QUICK REMINDER. everyone can find me over at @tonyshazelnuts from now on. i'll be making gifs and shooting the shit there as activity dies down on this blog :)
ok, so this isn't a comprehensive list (i'm sure i'll have more on this in the future), but just in my time in the rpc and based on my convos with my fandom husband, i wanted to put together a list of roleplaying skills that i personally appreciate when people have. and these are ofc all just my personal preferences and are by no means meant to be used to say you're a "bad" roleplayer if you don't think you have these skills.
however, these go beyond the typical aspects we focus on, like portrayal and voice. because imo, there are many layers to roleplaying, and it's not all about being a good writer or having a strong characterization.
the other note i want to add with this post is that these are all skills, which means they're all learnable. while they may come more naturally to some, if it's a skill you want to improve upon, it's one you can with practice, education, and cognizance. so, no beating up on yourself, mkay? this is something we all get better at with time and a growth-focused mindset!
GREAT CO-CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP. this is a big one with a few underarching topics. but essentially this comes down to the awareness that you are not writing a fic by yourself, and rp is a co-creative process.
i love nothing more than being able to write with someone who excels at creative give and take both in dialogue and narratively.
in terms of dialogue, this looks like writing lines and dialogue that gives room for your partner to respond to. for example, if your muse is consistently shutting other muses down and giving dialogue that doesn't further the conversation and plot, it can take a lot on part of the other partner to progress the story forward. granted, sometimes, a one line or even a one word is incredibly powerful, but if this is a repeated pattern in the context of multipara replies, it positions the other person and muse to constantly be the running engine to advance the conversation.
this also happens on a narrative level. both parties should be equally contributing to shaping the narrative and what happens next. things reach a grinding halt when you're presented with a situation and one person is simply relying on the other to fill in the details about what's happening in the story.
with rp, there's always an element of 'yes, and...' : the concept from improv where you take what your partner gives you, you say yes, aaaaand then you add to it. it's the responsibility of each partner to feed energy and creativity into the narrative to keep things moving forward.
the exception to this is of course if your partner has something specific in mind, so of course, best practices here are to just be in communication with each other about the road ahead. i try to tell my partners when i've got a specific something i'm leading up to, once we reach that point, and when it's free game for them to pick up the plot baton and go ham with things.
to work on these skills:
read your replies and ask yourself if someone wrote this for you, would you have room to work with it?
don't just reply directly to what your partner last said; add contributing material that will progress the conversation.
for plot stuff: check with your partners if they're leading up to a specific plot point. if there isn't anything they're building up to, like with dialogue, don't just react to the situations that are presented in the former reply; add details and actions that inform the greater sense of the story.
BEING A TEAM PLAYER. this one falls into a similar vein as above. but this point includes being here to co-create with other people instead making the entire process about your muse and the kinds of situations you want to see them in. a lot of the rpc can be pretty selfish, quite frankly, where folks only focus on getting the ships, interactions, and attention they want.
however, having a mindset that's purely about extracting what you want from people, their creative expression, and muses will not only burn out your partners, but you also risk burning bridges. my approach to rp is very much how can we join forces ooc to toss the fictional barbies together and see them go through a variety of situations ( and, y'know, sometimes make them kiss or something lol ).
the best way to work on this one is through self-awareness. check in with yourself regularly about how much you may be pushing your agenda on other people. create space for your partners to share the types of dynamics and plots they'd like to see. be flexible about giving and taking in the interest of your common narrative goal vs. just making sure you get what you want to see from a plot. it's really all about give and take, give and take, give and take.
RESPECTING THE OTHER'S MUSE AND CREATIVE AUTONOMY. this one applies to ic and ooc interactions, frankly. if you're shooting the shit with someone ooc, try not to tell the other person how you expect their muse to respond or what they should be saying and how they should be reacting.
aim to allow the respective writers of their muses to tell you how their muse would contribute to a relationship, take care of their partners, react to a piece of dialogue, etc. telling the other partner how their character should reply can add a lot of pressure for the partner to write according to your idea of their portrayal vs. how they actually want to write.
THOUGHTFUL CROSSOVERS. ofc, if you're not familiar with the other body of media for the crossover, this one won't apply. but i personally love, love, love when both writers are familiar with each respective verse, and we're able to add specific details that enrich and enhance our world building as we blend these two together: things like this would be a perfect career for muse A in verse B or this is specific event that happened in canon is one where they'd definitely meet. there's a certain level of care and appreciation for the other muse and verse, and i thoroughly enjoy working out all these little details for seamless blending of different worlds.
