Young Writers Society

Welcome to the world of roleplaying! Whether you're brand new to collaborative writing or familiar with YWS's very own Storybooks, we invite you to explore this introduction to YWS and roleplaying.

What is Roleplaying?

Well, Google says roleplaying is either:

to act out or perform the part of a person or character

or

participate in a role-playing game.

After all, writing is fun, so we can consider this a game! Or, we can call writing an activity. In this specific activity (roleplay) you act out a character or characters in a larger story, with other writers acting out other characters.

In essence, roleplaying can be considered collaborative writing.

What Types of Roleplay are on YWS?

Now that we understand what roleplay is in regards to writing, let's take a look at the different types of roleplays on YWS.

YWS has four different roleplays: Roleplay Hollows, Roleplay Realms, Storybook Sanctuaries, and Roleplay Duos.

Roleplay Hollows - Scene-Style Roleplays

Our first Roleplay type is scene-style roleplays. Under YWS, it is called a Roleplay Hollow.

These roleplays are quick roleplays where you can create a character and join in the story at any point (and leave!). The settings are often simple, and these roleplays often focus more on character interaction than any larger plot or story. These roleplays are perfect for experimenting with different character dynamics and just having quick fun roleplay.

Roleplay Realm - Group-Style Roleplays

Our second Roleplay type is group-style roleplays. Under YWS, it is called a Roleplay Realm.

These roleplays usually do have a larger story or plot, but still have a mix of improvisation involved. A scene in Realm roleplays can be as short as a sentence of dialogue or as long as an entire one thousand word scene full of fighting, character thoughts and feelings, and interacting with the environment. Sometimes Realms do not have a fully fledged out plot in mind, but the scenarios in which characters are placed into are more in depth than the simple drop-in-drop-out style of Roleplay Hollows.

Realm roleplays are the perfect environment to see how your favorite characters would act and react in different settings, worlds, or genres entirely.

Storybook Sanctuary - Collaborative Writing

Our third Roleplay type is collaborative writing. Under YWS, it is called Storybooks and is located in the Storybook Sanctuary forum.

These roleplays are our most in-depth style of roleplay, involving an over-arching story or plot, characters who have history with the world even before the roleplay itself starts, co-writing with other authors on posts, and the ability to control other writers' characters (if everyone agrees to that).

Storybook roleplays usually involve a pre-determined plot by the Roleplay owner (otherwise known as the Dungeon Master/DM) as well as the setting and scenario. Characters in Storybooks often have history within the world pre-determined by the writers, and the writers often plot out the story together before actually beginning to write. Storybooks are also unique in that they can offer the ability to control other writers' characters to write scenes and push the story forward.

The Storybook Sanctuary is also home to a more peculiar style of roleplay called Tagbooks! Tagbooks are a special kind of storybook. Instead of making a character profile, the character you write for is yourself - and other members of the site! Your goal is to tag as many users as you possibly can in your posts, while also telling a story.

Tagbooks are usually wacky, random and filled with fourth wall breaks. If you're lucky enough to be tagged, or just want to pop in with a post of your own, you're in for a treat!

Storybook roleplays are the perfect environment if you would like to craft a story and a world together!

Roleplay Duos - Co-Writing

Our final Roleplay type is co-writing. Under YWS, it is called Roleplay Duos.

These roleplays can involve any type of roleplay described above, just with two writers.

Navigating YWS Roleplays: Forum Rundown

Now that we have explored the types of roleplays on YWS, we're now going to explore the ins-and-outs of the Roleplay forum.

First of all, it's important to read the Roleplay Forum Rules if you have not already.

The Roleplay Forum is separated into two subsections: Roleplay Community and Roleplays.

The Roleplay Community Subforum is home to any forums that do not include actual roleplay writing. These forums are Info Desk, RP Lounge, Welcome Mat, and the Out-of-Character (OOC) Forum.

The Roleplay Subforum is home to all of the Roleplay writing forums. These forums are Roleplay Hollow, Roleplay Realm, Storybook Sanctuary, Roleplay Duo, Archive, and Completed Hall of Fame.

