Why is it that.... Secrets to a successful SRP Thread.

[NiteCrowe]

none of my threads ever seem to go anywhere?

or that the majority of the threads i join never go any where.

so i decided to start this thread to try and discover the secrets behind extremely successful threads, or at least ones that seem to work.

any help offered or opinions voiced are welcome.

~~#~~ The Guide to running a sucessful SRPG ~~#~~

1. Read and take note of post 20
2. Be friendly
3. Read all posts to make sure that everyone is at the same point.
4. Read the guide to online Roleplay (Link posted below)
5. Use PM to check where the Thread is going.
6. Keep it interesting, OCCASSIONALLY write several paragraphs, to try and keep the audience//readers interested.
7. Choose your writing partners carefully.
8. Be open to change.
9. Keep with partners you like.
10. Read posts 17 & 18.

 

[Dragonlady]

Just be easy to get along with .. Read everyone post to make sure your all on the same page and not ahead

 

[NiteCrowe]

i actually do do that. its what most of my 6 hours online are used for.

i do try my best to be friendly as well.

I guess overall that those things just pointed out do work, and are good secrets, so we can now begin the list of secrets.

1. Be friendly
2. Read all posts to make sure that everyone is at the same point.

do we have a number 3??

 

[NiteCrowe]

heres a useful thread i found.

https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=94237

it is called the guide to roleplay, and i am calling it point number 3.


point number 4 anyone?

 

[Dragonlady]

use Pm to figure out where the storys going and where you want it to go some of us like me never know where its going to go we just write to write ...

 

[Sir_Roger]

heres a useful thread i found.

https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=94237

it is called the guide to roleplay, and i am calling it point number 3.


point number 4 anyone?

Make your posts interesting, pull the reader in, and try to write at least a couple of paragraphs wherever possible.

 

[NiteCrowe]

both excellent points and will be added to the list.

 

[dragonrazor]

i would also like to add that "bigger is not always better". this is true of most things, especially posts. i've seen some big posts that were utter crap, and some small posts that told you all you really needed to write a good response. that, and sometimes it's hard to actually MAKE a response that's more than five sentences (which amounts to about two lines on here v.v)

 

[NiteCrowe]

good point.

 

[Britwitch]

My tip would have to be...choose your writing partner(s) carefully.

There's nothing wrong with being a little picky when it comes to RPing your latest idea...post your thread idea as OPEN but for people to apply through PM.

It prevents you being stuck with the first person that posts and whose style, intent etc. etc. may not work with your own...and nothing kills a thread quicker than writers who are working to completely different ideas...

You can also try PMing people whose style you like to see if they'd be interested in writing with you...after all everyone likes a compliment now and then

 

[dragonrazor]

My tip would have to be...choose your writing partner(s) carefully.

There's nothing wrong with being a little picky when it comes to RPing your latest idea...post your thread idea as OPEN but for people to apply through PM.

It prevents you being stuck with the first person that posts and whose style, intent etc. etc. may not work with your own...and nothing kills a thread quicker than writers who are working to completely different ideas...

You can also try PMing people whose style you like to see if they'd be interested in writing with you...after all everyone likes a compliment now and then

been there, done that v.v i should really start labelling new threads PM To Join

 

[NiteCrowe]

good point indeed..its on the list.

 

[Kousotu]

be open to change, if things don't go the way you want, deal with it.

 

[NiteCrowe]

On The List It Goes.

 

[Kousotu]

find partners you like and keep with them. Over time you might get rp offers.

 

[NiteCrowe]

i agree with that, especially as someone offered me one earlier

 

[Jewelskye]

Keep in mind that just because a thread doesn't go anywhere, its rarely ever anyone's direct fault(unless of course its a one on one and one person just stops posting... that's a pet peeve of mine x.x). The big thing to remember is that if you're the one forming the rp and are inviting a group to come and play... that you lay out the overall whats what of things. Especially if you're dealing with a setting that is not normal everyday life.

Sci fi and fantasy games and the like need things to be more detailed when the game is being setup, otherwise people are left with little to nothing to go on and end up chalking the game up to be something they would have had to have watched a certain movie to understand or something like that, and thus move on.

Also, just because the idea you have would make an excellent story, does not mean its going to make an excellent rp. Sometimes story lines are simply better suited to a traditional short story or novel, not something where you spend your time interacting with other characters. Choose the plot you're going to use carefully, and the people you invite to play even more carefully. In honesty, its almost impossible to find an rper out there who can rp with anyone at any time.

People are always going to have their preferences, their petpeeves, and certain rules they wont tolerate being broken or rules they wont want to play in a game with. So once you've found someone you work well off of, keep them close.

 

[Kousotu]

lol. well I got 1, but got snubbed later..

also, if you say something stick to it. So many ppl have said that my style is ok, but later simply ignore me. (Having limited typing space is really a pain)

 

[NiteCrowe]

both good points i agree with the stop posting bit as well, it does get rather annoying doesnt it.

on the list they go.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

An interesting discussion...

I wonder, though, if we shouldn't be discussing reasons why threads do not succeed? Of course, I have opinions on both subjects.

First of all, let me say that offline should always take precedence to online, and, bearing that in mind, there will be times when someone is unable to post for whatever reason. One problem that arises from this is that, the MIA writer is either replaced, forgotten/rewritten or the thread is simply abandoned/recreated. Repeat cycle.

