Guidelines (incomplete)

Authors note: This thread is currently not finished. However, the other day I had three pages of material, and it was all erased because I saved them over Word. Due to my frustration, I am going to be posting the rough draft (this draft) and editing it as a I go ensure that it is preserved as best as possible. I would highly suggest against reading this, because I myself have not gone back to edit. These are more or less NOTES as opposed to an actual post. You have been warned. I will title this as "Guidelines Complete" when it is finished. Thank you for your interest, hope to get feedback on this once it is complete.

To all editors that I send this to. Since I want more than one persons feedback, I'm going to ask that you do this a certain way. As you go through, fix any possible spelling or grammatical mistakes you find. But if you see something that doesn't make sense or you think you could improve on (maybe you know of a better way to word something), I ask that you do your editing in this format. Put a gap between the old writing and your suggestion, with your new way of doing it inside of a pair of []. Like so.

Hello all! My name is Ordan..or at least, that's my username. Among many other things, I like reading and writing.

[Hello all! My name is Ordan..or at least, that's my username : P Among other things, I am an amateur writer and a lover of the World of Fiction.]

Then just continue to read, with the corrections listed like above. Thank you for your time and interest in the matter. Hope you enjoy rough draft #1!

Hello all! My name is Ordan..or at least, that's my username : P Among other things, I am an amateur writer and a lover of the World of Fiction.

Admittedly, when I first began writing in school, I utterly hated it. I felt like everyone's expectations were high, and if I didn't meet that certain style that my teachers so adored, it would be flung in my face. However, as time went on, I realized more and more the delicate freedoms of writing, the worlds without number that sat on the end of my fingertips, waiting to trickle down from my brain onto canvas. See, imagination was never a big deal for me. A rush of ideas is easy. Properly depicting it so others can appreciate things the way you did is difficult. You might be able to picture a mountain, but can you draw or describe it?

To the point. No, I am not a master writer, or even an expert on the subject. But I've been doing it for nearly half my lifetime and it's one of the few hobbies I've come back to time and time again, leaving dead interests in my wake. With the amount of hard lessons I've learned, I can only do what artists of all calibers do. To look back at my previous works, and realize how much I have improved since (from what I understand, this is what all artists of mediums experience). Trial and error has been coupled with tips from amazing writers, who have taught me lessons here and there to integrate with my own writing style. This being said, while I understand that those new to this have to write in order to advance, and, more importantly, while I LOVE the fact that people are taking an interest in probably one of the greatest age old arts since man first dawned (the art being creation and storytelling), I would like to start writing quality posts with more experienced writers. The greatest aspect of role-playing is also the scariest.

Unlike writing a book, a role-play has more than one author. Bringing different people to the table means that more mindsets and viewpoints are used, resulting in stories that I almost certainly could never have thought of on my own and adding diversity to the world But while it takes several good authors to make a role-play work, it only takes one to completely destroy it. Too many times have I seen a popular thread with dozens of ongoing pages destroyed by one less experienced author, killing it in with a few shorts posts like some kind of poisoned dagger.

With this in mind, I have decided to write these guidelines that must be understood in order to write with me. These are by no means site rules, and you will not be punished or banned for not following any of these guidelines. Just as important, if you understand these rules, I will not referee you on them. If you are in the mindset that the guidelines follow, there is no need for me to sit and lecture you.

Guideline #1
Connection and objectives, the most important part
A couple of years ago, I asked one of the greatest amateur writers I've ever met what the most important thing was concerning writing. Granted, she told me a number of things. But one of the most important things she pointed out to me was probably the most simple.

You have to be able to relate to the reader.

When people think back on their favorite stories, whether it be movies, books, stories, T.V. shows, etc, one of the greatest blunders I myself made as a rookie of the writing world (and the easiest to make regardless of experience) is to make everything that is going on something that just has to be done so the story can progress. "I went into Ba Sing Se. I went through market and went down a couple of streets. I had my weapons on my back. I went into the Tea Shop". Even if you added details of how you got to the shop (which I will cover later) it wouldn't matter, because I feel like all I'm doing is reading something I'm supposed to "deal with" until I get to the good part. Let me give an example.