For links and brief descriptions of all the different forums, check below:

Roleplay Community Forums

• Information Desk
  
  All Roleplay Crew updates and information will be posted here, including events, announcements, contests, workshops, and other important information.
• Roleplay Lounge
  
  This is the forum to chat about anything pertaining to roleplays or just anything in general. When you're not roleplaying, feel free to hang around in here.
  • Welcome Mat
    
    This is the place to introduce yourself to the Roleplay Section.
• Out-of-Character Discussion
  
  This is the place for all out-of-character discussion in the Roleplay Forums.

Roleplay Forums

• Storybook Sanctuary
  
  Storybooks are the longest form of roleplay. They usually have a slower pace and an emphasis on collaboration, and you are allowed to control other writers' characters.
• Roleplay Realm
  
  This forum contains roleplays that blend the style of the Storybook Sanctuary (collaborative novel-writing where controlling other characters is allowed) and the Roleplay Hollow (endless, drop-character-in-room roleplaying where controlling other characters is forbidden). It often features casual stories with shorter posts.
• Roleplay Hollow
  
  Casual and fast-paced, this roleplay forum allows you to drop your characters into any setting and with almost any kind of character ensemble. It's usually meant for fun and games, not storytelling, and you cannot control other characters.
• Roleplay Duos
  
  This is a forum specifically for roleplays involving only two writers. You can collaborate on a novel, write short stories, or just roleplay casually with your favourite characters. The options are limitless!
• Archive
  
  This is a forum of old, abandoned, or outdated roleplays and roleplay-related threads.
  • Completed Hall of Fame
    
    This is the roleplay hall of fame, where completed roleplays and storybooks are showcased for all to read and reflect on.

Navigating YWS Roleplays: Common RP Terms

Now that we have explained the forums, let's explore some of the terms and acronyms that you'll commonly find throughout the Roleplay Forum in YWS.

Acronym Glossary

• RP = Roleplay
  
  A form of writing; collaborating with other writers on this form of writing; the name of the section in which roleplaying occurs.
• SB = Storybook
  
  A form of roleplay with emphasis on longer, novel-style writing with collaboration.
• PM/DM = Private Message/Direct Message
  
  A form of messaging on YWS.
• WFP = WriterFeed Pad
  
  A collaborative writing platform that is hosted by YWS.
• OOC = Out-of-character
  
  Any communication that is not in-character/in-story; a forum in the Roleplay Section that houses all OOC discussion.
• DT = Discussion Thread
  
  An outdated term for OOC discussion that you might still see.
• CT = Character Template
  
  An outline to create and describe a character. Often used interchangibly with CP.
• CP = Character Profile
  
  A Character Template that has been completed and submitted for all writers to view.
• DM/GM = Dungeon Master/Game Master
  
  Often used interchangibly with the Roleplay Creator, this person created the roleplay and guides the plot.
• OC = Original Character
  
  A character created just for the story/only by the writer; a character not based off any characters in published fiction.
• MC = Main Character
  
  A focus of the story/plot.
• PC = Playable/Player Character
  
  Character(s) written by writers.
• NPC = Non-Playable/Player Character
  
  Character(s) in the story but whose perspective is not written by writers; side characters.
• OP = Over-powered
  
  A term that indicates something or someone is too powerful to be appropriate for the plot.

Additionally, here are some terms you may hear throughout your time roleplaying:

• Write-in / pad party
  
  Write-ins or pad parties are invitations to join a WriterFeedPad (WFP) and write together or chat together!
• Workshop
  
  Workshops are informational events hosted by moderators on the site that are both fun and educational, with the goal being to experience some community bonding and learn something new writing related.
• RPMo
  
  RPMo is short for Roleplay Month! Roleplay Month is a month-long event that celebrates all thing roleplaying and invites you to explore and challenge yourself with roleplaying.
• LSS
  
  LSS is short for Last Ship Sailing, a collaborative elimination style contest. Here's the link to the last LSS event.
• YWU
  