Group threads are harder to run than one-on-ones. If you have a solid core group, no matter who comes or goes, the story can continue relatively wrinkle-free. Over time you come to recognize the names of writers that will post for a bit then simply... disappear. Four writers seems to be the best number for a basic cast in most group threads with extraneous members coming and going.

Bigger is NOT better, nor is MORE favored above less frequent but quality posts. Then again, I prefer to tell a story.

Reading every post written by each writer in a thread (and paying attention) avoids a lot of problems. I've seen many group threads go awry because some writers only read the posts of the person they are directly interacting with. *sighs* Oh, and OOC and quoting within a thread? *shudder* If you're reading every post there's no reason to quote someone else's in your own - just as there is no reason to "rewrite" someone else's post within your own in order to make your post bigger. Use the subject line to indicate where or who your character is interacting with. If everyone is reading every post, that should be sufficient.

When writing in any thread, it's nice to see some forward movement within each post... even if it just takes you to another portion of conversation, action, or sets up a future arc or idea. (Remember that bit about simply rewriting the previous post and adding a couple of your own words to it. )

Keeping in touch OUTSIDE of the story is also very important. A tale can't be told unless folks are talking about where they'd like to see the story go or without developing their characters as they write. I see this as a huge stumbling block when folks don't know what to do within the confines of the story being told.

'Course there's the hurry up to get to the sexy bits and the thread being overwhelmed by nothing but boinking. If you mean to tell a story, then pages of one sex scene being drawn out by writers tends to leave the others in limbo. You can't move forward until that scene finally (if ever) comes to completion.

Okay, those are some of my thoughts on "group" threads, which are actually my favorite kind but don't seem to play off well here in this forum most of the time for many of the above reasons.

One-on-ones are easy peasy BUT it stops being fun when one of the writers seems to consistently either have to set up the other writer's posts or guide the story or carry the bulk of the writing. No, I don't mean size of post, I mean that there is little creative input from the co-writer. There's nothing wrong with brainstorming an idea when you get blocked or stuck.

Personally, I like to see a story come to an ending one way or another. I don't like that "unfinished" feeling. That, too, is possible - as is reviving a thread to complete what you've started.

I'm sure I have more to say, but I am getting long-winded here so I'll go on my merry way for now... Remember to read, read, read and pay attention. If you don't get it, ask or discuss with the thread starter.

Oh... and don't forget to have fun.

 

[NiteCrowe]

I like that its on the list.

 

[scribe_m]

YM is your friend. Use messenger to discuss stories, find out when RL hits your partners, and the occasional online nookie. Use YM to throw ideas and get an idea of what you can -- and cannot do -- on a thread. Find common interests to come up with thread ideas. On a slightly surreptitious note, chatting with someone *does* oblige them to stay in the thread.

Stick to one-on-ones and threesomes. Once you get four or more people, there's a tendency to pair off, so not only are you back to a one-on-one, but now you have to go through all those other sub-threads to find yours.

Nothing wrong with new blood. PM people whose writing style you like, usually through the "threads that need new players" sticky, but also through abandoned threads. I recommend both "new blood" threads *and* writing with reliable writers.

Cheat I. Look through a person's previous posts to see how they write.

Cheat II. Write more than two sentences. Pad out your posts by repeating the scene, through your character's point of view. Use internal throughts and conflicts. Write as much as you can *before* writing the main point of your post. Since you shouldn't manipulate other people's characters, you end up doing a *lot* of internal POV. But don't write more than several paragraphs.

Move the damn plot forward. Even if it's just those two sentences.

Threads usually end abandoned. A little sad, but usually happens. If you want a story, you can always grab the thread, edit it, and add your own ending. Or keep a subscription and resurrect it later.

It's not your fault. If you can write competently, you will *still* have problems. Your writing partners have a RL, or may just be flakey. Sortof like real life.


Scribe.

 

[NiteCrowe]

sounds good.

 

[MaiusImperium]

Been a lot of good points raised here.

I find one-on-one threads are much easier to manage and it really can be important to choose who to write with in your thread.

But my point is this, if you want your thread to go somewhere, do you have somewhere for it to go? Get a definite ending in mind for you thread, write it down, plan it and see where the journey towards that end takes you. So many threads don't go anywhere because the people running the threads don't have as specific plot ending in mind, and so the thread can often meander.

I'm not saying every thread NEEDS an ending in mind, plenty of threads meander quite happily, but if you're running a storyline thread it can help if you have a resolution in mind it helps you (as the thread runner) when you move the plot along, because you can guide it towards the goal at the end of the journey. Moving the plot along is important and having a goal in mind can help.

That said do not be afraid to change that goal and be open to other writers' input, make sure you don't stick rigidly to moving the thread onwards mercilessly to it's conclusion, allow for deviations and meanderings, just so long as you keep things moving so other writers don't lose interest.

 

[chris2c4u]

It's an interesting thread though I can't say I have much to add to what's been said.

I have a lot of threads / stories here that have come to conclusions. I think the main thing is that I scribble with good writers and we also tend to plan our stories in some detail. I like different styles and am better at some than others; I'm more a story writer and have been fortunate to write with people who also like that.

I'm more a one on one writer and for me this helps, re the planning.

So, I guess I'm saying plan, keep in touch with your co-writer(s) and try to be aware of their style.