Lord of the Rings, one of the greatest fantasies of all time, is about Frodo and a small band of humanoids attempting to destroy the evil Ring of Power. But when people talk about the movie/book later, they don't say "Hey, remember when Frodo went to destroy the evil ring?". Instead, they focus on specifics. They talk about the beauty of the shire, the slender of the orchestra, the epic battle on the ancient bridge as Gandalf the Grey turned to battle the Balroq. These scenes capture our imagination, but why? Sure, the Balroq and the battle on the bridge was impressive, but was the shire "epic"? Was every second of the film crucial to the objective of destroying the ring? No, and it doesn't need to. The reason we remember these scenes is simple. They connected us to the world. We could picture being Frodo as he left the shire on his first adventure. We were lulled and drawn in by the orchestra into the world that we were already wanted to be a part of. We imagine ourselves amongst the warriors as they battle the goblins in the mines of Moria. I don't want to read about Frodo destroying a ring. I want to reading about ME, the READER, destroying the ring. I want to be able to imagine myself upon the walls of Helms Deep, to ride through the lands of Rohan, to be in the Halls of Kings. That is what fiction is, or at least that is what captures my particular tastes. It's a world that I can live in and experience, if only for a short time. A frontier that has not yet been explored, and it's up to me to discover it, to experience it.

Guideline #2
Objectives
Yes, I know. This was part of the first guideline. While I can't talk about connection without explaining objectives, I can talk more about objectives without necessarily bringing up story/reader connection. Many times, amateur authors think back to their school days and how their teachers taught them.

"Xune walked up to the bickering couple. He put out his hand, moving his wrist in a forward, strong, fluid motion, putting his legs into a solid stance at about shoulder width. The Earth bent up as he directed it, swallowing the bottom half of the man in an instant".

Cold, dry, but detailed. This would be A+ writing in your English class, but it doesn't have soul.

Let's try it this way instead

I was buying apples in the Ba Singe Se marketplace that morning when I heard that usual orchestra of sounds that signified something wasn't quite right. The world was taking a soft breath, a quiet moment to see if that odd noise would be made again, like a scared child in a dark room. I couldn't help but join them and slow my breathing for a moment as I turned around. Through the small gaps amongst the many people, I could see on the other side of the masses a woman on the ground, her arm wrapped in the large paws of what was obviously a butcher,

He must have towered a good foot or so over my height and sported what was probably at one time a white apron, but was now a new and less tasteful color, brandishing the stains that followed his line of work. I couldn't hear exactly what he was saying, but the tone of his voice was that of a grunted command, which coupled with his face expressed his embarrassment that this was happening in public.

The low sobs of the woman instantly made my entire body clench. My original reasons for being in the market forgotten, I walked through the crowd, who were all still bustling about as though nothing was happening, but the roar of the marketplace had undeniably hushed a bit, listening for any development that could possibly involve (or more specifically endanger) them.

I nearly walked straight into him as I popped out of the busy crowd and onto the scene, all of the sounds I could possibly make drowned out by the many people around me. What happened next was quick, and I had no time to think about what I was doing. All I could remember was the woman on the ground, tears in her eyes, the mans strong, dirty hands wrapped around her cold, pale skin. I couldn't STAND bullies.

Thwack, my bamboo pole quivered violently with the sudden collision as it knocked against the side of his head, my hands stinging with the force of impact. I could clearly see the look of surprise and terror in his eyes, the woman forgotten as he turned to fully face me. The way he looked at me was scarred into my memory as I pulled my weapon back for another swing. This time, the sound wasn't dulled as much by the crowd, which had gone considerably quiet. Thwack. It bounced against his thick waist, my already numb hands numb with pain. I pulled my hands back over my head and aimed for his face, which towered above me. Tunk. The stick hit him flat along his chest, the end of the crudely smoothed bamboo scraped his chin and drew blood. I pulled back in my frenzy for another hit, but he threw his giant hands up in some kind of defense that told me he'd had enough".

Do you see the difference here? In the sense of "objectifying", it makes no difference how many lines it takes for Xune to fulfill the same objective. But the difference here is that you can imagine yourself being in his shoes. I can't pick up two thousand pound boulders, so how in the world am I suppose to envision myself as Xune if that's what he starts doing? This isn't to say that you can't make a character with the ability to do such things (I loved the Avatar series, and I can't do ANY of the things they can do). But realize the need for details. Sounds, sights, smells, feel, touch, emotions, the environment. Without it, interaction is impossible for the reader.

