to the impulse to bite or lick at other areas. a kiss could awaken desire to be caressed or caress the neck, the shoulder, the back, the arms etc. describe that desire, show those impulses of pleasure and affection.

of course there is the tactile. what does the love interest taste like? what do they smell like? how do they kiss? rough and greedy? slow and sensual? explorative and hesitant? expertly or clumsily? how does it feel to be kissed by them? how does it feel to kiss them?

i.e. examine who these individuals are, what their motives and feelings are within that moment, who they are together, what it looks like when these two individuals come together. a kiss is not about the mouth. it's about opening the door to vulnerability and desire in one's entire body and soul.

[mcflymemes]

remember that this is always a slow time for the rpc. as we get deeper into the holiday season, remember that people are finishing classes and taking big tests. they're slammed at work or taking on extra jobs to pay the bills. people are stressed about money or family, figuring out flights or trips, dreading the colder weather, struggling to put food on the table. some people are experiencing more dark outside than light, which might mess their schedule up a bit. some deal with seasonal depression during these months.

when your dash is slower and quieter this time of year, and when less people are liking your posts or sending memes, it doesn't mean the community is dying or we're all headed for the end times. i understand that less interactions or less support might be discouraging, especially when some of us are already dealing with the doom and gloom of darker, colder months and the stress of the holiday season... but please don't turn around and scold people for their inactivity or their lack of enthusiasm. don't get fatalistic about the fate of this community and declare it prematurely dead. this period of time always happens every year. now is not the time for unfair expectations. now is the time for kindness, generosity, understanding, encouragement, and love. now is the time for "take your time with replies," and "talk to me if you need anything. i'm here for you."

[biff-adventurer]

roleplay tips: characterization

so it's come to my attention that there's a misunderstanding on what "characterization" actually is. we all know what the phrase implies: we make sure we know why characters do what they do, be it an immediate influence or one from the distant past, as well as the beliefs they hold and the personality traits they display.

however, i've seen people have trouble actually executing the character traits they want to the detriment of themselves and others. this post is meant to clarify the execution of characterization in the context of spontaneous roleplay.

i'll take biff as an example just so no one else feels self-conscious. so biff, poster boy wol, himbo, literal meme incarnate (born from the little comic that goes: i wonder what the wol is doing? while wol is bouncing on the egg mount in the background), hero of eorzea blah blah.

what did i want for this character?

thematic cores: love, adventure. what kind of love? love in all directions; what does it mean to love so fully and so easily? what does it mean to have unfettered compassion for the problems of others? life is an adventure, and i want to see the world. i am full of endless curiosity, i am excited to find all that life has to offer. wherever i go, i love and i learn. because i love you, i will do everything in my power to bring you ease and happiness. (i want to be loved. i want to be worthy. do i matter? i'm sorry. i'm trying my best.)

personality traits: passionate to the extreme, whether it be joy, sorrow, anger, fear, guilt, etc etc. not book smart, but heart smart (he has to be able to make friends somehow). self-effacing, to a fault. temper problems. an insecurity driven need to always be useful to the people he loves, or else he will be irrelevant and forgotten. a strong sense of justice. incredibly stubborn. untrusting toward those he loves, and too trusting of strangers. impressionable. very emotionally sensitive, and wears his heart on his sleeve. pretty standard hero character stuff, anyway.

how do i enact this in roleplay?

spontaneous roleplay often puts roleplayers in situations where they have to make quick decisions while they respond to the simuli around them. since we want to be expedient for the sake of others, it can be hard to see what shape your choices take in the long run.

to deal with this, i look at my character's internal emotional reaction first. then, i go on to consider what possible dialogue choices i have to work with, and what trait each would show about my character. since the telltale games were very popular when i was a younger rper, i tend to map out my characters' responses as though they are part of a telltale storyline.

