Things to avoid as a Roleplayer?

As some one who has been an active roleplayer for many years on other sites the biggest things that stands out for me is simple. Don't be afraid to be a little picky when it comes to roleplay partners. Give every one a trial run but never be afraid to say what you are looking for. I would suggest leaving it clear how you feel honestly about things. Don't get into a real life relationship with some one you don't know simply because you get warm fuzzy feelings while roleplaying. I would suggest keeping real life seprate from online role play life.

I would say the biggest thing for me personally is to avoid a lack of communication. Open OOC engagement with your fellow writer can go a long ways with keeping ideas flowing, interest piqued, and players engaged while waiting for posts. It can also head off a lot of problems before they begin, iron out differences in roleplay taste to make for a smoother experience, and give one another a deeper understanding of their roleplay partners.

Open communication can help in many ways. Too busy to post? Taking some time to inform your roleplay partner(s) can make them more patient. Knowing you'll be gone for two weeks alleviates that worry of 'is he/she EVER going to post? How long should we wait?' Conversely talking to a partner who isn't posting can help enlighten the situation as to why. Perhaps they're struggling to post every night but just can't find the roleplay engaging? Better to find out early instead of struggling on for weeks until the roleplay dies off as posts become less and less frequent. Perhaps they just hit some writer's block, but really like the roleplay and want to stick it out. Talking ideas can help get a muse going again.

There is so much good that comes out of maintaining open and engaging communication, and it's so easy to overlook it. Too many times I've seen roleplays struggle due to people not seeing their roleplay partner as anything more than a means to an end. There's no understanding of what each player wants out of the story, no effort to accommodate everyone's needs.

Roleplay is a hobby and the best thing any roleplayer can do is to ensure a healthy and long-lasting roleplay is to make sure that mutual enjoyment is being had.