CDBZ Roleplaying Guide by Ander

[Ander]

ANDER’S COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO ROLEPLAYING[SIZE=2]©[/SIZE]
Version 2.7
(Based on commonly encountered problems)

Table of Contents
(Ctrl+F for Quick Find)

Introduction

Starting Off

I. Spelling and Grammar
A. Capitalization
B. Commas
C. Semicolons
D. Possessives and Contractions
E. Commonly Confused Words
F. Dialogue
G. General Format
- Tense
- Point of View

II. Description and Details
A. Boring to Brilliant (at a glance)
B. Tactics
- Word Choice
- Components
- Literary Devices
C. Show, Don’t Tell
D. Schoolhouse Rock (for audio/visual learners)

III. Content
A. Plot Structure
B. Characters
- Be Original!
- Define Their Personality
C. Style

Tools: Quick Links [new link added!]
Ending Credits


o------------------o
|INTRODUCTION|
o------------------o
This guide is for those who seek to improve their role-playing, but either don’t know how or feel like they’ll never get it right no matter what they do. Covered in this are the basics. I’m not going to teach an entire English class—that would take too long. These are the most common problems or situations people confront, countered with the same advice that is redundantly given over and over again. All you need to do is pay attention and put these tips into practice, and you’ll improve in no time! Don’t ever settle with telling yourself you suck. Do something about it! First things first: write in a paragraph format. Script/chat writing is okay elsewhere, but is generally not accepted at Chubbs. Never forget that it’s always quality over quantity. People prefer two paragraphs of elegant and inventive rhetoric versus two pages of utter rubbish. Writing takes time. Be patient; don’t force it. No matter how good you are writing must always come from the heart! If you have trouble writing, type up your posts in Microsoft Word or use an online Spellchecker. That’s all you need to know to get started, the rest can be found below.

o------------------o
| STARTING OFF |
o------------------o
For some odd reason, joining is really difficult for newcomers. Below is a sample join post, as well as two links to previously successful character submissions. Keep in mind, this does not give you license to steal/plagiarize/“borrow” their works! If you are caught, and you probably will be, you will not be allowed to join! Remember to read the Rules and Join pages before applying!

[SAMPLE JOIN POST – BRANDON PYRE]
[SAMPLE JOIN POST - ORPHANIX]

Remember:

- We’re a custom character-only RPG, so pick a character that will be fun and interesting to role-play!

- Everyone starts off with two Abilities, but no Techniques, or the knowledge of how to do basic things, such as Flight; you won’t even know how to use ki!

- Join posts are a minimum of 300 words

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Sample Join Post
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Character: John Smith
Fighting Style: Kind-hearted, courageous, tough, playful
Planet: Earth
Starting Abilities: Ki Specialization, Psychokinesis

Roleplay Sample:

It was inevitable: John was fighting Joe. Their rivalry had never completely gone away, and this was the result of years and years of competitiveness. The nature had changed; they were no longer dueling to the death. John enjoyed a fierce sparring partner, while Joe, heir to a high society fighting sect, still strove to become stronger than a low-class warrior. It seemed, however, that the two were an even match this go around. Both stood apart from each other under sunny blue skies, a beautiful Earth landscape surrounding them.

“You can’t beat me, Johnny. You shouldn’t even try,” Joe boasted, setting up for his next attack.

“Oh really?” John countered, raising up his defenses. “Well then, let’s see what you’ve got!”

The well-groomed Joe grinned, throwing his arms out in front of him and hovering one spread-fingered hand above the other. John returned the smile. He had seen this attack before, and it was a doozy. The kind-hearted fighter decided the best defense was an offense. Though his posture remained in a guarded position, John’s eyes gleamed with concentration. Light of purple and ebony began to flicker from his palms, the glimmer dancing along his plain t-shirt. Joe, too, was powering up his ability. Both fighters concentrated their energy into a single point, amassing the incredible powers that flowed through their veins. The two had traded punch for punch and kick for kick, but it seemed as though this would be the final bout: a colossal exchange of brute force. Neither would take the ultimate fall, but only one was going to walk away victorious. Joe took the opening move.

