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Plotting, Writing, Both?


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I was chatting with a friend recently and we were discussing how some of our RP buddies like plotting/thinking/planning more than writing, while others like to write, but maybe don't like to talk about plots or character secrets before they are about to happen...

 

Do you like to plot more than write? Write more than plot? Both? Neither?

 

I definitely lean towards writing more than plotting, but in depth plotting and hypotheticals can keep my attention if a story is on hold for some reason.

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I'm fond of both planning and writing. Plotting's the bone, and the actual roleplay is the flesh.

 

I can get stuck on the bones at points, but both together tend to make way for the most entertaining for me.

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I love both. 

 

I enjoy chatting about my characters. Head canons (hence forth known as fuzzy sweaters), random plot ideas, and of course, writing them! I feel the chatting and plotting helps generate excitement and interest, which usually leads to words. But even if it doesn’t lead to words, it leads to a sense of community and collaberation.

 

I am happy to write with people who don’t like to play the game of fuzzy sweaters or do lots of plotting too. Because words. But a really involved rp partner will get me every time. Be it one who responds quickly or one who is always in my ear with fuzzy sweaters and ideas.

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I'm the type of person who is fine with jumping into things without a real plot much of the time. sometimes that's because I keep my plans for threads to myself rather than not knowing where I might be taking the threads. when I do plot I like to focus on the things I'd need to know to get the thread to work; who's involved; where do they start; what are their goals; what are the goals for the thread; that's all I need or want in most cases for a nice dynamic story to start.

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I like a skeleton plot that is welcome/open to change as we actually write. I don't like super rigid plots that are written out point for point--that takes the fun out of the actual RPing for me. I RP because I don't have everything mapped out the way I do in personal writing. So I'd rather be surprised by what comes next. It's kinda like my soap opera. Except I'm in control of some of the characters and get to throw all kinds of problems into their lives and see how they get out of it.

 

Sometimes there is an "endgame" idea to get somebody killed, for example. But it's a ride to get there, and that's the part I really enjoy. 

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11 hours ago, Somniac said:

I'm fond of both planning and writing. Plotting's the bone, and the actual roleplay is the flesh.

 

I can get stuck on the bones at points, but both together tend to make way for the most entertaining for me.

Both for me too. i am a planner, so we plan and brainstorm together and we make the story happen together.

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Both!

 

I like to plan out some long-term, loosely structured story arcs for my characters. I like to have goals that I can break down into smaller thread ideas so that a larger plot has interaction points between my characters and other players' characters. Those threads, though? Sometimes stuff totally unplanned happens, and that's fabulous.

 

Subplots can be a lot of fun, and I often don't bother writing or discussing those. I just like to roll with things if they come up.

 

Other times, I'm happy to just pick a situation and see where it goes with my writing buddies. Sometimes, just letting your characters free produces some really good, really crazy stuff.

 

All of it. I like all of it. Just give me words! 🙂

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I like both. Really, it depends on where my health's at a lot of the time? Cause if I'm not feeling well for whatever reason, plotting and talking about headcanons is a way lighter mental load for me. And if I'm on top of things and have both the time and desire to write, then I'll be able to bang out a solid post in a matter of minutes and that's when spending half an hour or more to talk out a plot seems to be too long. 

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I treasure a community that is capable of writing with anyone, even if some of those people are the quiet sorts. That doesn't mean I expect a community to write with someone who doesn't put up an open, doesn't answer plotters, put up their own plotter, or otherwise doesn't engage at all. Just that they're as happy and as enthusiastic to write with someone who isn't socially active.

 

I like plotting. I can do what ifs. But the interaction is draining so ideally, I'd be writing with people who are capable of staying engaged and enthusiastic without regular DMs.

 

So in short, I like both, but I'd rather be writing and frequently, I'm just not chatty.

 

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I don't like long-term plotting, because something will go wrong and I will inevitably be disappointed. Even when everything follows through, there'll always be some snag that holds that plot up for months. I like to talk to people and see how our characters would meet (or already know each other) and then see how that relationship developed through writing. This is especially true in the semi-rare occasion that I do ships; I don't like forcing people together when they have zero IC chemistry.

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Both!

 

I like and need both in order to really enjoy the writing. How detailed the plot is depends on my writing partner(s). If the Storyteller is really good and proactive with leading the scene, then a bare bones synopsis is fine. If the Storyteller seems to be flailing, I'll suggest they provide us with brief plot points and let us determine how they are accomplished and by who via the writing.

 

The key for me is being flexible so I can mesh with the other writers. 

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I don't really like plotting all that much, for several reasons:

 

a.) I don't want to get excited about something only to have the player poof or lose interest, because man that sucks.

b.) I don't want to commit to something or make promises, and vice versa, when I never know how my character will actually respond until I'm writing their post. I can tell you how my character MIGHT respond to X scenario. I can tell you what is LIKELY, if X, Y, and Z happen. But I can't guarantee it because there are so many factors and nuances that are involved.

c.) I like surprises and spontaneity. Don't show me all your cards because I like things to be secret and a surprise! If your character is plotting to fuck mine over, don't tell me!! I freakin' love the rush of having stuff sprung on me. It's like reading a book and having some shocking new development pop up. Love that shit! I hate spoilers! D8 Likewise, I don't want to show my hand. I like my secrets. And I like dropping them where it's impactful. 8D

d.) ...I want to actually WRITE THIS SHIT. All this time we're spending talking plot? Could be time spent MAKING IT HAPPEN. Sooo many times it seems like people are more excited about the act of plotting, the act of brainstorming and daydreaming, rather than the actual posting, and I'm just not about that scene.

e.) It's honestly kind of draining? I don't really enjoy playing with people that NEED constant plot talk to stay engaged. I just want to post and see where the plot goes. When people need constant engagement with OOC plot discussions it just exhausts me. A check in here and there when you're not sure what to do? A sudden light bulb moment of "WHAT IF THIS THING HAPPENED???" That's all cool and different. But constant spitballing and analyzing every interaction 24/7 is just... =__= is so tiring for me. I can't keep up with that.

 

That said, there are of course exceptions. I'll totally plot until the cows come home when it comes to my long-time buddies, because they've proven themselves and we know how we all tick. I know they're not all plot-talk and that they want to write as much as I do. I know we can toss around plots and potentials and that no one will get butthurt if things veer wildly off course because that's just how our characters are. Yet we also know each others' styles well enough to correctly anticipate what will and won't work 99.9999% of the time, so it's a pretty safe bet that things actually will work according to plan, lmao.

 

But at the end of the day, I'm here to write.

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Personally, I'm much more of a go-with-the-flow kind of writer. I like the reactions from my characters to feel very raw with what happened in the post before, so it kind of writes itself. However, having a baseline idea does help greatly with where we eventually want to go with a pairing or group of characters! 

 

Some people I write with do truly enjoy planning everything to the last minute detail as well though! I'm happy to do whatever xD #solaidback

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I like both. 

 

Plotting is good to establish backstory and learn some of the fellow rpers rp limits, etc. 

 

Although I mainly want to RP it out to see it in motion because there is a chance that I will eventually forget about it and I want to have a source to look back on. 

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I like having a very small amount of general direction and then jumping right into the action. I've had partners who spent so much time plotting we both eventually got bored, so I mostly settle on the general direction of the plot and then we can stop to plot further here and there as needed. It also keeps us from getting frustrated with plotting too far ahead and having the things we were anticipating not happen.

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