-Provided and written by Andrew/Rev
Moniker: Reverend Shadow
Edited by Jeff

Alright, after look at some rps and noticing some trends and same problems, I want to just go over things once in here. This way you all know what to be trying to aim for, that way I don't have to repeat myself on every rps I read lol. I'm going to cover a lot of material here but in the end I hope it helps people who want to become top superstars here. I'm not exactly cream of the crop but I have worked hard and excelled in one year what takes some people 5. I will still read and comment but this way I don't have to go over things in detail. So here we go.

Helpful Tips for Roleplaying

The most common mistake in Roleplaying for people starting off is of course the in ring promo. Though I would say never use this, if you plan to, do it only for and introduction rp and nothing more. The reason is because its boring, yea wrestlers do it in the real world but this is an efed, so have some fun with your setting.

Description is a variable thing, there are three types and all are great to use depending on the type of rps you are doing. I will name them off, explain them and later on when I talk about rp types, I will tell you which is best for which.

Third Person Narrative:
This one is the most common in rping, thought not my personal favorite, it is best for new people to the game. Here's an example:

Edge walked up the ring steps and into the ring.

That's basically what it is; now the key to this is how much detail you get into with it. Third person description is mostly about the detail. It’s the ability not to say too much but not to say too little either. For example a better version of what I just did would be:

Edge energetically ran down to the ring. He the slid in as pyro went off and the crowd began to cheer.

See the difference? I know this one is pretty much a duh for most of you but I just want to go over it for reason of new people. So yea, this is pretty much a common known thing and I think I can leave it at this and you all understand.

First Person Narrative:
Second most common and my personal favorite, this type of rping allows you to get into the head of your wrestler. In this way it allows a lot more to be said about a match without actually saying a word. Example:

I look at him scarcely for I fear what he thinks about how I feel. I know my match is coming up and I should be worried about it but I can't seem to get over this.

Now, though this maybe a great way of rping, it’s most difficult to master in my eyes. You have to be able to speak about scenery enough that people don't say anything, but the key is using it to convey about the match and feeling about what's going on. You also have to keep in mind it in your wrestlers head, so he may say things to a person that are a bit alike what he just thought about. Example:

I can’t believe he would do that to me, he doesn't think I am good enough to take out my opponent this week.

Edge: Why don't you think I can do it?

See in that he thought about it and then spoke about it. It’s all matter of time but once you get use to this it can be your best friend. Like I said it is a personal favorite of mine and I recommend it above Third Person Narrative most of the time.

Second Person Narrative:
This one holds the same values as First person Narrative, the only difference is a person is looking at your character. It’s like let’s say you did an rp with your mother as a main side character and you wanted the entire rp to be through her eyes as he talked to her son/daughter.

Example:

I can't believe he would get involved into this terrible sport. He could seriously injured and then what would he do. He could be crippled, I can’t let him go through with this, but how I can I stop him.

Mother: Why are you doing this, you could be hurt.

Edge: I'm sorry mother but I have to do this, it is my fate.

That's pretty much all there is to Second Person Narrative, I personally think it’s very interesting and only use it from time to time as a source of intrigue. I think it’s to interesting of a perspective to burn it out in every rp. Now with that being said, there is a situation that I would say its best in but I will get to that later. This one is a second favorite of mine.

Description
In essence description is a key to rping, and no matter which element of it you choose to use, you have to master it and make it so the reader isn't bored and enough so that it keeps them reading.
 

Types of Roleplaying

Types of Roleplaying are the next thing I want to cover. There are two types of Roleplaying. I can to cover the pros and cons of each and how I feel about both. The two types are Monologue and Story Telling.

Monologue: This is best for new people to rping; it’s a pretty simple concept. All it basically is is description and talking about your match and yourself. I mean just think of Triple H coming to the ring and talking smack and you have got the general gist of what this is.

This type of rping works best with Third person description. Here is a minute example as to what this is:

Example:

Edge comes down to the ring and the fans cheer. He grabs a mic and begins to yell with much enthusiasm.

Edge: I plan to take down John Cena this week; he hasn’t got anything on me.

That’s pretty much is what it is, only with more description and more speech. This is probably the best way to cover everything about your match and your opponent. That’s why it is best for those new to rping.

The main key to a Monologue is the setting and interaction with your environment. For instance instead of doing an in rind rp, you could do an rp out at a park or in a basement. Then if you’re in a park, in your description you should probably having you walking around and doing things that you would do at a park, while you’re talking about your match and such.