  YWU is short for the Young Writers Universe, a collaborative universe that was built by YWS for YWSers to expand and write in.
• Roleplay Badges / RP Challenges / RP Quests
  
  Roleplay Quests, formerly known as Roleplay Challenges, is a way to encourage roleplayers into doing specific activities in their roleplays. Doing said activities will earn roleplayers credits towards Roleplay Badges. Quests can be created by the RP Crew or the roleplay's DM. Link for more information.
• RP Crew
  
  RP Crew is the group of moderators that oversee the Roleplay forum. You can see here who is a part of the RP Crew currently. All members of the RP Crew are available if you have any questions or just want to chat.

Guide to Joining Roleplays

Now that we've discussed the common terms and acronyms you'll see throughout the Roleplay Forums, let's explore how to join roleplays!

First off, is the roleplay accepting?

Many roleplays use Topic Tags to show whether or not their roleplay is accepting. However, some do not, so it's best practice to ask the DM in their OOC thread if the roleplay is still accepting new writers and characters.

After you have clicked on a roleplay, to go to the OOC thread, click the "Discussion Topic" button in the top right corner. This will take you to the OOC.

Some DMs link their OOC thread in the first post of the Roleplay Thread.



For some roleplays, like Hollows, there may not be OOC threads at all! In that case, you may be able to just drop in and start roleplaying. Just remember to always be respectful to the DM and the other writers.

Some roleplays will have rules set by the DM in the right sidebar of the Roleplay thread. Make sure to read those before joining the Roleplay, just so you're up to date!



If the roleplay is accepting and has an OOC thread, ask in the thread if you can join the roleplay. If the DM says yes, you are good to go!

Once you have joined a roleplay, it is good practice to click "Subscribe" to both the Roleplay thread and the OOC thread. Clicking "Subscribe" gives you notifications everytime a post is made so you're kept up to date and in the loop.



Clicking "Subscribe" on a Roleplay thread also makes the roleplay pop up in the forum sidebar. That sidebar is a good way to see what roleplays you are in.



Some roleplays are closed but allow people to request to join. This means that, in order to post in the roleplay thread, you must request to join on the sidebar. Sometimes the DM will automatically put you in so you do not need to request to join.

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Once you have subscribed to the threads, the next step is creating your character! Most DMs have a Character Template available for you to fill out, but if there isn't one, here is a list of commonly used Character Templates. Once you have completed your character profile, you will submit it on the sidebar



It is good practice to make sure to read through all other writers' character profiles. That way you know the other characters! If you haven't yet, also read through the previous roleplay and OOC messages before you start writing, in case there is a post order or notes.

If you have followed all of these steps, you have successfully joined a roleplay and are ready to write!

Guide to Creating Roleplays: The Beginning

Now that we have explored joining roleplays, what if you want to create your own and become a Dungeon Master? Well, let's explore that! Unlike joining a roleplay, this section will be more guide-like and less step-by-step. Creating a roleplay, ultimately, is just like writing. There is no one right way to go about it.

All roleplays start, like all stories, with an idea. This idea can be about a plot, a setting, a world, a genre, a character, a character interaction, character development, basically anything you can think of can turn into a roleplay!

Want to explore ideas? The best place to start is by posting in the Roleplay Lounge. There, you can freely brainstorm with other roleplayers about potential roleplay ideas, including what people may be interested in and how to go about the roleplay itself.

Once you have an idea in mind for a roleplay, it's a good idea to start deciding what type of roleplay you'd like it to become. Do you want to just write with one other person? Well, that's a Roleplay Duo. Do you want this to just be a silly idea where anyone can put any character in? That's a Roleplay Hollow. Do you have this grand vision where you have an entire plot planned out and want a group of writers to write a novel together? That's a Storybook.

No matter what kind of roleplay your idea becomes, there are a few staples to creating a roleplay.

