Decline?

[kixinorbit]

Not sure if it's just me, so I thought I'd ask around.

Does anyone else feel like there's been a decrease in advanced-level writing/groups/RPs lately?

I feel like the same people are posting interest checks over and over, but nothing really gets off the ground unless it's anime/fandom-related. idk.

Am I just paranoid?

.__.

 

[Sidhe]

This makes me sound like a pretentious, elitist shitlord, but I've noticed a lot of folks using adept/advanced inappropriately. When I see someone list themselves as adept/advanced role-players, I expect a certain calibre of writing from them, but many have a poor grasp on grammar and spelling, and often switch from past to present tense in the middle of a sentence. It's made finding partners a bit difficult, because I'll say I'm interested in adept and above partners, and these folks will respond, and then I feel bad and don't know how to say 'sorry, but I don't think we're a match...'

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

Not sure if it's just me, so I thought I'd ask around.

Does anyone else feel like there's been a decrease in advanced-level writing/groups/RPs lately?

I feel like the same people are posting interest checks over and over, but nothing really gets off the ground unless it's anime/fandom-related. idk.

Am I just paranoid?

.__.

Sadly, I don't think that you are.

As an advanced writer, it is difficult to find partners for 1x1's, and I haven't even tried looking through groups. I make it a point to clarify in my searches that I have my set standard of posting, yet when people see my first post once an RP starts I always get 'Sorry, I don't think I can keep up with you.' -.- That is my biggest frustration! I always tell people that I am a multi-paragraph writer. I can do a bare minimum of four paragraphs, but even that makes me feel kind of twitchy. I have one rp that I do two paragraphs for, and that is my only exception.

So the plotting begins and I get to my first post, and suddenly it's like they thought I was lying about my posting.....

-Ends mild rant-

Anyway, everyone goes through a lack of creativity, and with school/holidays/weather being a major issue at the moment, that's probably why. Give it some times (Spring break is just around the corner!) and it will get better. :)

 

[KuroBuros The Infected]

I still see 'must be literate ' ... I feel like some people are being kinda elitist like Opal has said.. Its a bit said because I just came back from a hiatus and people are being so.. Pushy with writing.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

I still see 'must be literate ' ... I feel like some people are being kinda elitist like Opal has said.. Its a bit said because I just came back from a hiatus and people are being so.. Pushy with writing.

Shhhhh! Don't use the l word! You'll make the queen angry!

 

[Dipper]

I guess that depends on how you define adept. I've noticed adept around here is either a wall of text and a lot of introspection, or just a large and impressive vocabulary. Sometimes both. But otherwise, yeah, I've noticed a lack of quality. I'm not an elitist or anything, but I do expect a bit more out of this community. Some "better" (I can't think of any other word) rps would be nice. Unfortunately, those are all invite only, so...

I don't know, I'd like to write with people who know where to put their commas and how to spell their words. It's natural to want someone at least decent and on your level.

 

[Touch of Insanity]

I don't think I'm as picky as I once was. I've learned it's not always about the size and the amount you write, but the quality of the writing within the post. I still consider myself as an advanced writer, despite knowing I make mistakes (I have a learning disability in reading and writing and do not always catch my mistakes, but I don't think that makes me a lesser writer). I remember when all I ever wanted from people was 500 words or more. Yes I went by word count for a long time. However, I noticed at some points in a plot, around 300 words is actually okay, even more so when it's heavy in conversation. That way your not jumping too far back in someones post or part of a conversation doesn't really happen as a 'conversation'. This person poses a question and it just gets left unanswered ( if that makes any sense outside of my own mind). What I look for in people's writing is if they take the whole world in around them. What they see, feel, think, taste, smell and so on. Not this person went to do this and then said this. I want to feel like I'm there in the room with the characters. Living it through them, just like one would in a novel. My paragraphs generally tend to also be rather large, so writing a few of them doesn't always happen on a shorter post. I believe if the story is still processing, details and feelings are added, then your okay in my books.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

I would honestly like a challenge. >_<

I had a partner in the past that always pushed me. My partners now do on some level, but never quite as much as she did. God I loved her characters too! They were all perfectly flawed and she played them exactly as they were meant to. They didn't suddenly have personality changes just because things were going well in the rp. If they were brooding, they stayed brooding throughout. I love my partners, each and every single one of them, but she was my 'One that got away', and I still mourn the loss of the rps I did with her.

 

[Sidhe]

I don't think I'm as picky as I once was. I've learned it's not always about the size and the amount you write, but the quality of the writing within the post. I still consider myself as an advanced writer, despite knowing I make mistakes (I have a learning disability in reading and writing and do not always catch my mistakes, but I don't think that makes me a lesser writer). I remember when all I ever wanted from people was 500 words or more. Yes I went by word count for a long time. However, I noticed at some points in a plot, around 300 words is actually okay, even more so when it's heavy in conversation. That way your not jumping too far back in someones post or part of a conversation doesn't really happen as a 'conversation'. This person poses a question and it just gets left unanswered ( if that makes any sense outside of my own mind). What I look for in people's writing is if they take the whole world in around them. What they see, feel, think, taste, smell and so on. Not this person went to do this and then said this. I want to feel like I'm there in the room with the characters. Living it through them, just like one would in a novel. My paragraphs generally tend to also be rather large, so writing a few of them doesn't always happen on a shorter post. I believe if the story is still processing, details and feelings are added, then your okay in my books.

I agree with this. This is my definition of 'adept' writing. I used to be all about post length myself, because in the Neopets days, that's what 'advanced' meant. Whoever could wax poetic about irrelevant details the longest was the strongest writer. In my opinion, you should only write what needs to be said to get your desired point across, whether that means writing 1500 words or 200.