The problem with Monologues is they are boring. They have little substance past a bland setting and little emotion. It doesn't feel real, it feels fake. That is why for an rper who wants to grow and who has been around for awhile usually switches to story telling.

Story Telling: My personal favorite, and the most used by veterans and great rpers. This takes some time to master and some talent to use. Basically the general idea to it is to tell a consistent story over a period of time. All the while making sure that wrestling comes up in your life. You want to also use dialogue quite a bit to talk about your match. This is where it takes talent; you have to have conversations with someone while also relating it to wrestling and such.

Now though you could use all three types of description with this, the best is first person depending on your circumstances. Most of the time you want to use first person b/c is allows you to think about your match even if you having a conversation about little to nothing that pertains to it.

Second person can be used here and there though, if you have a consistent manager or person in your rps that you will have in every rp. I might say for intrigue purposes, use Second person. That way every rp could be through their eyes. But that would be the only time I would recommend repetitive use of this.

That is the best idea of story telling I can give you. It’s pretty much a learned, thing, you read others rps and it just kind of rubs off on you. So I would say if you are looking to get into this type of rping, read others that use it.

Formatting: Formatting is never necessary and can be done in so many different ways that I could not even begin to contemplate them all. It's pretty much being able to control how the rp will be written while still having a lot of creative aspect to it. I mean I will give a few examples I have seen but it is really up to your imagination and your characters gimmick/persona.

Example 1:

Monologue thoughts
Rp
Monologue after thoughts

Example 2:

Journal Entry
Rp

Example 3:

Bible Verse
Rp
(Sermon...this is one of my formats I used for my Reverend character)

Those are three examples, I mean you could do one where you right on a third person description setting before starting the rp. Though I don't recommend it I have used it and have seen it. There is all sorts of things you can do and when you find one that works and keep using it, it becomes like a trademark thing to your rp's and gives you a certain style. That's all formats are, they are used by people who have been rping for awhile usually. I think they are great and add a sort of originality to your rps. They are not needed but do exist.

Going Deeper

Now that I have covered pretty much the basics of a growing rper, this next section is how to develop ones personality. So this will help those you have been having problems with character personality and story telling if they are just starting it.

Defining Your Characters Past - Basically this is just like it says. when your first sign up in your bio it says characters biography or w/e. Basically you want to say how your character came to be, his life before this and why he finds himself here now. This is also a good catalyst for story telling rps and such things of that nature. So whether you character is just here to beat ass, or has a personally dilemma he is dealing with and using wrestling as a vent. You should use that part of your bio to tell of how he came to be in detail that way it is known and you don’t have to worry about it later.

Gimmicks - Though a gimmick does not make the character by any means, it can still have an effect on him or her. You don’t have to be original, though that can help. And for the most part you can be gimmick less and still be a great character and rper, ill explain more on that in a bit. Basically when picking this I would suggest pick something you can relate to and would enjoy using.

Personality - Now here is a key to all of the best rpers. What truly makes them great is their ability to become one with their character. Don't laugh because I'm not joking, you can ask any of the veterans, they know what I am saying.

Achieving Realism

When you first start out you’re probably just going to be rping and not really feeling it. As time goes on and if you have taken steps to want to be better and develop, your character will eventually take on attributes of yours. He will become a piece of you. It's sort of like when you rp, you really are him and he really is you for that moment and that's how people achieve true realism.

So here's what I would do, I would say to people who haven't achieved this yet, you must get in tune with what you want your character to be like. He should take on your personality to some extent and he should also have a bit of something this is his own. For instance, I use Reverend Shadow, now I am a born again Christian and I know the bible and Reverends personality in a lot of ways coincides with mine. The way he talks and presents himself and these thoughts and some aspects of his life are of my own. Now with that being said, his dementia and certain aspects of how he perceives things and his life are mere fiction, which they should be.

No matter what you must become one with your character or else you will never truly get better. Some people like myself, they have had a character for awhile and over time he has changed in personality and thoughts towards things. That's because people evolve and change perceptions and since your character coincides with you, they will as well. Most people will use the first character they have throughout there entire career, with little diff. character here and there but they will always have that one. Whether he or she changes names, changes styles, evolves and becomes something completely diff. you will kind of always know where they originated.

Basically once you have found your niche, you will understand this completely.