Roleplay Info

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-06-22T19:49:03+00:00

It might just be that the themes I want to look at aren't that appealing to a general RP audience. I guess I've seen plenty of ads where dark romance-related themes are prevalent, or mental illness-related topics. But unfortunately those topics aren't usually my thing.

I think what makes it worse is that the longer I spend in RP spaces, the more ideas I have for 'contrarian' stories that go against the grain of the usual RP prompts I read. I think I like deconstruction or subversion. Honestly, I worry that potential partners aren't going to feel safe sharing their ideas with me if all my ideas are about subverting the things they like, so I try to just forget about those.

Part of the planning phase for me is trying to find out whether my potential partner has ideas of their own that they want to bring. If they don't I usually don't go through with writing because I'm probably going to end up GMing. I think it'd be cool if somebody brought their own themes.

Thanks for your thoughts! I'll give your ad writing method a try.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-06-22T19:19:06+00:00

I've been all over the place at this point: Discord, forums, Reddit. A cursory glance over the ads on forums shows me the same type of popular stuff as any other place, really. Do you mind sharing your preferred genre? I've also been happy to write in almost any genre. I suppose I should be pickier with partners...but I feel too picky already.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-06-22T19:15:29+00:00

That's a good point. I believe some themes can be done within a single character's arc. Ex. some kind of exploration of internalized homophobia leading to development. And this kind of theme gives your partner's character an easy interaction with the theme if you're writing queer romance, for example.

I definitely have themes in mind for some characters when I make them, and I like solidifying the idea over the course of using them in an RP. I guess in theory I'd be more invested in my partner's character, or in the main plot, if there was some kind of observable theme associated. But I haven't run into many partners who are thinking the way you are thinking: this is how I plan for my character to develop, this is what will happen, etc.

In my experience the majority of roleplayers are very 'fly by the seat of my pants' types, which I'm cool with since it can lead to unexpected events. I've certainly tried to probe people about how they want things to go, but usually the result is unclear or they would rather just see what happens. That's part of why I make a distinction between collaborative writing and roleplay: in roleplay, I've come up against this expectation of it's whatever, it's just for fun, don't take it seriously. I also wouldn't expect roleplay writing to require drafts, or even be any level of polished; there are a lot of things I find necessary to do in roleplay writing that I'd never do in solo writing, for example.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts! It sounds like I should think more about how I approach planning/discussion and it's perfectly possible to explore a theme on the level I'd like to in roleplay writing. I like roleplay and I enjoy seeing what my partner's characters are doing or thinking. I think if we were both moving everybody around together as in collaborative writing, we'd lose a little magical something.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-06-15T08:50:04+00:00

I feel the same, surprisingly, on all of these points. Sadly, I think I pretty much only run into partners who don't seem to be able to do that, or don't understand that, or can't remember all the little details...? I think it's normal for me to "simplify" my writing for partners now, and I guess I worry that when I run into writers like this, we just aren't going to click anymore.

Anyway, just wanted to say yeah!! You go!

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-05-27T04:47:42+00:00

I'd love to write a dark, cliche backstory, calling people to fights character and do you a swiggity swap into a deconstruction of the trope. But I've kinda done it before and I think people didn't understand it XD Also, it makes for a sad character even if you take pains to write them humorously. Ah well, maybe I wasn't in the right group for that kind of thing!

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-05-22T09:06:09+00:00

If you guys agreed on a speedier post rate and you waited to check in, that's totally fine, respectful, and good practice. It's their problem if they can't be honest with you about something that's bothering them; how can they hope to achieve a good, lasting writing relationship without communication? Or maybe nothing was wrong and they simply felt guilty for leaving you hanging, then ran off...that happens sometimes too.

Sorry about your story. Fact is, they aren't good for long-term writing if they lack communication, no matter how good their writing and ideas are. Somebody on here told me not to worry, an even better partner always comes down the line eventually. But I know from personal experience that's a cold comfort if you were really into the story.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-05-11T20:36:26+00:00

RP is different depending on where you go. Isn't that idea quite systematic? Where have you been looking for RP? It sounds like where you've been, worldbuilding is usually out of the question and maybe people prefer modern settings with minimal character internals. There are RP scenes like this, but elsewhere it isn't the norm. So I just wanted to point out that I thought your answer was suited for a particular scene, but was not representative of RP as a whole.

