About a year ago, I had a funny little conundrum. With the franchise boom of The Force Awakens and Rogue One, my well-fed Star Wars hype was running at an all-time high. The need for TIE fighters and sci-fi combat, politics, and intrigue was like an insatiable hunger that prodded me day and night. I needed an outlet, and I needed it fast. Books only went so far in informing, video games offered only destruction, but what I craved was creation: fictional inception itself. After weeks of searching, I finally succeeded in finding an appropriate vessel for my voracious need: a roleplaying message board.
Now, I realize that most may not feel the same excitement that gripped me, but there is much more to the recreational act of roleplaying than meets the eye. Unlike a virtual simulation or a tabletop game, roleplaying in a open text format is fairly bereft of restrictions, and allows for nearly endless possibilities. So long as you carry yourself with respect, fairness, and patience, any number of misadventures can be developed and brought to fruition. Whether you're working with one person or several, the process of joint writing is surprisingly both rewarding and fulfilling. Even better, you needn't be a professional author to enjoy this activity.
As with many other forms of roleplaying, there are few "wrong" ways to go about doing business. What you make of a character or characters is entirely up to the you, whether it be in long, elaborate paragraphs or a few well-worded sentences. Reponses and posts can model after novella form or simple script dialogue, and both methods are entirely valid! If there are any regulations to be had, they exist purely to keep the peace between multiple parties. For instance, if you spent many days carefully constructing a new residence for yourself, and another interloper comes along intent to destroy it instantaneously, you may encounter understandable issues. The best way to counter this, which many do, is to keep two simple facts in mind. Don't disrespect another's agency-- lest they reciprocate-- and don't overreach your individual powers.
Protecting those principles may seem daunting at first, but many sites have a team of dedicated staff members who maintain and uphold the mantle of fair play and an enjoyable experience for all. And, I stress again, it is incredibly enjoyable. With the freedom to go anywhere, do anything, not only are you easily immersed in the experience, but a continual stream of new settings make involvement equally addictive. No two tales are the same, no two interactions identical. Amidst a sea of unending combinations, you're guaranteed a uniquely fanciful outing without any form of equal. And that I've found to be exceedingly wonderful.
Personally, not only has this been a great relaxation exercise, but it has also served to develop some applicative work habits. Normally, I would never think myself capable of writing fiction, and I still doubt I would ever go that direction. At the same time, though, writing on the board that I do has done wonders to refine my diction, polish my syntax, and enlighten my literary acumen. Though hardly my original intention, it is not an unwelcome side-effect. As I continue to add to a trove of communal legends, I eagerly await further unseen fruits. For those who follow fandoms and films, I strongly encourage you to seek out similar venue. The rewards far outweigh and ephemeral risks.
