Tutorials

What is roleplay? How do I roleplay? That is a hard question to answer, as roleplaying means different things to different people. For some it's a hobby. For others it is an…

Literate, semi-literate and one-liner roleplay describe how long and detailed each reply is: one-liners are a sentence or two, semi-literate a paragraph, and literate several full…

Most roleplay is written in third person past tense, because it reads like a novel and keeps two writers' replies consistent, but first person and present tense both work if…

In the roleplay world, there are generally three types of roleplayers. ♦ The Trolls ♦ The Hobbyists ♦ The Professionals Now, the trolls aren't really important. These aren't…

In roleplay, you will commonly find people stating that they are epic, or multi-para. Many say they don't work with one-liners. But for some of us starting out, we have zero idea…

RoleplayLives caters to writers of all styles and experience. Due to this, there are many terms and descriptions that some aren't sure of, or don't know how to use. The RPL…

Roleplay genres describe the kind of story you want to tell: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, romance, mystery, historical, modern and more. Naming your genres helps partners with the…

In roleplay, a fandom is the book, show, film, game or other source your characters come from. Fandom roleplay means writing canon characters, or original characters set in that…

Content ratings tell readers how intense a piece of writing is before they open it, from wholesome and all-ages to explicit or dark. Rating your posts and stories lets people…

From Status Post 609808 by RPL Crew - 2022-11-16 21:57:39 Repost of some info we hope is helpful: CHARACTER TYPE DEFINITIONS Strictly Canon means your character was created by…

To ensure that each of my posts is consistent, as good as I can make it, and relevant to the roleplay, I use the following checklist for each and every reply and starter I post.…

Discord roleplay is fast, social and great for real-time scenes; site-based roleplay keeps threads, profiles and history organised for slower, story-driven writing. Many…

If you're looking for a Tumblr roleplay alternative, look for a place with character profiles, a dashboard of your partners' writing, threads that stay findable, and clear rules…

If you're leaving Facebook roleplay, look for a home where characters can have their own profiles without breaking the rules, threads stay in order, and your writing can't vanish…

If you're leaving Twitter or X roleplay, look for a home with room for longer replies, character profiles that won't be suspended, threads that stay readable, and a feed that…

If you're leaving Jcink or forum-based roleplay, look for a home that keeps what forums do well, like organised threads and rich character profiles, without the dependence on one…

Every character, canon or otherwise, can benefit from having a bio on their info page. It's totally optional, but it tends to be one of the first things people look at on the site…

Here are three free character bio and character sheet templates you can copy and paste into your RPL profile: a simple bio, a fantasy character sheet, and a modern profile card.…

Character alignment is a quick way to describe a character's moral compass on two scales: lawful to chaotic (how they feel about rules) and good to evil (how they treat other…

A character's relationship status tells partners where they stand romantically right now, from Single or Married to Pining, Wary Truce or Mutually Assured Destruction, and hints…

Shipping means wanting two (or more) characters to be in a relationship. In roleplay, a character's shipping preference tells partners whether they're open to romance, with how…

Don’t Be A Dick, Even If Your Character Is It’s alright to create an unlikable character. It’s alright for your character to be evil and to do terrible things. It’s alright for…

A Mary Sue is a character the story bends around: everyone loves them, they're good at everything, and their flaws never cost them anything. This test helps you spot the signs in…

Do you ever find yourself staring at a blank page and wondering what comes next? Even if you’ve done your plotting well and are following the plot outline, sometimes things can…

Roleplay is a unique form of storytelling: equal parts improv, collaboration, and long-form character study. And if you’ve ever wanted your character to truly grow over time,…

A faceclaim is the real actor, model or artwork a roleplayer uses to show what their character looks like. It gives partners a face to picture, without anyone claiming the…

Let’s be honest: it’s easy to start with a vibe. You find that one perfect faceclaim. Or maybe it’s a Pinterest board, a moodboard aesthetic, a playlist that screams “them.” You…

Kindly contributed by Helel Venus A Field Guide To Unpleasant Characters The terms "asshole" and "evil" are subjective and can be interpreted differently by those writing and…

To roleplay a canon character well, study how they talk, what they want and how they react under pressure in the source, then write those patterns into new situations without…

To make characters sound different, give each one their own vocabulary, sentence rhythm, topics and habits of avoidance, so a reader could tell who's speaking even without the…

To write a convincing non-human character, decide what their body and biology change about daily life, how they see the world differently from humans, and what rules and limits…

We've all seem them. Maybe wanted to write with them, but weren't quite sure how to approach them. Some of us even have an account or two that falls under the category. The…

When people hear that I help run RPL as well as write 18 characters in addition to real life hassles, they tend to back away slowly. I'm not sure if they're waiting for my…

**So let me point out every pregnancy is different and unique. However if you're interested in ever writing, with some detail on writing a fairly normal and uneventful pregnancy…

How to create the best plot for your roleplay (also known as: the difference between setting and plot) Plot seems to be something I get asked about quite a bit lately, it’s also…

Worldbuilding for roleplay means creating a setting two or more writers can share: a short setting bible with the rules, places and conflicts partners need, rather than an…

The biggest part of roleplaying is the creation of storylines, or character arcs that revolve around multiple posts to form a complete story. Many people start out with an idea…

6 Fatal Mistakes Commonly Made in RP Plots 1. Blowing The Load You heard me! So many great plots get rushed through. A story that could have beautifully, slowly developed over…

Conflict and Tension – The Spice of Story Writing ”The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.” - Oscar Wilde Tension and conflict are known as the catalysts of the story. A…

Most RP threads follow a straight line: A happens, then B, then C. And hey, there's nothing wrong with that. But sometimes, a story needs something more flexible, more cinematic,…