First, you create a character template. This is a template that you and the other writers will fill out that has basic information that's important for all writers to know about the character. Here's a guide to character templates to help support you. However, a good basic template is this:



Then you would want to create both an RP thread and an OOC thread. To create a thread, go to the specific forum you want to create the thread in and click "Post a New Topic".



In your first posts for those threads, it's good practice to put any information you want the roleplayers who are interested in your roleplay to know.

After posting the roleplay, you have a few additional things you can add to your roleplay. After clicking the edit button on the roleplay, you can add Topic Tags to your roleplay.

Guide to Creating Roleplays: The Technical Stuff

Once you have created the Roleplay and OOC thread, you'll find you have access to a fancy new button on the sidebar of your RP thread called the "Edit Roleplay" button.



In this area, you have tools to edit the sidebar of your Roleplay and functions of the Roleplay itself, including linking your Roleplay to the OOC thread. We shall start with that.

The second function of this page is the ability to link your RP to your OOC (in here, it is called the DT, or Discussion Thread). Normally, it will automatically connect the two if your Roleplay and OOC threads are similarly named, but that sometimes doesn't work. To manually connect the two threads, you will go to your OOC thread and check the url. The numbers at the very end of the url is what you'll put into this slot.

Once connected, there should be a note under the second function letting you know it is connected.



You can always test to see if your RP and OOC is connected by seeing if there is the button in the top right corner.

The first function of this page is a place you can input an image into the sidebar. If you do put an image into this slot, it will appear above the button to go to the OOC, so keep that in mind.



The third function of this page is a short description. Putting anything into that description will have it appear in the sidebar under "Summary".



The fourth function on this page is a place where you can put rules for your roleplay. These are rules specific to your roleplay and OOC, letting roleplayers know how you like to run your roleplay. Please keep in mind that these rules should not be super strict or harsh. A strict or mean DM is a DM no one wants to roleplay with!



The fifth function on this page allows you to add Roleplay Managers to your roleplay. Managers can act as a second DM and can edit the Roleplay as you would. Make sure to only add Managers of people you trust!

The last function on this page asks you if this roleplay is open or closed. If it is open, that means that anyone can post on the roleplay at any time. This option is good for Roleplay Hollows.

If the roleplay is closed, only people you approve can post in the roleplay. Once you click "Closed", there will be an additional function where you can put the usernames of everyone you want to post in the Roleplay.

There will be a second function that appears after you click "Closed" asking if you want to allow people to request to join. If you click "Yes" on this, there will be a button on the sidebar for people to request to join.



Leaving the "Edit Roleplay" page, if you go to the sidebar on the roleplay, you will see that you'll have an option to send a newsletter to all participants.



In the OOC post, if you edit the first post, you can create polls for your roleplays below the post.



And that's all of the technical side of roleplays!

Guide to Keeping a Roleplay Going

Now that you have learned the ins-and-outs of joining a roleplay and starting your own roleplay, here are some tips from the Roleplay Crew about how to keep a roleplay going.

This is arguably the most difficult part of a roleplay. As writers, it is common knowledge that writer's block is a difficult struggle to overcome. This notion is compounded when you have multiple writers on the same project. With the more fast paced roleplays, burnout can come fast and without notice, killing a roleplay almost immediately. With slower roleplays, it can be weeks or months in between writing sessions for you, and when the time comes for you to write, if the motivation is not there, then you are keeping the rest of the group of roleplayers waiting while you are attempting to overcome writer's block.

Roleplays are a truly wondrous way to experience writing and community, but it would be unfair to not talk about the struggles that come with roleplays.

One tip from RP crew is to advertise your roleplay! If you are wanting people to join your roleplay and are struggling to find writers, making a banner and a small blurb about the roleplay and sharing it on your wall is a great way to advertise your roleplay. Oftentimes, people just may not see your roleplay. And there's a good chance other people will repost your advertisement so it reaches more eyes. You can also advertise your roleplay here.

Once you have all your participants and your roleplay is full, the next struggle is getting everyone's characters in. After all, most stories cannot start until you know the entire roster of characters. The RP Crew tip for this is to host pad parties so you can develop your characters together! Not everyone is active and writes at the same time, but having a pad with other people's characters and chats often sprouts character interaction and relations development. That kind of excitement and collective brainstorming often spurs faster character creation.

