an rp guide to making drafts more fun and less stressful
if you’re like me you tend to stockpile replies like you’re preparing for the apocalypse, and there are times when i look at that large number (across multiple blogs whoops) and wonder WHAT THE FUCK HAVE I DONE I WILL NEVER DO ALL OF THESE.
BUT FEAR NOT. i have compiled a list of tips i’ve gathered over my 13+ years of rping that have made chugging out responses as stress free and fun as possible. take them or leave them, i hope you find some use in it!
1. never ever EVER EVER give yourself a “due-date”
DON’T DO IT. PLEASE DON’T. I MEAN IT. you can set a goal, that’s awesome. say, ‘hey! i want to get x amount of drafts done today’, but don’t ever tell yourself you HAVE to. this is a hobby, for FUN. when you go into your drafts with a due-date, you go into your drafts with initial stress and if you don’t meet your self-determined quota you’re going to feel bad and you should never feel bad when you write for fun. when you sit down to do drafts just tell yourself, i’m gonna work on these today and see where i get. as long as the only concrete goal you give yourself is to try, then you’re already on the right track!
2. first thoughts, jot them down!
when you go to draft your posts/like it/save it/whatever you do to keep track of your drafts, you should try to jot down a few “first thoughts” before you do so. this is just something i do personally, it’s always helped me out. when i get a reply from my partner, before i go to draft it, i make some bullet points where i would respond; my muses initial internal reaction, possible dialogue, and my muses initial external response. even if you come back to it a week later and take a gander at the reply in your drafts, you can gloss over what you wrote down to try and bring some inspiration back for the reply. you can change your mind, keep it the same, whatever. it just helps brings you back to how you first responded to the reply and spark some creativity.
3. respond in the order you want to, not the order received
this isn’t a job at the local diner, you don’t have to rotate drafts like FIFO (first in first out.) your reply isn’t going to ‘spoil’ the longer you have it in your drafts. if one draft jumps out at you more than the other, DO THAT ONE. your rp partner will (they should) understand muses can be fickle and you have preferences. when you force yourself to do a draft, it tends to come out less than stellar, or not like you wanted, and you’ll just frustrate yourself further.
4. when you DO decide to sit down and write drafts, get comfy!
listen to music? like white noise? need some generic background noise? put that shit on! even if you’re responding mobile in class (shame on you) or at home naked in your bedroom, try to make yourself as comfortable as possible. me? i prefer silence or soft ambient music in the privacy of my room, but that’s just a preference. i tend to write better when i feel the most comfortable.
5. TALK TO YOUR RP PARTNERS!!!!
trust me i doubt they are going to mind if you head into their im/skype/inbox/whatever and ask questions you have as they come along. if there’s something in their reply you want clarified to help you in yours, ASK! even if there’s no question, i highly encourage you talk to who you’re writing with, especially for longer, more plotted threads; it’s no secret that you tend to write better with people you know/get along with. ask them to chat about their muse in that specific setting, maybe talk over a couple possibilities in the near future, get some inspiration just by chatting. i understand for some of us, talking with others we don’t know is a daunting task, but just try to remember we’re all here for the same reason; we want to write, and have fun, and be creative. the worst thing someone can say to you when you ask for feedback or input is ‘no’, and tbh if they say that then i think you’ve dodged a bullet lmfao
6. PRAISE YOURSELF
for the love of god don’t be ashamed to say HEY I DID ONE DRAFT TODAY GO ME. even if its one out of 100, you still DID IT and that’s AWESOME! the more you congratulate yourself and the more you believe in what you create, the easier creating more will be.
7. don’t be afraid to back out of some things
this one is the hardest for me to follow, because i love everyone i write with and i tend to not want to let go of threads. but if there’s that one draft you constantly look at every time you try to get some done and it just makes you sad because you’re not sure, you’re never sure how to respond, maybe it’s time to move along. that feeling effects your overall mood and tends to make writing for other drafts more difficult. DO NOT FEEL BAD WHEN YOU DO THIS, DON’T YOU DARE. think of it more as…putting it aside for the time being. you can always revisit that particular plot/scenario at a later date, and your rp partner will understand. if they don’t, if they pressure you to keep a draft that only proceeds to upset you when you go into your drafts, you do not need to write with them. repeat after me, my lovely creative nuggets, you do not owe anyone anything. you don’t. i repeat, THIS IS FOR FUN. this is a hobby. you are not getting paid and unless your rp partner is paying you by the word, do not let them control what you reply to and when.
8. don’t be afraid to start NEW things
don’t punish yourself. i see it all the time, people joke about having too many drafts and yet they do starter calls, reblogs memes, whathaveyou. THATS OK STOP FEELING BAD ABOUT IT! if you need some creative juices flowing, and your drafts don’t look appealing, then reblog that meme! ask for some starters! as long as you keep writing, inspiration will find you in time, i promise.
9. HAVE FUN.
i’ve said it like 89745974 times but i cannot stress it enough. rping is for fun. it should always make you feel better, not worse. if it takes you two days to do 20 drafts, or two weeks to do 1, that’s ok. the more you worry about ‘losing followers’ or interest in your muse, the more stressed youre going to make yourself which in turn makes focusing harder which makes writing harder and then your drafts contiue to sit even longer. it’s a vicious cycle we all fall into sometimes, and that’s ok. just because you’re stressing about it doesn’t mean you’re terrible, we all do. just TRY to recognize the signs when you’re doing it, and pep yourself up. talk to someone. maybe just chat about your muse with a friend if you can. if you get drafts done by the end of the day, great! if you don’t, you don’t, and that’s ok too.
