Le Guide to Weaving Emotional Roleplaying Posts

[RainbowTea]

Le Coffee's Guide to Weaving Emotional Roleplaying Posts

[Removed because the cringe was so great that upon returning and seeing this, I nearly combusted. And that's saying a lot, considering my entire profile oozes with cringe. I cannot believe I existed.]

[RainbowTea]

Your Characters and Emotions

Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary. ~Mark Twain

Characters have emotions. Unless if they're cardboard boxes that are incapable of expression any emotions, they come with feelings too. Take a minute to observe the people around you, or run to the window and stare at passing strangers. Watch their facial expressions and reactions to people or other objects (or you stalking them). Many emotions are most likely crowding their face. Even the British man with the stiff upper lip has feelings ready to explode inside of him.

People are capable of expressing the same emotions and feelings. However, people's personalities are different. Because of this, not everyone may show all their emotions. Some may hide certain ones and display others, while others might carefully slide an emotionless mask over their face. The same goes for your characters. The happy, go-lucky girl doesn't hesitate to throw her joyfulness all over, but she might hide her depression. The next-door bully tries to shield his feelings from anyone else, but he releases everything - including laughter - when he's with his best friend.

[RainbowTea]

[RainbowTea]

Using the Human Body to Express Emotions

If you don't manage your emotions, then your emotions will manage you.  ~Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman, Transforming Anxiety

Emotions don't always have to be expressed through images. The human body often betrays its inner thoughts without realizing it. The subtle clenching of a fist may suggest boiling anger. A quick flash of sadness in the eyes is more than enough to reveal feelings of betrayal or hurt.

This is what makes roleplaying fun. By using the body (body language), you can tell other characters what your character is feeling without saying anything to them at all. The great thing is that they can simply react to those emotions while continuing the roleplay's story.

Take a look at these two simple posts I made. Pretend I'm roleplaying as Belinda, and you're Mike. Compare them, and see which one might be more fun to respond to.

First Post: Belinda walked into the kitchen. She saw Mike. "What are you doing here?"

Second Post: Belinda slammed the door and stormed into the kitchen, her eyes boring in on Mike. "What are you doing here?"

The first post positively reeks of lameness. It's tasteless, unappetizing, and probably causes the reader to turn away in disgust. You can barely tell what she was feeling. However, the second one is a little different. While I never said that Belinda was angry, her actions suggested it. Look at the way she closed the door and reacted to Mike's presence.

Make it easy for other roleplayers to read your character's emotions. While you don't need to make him an open book, at least prevent him from being emotionless. There is no such thing as a person without emotions - it's not natural, unless if surgery has been done, blah blah blah. You get me?

[RainbowTea]

Personifying Emotions

Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it. ~Vincent Van Gogh, 1889

[Removed for the sake of my sanity.]

[RainbowTea]

Reacting to Character's Emotions

When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion. ~Dale Carnegie

Your character is affected by emotions (duh) - it's not rocket science. It's only natural for him to react to his emotions in his own way. Depending on his personality, he will either react to them in the right or wrong way. However, we live in a fallen world where no one is perfect. That means your character can't be perfect either. Of course, he will have to make mistakes once in a while and react the wrong way.

Your character may also react to other characters' emotions. If he happens to stumble upon a girl crying, he may stop to comfort her, awkwardly stand there, or ignore her. He might seize the chance to steal her backpack or look around for her parents. His actions will depend on his personality, but remember that people can change.

I'll shut up for a moment, and you can read an example. Maybe one or two, depending on how lazy I am.

[No, we are not reading any examples because judging by my level of incompetence, I had no business writing guides.]

That was a lame example, but it was still an example. - huggles Rick and throws him back into his house -

[RainbowTea]

Life Draws Near

Memory is always faulty. Emotions are always true. ~Author Unknown

[Thank goodness you can edit posts years later. I don't know what I would've done if this was permanently engraved on the thread.]

[RainbowTea]

Le End

All it took was a bowlful of experience and a dash of insanity to concoct the guide of chaos.

[You mean this guide of cringe because I'm dead. The FDA needs to put a warning label on this thing.]

Thanks for reading this strange guide. May the roleplays be ever in your favor.

You may now post.

[OreoHeroz]

Nicely put, Coffee! A nuzzle for the lovely guide.^^

[RainbowTea]

Nicely put, Coffee! A nuzzle for the lovely guide.^^

D'aww, thanks, Oreo hun. <3 I feel like floofs are going to be questioning my sanity after reading this though haha.  It honestly was really weird. I have no idea what I was thinking. Ech, the price of mad typing skills. I'm sure you get me.