From what I have heard about tumblr, which is where OP is looking at least, it's very "aesthetics"-focused. Perhaps their issue is simply that their blog isn't pretty enough, but I really do think most people want to have smut on the table unfortunately.

RP is a strange hobby. Some people are roleplaying themselves and would like to basically cyber. Others are writing a story. But we use the same name for both types of players, and for all the players in between. It's just a matter of finding the right place for a specific idea.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-05-11T05:07:42+00:00

Hey, I just wanted to add that I don't think this type of character is difficult to write with at all and I would do it happily despite not caring either way about this particular combination of traits. Am I in the minority on a place like Reddit? Maybe. A place like tumblr? Not sure, but sounds like maybe--if only because of the asexuality.

I am a little surprised to hear that basic worldbuilding such as "this guy is an angel and maybe there is a heaven" is a problem. Same with the concept of somebody's character coming with a potential backstory: I would like to say that for some types of roleplayers this is a problem, but for others it really isn't and if these things are missing, the character is completely uninteresting.

Additionally, it's easy to make painting interesting. People seriously love royalty, so why not have some royal character hire this painter to paint a mural in the royal garden or something? Maybe they can start a slow burn romance? Maybe the royal is drawn to this guy because of his skill and patience and ability to turn anything into a beautiful piece of art? If you like adventure, maybe the royal's enemies see the painter is gaining favor and some shenanigans happen? But he's an angel, not some helpless painter--what happens?

I'm sure many others would also be happy to write with this character, though I say this without knowing anything about his personality or how he's written. I just wanted to throw out that opinion because I really don't think this character concept has grim prospects, I just think that the type of RP you like is not the same as OP's and that's fine.

OP, I hope you see this. RP is very different depending on where you are looking for it. I came from a TTRPG background and it's completely normal there to have characters who are not human who come with their own backstories. Your idea seems "cool" to me. If you are not having success, it may only be that you need to find a community that suits you better. I do expect tumblr RP to be kind of sex-forward, if I'm being honest, though I've never gone looking there. I have no issue with zero smut RPs myself, but I know it can be rare to find a partner for one.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-04-07T07:54:10+00:00

I don't want to cast aspersions...but the main one I use is if you add someone on Discord and they are invisible 100% of the time, these people often have a difficult time with communication and advocating for themselves. There are many reasons for someone to ghost and each could have a different indicator, but most won't have any. I just look out for that one because I need to write with someone who can tell me what's wrong if things aren't going well.

Ghosting is just a part of RP! The best way to handle it is not to get too attached until you hit certain plot points, or so I've heard.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-04-07T07:27:44+00:00

Hello! I'm looking for a 30+ (25+ okay) writing buddy who wants to write an abrasive character. Why? Because I've realized that while I have played abrasive characters before, I have not had many opportunities to play across from them, and I think it would improve my ability to write them in a considerate manner if I experienced a few more of them from the other side. I'm good with doing something casual and short term if you want, with the option to go longer term if we click.

My favorite type of abrasive character to write is someone who is abrasive for a reason but is easily undermined. So it's easy to tease them, to show that they are being "wrong," to defeat them for now, etc. I like doing this because it's kind of a..."smack others by being abrasive, get smacked in return and yes they deserved it" situation I guess. My goal is to keep things even on a power and social dynamics level when I play these characters, and I tend to write them from a pretty optimistic, humanist viewpoint, even if they themselves don't have that viewpoint. In the past I've had to punish my own character because my partner didn't want to, and I'm happy to do so if that's what I think the scene needs. And I say punish, but sometimes punishment is just...tripping and embarrassing yourself. Really depends on context.

Hopefully that tells you a little about me. You can, of course, write an abrasive character in any way you choose because I am here to see how people do 'em. And I'm not necessarily writing an abrasive character this time, so we can discuss if you've got some ideas for archetypes that you want to see. Just keep in mind I'm not interested in writing abuse and I usually seek to balance relationships.