Biff's Husband: “You have such a soft, tender heart. I love every inch of you.”

the options i can consider here:

"Even the dangly bits?" eyebrow waggle (flirty)

"Yer always so kind to me, husband." (low self-esteem)

"I can't help it. I know how it feels to be a stray." (empathetic)

"And your wisdom protects it valiantly." (grateful)

"I wish I could see it the way you do." (frustrated)

the action or dialogue i choose depends on how i want the RP to go, or what tone we established earlier, or what kind of plots we've agreed to cover. from the above, i chose option 3 because it extends to a greater conversation about feelings and motivations. it lets in the other character while also giving biff a chance to talk about himself in a way that invites someone else to share something vulnerable.

obviously, it demonstrates empathy. the other choices would have lead me down other roads. i usually have a flowchart in my head for how i think this will all play out.

flirty > his husband likely feels dismissed > husband frowns and elbows biff (or worse) > biff is embarrassed for trying to flirt so either he laughs it off or very sadly apologizes > if he laughs, it makes his husband feel dismissed again > suddenly our characters are in a conflict and we're tasked with ushering them out of it, which is a pain > can point toward an unwillingness to open up

low self-esteem > husband feels compelled to comfort him > biff grows upset that he's made it about himself > onus on husband to dispel the situation or let biff sulk by himself > uncomfortable for ooc and ic, and demonstrates a self-absorption trait we don't want (unless this story was originally sought out)

empathetic > husband feels invited into the conversation and shares how he feels like a stray > biff asks him to say more about that > suddenly they're having a deep conversation about their pasts > possible character development or bond deepening

grateful > husband feels appreciated and vows to continue protecting his husband > biff holds him tight > romantic sweet nothings ensue in perpetuity > fluff roleplay activate!

frustrated > husband concerned about biff's temper > biff continues to grow frustrated at his own inadequacies > roleplay turns serious in tone > suddenly i have to find a way to diffuse biff's temper or burden my rp partner with the task > can imply instability of character, which can be dangerous for character and relationship

i apologize if this all sounds very "duh, gwenny, i'm not STOOPID", but i think it's important to make explicit what often goes unsaid, for the benefit of those who can't articulate exactly what they're looking to do. i could give another example involving more conflict, but i think that might be overkill.

all the little choices in dialogue are the actions you're taking in character. not just the literal actions of whether or not you're fighting. what your character says reflects what they believe. if you want them to show up as an empathetic person, you've gotta actively choose empathy or make it obvious to others the way your character speaks that they're coming from a place of empathy. it all adds up to a bigger picture, and suddenly you've realized that you're getting the ending that you wanted, because you worked hard to get there.

obviously, you can't always know how others will receive your character. my character would be a lot louder, cartoonish and unhinged in a closed story than he typically is in roleplay venues. that's because venues are active scenes where we're dealing with other parties who want to have a good time! we don't wanna put a damper on their day unless they're expecting meatball-spicy drama. we often have to give a lot more space for others to be included than we normally would in a fic, where we establish everything on our own.

BUT, having several different choices prepares you for any future misunderstandings. you can tell them your character's motive during that period, but when you are ultimately asked to do something different because of some mistake, you have other choices and a clearer picture of how to have your character create and progress relationships in a story. and you show you are willing to work on both your character and yourself, as well as offer compromises via these other paths, in order to tailor the bond between two characters in a way both parties can agree on.

and it becomes a lot easier to own up to mistakes when you look at your character as both a person that is not you and a literary device meant to convey certain ideas. it's not a personal attack on what you believe, but rather a comment on how people feel from what you've written. that is very useful feedback, for both fics and roleplay writing.

trust me, this comes from years of making incredibly embarrassing mistakes and having to write them into character development unwittingly, because i was an idiot. so unto you i bestow these tools to avoid the shame i suffered......

[musesofthegladeandbeyond]

RP Advice:

Don't be impatient.

Like I've been before.

See, when an RP partner agrees to roleplay with you, do not push your luck. Wait for them, until they're ready to respond to any roleplay starters or what-have-you that you've sent them.

You may have to wait a while, but trust me, it'll be worth it.

The only exception to this advice that I can think of is if someone says in their rules or on their blog that they do, in fact, need reminders and that you should send them reminders.

Other than that, please wait for them, no matter how long it takes.

It's also not a good idea to chat with someone too often, or if you do chat with them a lot, it's better not to initiate unless you're certain they won't mind. Otherwise, it'll seem like you're trying to manipulate them into replying faster. I learned that the hard way.

EDIT: (BTW, you have my permission to reblog this.)