Joe cranked back his arms, and thrust them forward, spewing a colossal beam of sizzling fire from his palms. John retaliated by extending two index fingers on his left hand, and pointed them at the ground. A patch of grassy earth glowed bright indigo. He dragged his pointed fingers towards the oncoming elemental ki, and simultaneously, the brightly lit patch ripped free from the ground and followed John’s movement. Using his psychokinesis, John imbued it with every last ounce of his energy. The earth intercepted the path of the fire, and the two forces collided, inciting a blinding, exploding inferno.

One had fallen.

Only time would tell who.





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I. SPELLING AND GRAMMAR
====================
These two are a problem that runs rampant, a seemingly simple challenge that most people have difficulty with. Avoiding bad spelling or grammar is actually easy: type up your role-plays in Microsoft Word before you post them, and use Spellchecker, which is fairly efficient at correcting basic errors. If you don’t have Word, use Spellchecker.net. This tip seems very basic, but it’s golden, and I guarantee it will become one of your best friends. A virtually error-free draft will seem more aesthetically pleasing, and it makes writing easier to read and understand. Honing a sense for spelling and grammar mistakes Spellchecker will not fix (such as most appropriate or convenient comma placing), however, takes time to develop.

Tip: For revision, try reading your posts backwards. You will often discover little things you missed by looking it over the conventional way because your eyes get bored and used to seeing it from beginning to end. –a suggestion once made by Raditzu

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A. Capitalization
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This is a very, very simple concept. Always capitalize the first word in a sentence, the first word in a dialogue (there are exceptions explained later down), the words “I” or “I’m” or “I’ve” or “I’d,” and proper nouns. Proper nouns are names, whether they are for people, places, organizations, or even things like attacks and techniques. Examples include: Goku, King Kai, Kamehameha, Planet Namek, or Xero Tolerance. Examples of things that are not capitalized, but often are out of confusion, include: autumn, north, saiyan/saiya-jin, human, or ki/power level. Names or classifications of races/species are not considered proper nouns. Would you capitalize the word “tiger,” for example? No, unless that was the animal’s given name. Many people however, do capitalize racial/species terms, even though it’s not correct.

Dialogue and capitalization don’t seem to be a very good combination for people. You don’t capitalize the very next word after a quotation mark unless it is the beginning of a new sentence that has no relation to the previous dialogue, unless it’s “I,” “I’m,” or “I’ve.”

Incorrect:
1. “There’s no way he can beat me!” The fighter screamed.
2. “How can you say that...” She began.
3. “This isn’t even close to being over.” He said.
4. “You still don’t know what you’re doing, do you?” He asked.

Correct:
1. “There’s no way he can beat me!” the fighter screamed.
2. “How can you say that...” she began.
3. “This isn’t even close to being over,” he said.
4. “You still don’t know what you’re doing, do you?” he asked.

The only time capitalization after a quotation mark is allowed is if the following sentence is completely separate from the dialogue, and has so reference to it whatsoever.

Exemption
“Don’t even bother trying.” He charged up an energy blast and fired.

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B. Commas
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Incorrect:
1. While he/she was eating a stranger walked into the headquarters.
2. “I don’t understand,” he/she replied obviously confused.
3. He/she slammed his/her opponent into the ground and then blasted them.

Correct:
1. While he/she was eating, a stranger walked into the headquarters.
2. “I don’t understand,” he/she replied, obviously confused.
3. He/she slammed his/her opponent into the ground, and then blasted them.

Commas, commas, commas! You can’t get enough of those damned things. Writers need to learn where to appropriately place them in order to provide the piece with meter and rhythm, which is important for a reader’s interpretation of a sentence. The first example seems harmless enough, but without a comma, the meaning of the sentence is entirely different. Without the punctuation, it seems as though the person being described is eating the stranger instead of eating food as the stranger walks in. That is also a lesson in careful sentence structure! The second one is merely an instance where you would use a pause for effect. Thirdly are compound sentences, which even the best of us get lazy on. Spellchecker won’t pick these up. It is proper grammar to always place a comma before “but” or “and” in a compound sentence, no matter what. The last one is only for real nitpicks. When a comma is not appropriate, use a semicolon, probably the most misused of all punctuation-dom.

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B. Semicolon
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Incorrect:
1. This was the end, this was the end of it all.
2. Ten warriors stormed Vine’s palace, only two remain.
3. He couldn’t win, he couldn’t beat him.