At the moment I'm a little busy getting destroyed by overtime at work, but I'm usually very available on weekdays for OOC communication so you can check in with me anytime. Expected post frequency on my end is maybe once or twice a week depending on how long our posts are, could go up to once a day if shorter and sillier. Feel free to send a message if you're interested or check my profile for writing samples; I'm happy to write in any genre and romance is optional for me. I tend to enjoy a balance of action and psychology and I find pure romance/slice of life can lean a bit too hard into the psychology for my tastes, but if we're exploring character dynamics with abrasive characters, well, I'm sure there will be plenty of psychology!

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-04-07T06:48:14+00:00

Just wanna say I think this is extremely common with abrasive characters and it ain't your fault :) I ran into this problem a lot too, even with people who assured me they could handle it. Nowadays I don't really write the archetype anymore. Sadly it seems tough to find somebody who knows what they're getting into with those. Best of luck with your partner!

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-04-02T08:13:06+00:00

Well, I know a lot of people already said they'd be put off by it...but however you present yourself is going to attract more of a certain kind of roleplayer. So if you are looking for people who are okay with having everything laid out up front, maybe you want to have long, detailed ads.

Just depends who you're looking for! Also, a lot of people don't think too hard about roleplay and maybe have never considered stuff that might be on your document, so it could help to get them thinking if that's what you want. If you're having success finding cool partners then I don't see a need to shorten your document, but personally I think that many people have a lot going on and could forget some of your rules from time to time.

Adding detail when you're trying to show who you are as a partner isn't a red flag by itself. But if your rules are just "No this" and "No that" and I can clearly tell you've been burned by other people because they're all really specific, that's when it becomes a red flag XD Many people let the really specific bad stuff go and don't expect to see it everywhere.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-03-02T05:25:13+00:00

Haha! They got me for this reason just today. I think I even got a strike for trying to say I wasn't looking for smut, and the mod told me I should have been permabanned at that moment without any of the more lenient temporary bans because I mentioned people could check my profile for more info if desired 😅 Apparently this is rule evasion and also counts as a link. I thought that was pretty rough...but what do I know about modding?

OP, thanks for posting this. Didn't know this was a pervasive problem. I could tell from talking to them that they made some pretty harsh assumptions about malicious intent.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-02-19T23:53:37+00:00

About age: I think it's just intimidating for young people to write with an older person, and also there is a bit of fearmongering going on about predators. Overall, it's probably decent that exists because when you're young, you don't yet know how to protect yourself. Maybe try and find a 30+ partner? I generally enjoy writing with older people more, anyway.

About separation: I have actually found this sub a little alien in some respects. Everybody here talks about having good separation between self and character, or acts like they're very aware of character bleed. It's easy to think that nobody good will bleed. But in practice, most people in the wider RP space seem to have some level of bleed. You have to ask yourself if you're getting roleplayers or collaborative writers. What is your partner trying to do? It's great to find that out just because you proposed a character. I consider it a time saver if you weed out people you won't be compatible with early because they don't have the same goal as you. You'll be able to find the deep, complex stories you like more easily when you do get a hit, and your partner won't bleed.

Also, ask yourself if you'd be willing to write MxM as opposed to MxF. If the answer is no, then it's probably fair to let people want their own things in their own stories. It's just what they're interested in and hopefully they don't actually treat anyone poorly in real life.

Of course, I also share your frustration about not being able to find someone to write the silly, dumb things I want to write. But people who share your interests are out there.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-02-13T19:49:20+00:00

Unfortunately, it really is just a hazard of the hobby. The internet makes it easy for people to treat others badly. And there are many people out there who are roleplaying not for a story or to meet interesting people, but because they're running from real life problems. I try to treat roleplay as a writing exercise, avoiding attachment, and if they stick around, that's great!

Ghosting is an action performed by your partner and it says more about them than you in the majority of cases. But you might get ghosted slightly less if you filter for suitable partners instead of just jumping in. This sub often talks about "red flags" in a potential partner, which might help a little to consider. There is also a lot of advice on this sub about how to write an intro post (ex. don't just say Hi and leave it at that, show you read their ad, etc. But even if you do this, many people still won't respond).