[cloaksandcapes]

TTRPGs and the tables that run them are like anything else--your mileage will vary from each to the next. So long as no one is gatekeeping, people are behaving in good faith, and no one is being attacked or discriminated against...if a table isn't working out, it's okay to just leave. There shouldn't be any hard feelings.

[irlneo]

Screams in wanting to RP aesop Carl or Hermit/alva Lorenz from DIV but not knowing ppl within the community to RP with 😭

Ive brainrotten about their lore for WEEKS now and im desperate to see how theyd play out in action during RP, same for roleplays with IDV ocs so hi!!!! ID LOVE TO ROLEPLAY PLEASE…

[brujahinaskirt]

So, I don't really rp, but I used to co-write novellas with internet friends I met in an online fiction community that existed for this purpose. We'd pass a manuscript around and each add a chapter (which we kept secret from each other until its release). It wasn't exactly a roleplay, but I think the process is quite a bit like looking for an RP partner.

Seems to me a ton of writers on tumblr are trying to find partners to write with lately (roleplayers or otherwise), but they're going about it in the worst way possible. I suspect maybe tumblr just... never taught you guys how to do this.

Old-school writing group tip for you to help you find your next writing partner? If you want people to respond to your ads, sharing your wish list and DNI is simply not enough. You gotta share a sample of your writing.

"Hi I'm looking for someone to do an XYZ rp with me! Here are my fave tropes and characters!" is not gonna get any traction because it offers no meaningful information. People can't know if they're interested in writing with you if you don't give them some kind of sample of the experience, even a bite-sized one.

A nutrition list alone isn't helpful in picking your dinner off a menu. That's because this information needs more context to be relevant. On its own, it gives you no idea what the meal is going to look or taste like. What form it will take. How it will be prepared.

You wouldn't try to entice someone to order a meal based on that raw info alone... so don't use this tactic to entice someone to spend hours and hours of their life writing with you.

"But my post has special dramatic formatting and is super visually attractive!" Nice, but not useful for this purpose. GIFsets of canon characters and quotes ripped straight from the script are useless to someone trying to decide if they want to collaborate on a story with you. It's because this stuff gives absolutely nothing in terms of showcasing what you're bringing to the storytelling table.

No wonder so many people are giving up and breaking out crappy AI chatbots. I know we're all hyper-vigilant about scraping and theft right now, and for good reason, but if you want to find someone to write with you... you gotta share just a snippet of a sample. You gotta.

[mysticjourneys]

What If I Quit?

I have been roleplaying on Tumblr for well over ten years now. I am now at the point of adulthood where I have responsibilities, ambitions, and things I want to pursue. What I don't have as a luxury is time and energy. More often than not, I don't want to do much stuff because work drains me, and I spend some of my past time just trying to write here. Trying to roleplay. And it leads me to just feeling empty.

A thought crossed my mind. I thought of just quitting roleplaying/writing in order to do more stuff. To pursue passions, like art or video game development, which has been a life dream of mine. But, I feel that there are some things that I need to sacrifice in order to do it.

Work is a must. Gotta pay bills and put food on the table.

But, college, editing videos, personal time. Would stopping roleplaying forever be good, benefit my time and energy? Leave me energy, motivation, and time to do other things?

I thought of this and thought, "What would everyone else think?"

I made so many friends, memories, here is how I created my characters: hell, I met my wife on this site through roleplaying.

But I'm not a kid anymore. I have so many responsibilities. Where is the time to develop skills?

That is what has been swimming in my mind all day. I need to know what the benefits of me leaving or staying... and I mean permanently. Never coming back.

[maelancoli]

Writing Explicit Intimacy More Deeply

okay after the kissing post i've wanted to try to write something about actual sexual scenes. it's taken me a while to figure out what approach to take for such a broad subject because this is such a subjective form of writing and everyone has very strong opinions and varying proclivities. the truth is you are not going to please everyone and there will be a chunk of people who will always dislike your choice of words. and so even in writing a post to help others, there's going to be people who strongly disagree or find what i prefer to be cringe or unerotic.

the portrayal of sexual intimacy and the approaches taken are as varied as the sexual preferences, appetites, turn ons and turn offs of every day real people. this can either make you freeze up when writing, or free you to realize there is no 100% right way to approach erotic art and anyone who tells you otherwise is a smartass or trying to sell you something. so with no further ado, this post will be exactly what it sounds like so proceed at your own risk.