Another common one happens VERY often in conversation. "Where are you from?". This question when asked in a casual setting usually gets me something like someones first name, and occasionally their last. They usually proceed to ask me mine. Now, what DOESN'T happen (in real life or in fiction) is people telling me their life history, where they were born, what illegal activities they may or may not be a part of, how bad ass they are, their evil twin brother and how they are looking for him to end his life, etc. I don't have issue with such statements because they're unrealistic (after all, we are talking fiction). What gets on my nerves is the lack of fluid writing. I don't feel like I'm talking to a person anymore, I feel like I'm talking to a quest-line.

"Great, I pressed X, and now I'm talking to an NPC"

I don't want to find the ring, walk to a mountain, and save the world. I want to explore the world, hear it through he mouths of the writer, experience and explore it for myself. If I look at the house I'm in and was asked to describe it, I wouldn't start shouting price tags and where I bought things. I would describe the room to you so that you can experience it for yourself as though you were there. You as the writer are helping me to explore something with your character as the medium.


Guideline #3
Detail, the delicate ingredient
Alright, I've already covered this in my previous two topics a bit. But that doesn't make this any less important. Here's the problem I've come to learn about details. You have to have just the right amount. If you put too much, you end up even forgetting what the heck the topic is.

"I walked through the North gate of Ba Singe Se. Ba Sing Se is located in the North East of the Earth Kingdom, if you didn't already know. I headed down the south street, passing the bustling merchants, animals, and vendors. The many residents of the city were going about, buying the different wares and goods that were being sold. Advertisements were being shouted about how one product could do this or how this product could do it better. The houses were of stone but had been painted many colors. Most of them either had shingle roofs or just stone. The road was made of tan granite that looked like it was probably made my Earth Benders. I continued South, then turned West, then went South a few more blocks. I finally made it to the Tea Shop. The building was around 80 feet long by 60 feet wide. It had a chimney with smoke billowing out of it and a small grass lawn, which a lot of the houses didn't have due to lack of space. I walked up to the door, which was green and probably about seven feet tall. I turned the knob and went inside".

Phew, okay, that's too much detail (plus a bit of guideline #2 falls in their).

Lets try this.

"I walked through town. I went down a couple of streets. I found the tea shop after a while and headed inside".

See, now, that's not much better. Not only is it objectifying (because you're trying to rush through things), but it also doesn't tell me anything about what the trip there was LIKE. Let's try....

"After several weeks of travel, I finally made it to the city of Ba Sing Se. Having gone through the checkpoints and filled out all the proper paperwork, I finally stepped out of the busy gate and onto the streets. I had never actually been here, but that slight buzz of electricity was in the air, the one that whispers to you that the day is done, but tomorrow will be exactly the same.

Merchants were packing up along the sides of the road, taking down their stalls with tired groans but busy hands. Animals billowed and clucked occasionally, some of the larger ones helping with the burden of closing shop. I started South along the street, the once tan stone now colored caramel by the setting sun. The shadows of buildings stretched long, attempting to catch the busy providence in a calming embrace. The cries of mothers for wandering children were carried through the air, and I noticed off in the distance a pack of young ones laughing as they chased after a bird in some pointless yet seemingly wonderful game.

The weather by now was starting to cool considerably. Heat was being brushed from the ground by the occasional breeze, taking the warmth to some far off place where it was needed, but not before the warmed wind could inflate the thin fabric of my clothing and give my moist forehead a goodbye kiss. The sun was nearly set in the sky by the time I arrived at my destination, a Tea Shop I had never been to, summoned by a person I had never actually met. I probably would've passed it completely, but the cool green grass and a number of colorful trees immediately caught my attention in a place where room seemed an utter luxury.

I walked along the winding stone path, admiring the rose blossoms and brightly colored magnolias that accompanied spring. Lost in the sweet scents that surrounded me, I nearly walked into the door, which was hidden by a flowering bush conveniently located on a corner close to the entrance. From here, the clatters of cups and platters and the hush of voices could be heard. Taking this as an invitation, I went inside, a yawn announcing my presence"

Don't describe the world to me. As a human being, I don't really care about how the world is constructed. I can only take in the world as it is and how it looks to me at the present (which is the perception of time, what something is now).