Correct:
1. This was the end; this was the end of it all.
2. Ten warriors stormed Vine’s palace; only two remain.
3. He couldn’t win; he couldn’t beat him.

This is most likely one of the most difficult punctuations to deal with. A semicolon is used in place of a comma to connect two otherwise completely separate sentences when you want form a single long one. If you put a comma in-between two complete sentences (in other words, two sentences that can stand on their own), it is called a comma splice. If you are uncomfortable using semicolons, you can instead use periods or a conjunction, such as “and,” “or,” “but.” Still confused? Try looking at this website.

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D. Possessives and Contractions
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[BONUS VISUAL 1 - APOSTROPHE]
[BONUS VISUAL 2 - PLURALS]
[BONUS VISUAL 3 - IT'S & ITS]

Incorrect:
1. Your going to pay for that.
2. The demon wrapped it’s powerful arms around the fighter.
3. That sig was made by, your’s truly.

Correct:
1. You’re going to pay for that.
2. The demon wrapped its powerful arms around the fighter.
3. That sig was made by, yours truly.

People seem to have the most trouble with proper possessives and contractions (compound words). Placement of apostrophes and words with multiple uses can trip up even the best of writers. The first example uses the word “your” incorrectly. “Your” in that spelling is always possessive, meaning “your bag” or “your shoes” in the sense of belonging. What the sentence is trying to say is, “You are going to pay for that,” in which case a contraction, and not a possessive, is needed. “You’re” is the contraction for “you are.” Common contractions are can’t (cannot), they’re (they are), you’re (you are), isn’t (is not), it’s (it is), that’s (that is), I’m (I am), I’ve (I have), must’ve (must have), and many, many more. Some writers use ain’t, but that’s not a proper word. Contrary to most usage, the word “it’s” is never possessive. This is probably due to the fact that an apostrophe is commonly associated with a meaning of belonging, in the instance of “Goku’s” or “Burter’s.” That word is always a contraction meaning “it is.” The correct word in example two is “its,” which is like the masculine word “his” or the feminine “hers,” but is used when a direct gender assignment cannot be made. In the third example, there was the word “your’s.” Just because there is a ‘s’ at the end of the word doesn’t make it a possessive. It simply makes it a plural; there’s a difference. Putting an apostrophe after the ‘r’ would make it a contraction meaning “your is,” which is grammatically incorrect.

Quick Reference

• Their = possessive; there = place, location; they’re = contraction, they are
  
• Your = possessive; you’re = contraction, you are; yore = meaning “long time past”
  
• It’s = contraction, it is; Its = possessive

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E. Commonly Confused Words
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Speech is a heckuvalot easier than actually writing words out. Most people write down words how they phonetically sound to them, even though several words sound the same but have very different meanings. That’s what’s known as a “homonym.” Some of them don’t sound the same, but are spelled similarly, and just have a different arrangement of letters. However, when these two excuses fail, it just means they really don’t know the right word to use.

THEN versus THAN

then (adv.) - 1. at that time, 2. next in time, space, or order; immediately afterward, 3. in addition; moreover

than (conj.) - used comparatively

EXAMPLE:

COMPARATIVELY:
“I’m simply better then you.” (incorrect)

should actually be…

“I’m simply better than you.” (correct)

TIME: Back then, things were simpler.
ORDER: We’re going to dinner, then a movie.

QUIET versus QUITE

quiet (adj.) - making little or no noise

quite (adv.) - 1. to the greatest extent; completely, 2. actually; really, 3. to a degree; rather

SWEET versus SWEAT

sweat (v) - to excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin; perspire

sweet (adj) - having the taste of sugar or a substance containing or resembling sugar, as honey or saccharin

EFFECT versus AFFECT

effect (n.) - 1. something brought about by a cause or agent; a result, 2. the power to produce an outcome or achieve a result; influence, 3. a scientific law, hypothesis, or phenomenon, 4. advantage; avail

affect (tr.v.) - 1. to have an influence on or effect a change in, 2. to act on the emotions of, 3. to attack or infect, as a disease

HAVE versus OF

have (v.) - 1. to use or exhibit in action, 2. to permit; allow 3. to carry on, perform, or execute

of (prep.) - 1. derived or coming from; 2. caused by; resulting from, 3. containing or carrying

(These two are commonly confused due to verbal slang, and many people write out things the way they sound to them. People slur the ?have? until it sounds completely like ?of.? This is one of the few errors grammar check will actually catch!)

