Fill out your Roleplay Resume. This tells everyone what sort of roleplays you are most interested in and if you're available for invites.

Are you looking for a roleplay with NO BIOS REQUIRED?
Go to JUMP IN ROLEPLAYS. These roleplays do no require you to sign up before you play. You just "Jump In"! Some Jump Ins have an Out of Character thread for OOC comments located in ROLEPLAY SIGNUPS & OOCS.

Are you looking for a GROUP ROLEPLAY with SIGN UPs?
Go to ROLEPLAY SIGNUPS & OOC and find what interests you. You can sort through the Sign-up threads by Genre using the display tools at the bottom of the thread list. Read what requirements the Game Masters have for joining their roleplay - then join! You'll find their In Character thread in the appropriate Genre Forum.

Are you looking for a TWO PLAYER or ONE ON ONE roleplay?
Go to ONE[x]ONE REQUESTS. You can browse other people's requests and see how to contact them.

Do you want to check for interest or discuss ideas before starting your roleplay?
Post a topic in Roleplay Talk. Here you can see who might be interested in joining your roleplay, or discuss and brainstorm ideas for potential plots.

Do you want to start a roleplay without any Sign-Up sheets or character bios?
Start your thread in JUMP IN ROLEPLAYS. Make sure to give a brief description of your setting so players will know what your roleplay is about. If you want a place for people to talk Out of Character you can post a thread in ROLEPLAY SIGNUPS & OOCs. Put a link to it in the first post of your Jump In!

Do you want to start a roleplay that requires character bios and signups?
Start a thread in ROLEPLAY SIGNUPS & OOCS. Put all information in there you want players to know. When you are ready to start your In Character thread, pick the Genre Forum that suits your roleplay best. Hint: Fantasy = The "Past" for any roleplays with fantasy elements or set at a point in history. Modern = The "Present" and includes all roleplays in the modern world realistic or supernatural. Sci-Fi = The "Future" and is ideal for any roleplays with high-technology or futuristic settings.

Do you want to post requests for private two player roleplays?
Create a thread in the ONE[x]ONE REQUESTS with your ideas and requirements in roleplay partners. When you are ready to post your In Character thread, post it in the ONE ON ONE ROLEPLAYS section.

Players do not always come immediately. We have multiple methods of advertising your roleplays.

• Ad Rotation: You can submit your roleplay to randomly appear in the ad rotation through this link.
• Roleplay Talk: You can post ads in Roleplay Talk when you are seeking players. Just use the [RPAD] prefix!
• Messaging Members: You can invite members directly by leaving them a Visitor Message or a Private Message. Check their Roleplay Resume first to see if they might be interested in your roleplay.
• CBox Mentions: You're welcome to ask members in the cbox if they'd look at your roleplay.

Remember: Don't SPAM your advertisements to the same people over and over again. This is especially important in the Cbox and when Messaging members.

Above all, be respectful to other roleplayers. Whether they are new or old, not so good at writing or the best writer ever. Always be polite when interacting with other players. Respect a Game Master's rules or a player's requests. Remember that EVERY roleplayer was new and terrible at some point. Use tact when reviewing signups or contacting a player about a problem.

Roleplay is playing pretend. On this site we use writing & story telling as a medium for playing pretend. To learn more about roleplay and it's different styles, you can review the "What is Roleplay & Roleplay Styles" guide.

Because we roleplay using writing and our site is a Multilingual community, it's really important that you write sentences that other players can understand. Always type out complete sentences. User punctuation and capital letters. Spellcheck your posts. This ensures that other players will be able to understand what you're writing!

In forum roleplay, you have an opportunity to add extra details and description to your roleplaying to make it interesting. Use it! One Liners are very boring and do not give your roleplay partners much to work with. For tips on how to add details to your posts, view our "Writing a Roleplay Post" guide.

Read the Forum descriptions to make sure you are posting in the right forum. Read the Signup Sheets if there is information about a roleplay or rules you need to know. And ALWAYS read the posts in a roleplay before you post your own post. Reading information and posts makes sure that you don't miss any important details. This is especially true when you are replying to other player's posts.

When you read roleplay posts prior to yours, learn to recognize when actions affect your characters and when they don't. It's good to know which characters are in proximity to yours and close enough to interact or affect your character. This will avoid common mistakes of responding to characters that are not talking to yours, or reacting to an event that is no where near your character.

Hijacking is when you write out and post actions, dialogue, or history for someone else's character. That means you are playing/creating their character for them and taking away their chance to play it themselves. So don't do this! You can learn more about Hijacking in "The Art of Hijacking".

We like to have a relaxed atmosphere and not bog you down with too many restrictions. However, to make sure we can keep things fun for ALL of our members, we've provided a really quick list of Iwaku policies that every member should know. We feel these things are common sense, but let this be a refresher!

