Membership Character journals, letters, diaries

[Elena 546]

How do you use journals and why do you think them useful?

Do you think they are a place for only random thoughts, fun stuff and things that do not tie in with the storyline, or a place to enhance the storyline from the personal perspective of said character, to build on it, to bridge gaps and to tie loose ends?

I think they can be used creatively for lots of things. I have bridged gaps, tied loose ends, showing things which were partially written in the storyline, and partially implied only, deepened stories by showing a character's (flawed, but meaningful) perspective, foreshadowed some things by setting the ground in the information comprised in the journal, which would become important/ more interesting later on, tying with events which haven't happened yet.

In one case, the journals were a sideplot of the story - if the main story was action-focused, the love story was reflected by journals only (with intentions to further become half journals, half letters, but those were to be reflected also in the journal thread). His point of view vs hers. And it worked perfectly.

Looking forward to hearing your creative experience with journals, diaries, letters!

[Jaxx 317]

I use one shots more than journals for my characters, but to the same basic effect that you described above. I've never really been as comfortable writing in first person, for one thing. And none of mine have actually been the type to sit down and write about what they're feeling. But I can easily write a few paragraphs of their thought process in third person. What they think or worry will happen next, whether or not they might be angry at someone for a slight and how they want to handle it, weighing the pros and cons of doing something.

 

When some sort of serious incident happens in my character's life, after the thread's wrapped, I tend to do a one-shot before I jump into the thread following that incident. It makes me stop and really think about how they feel about what happened, and get into their mindset at the time. So then when I end up writing whatever's following, it usually happens some days or weeks down the road ingame anyway, and it feels less like I'm skipping over all the time in between. 

[Icewolf 258]

I think they're good for writers in quiet moments of the site, when there's not a lot going on there's still something you can do. I suppose if a writer leaves, or can't finish a thread, a journal is a good way to wrap that thread up so that it has a conclusion, rather than just being left hanging in the air. One of my characters is a nature nut and I'm doing a medieval type bestiary for her with animals that she's 'drawn' (it's really my drawings, but I hope to show case them on the site when I finally get a scanner.) I suppose they can be used to explore aspects of the character that you don't get a chance to in normal threads and if you're having trouble with motivation or coming up with ideas they are a good way of getting over that and becoming creative again. You could also have a general story/fan fic section on your site so folks can post their writings when they can't rp but still want to write.

[Sage 289]

I love reading character journals. I've only used them myself once or twice - to expand upon a thread that's been finished, to bridge gaps in the story, or just reflect on events that have happened. The only time I felt really productive using one though was to document my character's descent into becoming a true villain. Because you could see it through his actions in threads, but the journal really gave it that inner monologue and how he was rationalizing everything he was doing. It was great fun.

 

But reading other characters' thoughts outside of a thread, watching them pull apart events and hyperfocus on the things they find important is fascinating to me. They're just so personal. When I look at other sites, if there are character journals somewhere, I'm taking a peek (and probably brewing myself some tea and grabbing a blanket). @Elena you can bet I've already been in all the journals of the sites in your signature xD

[Meushell 18]

Not really a journal, but I do like having a thread in that area where I delve into my character’s history. 

[CovertSphinx 710]

I've never done an actual JOURNAL for my characters, but I've done other IC written work as little side-flavors for the RP setting. 

 

My current project, when I have enough time to sit and get it done, is to start writing up actual Homilies for my catholic priest character (he's an exorcist)  - which I would like to thematically tie in "accidentally" to the larger plots going on.