HEADCANON HEROES. i love reading people's headcanons about their muses. it makes them all the more real and adds such a level of richness to them. i know folks can get nervous about being "too" canon divergent, but you are the pilot of this lil blorbo, and the ways that you add to their history and quirks is an expression of your creativity. contrary to popular belief, people don't just want to write with you because you write a specific a muse; it's HOW you write a specific muse. all your amazing headcanons included. <3
it will have a main blog for all my RP interactions, and i'm making a side blog for all the fandom content like my gifs and the whatnot. i'm going to be selective as hell about who i follow from this one, but i'll be coming for you all soon.
( insert that discord emote of the cat with glowing eyes and a gun. )
p.s. i'm sorry for making everyone update my URL in the thread tracker again.
NEW BLOG FOR GIFS AND FANDOM CONTENT: @tonyshazelnuts
(yes, i have the humor of a 12-year-old boy an think i'm very, very funny. also, it's a side blog, so i won't be able to follow you back from it.)
starting the process of following people from the main RP blog, but for obvious reasons, i'm not sharing that URL here. that one is just for my RP partners.
it will have a main blog for all my RP interactions, and i'm making a side blog for all the fandom content like my gifs and the whatnot. i'm going to be selective as hell about who i follow from this one, but i'll be coming for you all soon.
( insert that discord emote of the cat with glowing eyes and a gun. )
p.s. i'm sorry for making everyone update my URL in the thread tracker again.
no worries, donāt mind me, my brain went into problem-solving and investigating mode.
run your blog how you want!
maybe the feature if I figured it out correctly would work for other rp blogs or new ones ya know?
it was nice of you to look into it! i might have to implement it with this one writing partner in particular because i don't know why it's always our threads across accounts that get reblogged. but yes, i'll have a chat with them later to see if this is a solution that might work for us. <3
really was hoping that setting would work š if it did as intended I feel like it solve a lot
maybe Iāll make a post and play around with how to make it work amongst my own blogs
fyi: this kinda turned into a vent you did not ask for, anon. i'm so so sorry. you do not at all have to read this shit show.
i do love that feature for my vent posts and shit. and sometimes, i forget to turn it on, then someone inevitably reblogs, and i'm just like...why. š lmao. and i hate to be an ass, but i've had to block fic writers and personals who i've otherwise enjoyed interacting with because they would not stop reblogging my threads even after i'd write my warning shot posts.
i get that mistakes happen, and not everyone realizes that (in general) RP blogs prefer not to have their threads reblogged, especially with how much fic writers and other content creators are screaming for reblogs (valid) due to the shit engagement on this site and general lack of appreciation for fan creators. but RP blogs just operate differently.
and i should have been wise enough at the start of making this to separate my fandom content like gif sets to a side blog or something, but i also didn't intend to become an RP blog when i started, just an ask blog. now, i've got my chaotic dumpster fire blog that i'm really, really attached to, and i don't want to have to start another because it's literally such a pain in ass to move everything over.
idk, i'm absolutely fried in my personal and professional life rn. i just wanna come here and dick around on main and be a loser over fictional dudes like everyone else on this site. but people have been TRYING MY PATIENCE here so much as of late between being unnecessarily rude and disrespectful to me or tony. and bless my RP partners for being willing to hear out my vents because some of the asks and shit that i have gotten lately š.
maybe i should start a new blog and just follow my active RP partners/people i actually want to write with. i really want to fake my fandom death most days at this point. i'm so sick of this shit. and i know i'm extra sensitive because my life is a dumpster fire rn, but ugh.
ANYWAY. vent you never asked for. i try not to use anon asks as an excuse to be unhinged, but i went off doing it anyway. i apologize. like, i'm really so, so sorry. thank you for reaching out with genuinely good intentions instead of trying to lecture me because that happens too.
i just want a grilled cheese. can people please let tony and bucky eat their grilled cheese in peace? :')
yeah. iāve thought about implementing this BUT the problem is that if itās my own post, even if i tag myself, i canāt reblog it for some reason. :ā) iāve tried. shitās driving me crazy, anon. i think iām just extra sensitive and irritable rn, but ughhh. these are not the notifs i wanna wake up to.