Guideline #4
God Modding. Why is it an issue?
Alright, now I know that darn near every one of you knows what a G-Mod is. It's usually depicted as a person with abilities outside of a reasonable means. For example, "he picked up the Earth and threw it into the sun, killing everyone". Ok, extreme example, but the point is still there. However, the problem isn't in itself of the action you're committing.

God modding in my definition is "anyone that attempts to make through force people feel or think in a certain way without properly describing the subject as such". End my own quote x D You don't have to utterly destroy the Earth to be a God Modder, you just have to try and make me feel a certain way without properly expressing yourself ("Mary Sues" anyone?)

Ok, you threw the Earth. How? I can't imagine your character doing something like that, because I can't imagine myself ever being able to accomplish such a feat. I can hear you already. "Well, you probably can't bend Water or command Fire either". True, I can't. But I can imagine myself being able to accomplish such feats if they are described to me in a proper manner. "I flicked my wrists and there was fire". Nope, sorry, not feeling it. "I widened my stance and flicked my wrists, and flames popped out". Nope, still not feeling it.

"I widened my stance to shoulder width, steadying myself so that the momentum of what I was about to do wouldn't throw me off balance. I took a deep breath, as though I could catch the heat out of the very air. I could feel the energy well up inside my chest, ready to be released with my own body as the medium, a means of directing that energy.."

Notice how I don't try and talk too much about what the character is actually doing (where there feet are exactly, how they move their hands, etc). If I was attempting to make a storyboard or your trying to write for your ninth grade English Class, that may be relevant. But the fact is, I don't need to fully know every single detail of how you plan to do things. And in fact, I as a reader would prefer it that way. If you leave little details to me as the reader, I'll create the image I'll most enjoy. Think about that age old principle of horror. Horror media will never be as scary as the human imagination.

This isn't too say that you don't need to describe to me your actions or intentions (if you have a sword in your hand or you throw a punch at someone, I need to know), but don't just give me "I throw a punch". Heck, "I throw a punch" even if you miss and the punch isn't all that strong is, in my opinion, God Modding. 2-D and bland.

Guideline #5
Scenery, where to draw the lines
Okay, so this is one I've been having some recent issues with myself, but I think I've picked up a little more insight on it. As I already described in Details, the problem is that if you throw out too much, it clogs up the story. But if you throw in too little, I don't feel like the story has advanced at all. If we go from the middle of the woods to a mansion, and I give no description of either of them, I'll feel alienated, and just want to back off entirely from the story (because I can't picture myself there, immersion 101). And not only that, but in an RP, a lack of detail on your environment can lead to clashes amongst the various parties (what do you mean you try jumping out the window? There ARE no windows).

On the flip side, if you throw too much onto the fire, it leads away from the characters (since the characters are supposed to be us, that's a bad idea). And just like all detail, if you use too much of it, it takes away from any personalization I as a reader would like to make (it really makes no difference along what wall the bar at the Inn is located, right?). I've come to learn that scenery, like characters, can be divided into two main categories

• Nuts 'n Bolts (basics of the room, perimeter, people, etc)

• Colors (details)

Sub Guideline #5, part 1, Nuts 'n Bolts
Now when I say nuts and bolts, it means just what it sounds like. How big is the room? You don't have to say "60x40ft.", since frankly I'm not going to start measuring out how big my living room is right now. I you think that this is going to start being a future problem (and this will actually be my next guideline), discuss with your writing partner/partners the actual dimensions and layout of the room. The reader doesn't really care about the specific dimensions. That's up to the writers to figure out. Typically, I try to avoid those "five feet away from the window, two feet from the" descriptions. While reality is measurements and numbers, humans (on average) don't recognize it as such. And since we've established fiction is a type of immersion, it would make sense to avoid something that alienates from human behavior, right? Instead, give the bits and pieces of the room, give their general location if you think it'll matter later in the story (I don't need the specific location of the entrance unless I'm going to use it in a later scene, action or otherwise). If it can be helped, lay the building blocks out on the floor and let the readers build the scene themselves.

Sub guideline #5, part 2, Color
Believe it or not, this is probably the more important part of scenery. I think too much pressure has been put on the sheer Nuts 'n Bolts of it all. You're supposed to create a scene, not scenery. If you were to describe an old fashion 1950's diner, would you give me something like

"It was an 80x60ft. room. It had tables, a bar, a chef, and two waitresses. Around thirty or so customers were here, ordering food, eating, and talking"

O......k? With that kind of description, I could picture whatever the heck I wanted. 1950s diner, Burger King, my own living room (hey, it could happen!). Heck, it could be a fricking Chinese noodle shop/radio shack for all I know.

