Jump to content

Tying up loose ends


Kazetatsu
 Share

Recommended Posts

so you all probably know that situation when you have a plot you're excited about that falls out, whether because of a partner flaking, life, or something else. I've heard it said here quite often that plots shouldn't rely too heavily on one person especially the site-wide ones, but I'm wondering more about how you tie up the lose ends and move on, especially with the more personal stories you want to tell after you and your partner have gotten so involved that its hard to find an alternative for that other particular character? It could be because of the nature of the relationship being hard to replicate/replace, something unique about the other character, or just the nature of the spot where the plot stopped moving making it hard to get out of with just anyone, just for a few general examples.

 

I often use bridging solo threads to close things, npcing a character that gets mine out, or creating a situation that gives them the time to reconcile the 'lack of availability' of the person they were relying on, but that hasn't worked for every situation.

 

So what do you all do to keep your stories moving in such situations?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It very much depends. If I'm not attached to the character in question, I'll drop them by wrapping up their plot, often by having them move away for whatever reason - work, they have something to hide, they moved away with their lover, or what have you (I avoid killing off characters unless their death would enhance someone's plot).

 

If I'm attached to the character, I'll introduce an NPC, give my character a reason to be away for a while (and often come back with something changed for new plots), or wait for the next time skip and make some nice change, like a new profession, adopting a pet or getting into something that opens them up for wider plotting opportunities. 

 

If I have created the character for that plot, I'll just ask for it to be archived, though.

  • Agree 1

Shady McShaderson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get a NPC or another character to help, then maybe journal posts telling from my character's perspective how the story continued/ ended.

 

In some cases, with the permission of the person who left, I adopted the character (or, if it was MY wanted ad, I put it for adoption again).

 

But, in a way or another, I always tie up loose ends. I pride myself in always finishing what I start, and I am into writing for the sake of the story, so for me the story comes first. I am writing because I have a story to tell.

Edited by Elena
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had two major loose ends happen to 2 of my earliest (and most loved) characters on my site. Both were created FOR another player, who ended up leaving the site.

 

For one of the characters, his plot hadn't gone far enough for it to be too much of a problem, and I simply re-wrote him so that the other player's character wasn't involved anymore. It involved re-submitting his application, because the other character was part of his history. But ultimately, I just retconned it all to never have happened. 

 

For my other character, it was a bit more complicated. Not only was this character rolled with and for another, the other character was a massive part of his life. Like "I owe him a life debt" kind of important.  Luckily, the player left during a major board event, and I had the player's permission off-site to say that their character 'disappeared' during the event. My character ended up moving away, and I thought I would never play him again. But, I ended up missing plots with other people I had with him. So I worked everything into his character, and now he has a whole new level of drama to him that is fun to play out with people who knew him before, and people who didn't. 

Edited by Bro
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I once had my character take everything literally; everyone in his life left (the site) eventually. He developed mental health issues. Don't do that. 

 

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Do characters eat, sleep, and poop if we don't write it? I believe they do. And I believe that's one of our best leverages to tying things up, especially since it doesn't rely on anyone. 

 

I've also met players where they are waiting for that one special person to come and delicately take their NPC and fill the hole in their heart. Don't do that either. If you're that hurt, no one can fill it because the hurt is yourself. If you just happen to find that person, go for it - but don't advertise it because people will think that they're helping you by playing the character when really they aren't helping at all. 

 

 

  • Like 1

zootopia.gif

A relaxed, dark and gritty roleplay based on Disney's Zootopia. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, xexes said:

I once had my character take everything literally; everyone in his life left (the site) eventually. He developed mental health issues. Don't do that. 

 

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Do characters eat, sleep, and poop if we don't write it? I believe they do. And I believe that's one of our best leverages to tying things up, especially since it doesn't rely on anyone. 

 

I've also met players where they are waiting for that one special person to come and delicately take their NPC and fill the hole in their heart. Don't do that either. If you're that hurt, no one can fill it because the hurt is yourself. If you just happen to find that person, go for it - but don't advertise it because people will think that they're helping you by playing the character when really they aren't helping at all. 

