Roleplaying and the Variety Thereof
Let's be honest here, there is a lot of variety when it comes to roleplaying. Some people use roleplaying to create fanfictions in their favorite universes. Others only create original worlds and characters. Some roleplay by rolling dice and sitting in a group talking. Others write and decide things completely on their own (with whoever they are roleplaying with of course). Some participate in worlds where one person is the "Lord of the Story" and dictates what all minor characters, creatures, weather conditions, and whatever else do. Others share responsibility equally with their fellow writers and together decide where the story will go, what the weather is like, so on and so forth. Some write in script format, others in novel, others act it out in real life! The list of differences can go on and on and on.
My point is, roleplaying varies from person to person, and it can be a little difficult sometimes to figure out which kind of roleplay works for you. I have a theory about roleplaying. It's a lot like meatloaf, if you don't like it, then you just haven't found your way to roleplay. And, okay, I will admit that, just like someone probably will never find a meatloaf recipe that they like, some will never find a roleplaying style that they like.
(Speaking of meatloaf....)
Right, where was I? Got lost in meatloaf.... Oh yes, roleplaying. Sadly, this writing/acting/creating medium often seems to get a bad name. It doesn't count as a "real" story unless you're writing it yourself or writing your own world. But I have a secret for you. There are roleplayers that have escaped these negative connotations. How? They change the name of the activity. Well, actually, it probably wasn't ever called roleplaying to begin with. So no one recognizes it as "roleplaying"
No idea what I'm talking about? Take that video above for example. I might say that a show such as Phineas and Ferb is a roleplay. "But how?" You might ask. It's simple. Who made Phineas and Ferb? Look up a list of the creators. If you like, you can even narrow it down to the writers specifically. Is there only one? No! Multiple people work together to make the scripts of Phineas and Ferb. That sounds like a roleplay to me! The same is true for any many television shows, comics, etc. I may even be bold enough to say that all stories are in some form a roleplay or "collaborative story" just to make it sound a little fancier.
And how about theater? I don't know about you, but I would classify quite a few, if not every, stageplay that I've seen as roleplaying. Why? Because the actors are literally playing a role, aka, role playing. Now the medium doesn't seem so nerdy and lame does it? It's everywhere!
So next time someone asks what you and your friend are talking about when you start ranting about characters or exciting plot points coming up in your roleplay, instead of ashamedly muttering how you're writing a "roleplay" together, hold your head up high and tell them all about that "collaborative story" and keep in mind all of the greats who work with each other to create the best stories. After all, aren't two heads better than one? Even novelists who write their own stories get input from others to make the story even better. :)
Onward to roleplaying awesomeness!
~psychogiggles
My point is, roleplaying varies from person to person, and it can be a little difficult sometimes to figure out which kind of roleplay works for you. I have a theory about roleplaying. It's a lot like meatloaf, if you don't like it, then you just haven't found your way to roleplay. And, okay, I will admit that, just like someone probably will never find a meatloaf recipe that they like, some will never find a roleplaying style that they like.
(Speaking of meatloaf....)
Right, where was I? Got lost in meatloaf.... Oh yes, roleplaying. Sadly, this writing/acting/creating medium often seems to get a bad name. It doesn't count as a "real" story unless you're writing it yourself or writing your own world. But I have a secret for you. There are roleplayers that have escaped these negative connotations. How? They change the name of the activity. Well, actually, it probably wasn't ever called roleplaying to begin with. So no one recognizes it as "roleplaying"
No idea what I'm talking about? Take that video above for example. I might say that a show such as Phineas and Ferb is a roleplay. "But how?" You might ask. It's simple. Who made Phineas and Ferb? Look up a list of the creators. If you like, you can even narrow it down to the writers specifically. Is there only one? No! Multiple people work together to make the scripts of Phineas and Ferb. That sounds like a roleplay to me! The same is true for any many television shows, comics, etc. I may even be bold enough to say that all stories are in some form a roleplay or "collaborative story" just to make it sound a little fancier.
And how about theater? I don't know about you, but I would classify quite a few, if not every, stageplay that I've seen as roleplaying. Why? Because the actors are literally playing a role, aka, role playing. Now the medium doesn't seem so nerdy and lame does it? It's everywhere!
So next time someone asks what you and your friend are talking about when you start ranting about characters or exciting plot points coming up in your roleplay, instead of ashamedly muttering how you're writing a "roleplay" together, hold your head up high and tell them all about that "collaborative story" and keep in mind all of the greats who work with each other to create the best stories. After all, aren't two heads better than one? Even novelists who write their own stories get input from others to make the story even better. :)
Onward to roleplaying awesomeness!
~psychogiggles
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