"I entered the building through the double doors. I felt like I had walked into one of those places from those 1950s flicks I liked so much. You know, the place all the kids would get together to pop open a cold bottle of Coke? The room was very well lit, showing off the red and white checkered patterns that adorned the ground and shining off all the shiny and well kept surfaces. The chef sat behind the bar, sporting that stereotypical white and pointed hat while tossing sodas at the hordes of customers with cries of "over here!", "root beer!", "fries and a Coke, make it snappy!". Put aside the noise and the place seemed pretty docile, and most of the customers sat at the round and well kept tables, sharing a thing of fries and talking about the usual nonsense".

Ok, now see, I kept the Nuts 'n Bolts to a bare minimum, but I still threw in what was necessary without bogging down the scene. Not to say it's perfect, but this is (in my opinion), donuts over bagels of the first description. And hey, once you've described the place, it's not like you can't go back later and add little things. A bit of development in the environment reminds the reader that the world doesn't sit still just because two main characters sit down for a drink. Maybe that horde of teenagers are finally pacified because they all get their drinks making the place considerably more quiet. Most shops close eventually (if the characters stick around long enough). Maybe someone drops something, trips. Unruly customers, waitresses, ticking clocks. All of this just serves as a reminder without bogging the reader down with a hardware store.

Guideline #6
Editing and communication
Ok, so this is a more recent one I've started learning as well. I always knew editing was important, whether it be a live role-play, forum, book, or whatever. The same goes with communication.

Basically, being a writer is like this. If you are writing the book, you are (to your realm) God. You decide what the world is like, who lives and dies, what someone is going to eat for breakfast. It's all up to you. Now, when you get a co author (basically, a second writer) involved in the process, there are now TWO Gods

*Silence*
"CRY HAVOC, AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR!"
*War of the Titans. There are no survivors*

Here's where I'm getting at. Me as God is bad enough when I know what I want. But since I'm all omnipotent and stuff, it doesn't matter if I screw up (omnipotence is just cool that way). But when you bring in a SECOND, the thing goes from a Christian God to a more old school Odin and Thor type deal.

We all know what happens with the old Gods. They are most certainly not perfect or omnipotent, and it seems like they take almost as much time trying to bash each others skulls in as throwing down titans (heck, I'd say there is more of the first than the second). The horror of such a clash I have witnessed multiple times, and it's not something I like to be part of. What do I mean when I say a clash?

"Ren punches a guy in the face, throws him overboard, and slips away into the night"
"Ok, but just a few little things. First of all, the guy dodges. Second, in the supermarket, not on a boat. A lastly, it's daytime in Alaska. So there's another three weeks or so of daytime"

The horror, THE HORROR!

Now while basic details and such should be able to prevent tragedies such as this from happening, sometimes things just aren't covered or someone misses a detail. Maybe someone thinks that walking four miles only takes thirty minutes or that refilling his truck takes an hour. Misconceptions of a persons perceptions of reality can make it difficult when you are attempting to create the laws of physics for your universe. Since nothing is set in stone for your world, believe it or not, EVERYTHING is possible. Heck, maybe supermarkets ARE on boats in your world, and gas tanks are monster sized, so it could take an hour. When you're God, you have to take these things into account.

But, I digress.

The point comes down to this. If something is not clear and you can tell it's heading for an error (I know we're on a boat, but it's the NIGHT in Alaska right now, so there are thee more weeks of darkness), stop. Whatever you're writing right now to correct it, just stop. Think about the situation for a minute and ask yourself a few questions before you toss more logs onto this bonfire.

Mistakes are as follows to the series of transgressions from least painful to acts of war

#1
Problem: Misconceptions in things that haven't been written, but were already assumed. Basically, while you didn't write down how you had imagined something, you had this idea in your mind, and now the other author is writing something to the contrary.

Example: You figured the vending machine was red, your characters favorite color, but author #2 says it's blue. The subject was never actually covered as to what color the vending machine is.

Solution: There are two ways of solving this one. Either A, you let it go and pick up on what has now been written, or B. Tell the other person that you had something different in mind and compromise

#2
Problem: Minor errors in someones perceptions. These are usually considered to be "common knowledge", and thus were not covered, deemed "unnecessary".