 

 

 

This is all a matter of perspective (isn't it always? lol). There's nothing wrong with a character developing a mental health issue if the player is down for it and respectful about it. It happens every. single. day around the world, why wouldn't it happen to a character? It goes a little farther beyond eating, sleeping and shitting. The second... I've done more times than I can count and hey! Every single one of them worked out beautifully. Got a werewolf that was in Vietnam, has severe PTSD and very nearly killed the woman he loved at a painful and unsteady time in his life (she was an NPC from his past) and now he's happily and unexpectedly married to a woman who knocks his socks off because the player of the woman he had instant chemistry with before his marriage and was supposed to fill this role left the site. I wanted to fill his void with someone who could love and cherish him. If it will work for the player and for the character there is absolutely no reason not to do it.

 

Sometimes filling that "void" is the best possible solution in a situation like this. It gives the person at the end of it a feeling of "well this character is worth something" and by extension themselves.  Or if we want to get into the character's head, having someone fill a void that was suddenly and painfully created is actually the very way you want to go especially those characters who feel that they are worthless or unloveable because that important person in their lives left them. It creates a traumatic experience that only love and void filling will alleviate, not allowing it to happen kind of doesn't allow for any kind of growth for the character at all. Don't discount these types of character growth devices, they may be the best way to tie up loose ends. 

 

I do like Elena's suggestions also. 

 

On 8/28/2018 at 10:47 AM, Elena said:

I get a NPC or another character to help, then maybe journal posts telling from my character's perspective how the story continued/ ended.

 

In some cases, with the permission of the person who left, I adopted the character (or, if it was MY wanted ad, I put it for adoption again).

 

But, in a way or another, I always tie up loose ends. I pride myself in always finishing what I start, and I am into writing for the sake of the story, so for me the story comes first. I am writing because I have a story to tell.

 

Particularly utilizing an NPC to help end the story. I've never done journals from a character perspective (there's that pesky word again xD) on how the plot or relationship ended and it might be something I look into next time it happens to me. 

 

 

 

Edited by jenneral_jennson
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have definitely had characters break down over losing others in their lives. It wasn't something I aimed for or expected, simply the character didn't know how to cope with the sudden disappearances, and it happened too often for her to come up with her own resolution or form new bonds. Now she has attachment issues and pushes people away so as to not suffer more losses.  No character actually wants to break of course, but I'd find it less true to them to force them to react in a way that goes against their emotional intelligence and thought style. 

 

my broken characters aren't the ones who are stuck this time though. My recent ones are more in the indentured servant or slave situation. Their lives are largely accountable to another player's characters due to things that happened earlier in their stories. They owe a debt and leaving it unpaid or acting like it isn't there couldn't happen. My best bet for that situation would probably be to create a fake order from their masters, or give them an overriding task of some sort to allow them to pursue more than the assumed basics of life. This is difficult because my partners express interest in coming back into the stories and I don't wish to stray so far that my characters are written out of the plots by my own hand. I am balancing wanting closure, so the characters can move on, with knowing the story has a chance to continue as long as I'm in communication with my partners on the matter.

You guys' perspectives has certainly helped me think more about the options though, thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ll usuallg wrap things up in devs - usually through a series of them. They could be journals (I need to do those more often they’re great) or if Ilve got a tech character they might be “YouTube” vlog transcripts, maybe a conversation with a therapist or friend...something personal to the character I can use to tie things up from their POV and move on from. 

 

I like the the idea of disappearances affecting them IC! While I’ve done that to an extant, I’ve never taken it as far as some of you have and I think that’s really interesting!

  • Agree 2

translunary.gif.5374a61b67b4df1af4bb898e0c039553.gif

a dark, urban fantasy;

inspired by sailor moon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I personally love the idea of glossing over a disappearance that is perhaps unexplained but fashioned in a way you feel best fits the other character and the relationship with yours. I like the idea of the departure affecting them IC as well and its not something often to be explored either in a literal sense. 

 

I have in the past started over or dropped the character altogether, however.

signature2small.png.6c6902665e4c91ca15240bd1f4a0bce3.png

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use, Guidelines and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.