WE FROWN UPON...

• SPAMMING: Repeat posting of the same or similar content. This gets annoying.
  
• TOPIC HIJACKING: Hijacking is the art of changing the topic in a thread or stealing the conversation away from the original purpose of the thread.
  
• FLAMERS & TROLLS: Insulting, hating, bashing and harassment of members.
  
• IMPERSONATING/IMPOSTERING: Pretending to be another member of the site, past or present OR pretending to be a fake member using multiple accounts.
  
• WHINING/EMOING: Doing nothing but complaining about your life and bringing down everyone's mood.

HELPFUL THINGS TO KNOW!

• THE THICK SKIN: Many members play, joke, use sarcasm and kid around. Do not take everything people say as a personal attack or too seriously. Most of the time it's not.
  
• RESPECTING OTHERS: We are a LARGE community, so remember that not all members share the same personalities and opinions as you! Use your manners and have respect for other people's thoughts and feelings.
  
• REPORTING ISSUES: When you DO have an issue with another member of the site, all you need to do is Contact the Staff by Private Message or through the Contact Forms. Let them know what happened, and they will clear things up for you as soon as possible.

If you would like a more detailed account on Iwaku Policy, you can look at the Indepth Guide.

Familiar with the rules? Awesome! Here are a few things you might want to do next.

Fill out your member profile with info, an avatar and signature.
In your Settings, you can fill out information in your profile. Things like gender, details about yourself, and even how you want the forum to display for you. Your avatar and signature settings are also in this section.

You can also fill out your Roleplayer Resume in your settings.
The Iwaku Roleplay Resume is an excellent way to let other members know what your preferences are in roleplaying. It can also help you find other players who are available for invitations.

Once your profile is set up, post a Greeting in the New Arrivals & Departures.
There is no better way to start than to say hello and introduce yourself to the community in our New Arrivals & Departures. If you're not sure what to say, there's a sticky thread available with a copy-paste list of questions you can answer.

When you are ready to start browsing roleplays, we have a handy Iwaku Roleplay 101 guide.
Our Iwaku Roleplay 101 guide provides simple step by step instructions on how to get involved in roleplays across the site. There is also a guide with tips for brand new roleplayers.

If you ever need help or have comments to make about the community, we have the Questions, Ideas & Feedback area.
Don't hesitate to post a topic and ask question if you ever find yourself confused, stumble over a bug, or just want something explained in detail. Someone will be by to give you a hand.

Once you are acquainted with the site, there are a lot of areas to entertain yourself while you are waiting on responses in roleplays.

Interact with other members in our General Chatting area.
General Chatting is where all the members go to talk about stuff unrelated to roleplaying. You'll find polls, discussions, posting games and other means of entertainment.

Our Challenges area helps you exercise your creative muse.
In Challenges, every week new prompts are posted to inspire you, help you practice writing skills, and give you ideas. It's the perfect way to entertain yourself while waiting on roleplay posts.

Share some of your other works in our Writing & Art Museum.
Many members write stories and create amazing works of art. In our Museum you can browse, comment, critique or even post your own works.

Join of the many special discussion Groups!
Iwaku provides members with a special Groups area where they can create their own private & public groups. There are Official Community groups, roleplay groups, and even special fan groups.

Make use of the Iwaku Blogs for storing character bios or other information.
With the Blogs area, you have an opportunity to store all of your roleplay goodies in one organized place. Many members also use this to display works, articles, or commentary.

To hang out with members for random chatting or participate in Chat Roleplay, we have the CBOX
We have several topical Chat Rooms where members can play and talk in between roleplayer. All scheduled and random Chat RPs happen in these rooms. All members are welcome to make use of an empty room to play!

The Golden Rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated. Respect your fellow members and they will respect you in return! We wish for all members to be content in their stay here, and that requires every individual to use good manners when they participate in forums or cbox.