i'm going to focus less on style itself and more on approach. the first thing is that you don't need to divorce 'fluffy' non explicit intimacy from sexual writing. the exact same style and techniques you use for non sexual intimacy can often be applied to the sexual scenes too. kissing scenes, the chaste restrained touches filled with deeper desire, the linger looks from across the room, the build up to the first moments of vulnerability, the first few kisses, the first 'almosts' are connected to the sexual scenes themselves. it is all the same emotions and tensions. they're only heightened. and for sex scenes that are produced from these build ups are a simple escalation. you only need to expound upon what you've already built. don't view it as starting new and having to figure out how to write a different topic/moment. it's a continuation and all you need to do is use the tools you've already given yourself.

my second tip is to spend time shaping your character's tastes, kinks, turn ons and icks, their secret fantasies, their red lines they won't cross, their pleasure zones, the places they find attractive on others that they like to focus on and stimulate. if you want your sex scenes to feel real and not like it's just a emulation of generic smut or porn, you have to do what you do for literally anything else to make it not feel bland or contrived: character development.

where does your muse like to be kissed? what parts of their body make them feel stimulated, what parts are the most sensitive? not everything is about genitals. a lot of people like their foreplay to start with groping in varying erogenous zones. some are unconventional, some like their ears licked, they want their wrists kissed and sucked, they just want their partner to hold them close etc. the more you practice and explore what feels right for your character, the easier building on that foundation of tension will become.

if you feel awkward you can write the characters feeling awkward too because it often is. sex isn't always erotic or super steamy. it can be funny and awkward or just a natural physical thing happening between two people. focus less on if it sounds good in the first draft and focus more on if it makes sense for the characters, focus on how this moment makes them feel, where they feel their arousal and excitement in their body, how they respond to each other, what this means to them or what it doesn't mean etc. after you have gotten that down, then you edit it. add the prose, use the language that either make sit feel less crude to you or more erotic or more poetic etc.

lets take eliza and grabriella from last time so we can expound upon their previous interaction

it wasn't like she had never seen gabriella before. the first time they had seen each other outside of a dorm room or stuffy lecture hall was at dance club which was too crowded and too loud and was less 'dance' and more 'stand around and bob heads and take up too much space on the dance floor.' but she did remember what gabriella wore. she remembered her cropped blouse with ruffled sleeves and how she hadn't worn a bra beneath it. she remembered that she did dance. she remembered how effortless it looked. and the shorts which hugged her thighs and formed that little indentation that first made her wish she could tuck her fingers beneath the hemline and tug her close. she had denied those instincts then, those unrealized desires. but she wasn't denying it now. because now gabriella was on her mattress, sitting on her knees in only her bra and lacy underwear which evoked that same feeling. eliza imagined hooking a finger just at the waistline and tugging. butterflies swirled in her stomach and static radiated through her at the mere thought because this time she could do it. "you okay?" gabriella murmured. she was smiling. that smile made her feel all the warmth of the brightest stars which whispered she was meant to be here, with her. "yeah," eliza breathed out. she leaned closer and feathered her lips along the other woman's. even with a trembling hand she reached forth and brushed her fingertips at the edges of gabriella's panties. "i'm okay," she promised. she allowed herself to smile and in doing so realized she was already grinning. "more than okay." "good," gabriella kissed her back, one of her hands sliding into eliza's hair as the other tenderly began to caress her bare thigh. "have you ever...?"

