Styles of SRP?

[Otto26]

I'm constantly trying to improve my writing by looking at what other people are writing and I'm curious about what style of SRP you see and what you see as the relative merits of them.

The biggest distinction I see is plotted versus unplotted. Plotted threads tend to be more about cooperative storytelling, where both participants know the starting point and the ending point and are working to bring the characters to that end. Un-plotted threads tend to be more about roleplaying, where participants have a starting point in an agreed upon context and go wherever their whims take them.

In my opinion un-plotted threads tend to fizzle out without a satisfactory ending. There can be a lot of reasons for this. Both participants might have different ideas about what the ending looks like so they end up pulling apart. Or they just might not recognize that they've hit the end of the story and keep going past that point until one or both of them runs out of gas. Plotted threads can fizzle just as easily but with a roadmap they are more likely to reach their destination. They are less spontaneous, however, and some writers really miss the surprise and excitement of discovery. A plotted story can feel more like work to some writers.

In terms of writing style I tend to think of styles as back-and-forth, follow the leader, and collaborate and post. Back-and-forth (BaF) is when the writers take turns advancing the story, passing control of plotting to each other. This is truly collaborative writing and works very well at preserving writer agency. In my opinion it works best when the writers have agreed upon a destination for their plot BUT I usually see this style most closely associated with un-plotted threads. And it works really well with un-plotted threads, particularly if you're going with short-form posting or instant messaging.

Follow the leader is when one writer is more responsible for advancing the plot. This can be imperfectly compared to a roleplaying game where one person is the game-master. This style lends itself to longer-form posting but it can be difficult to preserve the agency of the other writer. Writers who have a good rapport can make some effective use of this, using mechanisms such as point of view to recast a partner's posting. This style of writing demands constant OOC communication to ensure everyone is still on the same page and having fun.

Collaborate and post is when the writers essentially write a single post that they have both written and edited OOC and, when they are satisfied with this posting, they publish it and move on to crafting the next post. It's a variation of BaF and it produces the best prose for others to read but it can be a less satisfying method of play for the participants.

What have I missed? What's your favorite style?

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

Otto,

You've covered styles quite well there, I think what you may have missed are fluency and charisma. Some exchanges are like the rapid fire of machine guns, whereas others carry you along like the flow of a river. Do you feel engaged with the characters and their environment, or are you happy with them simply stumbling from one sexual encounter to the next without background narrative?

I have read good stories in SRP and ORP with complimentary authors and with contrasting ones. Every dynamic is different and, simply because a tale does or doesn't hook me, there is no objective standard that contributions  must reach. If I am not engaged by a story, I am not compelled to continue following it.

 

[barefootgirl69]

I enjoy having a vague idea of the story and letting it flow with a collaboration in PM. It's fascinating to discover what my co-writer comes up with. Almost like I'm being told the story.

 

[princesssexci]

Definitely have to make sure you have good writing chemistry with the other person. Usually that can come it’s just brainstorming but also maybe checking out what the person is already writing. That’s what I tend to do. There are some people who I’ve written with on this group where even though they are probably the best writers I’ve ever seen I don’t have good writing chemistry with them.

 

[Stephanie_Hall]

The biggest distinction I see is plotted versus unplotted.

My experience is it isn't as black and white as this. There tends to be variations of these two. To me (based on my experience), 'unplotted' is a free-for-all and usually are rather chaotic in nature with rapid posts more along the lines of a sentence or three each post. Fully plotted to me are boring planned stories that leave little room for imagination and sub-ploys. I usually tend to write collaboratively with others after a general guideline of the scenario is given, usually by the one who has the idea. The writers stay on the track, but have leeway to take the characters to places not necessarily thought of at the beginning that helps develop the characters along the way.

I have found that when a story is to have erotic elements in it, the drive to 'get to the sex' can sometimes be a bit quick. I like to write it out, but not make it the central or overall theme of the story. Sorry, I'm starting to ramble.

 

[Veroe]

There's also two different types of SRPs, in one you can focus on building character and romantic tension between yours and your partner's characters in a classic man meets woman plot, and the next one you do can be in just a sexy romp of a sultan enjoying his harem of slaves. While you may be drawn to one over the other neither style is invalid if both writers are engaged and on board with it. That is the true beauty of writing SRPs.