Post Lengths - Don't Be Stressed!: RC Guide

[hamlet]

(DON'T STRESS OUT!)

Some of the answers in the feedback survey led us to believe that this guide would be helpful. Lets revisit our rule on post lengths:

We require at least 2 paragraphs per post (6 sentences=a paragraph).

Now lets break it down!

---

We require 2 paragraphs because that's just a generic way to assure that the previous poster has enough to work with in order to reply. We're not a one-liner site, but we're not a 800-words-every-post site either. Everyone has their own unique way of RPing and we want to facilitate that.

So if we do crack down on you over post length, its not necessarily because we counted it up and you don't have 6 sentences per paragraph. It's because we feel that adding more will bring more to your writing and to your posts in your unique situation. Just realize though that adding more doesn't always bring quality in every situation.

On the other side of the coin, there seems to be a lot of people who feel pressured to write a lot in every post because other people do so and automatically feel that a longer posts equals better posts, which isn't necessarily true.

That being said, here are a few tips that we'd love to see implemented more on RC. Hopefully this will limit stress and make posting even more enjoyable.

1) Go with the flow! Be aware of pacing!

Sometimes, certain situations lends itself to certain post lengths. IF the thread is going into an emotional, hearty, dramatic direction, I'll naturally add a lot more length to the post because what's going on inside my character's head is extremely important.

But if the thread is all about the action, witty banter and what's physically going on, then I'll keep post short and sweet to follow the pacing of the thread. If two people with great witty chemistry are having a conversation or even an argument, sometimes going on about what happened to the character that day doesn't mesh with the pacing of what's going on in the moment.

2) Don't worry about other people!

Sometimes there's a lot of pressure to match the previous poster's length, out of some unspoken courtesy. But as long as everyone realizes that the post length is an individual thing - then no one should feel offended if their RP partner's post is shorter than theirs.

When people stop worrying about other people's posts, and go with the flow of the thread and the flow of their individual character, you get a varied paced thread, which often times comes with a lot of muse. Some might feel overwhelmed when having to come up with 800 words every single post when it isn't necessary or when one doesn't have muse for it. Some might feel burnt out when having to post 1 liners every five minutes. But if posts lengths are varied to the pacing, it is my belief that the thread will hold up longer and muse will stick with the thread.

I think a great example of this (but certainly not the only one) is the Fabula Actanda Est thread. I think here, everyone's posts submitted to the flow of the thread.

3) When a post is finished, its finished!

Every time we post, we have something we want to accomplish in that post. There's a certain tone, there's certain information we want to get across, there's a certain action we want our character to do in order to move the thread along. So, when you're writing a post and you come to a point where that mission, whatever it may be, is accomplished - don't worry about adding more to it just because the post is short. The post is finished and that's good! Be confident in that.

4) Character personalities can effect length!

Sometimes the character's personality lends itself to longer posts. I have 3 characters, one of them being Hamlet. Hamlet's posts can generally be lengthy because he's always over thinking things, he's always having an inner monologue. So there's a lot of meat to his posts.

On the other hand I also play Dallas Winston. His personality doesn't lend itself to deep whimsical inner dialogue. He's a very physical, action-based, and an "in the moment" kind of character. He really isn't trapped in his head. And even so, I rather not reveal all of what's in his head anyway, since he's a very cold, not-good-with emotions kind of guy.

So keep that in mind too when you're RPing with others.

5) As long as you give enough for people to work with, you're A-OK!

So what if someone writes a 800 words and you only write 200? If you're genuinely reacting to what that other person has given you, and what you do/say in that post contributes the the progress of that thread - 200 words can certainly give enough muse for that RPer to dish out another 800 words in the next post! Know that adding more doesn't always necessarily give them more to work with.

On the other hand, sometimes short posts don't contribute much to the thread. In this case, staff will let you know. Always think about giving life to your character within in the situation, within the moment. Even the most cold and detached of characters (Dally for instance) must be thinking *something* at any given moment. And sometimes physical details help other people grab onto whats happening in the thread a bit better, and contribute to the mood/tone to what's going on, which generates muse. Always make sure your posts progress the thread in this way (and other ways), even if they're short. If they do, then you have nothing to worry about.

7) Please, don't apologize for short posts!

I see this a lot. When someone posts are shorter than their average or shorter than their RP Partner's average, they say "sorry, muse" or "sorry, short" or "sorry, this sucks" at the end of it. 9 times out of 10, the post is absolutely fine. We're our own worst critics, but lets keep that critic at bay some.

Plus, I have faith that members here on RC are not going to be put off just because their 800 word post was matched with something shorter than theirs. People usually aren't offended by that if they have something to feed off of within that shorter post.

So there is absolutely no reason to apologize for a short post as long as it contributes accordingly to the thread, and you've put in effort.

8) Don't stress about post lengths!

We want to keep RC fun yet challenging - but we don't want it to be stressful. We want RC to be a place where you can get away and write (and improve your writing too!) without being self conscious, and without being overwhelmed/stressed every time you post - especially over something as trivial as post length. Compare the aesthetic value of a poem to a novel and its literally impossible to do.

As long as you put in the effort, as long as you have fun, as long as you give the other players in the thread enough to work with, as long as you've contributed to the thread in your post - you have nothing to worry about! Being too worried about meeting a post length kills muse and takes the fun out of RPing sometimes. You're not as school writing an essay here

So this is our stance on post length on RC, and we're sticking to it

P.S. Remember also that the Crack RP section is meant to be a place for low effort, fun wacky stuff No long, detailed, sweated-over posts are necessary. Of course if you WANT to do that in that section, by all means, do so - but don't feel obligated at all. If you want to go back and forth with one liners there, that is definitely the section to do so. [/size]