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A Word is Worth a 1000 Pictures

© Sandy Brundage

Roleplaying online, the way you use words affects your gaming experience. Every pose, each description, creates the atmosphere of the game. Other players may seek you out for RP if you can turn a snazzy phrase. Or you may find yourself snubbed, if your poses are a lengty tangle of gibberish. So here are a few guidelines to writing well, RP style:

First: pay attention to the mechanics. What does this mean? Spelling. SPELLING. S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G. Find a dictionary. Use it : ) And be careful with your phrasing... ŒTate¹s eyes follow the girl to the door.¹ Poor Tate; it must be hard having disembodied eyes. If his gaze could follow, how much simpler life would be.

Second: saying a lot with a little. Spammy descriptions (i.e. those that scroll the screen) are tiresome, no matter how beautifully written. Ten to twelve lines in two paragraphs can paint a crisp picture as long as the words are well chosen. The same caring selection helps avoid adverb overload, too, by combining two words into one, as with Œwalks swiftly¹ and Œhurries¹.

Third: this almost sounds like a contradiction of #2, but the key is which words are used. Detail brings a paragraph to life. Address all the senses. Use words that are exactly what you mean. It¹s the difference between Œsat¹ and Œslouched¹, Œcrimson¹ and Œred¹, Œmumble¹ and Œsay¹.-- vary the rhythm

Fourth: Realize that not everyone will perceive your character the same way. So don¹t tell them how they view the PC. A Œdesirable woman¹ to one is hideous to another.

Fifth: While RPing, vary the rhythm of your poses. If there¹s been a steady torrent of longlonglong poses, toss in a few short ones to give yourself and others a break. And vice versa.

Sixth: Fallen into a rut with your descriptions? Shake up your stock phrases with some offline inspiration. I like to read Pat Conroy, Anne Rice, Caitlin Kiernan, among others, for their offbeat, beautiful descriptions.

** SURVEY **

Here we go again : ) Stubborn, aren¹t I. Post your replies using the discussion groups here, or email me. Please take the time to answer; your feedback is the only way this column can get better. Thanks, and RP On!

1. What types of RP games do you play?

2. What's your best RP experience? Your worst? Funniest?

3. What would you like to see in this column?

4. What's your background as far as running a game?

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