A Clash of Roleplaying Styles: What to Do When Your Style Conflicts With Other Players'

Hana

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Sometimes in a roleplay, we will encounter a partner or another player who has a different or uncommon style. Everyone has their own writing or playing style, even if we can all share similarities and preferences. From things such as preferring to write in first-person perspective, to preferring posts with rich detailed imagery and description rather than purely technical posts that are straight and to the point, everyone can choose and write the way they want. As long as it is understandable and clear to people, let nothing limit our imagination or creativity, wouldn't you agree? But sometimes, a problem comes from something like different preferences clashing with another's, or simply having difficulty following the flow of a written post.

This is where this guide comes in. I will do my best to lay it out to you in an organized, and easy to follow manner.

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  • Language and Usage - roleplayers have varying degrees of vocabulary usage and their ability to use it within writing or roleplaying, and this can also shape and define their style. There is nothing wrong with using direct and clear wording to write your posts, as there is nothing wrong with being verbose, so long as you remain understandable. Brevity is good in some places, and elaboration can make a post beautiful in others...
  • Grammar - grammar, and I will outright say it here, is a very important determinant on whether or not your post is or isn't understandable to others. You may deviate from proper grammar because of pure artistic and stylistic choice, and there is nothing wrong with doing such since it can lend unique personality to your writing, but make sure that when you do that your posts are still understandable or explainable to your partners or other players.
  • Character Portrayal - characterization can be either direct or subtly done within your posts. Whether you are a player who enjoys writing your character's introspection and thoughts, going deep into their personalities and motives, or whether you prefer a 'show more than tell' approach to portraying them, nothing is write or wrong though it can also vary how other people see and enjoy your writing.
  • Action vs description - it may be the case that you prefer to write out your scenes in thorough detail, but your partner may have a more direct approach to writing, preferring to write more action than going deep into writing about the scenery to establish a scene.

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  1. There's a technique where you read the other player's entry once, then reimagine the scene as youyourself would have written it. This helps with trying to stay immersed within the roleplay. But of course this must be done privately, or inside your head, to avoid insulting the other player.
  2. If you are having trouble staying immersed inside the scene because of the writing, try out other ways to relax yourself. Listen to music that helps your creativity and stimulates your imagination. If you have a playlist that you use when writing, it would be very good to use it now.
  3. If you want to roleplay, sincerely, with this person, you must still respect and acknowledge their style. Even if it means the both of you should try to adjust your own writings so it flows better, you should both be willing to work together around the clashing writings.
  4. What I said above really also applies to roleplaying with other people in general. Remember, you are writing with a person or more. Not alone. This is a partner or group activity, and that means learning to work with them. You have to be conscious not only of your own writing style and how it flows, but also how your partner feels about your work. In a group roleplay, this is different since many different people can mean many different styles.
  5. You can contact the GM of a group roleplay if something is truly bothering your inconveniencing you in their roleplay. Remember that this is only a last resort, such as when another person is literally putting out grammatically incomprehensible posts, one liners, or writing scenes that are fluffed and you can't follow what is going on. A good GM can mediate for its players, or they can translate and clarify what is happening to you. And having the ultimate power in their game, they can set the mood and style that they want with their posts.
  6. Lastly, if you really can't roleplay with the style the other person is putting forth, you could avoid roleplaying together. If you do this, make sure that you still treat the person with respect despite your choice not to roleplay with them. Explain that you don't normally roleplay in the style they use, but don't imply that their writing is bad.
In the end, the most important thing is that you all have fun and respect each other. Roleplaying is a creative and collaborative hobby, and you still all should have a degree of freedom to write as you like, but at the same time respect the people who want to write with you. If you are happier not roleplaying with each other and want to find new partners or something you are more comfortable with, don't hesitate to tell this to your partner or other roleplayers.
 
I have only encountered a few styles of writing that have not fit in with what I would prefer. But overall those people usually fell off regardless. This was due to either their lack of urgency in major events. Or their focus on intimacy between their own characters for too long.

The rare cases where the roleplay style of the writer doesn't fit but they remain are few. Usually having others not read their replies in it's full detail and somewhat ignoring that person's characters.

I just let it happen and eventually sometimes either the writer or their characters grow on you and their style becomes digestible. Adding diversity to the group. But you wouldn't want more than 1.
 
I have only encountered a few styles of writing that have not fit in with what I would prefer. But overall those people usually fell off regardless. This was due to either their lack of urgency in major events. Or their focus on intimacy between their own characters for too long.

The rare cases where the roleplay style of the writer doesn't fit but they remain are few. Usually having others not read their replies in it's full detail and somewhat ignoring that person's characters.

I just let it happen and eventually sometimes either the writer or their characters grow on you and their style becomes digestible. Adding diversity to the group. But you wouldn't want more than 1.
I'll take GMs into consideration, thank you. :eek: I don't have as much confidence in my own expertise as a GM since I prefer private roleplays with two people as partners, so it was angled much more into that, or the conflicts among fellow players. Noted your experience, though. c:
 
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