#roleplay advice

[bellemorte79]

Writing tips reblog cause...

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]

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.

[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.)

[roleplaybook]

ROLEPLAY PSYCHOLOGY: PASSIVE AGGRESSION

Passive aggression harms relationships, causes unnecessary negative feelings all around, and is inefficient. It shows up in many forms, and we’ve all participated in it and have been subjected to it.

UNDER THE CUT:

Strategies to identify when you’re being passive aggressive, and non-scary ways to broach issues directly.

Scripts to tackle issues head on when a writing partner is being passive aggressive toward you.

Examples of passive aggressive behavior between RP partners.

If you’ve been collaboratively writing for any length of time, chances are you’ve met passive aggressive individuals in the Internet wastes. The roleplaying community is rife with them. If you’re not sure, see if any of the following sound familiar:

“It’s fine,” when things are, in fact, not fine. Even through text, the tone can often be perceived as a little flat — a little cool. It’s meant to subtly suggest you make changes/go with their preference without directly communicating that this is what they want. Sometimes, they don’t even communicate what it is they do want; you’re meant to figure it out.

You’ve done something they didn’t like. Maybe you turned down an idea, or maybe you took longer than usual to reply to their post. Now you’re getting the silent treatment OOC, or receiving unusually flat and monosyllabic responses. When you do ask if everything’s okay/what’s wrong, chances are you’re getting, “It’s fine,” and, “nothing.”

They punish you IC after a conversation they disliked happens OOC. For example, a character who was flirting with yours might turn suddenly sour/critical in the very next post after you mention your character being romantically unavailable in an OOC conversation. Alternatively, you shoot down an idea they proposed, so they kill off their character without consulting with you.

Passive aggression comes in many forms, and we’ve all been subjected to it. Surely we have all been passive aggressive at some point, too.

While it can seem easier in many situations to be passive aggressive until the other person’s behavior changes, all it really does is harm relationships and stretch out undue negativity.

When you spot passive aggression, you should call it out. This doesn’t necessarily mean you say, “Hey, I see you being passive aggressive. Cut it out.” It might look more like, “I feel like you’re upset with me. Can we talk about it?”

By the same token, we should be vigilant about our own behaviors and have the self-awareness to catch when we’re inclined to be passive aggressive. It’s an easy behavior to fall into! Who hasn’t gotten short with a friend? Who hasn’t given the silent treatment in hopes of receiving an apology we didn’t have to spell out?

But it’s poor communication, and it does nothing to strengthen your bond with the other person. It doesn’t help build social skills. It’s inefficient.

When you feel inclined to indirectly communicate your annoyance, freeze. It may be wise to step away from the keyboard/put the phone down for a moment and sit with what you’re feeling. Often bad behavior happens when we react too quickly to a stimulus.

After looking at the situation logically, come up with a script to directly broach the topic. You might also realize it’s not worth being angry about in the first place! For example, if a partner turned down an idea you proposed, you might feel disappointed and want to convey it with short, unsatisfying OOC banter. You might put your character in a bad mood or insert angst into the plot abruptly. However, after giving it some time and thought… aren’t they allowed to politely turn down an idea? Haven’t you turned ideas down? Wouldn’t you rather they turn it down than agree to it and half-ass replies because they didn’t want to go that route in the first place?

It’s better for your hindsight, better for your relationship with your writing partner, and better for you to step back and allow yourself to feel disappointed. Deal with it in healthy ways. You can try writing up an ad for an RP with someone who will fulfill that idea. (Slap yourself on the hand if you think to do this as a way to get back at your current partner, or in hopes they’ll see they can be replaced!) Write a one-shot about it, etc.

If you feel they’re in the wrong after taking a moment to reflect — let’s say they always shoot your ideas down, and the RP tends to only be about what they want — you should start a conversation. It is better to be direct, and being direct doesn’t mean being aggressive or hostile.

“Hey, can we talk about the RP for a minute? I appreciate how honest you are with me when you don’t want to go with the ideas I bring up for our story. I also value you as a writing partner, which is why I want to bring this up instead of letting it continue to nag at me: it feels like we always go with your ideas. The last few I’ve had, you’ve turned down. I don’t want you to feel obliged to write things you’re not interested in, but I’m hoping we can come to a compromise on this. Can I get your thoughts?”

Direct, but not hostile. Not accusatory. Not scary! It allows the issue to be handled with no guess-work, and makes it far more likely you’ll see actual changes.

You can use the same strategy when they’re being passive aggressive with you.