Example: Someone thinks that losing a gallon of blood isn't lethal (when this would kill any human being).

Solution: There's really only one way to deal with this. You COULD attempt to fix it in story, but that never works. Example: "Brian couldn't have lost a gallon of blood, or he would be dead, so-" The problem with this method is a lack of immersion. Almost everyone realizes just how lethal this would be, so why could there possibly be any misconceptions in a realistic world? It's usually best to talk about it with the other author and sort it out, then just edit or keep the new conception around (heck, maybe he has some kind of bending power or something).

#3
Problem: Missing a certain detail that undoes something that was already written or isn't supportive of what has already been assumed

Example: "Author A: Brian walks over to the car, unlocks the door, and gets in. He drives off down the road, heading for the market. Author B: Kevin stands next to Brian, thinking about the past events of the day as they head for the market."

Solution: Pretty much the same thing as #2, except that this one can be a bit more frustrating, because you took the time to explain something, but it was overlooked. However, unlike #2, you don't have the option of working this one out in story because you already made up the rules to the situation. Saying one thing is true (you already said you were in a car) and then saying something completely different in the next post is like a .50 to the head for any possible immersion. Work it out outside of story and then fix the problem. Consistency is as important to fiction as it is to reality. It's really not an option.

#4
Problem: Something was written, read, and blatantly ignored.

Example: "Author A: Oh yeah, I realized we were in a supermarket. But now we're on a boat. Author B: ...."

Solution: Ok, now, if you have this problem, your storyline has already flat-lined. There's no preventive methods from here, just resuscitation.

*Clear! ZAP!*

If someone does this, chances are that the person is

A a G-Mod.
B, a douche-bag.
C, an ex girlfriend.

The problem with this solution is that the person is completely ignoring any previously assumed rules and probably any future ones. Ask them how they came about to their perceptions (how the heck we did get off the boat all of a sudden?), tell him the errors that have been made, and try to work to fix them. DON'T try and fix this one via story. This is the clash of the titans scenario, and it will lead you both to the path of the dark side, with both of you trying to smash two completely different universes together.

"That's not true....that's IMPOSSIBLE!"
*Co chee, co chee* "Join me, and together we shall God-Mod as father and son"

So the rule of thumb is this. If you can fix the issue by not addressing it, than this is most certainly and option. But if the problem is in some way breaking the fabric of the universe you are creating (whether or not the rule has been agreed to), it's best to probably talk with the author outside of the post. This way things remain consistent, and there is no war. Only peace.

Guideline #7
Grammar, a dying art
Gather round children, and I'll tell you all a tale. A world of wonder and delight that captures the imagination, and where their and there aren't mixed up every other sentence.

Okay, so here's how I picture grammar and spelling. Let's say you're going to a school dance (I never did, but I think I can make it seem like I have). You spend your time getting primped and pressed. You clean up good and do your best to look presentable. If you and your story "look" good, you should be fine, right? Okay, now, every time you make a spelling/grammar mistake, I want you to pretend like you jumped on a treadmill and hit 5mph for around 60 seconds or so. Yeah, not smelling so hot now are ya?

The problem is the same as always.
Immersion *Record skips*, Immersion *Record skips*, Immersion

If I have to stop and think "wow, he spelled "orange" wrong", than I've snapped (however little) out of the story and stop to recognize the fact that I'm reading something. You're not necessarily being a Nazi about it, but humans recognize mistakes when they are made, whether or not it bothers them is a completely different matter. The point is that it reminds you you're reading some, and you're dragged back to reality just a little bit more.

Grammar on the other hand is a bit of a more serious crime, because more people find "I is baboon" more intolerant than forgetting "I after E accept after C". Worse, it can make things seriously confusing for the reader and any of the co authors. "Xune is store"...um, Ok? Does that mean I'm at the store, I will go to the store..am I a store? WHAT'S GOING ON!?

*Breaks down crying, but quickly gets over it*

In order to avoid this, I would highly suggest always going back and reading your posts before actually submitting them. A big one for me is repetition of words (like "of", "the", and "it"). This is very easily fixed by just reviewing what you have actually written (I'll be picking up a bit more on this subject in my next guideline).

Remember, no one likes a sweaty person!...Er, ok, maybe some people do. But those are the kind of weirdos you probably best avoid...