The starter of an RP can arguably be the most important part. With this brief guide, hopefully you will feel confident writing them to share with others and they will provide a…

We’ve all stared at the blinking cursor, wondering how to kick off a thread in a way that feels compelling, not clunky. Should you start with three paragraphs of backstory? Drop…

Relationships, especially in beginner writer’s works, have a tendency to feel forced. Even in some popular and famous works of fiction, the relationship doesn’t feel natural. It…

A slow burn romance builds attraction gradually, through small moments and real obstacles, so the payoff feels earned. In roleplay, it works when both partners agree on the pace…

Polyamory/Polyamorous/Multiship. Tags: roleplay, guide, tips, advice, polyamorous, multiship, multishipping, roleplay relationships, ships The state of having multiple sexually or…

Group roleplay works when everyone knows the turn order, each character has a reason to be in the scene, and one person keeps the plot moving. Without those, the loudest writers…

Roleplay Guide to Fighting: Overview This is going to be a bit more of an overview on fighting in roleplaying, rather than getting into the actual technical details of a fight. I…

We’ve all seen it: a character who dodges every hit, always wins, always knows the answer, always gets the last word. And even if they’re cool on paper, writing with them? Not so…

I know you've seen it. People throw it out in their rules, make surprisingly passive aggressive statuses about it, flat out come into your inbox ranting about how either you or…

We’ve all been there—writing a scene where a character is heartbroken, furious, or completely overwhelmed… and it falls flat. You said they were sad. You typed the word angrily .…

Writers often hear the advice "show, don't tell" to craft stories with real impact that make the reader feel like they're a real part of the story. While it's a common adage, not…

Ever read a post that felt like a movie playing in your head? Like you could hear the boots on gravel, smell the firewood crackling, or feel the tension in the air? That’s sensory…

A lot of fiction writing teachers, gurus, coaches, or whatever they’re calling themselves these days will tell you to avoid using adverbs outside of dialog. They especially hate…

The original post below from Tumblr was intended with regard to writing fanfics, but applies equally to roleplay (or any) writing. I am occasionally guilty of this, so I will be…

Is it your dream, your fantasy to write a bestseller? Do you have a book in your head, but 'said' gets in the way? Books are what drive most authors forward, words are what drive…

Sometimes the right word is hard to find, or a word can inspire a whole scene. This was scavenged from Tumblr years ago, original link no longer available, sorry. Some words to…

Most of us aren't writing novels in our roleplays hoping to be published but that doesn't mean punctuation isn't important. Correct punctation makes your work easier to read and…

Quotations can bring your writing to life―the reader imagines someone saying the words―but quotations are also vexing to format. Not only do you have to follow different rules…

We are here today, boys and girls, to talk about sex. First off, tell that inner voice that just went "Oh god" to go get a cookie and shut up. Sex is a natural, amazing thing.…

To find a roleplay partner, you need three things: a place where writers like you already are, a clear request that says what you want, and the patience to try a few short threads…

Every RP site has rules and common practices. This is not a set of laws, but rather a guideline to be applied at your discretion. Taking Turns Usually an RP will have an…

To end a roleplay politely, tell your partner out of character, keep it short and kind, and offer a way to close the story if you both want one. Silence feels worse to most…

Consent is an important concept in roleplay — it refers to the control you have over your own and other roleplayer's characters. Breaking the consent level for a particular…

There are just some things that drive people nuts in roleplay. Everybody has pet peeves, those little behaviors that happen over and over again that just drive us nuts. Here are…

Bad behavior. Whining. Passive-Aggressive posts. Attention Seeking. Flooding the feeds. Whatever you want to call it, we've all seen it. Perhaps we're even guilty of it ourselves,…

Topics: blog, tags, topics, site info, meta, ooc, educational, triggers, subject matter, tutorial, how-to UPDATE: "Blogs" are now called "Stories" on RPL. Recently, RPL announced…

Rejection. It stings, and makes a lot of us wonder what we did wrong. Our first instinct is to lash out, to demand to know what happened so we can fight against it, offer an…

Promoting yourself and your work is one of the most difficult, but most rewarding parts of roleplaying. After all, without writing partners and readers, where would we be? Step 1:…

When Requesting Help With A Site Issue Please help us to help you most efficiently by including the following information on help requests: 1. Which account is affected? You…

Need a roleplay prompt? Here are 60 starter ideas sorted by genre: fantasy, romance, horror, sci-fi, mystery and modern AU, each built around a problem two characters have to deal…

Trope prompts give you a familiar story shape to play with. Here are starter ideas for enemies to lovers, slow burn, found family, fake dating and more, plus how to keep a trope…

When a roleplay stalls, a plot twist can restart it: a new problem, a revealed secret, or an outside threat that forces the characters to act. Here are 30 twist ideas, and how to…

Need a new character? Here are 50 character concepts in three sentences each, across fantasy, sci-fi, horror, romance, mystery, historical and modern settings: who they are, what…

Tips for Dealing with RP Writer’s Block I find for me there are three main causes for having difficulty writing. I won’t even call it writer’s “block” because that implies being…

Most writers at some point experience writers block. It can happen to the best of us, and can strike at any time. Usually, we have no idea why we suddenly can't think of where to…

"If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write". - Stephen King I firmly believe this is true. ~*~ Before I start, I'm not for a minute…

Admin Preamble So many questions have been asked lately about how to find and cite sources, we thought it was about time RPL provided some resources on how to do that. Below is a…

Roleplaying is storytelling. In Scandinavian and Icelandic history, Skálds were court poets and storytellers. They were pretty much the equivalent of bards. This was a very…