1. You must be 13 years old or older to be a member of this website.
   Iwaku is not an appropriate place for children. By joining this site, you consent that you are at least 13 years of age.
2. We follow Flexibility of Speech not Freedom of Speech.
   The U.S. laws for Freedom of Speech do not apply here. You have the freedom to voice your opinions, HOWEVER; you do not have the freedom to force your opinions on others, say malicious comments, or attack another member and their opinions. Just as you wish to be respected, others must be respected.
3. What is Harassment?
   Harassment is the badgering of a person for ANY reason, even after they tell you to leave them alone. If you continue to bother a person after someone asks you to stop, that is considered harassment. Harassment includes things such as pestering a person in Private Messages, Visitor Messages, constantly being rude in cbox or forum, sexual harassment, and deliberately causing fights. If we receive complaints by more than one citizen of your behavior towards them, you will be warned and possibly even suspended for an undetermined period of time. Different types of harassment will receive different time frames of punishments. Extreme harassment can result in banning from the board altogether.
4. The Naughty and the Scandalous!
   Iwaku is aimed towards teenagers and young adults. Know that the content and feel is at a general PG-13 rating. (That means content is only viewable for those 13 and older. NOT FOR KIDS!) Cursing is allowed. Sex and related subjects are bound to be discussed in forums and cbox. However, please use decorum and common sense! Not all members are comfortable with this sort of conduct, so respect the wishes of others if they ask for you to tone it down. Note that Iwaku is not a dating service. If you're looking for a "good time", a significant other, etc.; this is not the place.
5. Helping Newbies and Inexperienced.
   Newbies and Inexperienced users are members of this community just like you are. Remember, you too were once brand new to Iwaku, and not everyone can pick up things at the same pace. Instead of picking on these people, please be a good citizen and help these people get acquainted with the rules and ways of Iwaku. They won't learn unless you teach them! Becoming a mentor is an excellent way to help them along. Remember, if you claim someone you are their mentor! Don't abandon them!
6. Respect of Authority.
   The Administration & Staff are here to help keep Iwaku running smooth and happy. They are volunteering their time to aid members when they have problems, providing fun, amusing content as well as forum maintenance. Harassing a member of the staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances. If you feel a staff member has crossed the line with their behavior or disagree with a mod action they have taken, contact a member of the Administration via Private Messages. Never insult or call out staff in public as this causes unneeded drama on the forums. The Staff cannot do their jobs properly if they constantly have to worry about an individual attacking them.
7. The Reputation/Karma System.
   The Reputation/Karma System is a handy way to discreetly let someone know if you think they are making good or bad posts on the forum. All members can leave comments through the reputation system. Please user the reputation system responsibly.
8. The Spoiler Effect.
   A "spoiler" is a piece of important plot or information given out accidentally or deliberately about any movie, book, anime, ETC that someone else has not seen. Many people can not afford to see or read something as it comes out, or prefer to wait until they have time to sit down and enjoy it... giving them a spoiler can ruin their experience as is a very rude thing to do. On the forums we have a special BBCode that can hide spoiler content so only people that want to know can choose to read. In the cbox we have the [spoiler] code that will hide spoilers from others.
9. Consequences of Impostering.
   Impersonating or "Impostering" other members of Iwaku, be they past, present or a "fake" member using multiple accounts will not be tolerated. This is an act that can ruin reputations, break friendships and hurt a lot of people.
10. Icons/Avatars & Signatures
    Icons should be no more than 150x150 or less in width and height.. Only .jpg, .gif, and .png formats are allowed. Signatures are the text or graphics under a users post. Please keep signatures SMALL. Incredibly large images, or lots of text in a signature causes the messages to load extremely slow. We recommend five lines to a signature as a guideline, and images should be no wider than 600px and no higher than 200px.
11. Writing your personality.
    Our community has a very big focus on writing. Online, the only way you can show your personality is the way you type. With your typing in the forums or chat, members will form opinions whether you are immature, smart, silly, or "beyond help". Think of your typing as the way you dress. Do you look like a homeless slob, the gamer geek, or the Shakespearean poet? Please do not use 1337, chat speak, or excessive slang as your regular form of typing. Keep in mind that we have members from all over the world and they may not know or understand your chat speak! You are not expected to have perfect spelling/grammar/ETC, but we expect your posts to be readable English!
12. Spamming is a pain.
    "Spamming" is the posting of anything of a senseless nature, inappropriate content, or misplaced content in a place it does not belong. (Examples: Posting fifty time in on day just to boost your post count OR repeat posting of a message to try and get attention.) This can also be called "Flooding", or filling the room/board with the same content over and over again. Spam is only allowed in the Insanity Forum!
13. Advertising in the appropriate area.
    Advertising is allowed if it is done in the appropriate way! You may post a link to your website in the appropriate forum. Please don't "mass spam" members with Private Messages. You are allowed to post your link in the cbox, but you are not allowed to constantly post it every five minutes and annoy the same group of people.

As a Member of Iwaku you have the right to:

- Roleplay!
- Chat!
- Share ideas and opinions!
- Enjoy yourself and the company of others!

These rights are given as long as you follow the Guide and Policies of Iwaku! All private content and conversations remain so unless bad behavior has been reported. If you harass members on Iwaku or continuously break policies, your conduct will be brought to the attention of the Staff. All members are able to report posts and private messages when they feel like someone is harassing them or breaking rules.

Staff Members discuss the situation and decide what to do about any bad behaviors. If your behavior is deemed a threat to the peace of Iwaku, you might receive a small warning or have your account suspended or banned. Issues are always taken on a case-by-case basis.

So please remember: Treat others as you wish to be treated! And your stay at Iwaku will be a happy one!