|
| Main Page -- Miscellany -- Roleplay Tips |
|
This is a page with several tips to making your roleplays that much better. It was written by Jeremy Rodden in an effort to help the handlers of Minnesota State Wrestling - and now for his own Toonopolis Fighting World. If you want to link to this to help your own fed, feel free, but don't steal my list and claim it as your own. 1. Spelling and Grammar: Many people tend to lose their quality by rushing through and trying to post a roleplay per day or per hour, depending on their situation. This is also the most noted of any tips and is probably one of the first things people look for when judging how good a roleplay really is. If you just skim through it any notice a lot of simple spelling errors and grammatical mistakes, you will have a tendency to not only ignore the post, but that person in general. A spell check is an writer's best friend. 2. Length: A lot of folks mistake quantity for quality and I’m sure a debate could ensue for years over this one. Everyone must realize that you can get your point across without writing a ten-page roleplay. Say what you need in the amount of space it takes to say it. I know that's a hard rule-of-thumb and a pretty obvious thing to say, but think about it and follow the suggestion. It's a good one. 3. Content: What you say is obviously the most important factor of your roleplay, or is it? This is another question that could be debated and re-debated forever. Should a person who doesn’t mention his opponent at all in his roleplays win his matches? This obviously can only be answered by the fed-head or council that is judging them. It is always a good idea to at least talk about your opponent somehow, whether it is direct talking towards him or through a conversation with another sub-character that you create. 4. Style: You may or may not realize it, but there are two different types of roleplays. There is the traditional talk to the camera style and then there is the style that some like to call "slice of life." The second is where the camera follows your wrestler in life, as if it were a movie or television show. Now, most people take the first route, which leaves you with more dialogue and less setting and description options. The second provides you with a chance to have different scenery, more interactions with sub-characters, and less dialogue is needed. 5. Staying In Character: One of the most disgusting things I’ve seen in roleplays is someone insulting their opponent’s spelling through their character. If you take it as if that person witnessed his opponent’s interview on television, how in the world would a spelling mistake be seen through speech? You must remember that your character does not "read" his opponent’s interviews, he witnesses them. Also, using words such as "jobber", "midcarder", and "gimmick" are pretty much definite no-nos. You must remain your character and not venture into the world of breaking kayfabe. Kayfabe is the imaginary line between IC (In Character) and OOC (Out Of Character). [Note, in Toonopolis, the 'kayfabe' rule doesn't apply quite as strictly... but still keep it in mind.] 6. HTML, AKA Making It Look Pretty: By no means is HTML required nor should it determine whether or not you win your match. Then again, it is a helpful tool to make you stand out above everyone else. Maybe your character always uses a certain color when speaking. Or perhaps you like to have background music and images to go along with your roleplay. Either way, you must also heed these two words: overkill and moderation. Do not put twenty-five images on a roleplay, it is excessive and pointless. Do not have seventy different colors scattered around your roleplay either, it looks childish and unprofessional. You might just as well take an orange crayon to fill out an application for a job if that’s your idea of showing your skill. 7. Spacing: Here is one thing that may just be a personal peeve of mine. When writing your roleplay, and you have a solid page of text with no spaces or breaks in it anywhere, re-read it and find a spot or two to separate the long paragraph. Do this with a pause, or some sort of small action. This serves two purposes: one, it is much easier on the eyes to read a roleplay with plenty of spacing than a solid block of words and two, it is more realistic. If your roleplay is just your character standing there speaking for three solid minutes, you might as well save that for an in-ring interview for your weekly show, because it’s not a good roleplay. Also, who can honestly speak for a solid two or three minutes without taking a pause? 8. Setting and Description: Remember folks, these roleplays are supposedly televised. They are much like television commercials, everyone is watching them, not just listening to them. If a commercial were simply a black screen and someone talking with a voice-over (yeah, like those old Motel 6 commercials), I surely would change the channel. You must remember to tell the viewer what they are seeing. Facial expressions, body movement, birds flying by, anything and everything will help add depth and creativity to your roleplays. 9. Swearing: Now, we all know that a good curse word here and there can add emphasis to what you’re saying, but a curse word every other sentence won’t be affective. If you don’t swear every other word, when you actually do break out an f-bomb, it will be much more efficient for getting your point across. Also, you should censor yourself in your roleplays. A well-placed [bleep] can work just as well, and because these things are on television, you know that it would be censored. 10. Don’t Force It: If you have nothing to roleplay about and no ideas, don’t write a roleplay. That is the worst state you can write in as you’ll end up running in circles and babbling like a mindless monkey. You may be able to squirt out a couple pages but it will be terrible, ill formed, and not very thought out. You’re better off losing a match by not roleplaying than writing a roleplay on an empty idea tank. In the long run, it will save your character from being totally shunned and laughed at. Your character’s well being is more important than a single match is. |
|
|