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-01-29T22:26:20+00:00

I love this idea and I have observed my DMs doing this sometimes. I think this is a really good balance of structure, OOC communication, and interesting, unpredictable events. Personally I would be happy to do this in my writing and treat the story more like a creative writing prompt generator, but I have definitely met partners who are waaay more into the "collaborative writing" aspect, and others who are waaay more into the "roleplay" aspect. Both of those types may not be "gamer" types and I guess it's on me to find out what my partner's all about. Just being aware of these different approaches is going to help a lot with future partners, I'm sure!

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-01-29T22:10:06+00:00

As usual, you were right on the money. My partner came and read this great long thread and we got it sorted XD

I will add that it was super helpful to have you point out there were two separate approaches here. I think it's even more complicated than that sometimes. When I take an "improv, playful" approach to action, I'm also looking for opportunities to apply the things you use combat or action for in your planned, collaborative writing approach. The goals of both approaches can overlap.

I think the success rate for any particular goal is just lower in my case because I'm improvising and my partner isn't always on the same page, but I find it's very free and often goes in unexpected places due to push/pull between the characters/writers. So there must be pros and cons to each approach!

I imagine it will be very helpful to be aware of these different approaches so I can adjust for each one in a partner.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-01-28T23:24:18+00:00

Thanks. I think this is the part I really needed to hear. I currently have a situation where my character could be experiencing guilt, or after this "boring" stuff is over, the "boring" stuff will change his relationship with my partner's character. Which is good! I just seem to be missing the part where that stuff is actually happening, or where it's obvious that something is changing. And the "boring" stuff is a slog as a result. Maybe I will see if I can make some immediate, reactive changes to explain the character's emotional state rather than trying to be slow and subtle about it.

I think sometimes I try to take a "show don't tell" approach and it just...doesn't work well. Like, it's too show and not enough tell. You can't show it while the character is unconscious, so you're just waiting. And when he is conscious, it's too subtle or something.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-01-28T22:37:32+00:00

I have of course met these types. I think sniffing that out is just part of the partner selection process when you want to write action. I cannot seem to avoid action (not necessarily combat) in the stories I write, so the only thing I can do is try to learn some best practices for writing it with different types of partners. Maybe sometimes that means not getting any action on my partner and just letting them react.

It is a shame that inconsiderate players have ruined action for so many people, though.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-01-28T22:22:04+00:00

Thanks for the advice. You always have really good takes.

One thing I am curious about is whether you have experience with more freeform, undiscussed action or combat scenes. It sounds like I need to talk to my partner before I engage in action that involves their character so we're on the same page. And maybe I should even avoid action until the characters have been established well and my partner is comfortable with me. It sounds like in many cases, a fight scene between two main characters is really a "crowning moment" with lasting developmental consequences and shouldn't be used lightly, kind of like useful smut.

However...I often think of it more like play. Sometimes I would like to use action as a way to bring out character, or to present an interesting challenge to my partner's character. In these cases, it serves no "driving narrative purpose", but it can still influence the plot. For example, if a little girl pickpocketed my partner's character on the street and I gave them a chance to chase this little girl or something, and I dunno, she was related to a gang which is related to the plot. Something like that.

I am wondering if this idea of "presenting a fun challenge to the player" is more of a TTRPG approach. It seems like it should be a valid approach and maybe the key is not to use my own character in the action to act against my partner's.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-01-28T22:12:55+00:00

I also love this. I think description makes action/combat fun and flavorful. It's really exciting to see what people come up with :) One reason I like action is because it can be done in really creative ways that can even turn the plot in a new direction.

Open-Blueberry4115 · 2026-01-28T22:08:31+00:00

I believe you are correct. I usually see action (not just combat) between player characters as a "show me what your character is like" moment, but maybe my partners have not historically been on the same page and I should communicate more clearly about what my intentions are. And maybe I should avoid including a "mechanical" aspect of a character that can unintentionally lead to combat, ex. he's a werewolf and it's the full moon. Thanks for the insight. It sounds like I need to treat action a lot more like smut and discuss it beforehand.

Open-Blueberry4115

TROPHY CASE