Once all characters have been created, the next hurdle is to get all intro posts written. Oftentimes, introduction posts for characters do not involve any character interaction so it can take awhile to get all characters introduced before they start interacting with each other and moving the plot along. The RP Crew tip here is to brainstorm introductions with everyone before writing begins. Oftentimes, writing goes more smoothly if every roleplayer is on the same page.

Writer's block, the loss of motivation, and slowdown is natural and will inevitably happen to all roleplays. What do you, as the DM, do when this happens? The RP Crew tip here is to take advantage of Roleplay Quests and Badges!

Roleplay Quests are challenges that a DM creates for their roleplay to incentivize roleplayers to do the things that come naturally to a roleplay, such as writing, advancing plot, or character interaction. The incentive with Roleplay Quests is Roleplay Badges, shiny trophies that are add to the roleplayer's profile for everyone to see. Additionally, Roleplay Badges offer bragging rights if your roleplayers reach higher tiers of badges.

Our second RP Crew tip is to have periodic check-ins in the OOC thread. The more active your OOC thread, the more active your roleplayers are and the more likely writing will be done. Even if writing isn't being done, being active in the OOC thread keeps the world alive and the roleplayers thinking about your roleplay, which is always a good thing.

Another RP Crew tip is host periodic pad parties! Roleplay, after all, is collaborative writing, and there is nothing more collaborative on YWS than a WFP pad party. Usually writer's block is a very personal struggle that can feel isolating. Discussing the roleplay with other members of the roleplay can help with overcoming that writer's block.

Another RP Crew tip is to suggest a re-read of the roleplay and give reactions to past writing in the OOC. Sometimes, especially with the longer roleplays, some old tidbits can get lost with time and words. Revisiting them can spark inspiration and sharing your reactions can spark plot bunnies for future writing and roleplaying.

Our last RP Crew tip is that, sometimes, a fresh new face in the roleplay. If the roleplay has faltered and there's a good plot reason to include a new character, inviting a new roleplayer into the mix can jumpstart inspiration and creativity back. Even if there is not a good plot reason to include a new character, you can always retcon a little bit. Trust us, no one will tell.

To accompany that last tip, sometimes roleplayers have to leave the writing and the story. As we on the RP Crew always say, real life is always more important. If that happens, the roleplay can suffer from losing one of its writers. Inviting a new roleplayer in to take over that character, even if it involves a little bit of retconning and character reconstruction, can help keep the roleplay going.

A final note from RP Crew: sometimes roleplays just die. This idea is tough, because no one wants their idea to die, but it is inevitable. Just like writing, most roleplays never reach the end. It is an incredibly rare thing to have a roleplay finish its story, even if the story is short or the roleplayers are dedicated. Our final, final tip from the RP Crew is this: it is okay to let roleplays die. Really, it is! Sometimes ideas just don't pan out, or real life gets in the way, or one thing or another. One of the hardest things to do as a DM is to let go of your ideas. Rather than cling onto a dying roleplay, we recommend investing your time and energy into new ideas, other roleplays, or transforming the corpse of a roleplay into something brand new that can live on, thanks to the lessons learned from the old. Sometimes it is not the destination that truly matters, but the journey itself. While a roleplay may die, the memories, the stories, and the bonds created by both characters and roleplayers will live on.

Final Remarks from RP Crew

If you have made it to this point, we on the Roleplay Crew thank you! Roleplays are very much a passion project and much love has been poured into this guide, and we hope this has helped you in some way or another. If you have any questions regarding roleplays, feel free to reach out to any Roleplay Mod or post in the Roleplay Lounge. If there's information that's lacking, it will be added to this guide with a note thanking you for asking it.

If you are interested in exploring even more information about roleplays, head on over to the Roleplay Information Hub, a list of all articles written by RP Crew or approved by RP Crew about everything Roleplay.