DONāT REBLOG RP THREADS. unless you are the writing partner for a particular thread, do not reblog a thread. if youāre a personal blog (i.e., not an RP blog), do not reblog a thread. when in doubt, DONāT REBLOG A THREAD. we are not fic writers looking for exposure. fuck, iām gonna have to go on a blocking spree across accounts. people, please read the rules of the RP blogs you follow. or youāre gonna get your ass blocked. jfc.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel (Comics)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Characters: Tony Stark, Stephen Strange, The Cloak of Levitation (Marvel)
Additional Tags: Canon Divergence - Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Comic: Superior Iron Man Vol 1. (2015), Toxic Relationship, Memory Alteration, Read at Your Own Risk, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation
Summary:
Tony decides itās time to win back the heart of his ex-partner and lover, one Doctor Stephen Strange, but will Stephen accept him for all that he is now that Tonyās become superior?
He froze with a shudder as soon as that voice slithered in his mind, mocking him like an deadly itch he couldn't scratch. The bed loamed ahead like a coffin waiting for him, open and ready to send him back to Stark's clutches.
He didn't make a move to get in it.
Keep him out of this.
Despite knowing it was a lost cause, Tony drifted his gaze over to Stephenāactually locking eyes with him instead of avoiding them. A small, wordless plea for help or acknowledgement.
Ā« A certified genius, and yet you play your hand so easily. Practically leaping like a guard dog to protect the man who thinks you're...what were the words he used? Leftovers from the effects department of a Michael Bay movie? Alright, I see why you're so fond of him. Ā»
As Stark prattled on in Tony's mind, Stephen merely stared at Tony, and after an uncomfortably long silence even for a man who meditates for hours on end, Stephen cocked his head to the side.
"Does the B in billionaire stand for bedtime story? Is there something you need?"
EVEN BUCKY HAS TO ADMIT THAT HE'S CURIOUS , sitting up just enough that he can see the sandwich , a grin etching itself onto his lips when he sees Alpine angling around Tony's ankles until he gives her exactly what she's asking for. He shifts a little until he's sitting on the edge of the bed ; eyeing the hand on his shoulder.
"The ceiling ghost doesn't mind. Pretty sure she likes my new nickname for her."
HONESTLY - he can't even tell. He will quietly admit that he is getting used to F.R.I.D.A.Y ; he even finds her endearing at times , just not when she's giving him a positivity speech that sounds uncannily like something Steve would have spewed back in the day.
"Alright alright , i'll eat it. I know you don't like venturing into the kitchen unless you have to , besides....it's sweet you going to all this effort." & Bucky can definitely muster up a little of his own , especially for those puppy dog eyes of Tony's. He reaches for the half that hasn't been bitten into and tears a small bite off it.
A single bite is a win in Tony's book. Well, as long as Bucky swallows. Wow, he never expected to say that to himself in a non-sexual setting. How the mighty have fallen...or more like, been domesticated.
Frankly, there are worse things that could have happened to himāthat could have and have happened to both of them. Love is cheesy (literally on this fine day), but he likes it.
Ugh, Tony'd be grossed out by himself if he wasn't so damn happy. Double disgusting all around.
"It was this, or I start replicating awful Depression Era recipes, so unless you're ready for me to start stuffing peanut butter in onions and bread crust in the driest meatloaf known to man..."
Yeah, this is already getting ambitious for his existing kitchen skillset, and the kitchen would need DUM-E on permanent fire extinguisher duty, but in the name of threatening the one he loves...all's fair in love and grease fires.
"You wanna talk about it?" Tony's fingertips find the top of Alpine's head, offering a scratch that follows down her spine. "Or would you rather live around it a bit for now?"
Sometimes there wasn't anything else to talk about. You just had to live with it, live around it, share your life with a heavy heart, but Tony'd be damned if he was going to let Bucky do it on his own.
((Oh wow thank you! Thatās really sweet of you to say! I totally agree weāve got some awesome chemistry, donāt we))
((No weāre unfortunately not friends outside of tumblr, but we do talk and send posts to each other in tumblr. I know Iron Mun apparently sent some asks my way before creating the Tony blog, but I have no idea which ones. But then after the blog was created, we just clicked instantly. Pretty magical stuff if ya ask me.))
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