“Hey, I notice you’re not being as talkative as you usually are, and you’ve told me everything is fine. I’ll take you at your word, but I just want to make sure you know I welcome you to bring stuff up with me directly. I would rather communicate than continue to upset you without realizing it. If something is wrong, I hope you’ll tell me so I can fix it/stop doing it/come up with a compromise.”

[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…

[junuve]

why are ppl rping with bots instead of writing fanfic??? like isn't the primary reason folks are using the bot bc they are socially intimidated by rp groups? (no judgment there ik how nerve-wracking it can be)

but like instead of talking to a cold machine someone COULD be growing their writing skills by... just Writing the whatever, the OC x canon scenario, the silly lil au, the smut etc etc. doesn't have to be grand literature, can just be a script fic even

and then after a while a person might have a piece of Art (generated by their very own meat computer) that they may want to show others??

folks, we can only win here. we can only lose talking to robots!

[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.

[the-moth-from-elsewhere]

So, You Want to Try RolePlaying.

I’ve been doing RP and co-op writing for years, but have only about a month of experience doing it with complete strangers. So, here’s my advice, some warnings, and probably some random jokes.

First, who are you doing this with? Your friends? Strangers you want to get to know/write with? Your internet acquaintances? Because that’s gonna affect things.

My first and most important warning is this: don’t expect full control, especially not with strangers/people you don’t know personally.

Don’t expect anything, really. You’re taking a risk, and you may end up having to deal with discomfort. Morals, ethics, beliefs, preferences, triggers, even basic likes and dislikes may be very different between you and those you are writing with, so be prepared for that. My best example of this is that I tend to curse much less than those I RP with on tumblr.

My advice? Don’t be surprised, don’t get offended. If you’re uncomfortable, maybe just remove yourself from that scene. You cannot, and should absolutely not, try to control these things. If you’re very very uncomfortable, and it’s an objective thing, that’s when you should ask for changes. For example, if this isn’t supposed to be NSFW/Suggestive, and someone’s really pushing/has crossed that line, going against explicitly stated and agreed upon guidelines and rules, THAT’S when you say something/explicitly ask for them to stop. Exercise basic respect to everyone, agreement with you or not.

I’m an absolute control freak sometimes, so I honestly struggle with “I don’t like this plot” discomfort sometimes, to the point of occasionally feeling physically sickened when something feels out of control. A recent bout of this problem is what made me want to write this. My personal way of dealing with this is making my characters OCs FIRST. Dusk, Northeast, even Kit are all from their own original thing somewhere, that this all isn’t really canon to. While they were made for this specifically, that doesn’t mean they still aren’t my characters and I cannot have them also canonically exist in their own bubble where I have control. It’s strange, but it’s my own personal tactic. If you want, I could probably tell you about this “oc AU”, but most people are probably just here for advice. So onward.

Secondly? Don’t be confusing unless you know you can get away with it hoo boy here we go

I accidentally maybe introduced Puella Magi Madoka Magica into a TADC RP I’m in, and while it did end up crossover-ing decently well, it was really rocky, especially because nobody else had heard of Madoka and if you know anything about PMMM it’s that the lore is freaking WILD. So if you want to try something like that, be slow about it. It was about the only thing I got right.

I mentioned the mechanics, then made a character show up who uses those mechanics, then I introduced Kyubey, a way to spread those mechanics, and then and only then did other characters get to use the full potential of these mechanics/lore. Like I mentioned, it was incredibly rocky, but it worked. So do better than me, I beg.

Third of all. Try to figure out the overall tone before writing. If this is a serious piece of literature where things need to be set up properly, ACT LIKE IT! PLAN! SCHEME!

If this is a no-logic insanity mess where everything is surrealist metaphor, ACT. LIKE. IT. PLAN METAPHORS! BLAST PERTINENT MUSIC! HECK YEAH!

If this is 8-15 teenagers writing a TADC AU full of comedy, drama, ocs, and “whatever seems fun”, FREAKING GO FOR IT, BE DRAMATIC, JUST KEEP THINGS BASICALLY LOGICAL AND MAKE SENSE AND YOU’RE GOOD!