"no," she admitted. heat gathered in her cheeks which were turning pinker by the second. her ears must have looked sunburnt and she had to resist the urge to cover her face. "not really...not like this." a pause. she bit at the inside of her lower lip and glanced up at gabriella's soft features. when their eyes met, she simultaneously felt all her muscles relax again. but those damn butterflies kept fluttering within her. "have you?" "once," gabriella nodded. then she smiled, a shyness in her expression which only made her features glow all the more. she reached down and gently grasped eliza's hand. she rubbed her thumb over her knuckles. "just follow my lead," she murmured. "we'll make up our own steps." she slowly guided eliza's fingers beneath the lacy waistband. and then further. until she felt the damp warmth between her thighs. eliza's breath hitched and she almost forgot how to control her lungs. "i think i can figure it out," she replied with a small smirk before she tenderly rubbed the pad of her thumb against gabriella's mound. when the other woman breathed in deep, almost moaning, she knew this was a dance she would happily memorize.

i put the rest below the cut to help the post from being too lengthy. but essentially here we see a continuation of eliza feeling uncertain in new territory but finding comfort and reassurance in gabriella. she might be nervous, but she has no doubts about this woman she's attracted to. rather than just describing one action after the other or focusing only on the biological responses happening, we're delving into the continuation of anticipation, we're showing the gentle push and pull between them. eliza has the desire to take control and give pleasure to gabriella. but she finds herself needing gabriella's guidance and that's okay.

because they met dancing, we can use dancing symbolism. deciding the contrasting language and euphemisms you want to use for your ship will help you broaden how you write the intimacy beyond the physical.

eliza wants to be more dominant we see hints of it here, but realistically someone who is new to a situation will not be able to go straight into that. but, say that there is continued scenes of intimacy between them, after the first time, we would start to let her slowly explore that. perhaps gabriella would coax it out of her, maybe eliza will surprise her. she'll tug her close by her belt loops, she let herself bite at her rather than just gentle kisses. it will happen slowly and surely. and that is typically also good advice for if you want to include more kinky content. the first time people have sex they're not gonna jump straight into that. even if they're experienced in kink they still have to get to know one another and get a feel for each other's bodies, what they do and don't like, etc.

there's further tension to explore if you utilize those intimate scenes correctly, continuing to build and escalate each time upon the previous moments. don't just jump straight to crazy sex. build up to it. let them explore each other and their sexuality together. that is where the steam comes from, the continuation of tension, the excitement of getting to know one another. don't just steamroll right over opportunities for development and sensuality.

anyway that's it folks bc this post is long af. have fun, write freaky shit, write cute shit, write what makes u happy and horny.

[mcflymemes]

please don't mistake silence for hatred. please don't mistake unanswered plotting messages as indifference, or a lack of enthusiasm towards you. considering the ages of most roleplayers, many of us have bills to pay, families to take care of, medical conditions to treat, appointments to make, classes to take, homes to clean, and lives to live away from the computer that are far, far more important than writing on tumblr — life has a tendency to get in the way of hobbies and fun things like this. be patient with your fellow writers. if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. of course you can set your boundaries, keep your space comfortable, and softblock whoever you wish, but do so while recognizing it's probably not hatred or apathy that keeps them from leaping into your dms with message after message. they probably love this hobby just as much as you... but sometimes life gets in the way.

[marquisedegramont]

I'm torn between writing rp which is more fun & easy, but no one except me & my couple of rp partners ever wants to read. And stories that get hundreds of kudos & comments even from people who don't know me, but are way more work even though I feel prouder of it later. I don't feel like I have enough time to do both, what should I do?

You can plan an engaging storyline with your roleplay partners! “Hey, I have this idea, does anyone want to join?” And stuff like that. You can plan it out with your partners, add information or just complete wing it which is fun but will get chaotic so I suggest giving information to your partners in a group chat.

Of course, there is the problem of different timezones which then bounce into people’s schedules and to that, I recommend checking in with your partners on days you will be absent from the roleplay and days you have the time for. Roleplay doesn’t have to have “full on work” to you know, make it cool and enjoying. Sometimes what you need in a roleplay is good chemistry between muses/roleplay partners and an engaging storyline

[uttotheegg]

Does anyone have any advice for roleplaying a mute character?

im currently working on a character that i plan on using in a dnd/wanderhome campaign or simply just playing as him a roleplay group but a huge part of his character design is that he cant form common language words due to his mouth.

Hes essentially a thri-kreen from dnd, being able to speak with other people of his own race through mandible clacking and body language and other noises that they can produce, but inter-race communication is difficult.