Guideline #8
Reading, the other half of writing
When you're writing, keep in mind what you're actually attempting. To create people, cultures, languages, concepts, mindsets. Isn't that what we're literally attempting to do? Create a world from the ground up?

Big task when you think about it.

In order to carry out this gargantuan task, we (as writers) all come together as a hopeful and willing party to split the task up into smaller piece by creating different characters, locations, and all the many other things which need doing. But certain concepts have already been assumed. For example, in the Avatar world it is possible to bend elements. In fact, it is a rather common practice that everyone is aware of and at some point in their life have probably witnessed (I think people in our world would react differently if they saw someone bending). Because the rules of this world are different, you might have a misconceived idea of how this world is run, and you might break one of the rules that have already been created (thus, errors are made).

In order to prevent this, one of the simplest tasks is often the most difficult (this goes for everyone, including myself). You guessed it, reading. There are a lot of materials you may have to study before you post. It may mean reading the rules, the plot-lines, the year that the campaign is set in. Any material that you can get your hands on is useful to understanding this new frontier you've walked into. It also means reading the posts that you are involved in. As I cover in Editing and Communication, mistakes can be made in the world. It happens. But the best way to avoid this in the first place is to pay attention to what the other person or persons are writing.

Now, the other half of the coin. While it's important to read everything that others have posted, it's also important to read what you've written. When you are finished with a post, before you submit it (I know, you want to post, I've been there), go back and read it! You'll be surprised how many little mistakes you made that are almost painfully obvious later. Anywhere from spelling and grammar to tripping over someone else post and contradicting what they are attempting to portray. This can also mean waiting to post entirely, which I will cover in my next guideline.

Guideline #9
When the universe sides against you
Okay, so. Here's a particularly delicate issue. When is it the right time to write? So you sit down, you haven't posted in a day or two. You're trying to think of what you're actually going to write about (and stressing it), and you star to let your fingers burn plastic. Suddenly, the universe spontaneously com-busts in on itself. All of the sudden, you've got college classes to take care of, doctor appointments to make, kids to take care of (when did THAT happen?), dishes to do, floors to mop, chickens to feed, fields to plow, family to call. And on top of all of that, you're having a case of writers block.

If this has never happened to you, please, tell me your secret.

While we're waiting for someone to reply to that, you'll just have to take the bit of advice I can give. It's important to try and be reasonably active in your posts, but it's also important to create and maintain quality. Waiting for three days won't kill a post, but throwing something that makes absolutely no sense just might.

If you're just too busy to write a post, don't sweat it. Just inform the other writers of the situation and ask for a momentary cease fire. Believe me, decent writers (and people) will understand.

Now, if you're not busy, but are just having a bad case of writers block, there are two solutions. One, wait it out and hope it goes away (this method works probably a tenth of the time). The other method involves alien hand. Just start writing dude. Don't think about what you're writing, don't worry about how anyone is going to receive the post. Just write. Can't think about what to write for a post? Close the site and open up notepad. Just start writing down what you're thinking about. Even if it's something trivial (like how you're annoyed that old lady was doing 20 on the highway), just put it down to paper. Chances are once the keys start to click you won't really want to stop.

Or,

Write something for the thread you're in, then just put it away. Go do something else, go watch T.V., go to sleep. Go to work tomorrow and don't think about it. Once you've had some time to just let it sit, come back, sit down and read it. Chances are even if you wrote garbage, you'll have a better idea of what you want to do now (plus you've spared yourself the indignity of writing something you're not proud of). Did this the other day three separate times. In my experience, it works.

Ok, well, I think that actually about covers all of the basics (congrats, you just learned everything I've picked up in the last ten years in under twenty minutes). I may add more sections as time goes on and my own knowledge of the subject increases.

Just remember. Enjoy whatever it is you're writing about at the moment, and you'll always have fun with it.

Thank you Lady ^^ lol, this really isn't even halfway done. I plan on adding at least a couple more guidelines, and I have barely done any editing, except for the basics, like getting rid of those pesky double words (like "the the" or "of of"). I think maybe I'll hit up grammar and spelling on my next one. Not only that, but the difference between third and first person and such. Wish me luck!

Ok, so since the rest of my guidelines are being edited, and since it's taking a while (which is perfectly understandable, given the amount of pages it spanned), I will start writing any new guidelines I come up with here, so they don't mix with my old post.

