How to get into RPing for beginners!

RPs & SGs Announcements & Tips
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Heyo! A lot of the time I hear people saying that they want to get into roleplaying, but don’t know where to start! So… why not make a guide?

Please note that this is from my personal experience, this won’t apply to everyone ^^

#1: Look for a Roleplay

This is probably the easiest step. Joining a roleplay after it starts is a lot more challenging for beginners, so joining a new RP is the way to go. To find one, scroll through the New Ideas Thread or look at new Sign-ups that are open. Make sure to find a roleplay your interested in- whether that be realistic, fantasy, or even a specific fandom, there’s something for everyone!

#2: Reserve & Create a Character

‘Reserving’ basically let’s the RP creator know you want to join, and will create a character sometime in the future. This is useful for any RPs that require groupings (dorm rooms, teams, etc.) and just in general to let the owner know people are interested.

After reserving, you can get started on creating your character! Try and make your character simple- things like disabilities, mental illness and abuse can be very hard to portray if you haven’t experienced it yourself, especially if your a beginner. Build from your own life! And make sure to keep general character creation rules in mind- no overpowered or perfect characters. Nobody likes a Mary Sue.

#3: Let the RPing begin!

After everyone has created their character, the owner can let the RP start. They will usually make a beginning post detailing the setting and, sometimes, the enticing event- what kicks off the plot. After this, people can start posting. A typical RP post will look something like this-

Character Name

Actions are normal. “Talking is in quotations.” Thoughts are in italic.

@(Whoever you’re interacting with)

You can also add things like your location, the character you’re interacting with, and your characters mood. In general, when you’re going to start interacting with a character, or ‘approach’ them, you want to ask their owner on the RP’s chat thread first, so your post doesn’t overlap with anyone else’s.

Well, that’s it! Its 12 a.m. so the quality is probably lackluster on this guide, but I hope you liked it nonetheless ^^

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This can be a very good way to make a character you can easily portray as a beginner, but there’s a catch. It can be very easy to make your character a self insert. Yeah, sometimes a character very similar to yourself can be fun, but don’t just make your character a self insert, because you will ignore some flaws and the depth that makes you, you when you’re getting the hang of it.

Also, my biggest tip to get across. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Especially in character creation. Reading a guide, or hearing some tips and tricks, can really help, but sometimes its better to have some direct feedback or an explanation in a new way. Even the most experienced of RPers still will ask each other questions and ask for some feedback on how to develop a background or personality. Sometimes just having a different set of eyes makes a huge difference.

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cant ignore flaws if that’s all there is-

But in all seriousness, I completely agree! It’s way too easy to make a self-insert when you’re starting out. If you’re unsure about something, ask another RPer to review your character ^^

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Added a couple tags!

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Read a few posts before starting, believe me this is very helpful! You can get a feel of what they expect and how you should probably structure your posts! You should also look at characters made and make sure your not making similar characters due to archetypes. IE: The Golden Boy, The bAd bOY, etc. You also want to use grammarly, whether newbie or experienced :joy: It saves lives, swear. Another thing is talking with the owner, form a strong communication in case you get confused, don’t be embarrased to ask questions!! That’s how you make sure your doing the right thing, and it’s okay if you don’t know. I’m doing a DnD RP with @Passionfruit as an experienced role-player and I get so confused I’m usually tagging her with questions, but it’s much better than winging it and probably messing it up.

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At least read over your posts before you post them! Whether you choose to use grammarly or not, read over your posts at least once before you reply. That way you can be sure you’re saying what you want to say, and can catch errors.

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I don’t do this and look like a fool :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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Even though you don’t read over your posts you still do pretty good Ani.

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One time I didn’t read over my post and it autocorrected toolbelt to toilet :sob:

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Added a tag!

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@Sk_Supernatural :eyes::sparkles:

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