 

[Dipper]

In my opinion, you should only write what needs to be said to get your desired point across, whether that means writing 1500 words or 200.

This. I wish more people understood this.

 

[Touch of Insanity]

I would honestly like a challenge. >_<

I had a partner in the past that always pushed me. My partners now do on some level, but never quite as much as she did. God I loved her characters too! They were all perfectly flawed and she played them exactly as they were meant to. They didn't suddenly have personality changes just because things were going well in the rp. If they were brooding, they stayed brooding throughout. I love my partners, each and every single one of them, but she was my 'One that got away', and I still mourn the loss of the rps I did with her.

This! This is also a thing, and most likely my biggest petpeeve! STAY IN DAMN CHARACTER D< I've actually been told my character's don't 'grow' fast enough, but I only look at how much a person changes over a month and apply it to the role play if a month as passed. Characters will change slowly, but their roots will always be there no matter how much you play them or how much you throw at them. It's the same with people, as much as we change very slowly over time, the roots always linger.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

This! This is also a thing, and most likely my biggest petpeeve! STAY IN DAMN CHARACTER D< I've actually been told my character's don't 'grow' fast enough, but I only look at how much a person changes over a month and apply it to the role play if a month as passed. Characters will change slowly, but their roots will always be there no matter how much you play them or how much you throw at them. It's the same with people, as much as we change very slowly over time, the roots always linger.

Exactly! Changes come from major life events, and it should be the same way in an rp. A person can't be physically assaulted, then go back to being sweet and trusting, that's not how things worked. It's not 'Hey, you raped me, but I'm going to forget all about it!' And just because a character is in love, doesn't change their personality completely. They are still the same. Perhaps a bit more cheerful than before, but at the end of the day, they are still the same person they were from the start.

 

[Astaroth]

I think the real question here is where are all the Douche-level roleplays?

...

*Raises his hand*

So I'm actually the guy who wrote the Posting Expectation Level guidelines. And I specifically avoided mentioning post length anywhere because I don't believe post length is important.

I encourage people to strive towards a certain posting level- say, Advanced- rather than to meet it 100% of the time. Roleplaying is a hobby, not a graded assignment. That said, it's courteous to actually use the correct expectation level on your roleplay so that you attract the right mix of players, and if you find that your expectations change... well, don't be afraid to switch the level on your RP. Just slapping an Advanced on it doesn't make it a better game, you know. Give-No-Fucks games can be the most fun.

I also think that people get better at roleplay through playing with people more experienced than they are. If you find yourself frustrated with another player, offer constructive criticism and set a good example. Don't run them out of the game. Part of the reason Advanced games die is because everyone thinks the players are all elitist snobs who will judge them for every post.

So basically, if you want more Adept/Advanced games? Go make one, and don't be a dick about it.

 

[Minerva]

Couldn't these be seen as Subjective as well?

My Advanced might be different from the type that a guy who wrote Purple Prose sees as advanced. He might want it as flowery and detailed and large as possible, whereas I might just want a few grammatically correct paragraphs with few spelling errors.

So, it also depends on the player.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

So basically, if you want more Adept/Advanced games? Go make one, and don't be a dick about it.

That's the problem. :P

I know I generally make my own searches, and rarely respond to other people's unless there's a plot that really catches my eye. I do look for douche level, because I'm hoping to find someone to motivate me to get out of my little comfort zone.

Post length is a big issue for me personally, only because I don't feel comfortable writing under a certain amount. I never ask my partners to match me word for word (Although I do ask for that they give me something to work with.)

My problem is that I do tell people 'Yes, I will write you a book if I'm into the rp!' and yet they still run for the hills when they read the first wall of text that comes with my first post.

Advanced to me doesn't pertain to post length when I'm asking for an advanced partner. Advanced pertains to the story itself. I want someone who can come up with complicated plot twists that fit into realistically into the story. I want someone who's going to be able to take the lead from me when I throw something at them. I don't want my character to be the only one doing all the thinking/feeling/acting and the other character simply along for the ride. A plot starts with characters, an idea, and an end goal, but I don't want it to stick to just that. I want curves and turns, and even the occasional 'lost in the middle of nowhere' situation. That's what I've always considered advanced.

 

[Hecatoncheires]

Post length doesn't mean shit. It's all about good content that moves the story forwards.

I'll take three lines of well written prose that drives the plot onwards over three paragraphs of total pish and garbage that does nothing with the plot, any day.

 

[Astaroth]

@Nydanna

To be honest, I'd probably run for the hills if I got a wall o text as a first post too. If I didn't know the person's usually posting habits, anyway.

 

[KuroBuros The Infected]

I agree with this. This is my definition of 'adept' writing. I used to be all about post length myself, because in the Neopets days, that's what 'advanced' meant. Whoever could wax poetic about irrelevant details the longest was the strongest writer. In my opinion, you should only write what needs to be said to get your desired point across, whether that means writing 1500 words or 200.

Fluffy posts are hard to Reply to.

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

@Nydanna

To be honest, I'd probably run for the hills if I got a wall o text as a first post too. If I didn't know the person's usually posting habits, anyway.

Hey, I do a lot with my first posts! It's not like I'm just sitting there describing my character's hair. :P I like to layout character personality/history in the first post as well. I'm always told my posts are good, so I can't really complain. It's just that everyone gets scared off by them. :(

 

[Astaroth]

@Nydanna

See, now I'm just tempted to say PROVE IT. ...But I already have a fair share of RP commitments at the moment. >:[