Guideline #9
The character narrator relationship
Alright, so here's a bit of a touchy subject for some people (actually, if "taboo" was to fall under any possible guideline I have or will ever write, this one will probably be it). I once read a series of words that writers shouldn't use during RPs. Not using opinionated words ("while" can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people), over used word, vague ones. One of the most interesting that caught my eye though was "sigh" and "finally". The guide said that the words shouldn't be used because it makes the reader feel like the writer is just flustered. Well, no, that's not true. Because people really do sigh, right?

Seriously, how often do you really sigh in real life? I mean, in the average conversation, do you sigh once? Twice? Thrice? Every other sentence?

The reason words like this are considered bad to use is because, first of all, they are easy to abuse. Badly (go read some rookie posts, I swear, you'll find it every two sentences). Second though is because more often than not it's not because the situation warrants it, it's because the writer feels that way. Ever noticed you tend to use .... or "sighs" or "meh" in your posts when you're tired? Not just your Roleplaying, but your writing in chat boxes and such? It's a sin that I am guilty of, just like many others.

When you are tired, angry, upset, or feeling strongly of any other emotion or frame of mind, it's VERY difficult (regardless of your experience or skill as a writer) not to transfer your emotions or feelings to your character. If you haven't slept in two days, things seem to move a lot faster. What's considered "normal" character behavior (like running or jogging) all of the sudden seems to you like someone hit the fast forward button "Jees, my character is fricking NUTS, got to slow him down by putting some ... every few sentences". If a friend of yours just passed, it's VERY easy to make your character upset or irritable, because now that's your perception of not just the real world, but the fictional. That joke someone made yesterday now seems incredibly insulting today, not just your character, but to you, and that will transfer to your character by no fault of your own. It's just your perception.

So, what's the solution to this problem? If it's the middle of the day and you feel like everything is just moving too fast, is it realistic to think your every day Joe is going to think that all of a sudden? No, because it's the middle of the day. He'll run, jump, do cartwheels, whatever. There are really only three ways to handle it, and it's along the same method as "Writers Block".

Option A
Just take a break
Ok, you haven't slept in two days. The world seems to be moving (both in the RP and in RL) at a hundred miles per hour. Go to sleep (or leave till you've had some sleep) and come back when you don't feel that way anymore. Basically, it's the "wait it out" method.

Option B
Rough it out
Haven't slept in two days? Alright, who cares! Act as hyper as you deem reasonable to your characters usual activities. The difficult part about this though is recognition. If you don't realize your tired, you're not going to realize the solution to fixing it is acting pumped up. This method is like using a measuring cup in the dark though, because you're not sure if you're breaking character by going over board or if you're not using enough energy, making your character seem "tired". Your perception is what allows you to make calls during an RP. If your perception is changed, it WILL effect your character.

Option C
Role with it
Ok, believe it or not, this is actually by far the most difficult. When I'm Role Playing, I don't want to feel like I'm talking to you, I want to feel like I'm talking to your character. So if you and your character feel and act the very same way, it's easy for me as a reader to get that vibe. THIS is why you don't want to use words like "sigh" or "finally". You're tired, you want this fricking post to end, but you don't want to shut down on the other person involved, or maybe you're trying to "force it", like writers block, hoping it'll work. But by posting such common and short words, I can see through your character and straight at you. So, how do you fix it? Your characters tired (like you). Alright, describe that feeling to me! How tired is your character? Describe that tingly, warm feeling you get when your tired. The next time you yawn, take note of that feeling you get when you inhale deeply, how your chest puffs out, that slight crack in your back as you straighten out, how you get that sound of rushing wind in your ears. Don't just say "sigh, finally". That's not the character, that's you.

Hey Kura. Thanks for the comments :]

I think the problem stems from two source. One, first and foremost, I was (and am) in one of my less than wonderful energy level/moods (yeah yeah, I broke my own rule, I know x D). Second, while Guidelines is supposed to be a source of learning and review for writers of all skill levels, it's primarily for those of a newer skill set. It's overly explained, I'm sure (beyond what is necessary, I will edit this, honest), but at the same time, sometimes you need to give several wordings and examples before it sinks in. Thanks for the example of ways to properly use a sigh and low mood! I may have to steal it.

Lots of love,
from Ordan : P