…

…Yeah that’s it for now see y’all

[rpmemesbyarat]

A Less Obvious Toxic RPer: The Overaplogizer

I see a lot of RP resource blogs that talk about toxic RP partners in the cases of people who are overtly controlling, aggressive, demanding, and/or cruel, but rarely if ever do I see posts about a different sort of toxicity: The over-apologizer. These RPers don’t get defensive or aggressive, they get so submissive and self-hating and apologetic over the SLIGHTEST criticism or even suggestion. It’s not a problem of “not saying sorry” it’s a problem of TOO MUCH sorry. Here are some examples: Sally: “Hey there, I know we planned for our muses to end up together eventually, but some of your recent asks seem to suggest they’re already a close  couple. I was hoping for a longer slow-burn sort of thing, moving in too fast will definitely scare my muse off. Could we dial it back a bit?” Bill: “I’m so sorry, I completely fucked up! Please don’t hate me ! I should never have started RPing! Let’s just drop the whole thing I’m sorry I wasted your time!” Sally: “Hey, so in your last reply, you had a whole bunch of spiders come out of the walls. I probably should have mentioned this before, but spiders are kind of a trigger of mine. Could we change that to something else?” Bill: “OMG I’m so sorry I’m such an asshole! I should delete my blog, I’m so terrible at this! This is why nobody likes me!” Sally: “Hey, I really love our threads, but our last three have all focused on my muse saving and comforting yours, and the new plot you just suggested seems the same. I like writing with you, but I was wondering if this time around, your muse could help mine instead?” Bill: “I hate myself, I’m such a selfish prick. I push everyone off, why did I think this would be different?” Sally: “I love talking to you OOC, but could you stop messaging me about New Show? I’m just not really interested in that.” Bill: “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to annoy you, I’ll just shut up now. I’m sorry I’m such a loser.” So, why is this bad? Well, for one thing, insulting yourself isn’t what someone’s aim is when they ask you to change something or cease a behavior. It makes the Sally in this situation feel bad, like they’ve just bullied you, when all they’ve done is politely communicate a reasonable request. It changes the topic of the conversation from Sally communicating a need about RP, to Sally having to personally reassure Bill that she doesn’t hate him, he isn’t a terrible RPer, etc. This is really, really uncomfortable for the Sally, and usually, in my experience as a Sally, ends up taking a lot of time and emotional labor all focused on Sally comforting Bill and apologizing a lot herself simply for speaking up about something bothering her. All of this combines to making Sally more and more unlikely to voice any further concerns or requests to Bill, because she doesn’t want to go through this again and again. Which means Sally either suffers through threads that bother her in some way and aren’t fun for her. . .or she gets tired of that and just ghosts. This sucks for both Sally and Bill. Now, I don’t think most people are trying to be deliberately manipulative when they act like Bill. Some certainly are and I hate them, but it can also be that they’re genuinely extremely insecure, anxious people who think they have to over-correct due to either mental issues, trauma/abuse in the past, or both. So I genuinely try to be patient and kind, but I won’t lie, it is still manipulative and it gets my hackles up. It leaves me conflicted between wanting to comfort the person and reassure them, and at the same time being pissed at them. It’s definitely a frustrating experience. And honestly? I still don’t actually know how to handle this when I’m in the Sally position. So I tried to do the next best thing, and write this for the Bills out there, who might not REALIZE this is toxic behavior or why. Bills, you’re not a bad person, and I know this behavior can be hard to rein in, especially when it’s a trauma response, but please do what you can to try! I wish I had advice for how, but I don’t. All I can do is point out that this behavior, while it may have helped you survive a bad situation in the past, is actually really shitty to others now. And if someone WANTS this behavior from you? If someone WANTS you to scrape and grovel and insult yourself when they point out the slightest thing wrong? Get the hell away from them, because that’s toxic as hell too.

[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]

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."

[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.

[roleplaybook]

PSA

Your enjoyment is no less than half as important as your writing partner's. It's not your job to be entertaining, to carry the story, or to "make it fun" for someone else. It's a back and forth transaction that, when it's working, is fun for both parties involved.

As soon as it's not fun, you're allowed to end the roleplay.

You don't need a good reason.

You never need to ask if it's "okay to end an RP because..."

The way a writing partner reacts to you ending the roleplay is not your problem. It is not within your control.

Relinquish the burden of responsibility. All you can control are your own actions.

Relinquish the burden of obligation. This is a hobby; if you're not having fun, there is no point.

Relinquish the burden of guilt. It's okay to participate in the hobby as you have the energy and motivation. It's okay to take breaks. It's okay (read: encouraged) to prioritize your mental health, productivity, and real life over your hobby.

Let go of the fear of someone else reacting poorly to (compassionately communicated) boundaries. Their response is their responsibility.

Take care of yourself.

[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)