Im not sure the best way to play as him without just going “hes trying to say this” or “convey this” and im not sure if i can accurately depict how being mute can affect your life as i am not mute and rarely am in-able to speak (there are moments where i do go nonverbal due to places being too loud or crowded but never for extended periods of time and it never affects me for long)

[eboni-napalm]

I've been feeling really disconnected from a lot of my favorite fandoms and characters lately (again) and also have a really bad case of writer's block (again) so I'm pretty sure I'm in another big and long bout of depression. I've thought about getting into RP'ing for wrestling related stuff (with my own S/I or O/C) but I have no clue where I'd start and what to do/how to do it. Anyone have any starting advice or can point me in the right direction? (ie, Discord servers or other Tumblrs where I can start figuring this out?)

[justicekylar]

Pro tip: do you have a DnD scene where there are several NPCs all talking in a meeting? You think it's a really cool scene and you want to run it, roleplay it?

Don't run it. Write it.

Really. Write it down if you need to get it out of your system. But running 3+ NPCs with varying agendas and voices and all vying for position is just not feasible. You're already running a lot and doing a lot. That's too much to multi-task

Do write that scene, though. Maybe have it be a cut scene for your players to read between sessions

[ssamlet]

guys help ….. when I’m writing a roleplay response how do I make it longer??? 😭😭😭 like, I put dialogue and abit of action in there, but I crave to put more sentences in, more words and more emotion, but I’ve got NO clue☹️☹️☹️

pls… any of u rp saints out there have any tips </3

[boombambaby]

This is actually a question for Mun, if you don't mind!

I'm putting together a roleplay blog myself, and I was wondering if you had any advice? I've never put myself out there in roleplay beyond accumulating small rp communities/friends on Discord, and I'm kinda intimidated by being Perceived on a platform as big as tumblr /lh

Advice on making the blog appealing to other roleplayers and any general rp advice you'd be willing to share would be very appreciated <3

|| Hi there! I don't mind a single bit! Sorry for the delay, I wanted to make sure I made sense and gave you good information :)

First off, it's so awesome that you're looking to start a roleplay blog! I am huge on encouraging people to write and join the hobby, and it's always nice to see new writers getting started and sharing ideas!

As silly as it sounds, my biggest piece of advice is to NOT be intimidated. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there, follow characters in your fandom, share things, post your HC/drabbles/favorite ships/ideas/storyline ideas etc and reach out to other writers or groups for interactions! The more friendly you are, and the more you put your writing out there, the more traction you'll receive as opposed to just lurking around and liking stuff here or there. : ) I'm still new to roleplaying on Tumblr, but the first thing I did when I decided to make a blog here was look at other writers to get a general idea for how my blog should be set up. It's helpful for a writer to see right off the bat who your character is/their fandom/the writers writing style, and rules. Some writers are very cautious about writing with minors and won't interact if you don't have your 'age bracket' right on the front page where they can see it. Your blog doesn't have to be super big or flashy, but I always like seeing a writer with open starters posted, a simple list of rules and hashtag categories so I can easily find something if I look on their page. But the main thing I look for are recent posts with active writing! Someone can have the coolest blog in the world, but if they don't write it's kind of a let down! Even if it's timeline banter-- which I absolutely adore-- it shows you're an active writer, and that's what we're looking for. : ) Other general roleplay advice is this; Don't be afraid to check out other platforms. Tumblr is big, yes but there are other platforms/sites/forums you can write on! If you're on Discord and not opposing to branching out, you can search for your fandom (Disney roleplay for example) on Disboard and it will show you different roleplay groups listed there. When I first started with Kuzco and realized how dead the fandom was, I made an account everywhere. Here, Twitter, Facebook, Roleplayer.me, Aniroleplay etc. And I just started posting. IC statuses, drabbles, headcanons-- whatever came to mind, and started following as MANY people in related fandoms as I could find. You slowly build your friends up as you go, and can branch out and sometimes form connections between characters you never thought would cross paths, which is a lot of fun. I'd also say to keep in mind that it is ALL about the QUALITY not the QUANTITY. If you can write 1500k+ words each reply? That's awesome! But if you can write a beautifully descriptive reply in 500 words, that's just as amazing! Don't pressure yourself to do more than you can just to make someone else happy! Work at your own pace. Last but not least; HAVE FUN WITH IT! There's always something new to learn, but don't be afraid to jump right in and get your feet wet. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you as well, I'd be more than happy to in whatever way I can!