EXAMPLE:
“You should of backed out when you had the chance.” (incorrect)

should actually be…

“You should have backed out when you had the chance.” (correct)

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F. Dialogue
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Dialogue can be either set up or finished off. Meaning, you can begin the sentence with dialogue or end it with dialogue.

Examples
A. Set Up
He said, “Get away from me.”
He screamed, “Get away from me!”
He asked, “Will you get away from me?”

(Make sure you put a comma before the opening quotation marks every time! And don’t forget the punctuation mark before the closing quotation marks!)

B. Finish off
“Get away from me,” he said.
“Get away from me!” he screamed.
“Will you get away from me?” he asked.

(Make sure you put some sort of punctuation mark before the closing quotation marks every time!)

Incorrect:
1. “You’ll never win, he said.”
2. “He said, you’ll never win.”
3. He used his so-called “special technique”.
4. What exactly is “good grammar?”
5. I would say “butchery”, but that would be mean.

Correct:
1. “You’ll never win,” he said.
2. He said, “You’ll never win.”
3. He used his so-called “special technique.”
4. What exactly is “good grammar”?
5. I would say “butchery,” but that would be mean.

Quotation marks surround the words being spoken or quoted, not the description. They open and close the sentence. That’s how you tell if someone is talking. Place opening quotation marks at the beginning of the dialogue. In the first example, the dialogue starts with an easy, fresh sentence. In the second example, dialogue starts in the middle of the sentence. In this case, you need a comma to separate the word indicating speech, and then begin the dialogue with opening quotation marks. Don’t forget to always capitalize the first word beginning a dialogue! Place the closing quotation marks after the punctuation that follows the last word being said or quoted. Unless it is being used with a question mark or exclamation point in a non-dialogue sentence, under no other circumstance is a quotation mark (whether used for dialogue, quoting, alleging, or making reference to something) to be on the inside of the ending punctuation or comma (e.g., the period, the comma, etcetera)! It may look weird, but it is correct. Again, Spellchecker will not call you on it, but it is not correct!

Incorrect:
4. “I’m going to be the most powerful fighter in the universe.” he said.
5. “I’m going to be the most powerful fighter in the universe.” He said.
6. “Is there any way I can become stronger,? he/she said.

Correct:
4. “I’m going to be the most powerful fighter in the universe,” he said.
5. “I’m going to be the most powerful fighter in the universe!” he said.
6. “Is there any way I can become stronger?” he asked.

Those are all a big no. Dialogue followed by something along the lines of ?he/she said? should never be ended with a period. Ever. Not even if the “he/she” is capitalized. Spellchecker says it’s okay, but it’s actually grammatically incorrect. End it with a comma, or if you want to set a louder tone, an exclamation point. If it is in question form, unless you split your sentence up (which is very tricky), always end it with a question mark. It is better if you used “asked” instead of “said” as well, but the latter is not technically wrong.

Incorrect:
7. “I?m going,” he said. “To be the strongest ever.”
8. “How can I,” he asked. “Become stronger?”
9. “I can do it,” he said, “I can become stronger!”

Correct:
7. “I’m going,” he said, “to be the strongest ever.”
8. “How can I,” he asked, “become stronger?”
9. “I can do it,” he said. “I can become stronger!”

Splitting dialogue up can be confusing to punctuate. It’s easiest to avoid this dicey method altogether, but if there is an instance you word your dialogue this way, it’s best to know how to do it right. You don’t place a period after your indication of speech (said, paused, whispered, began, etcetera) if the sentence is being continued, nor do you capitalize the next word within the dialogue. Imagine if there was no island of words in the middle of the dialogue. “I’m going. To be the strongest ever.” Unless you’re referring to a trip and not a goal, that would be okay, otherwise it’s not. “How can I. Become stronger?” That one’s even easier. A period after the indication of speech tells you that the first sentence of dialogue stands alone and is not connected with the following sentence. “I can do it. I can become stronger!” This example is perfect.

Tip: Don’t clump dialogue in the middle of your paragraphs. It makes it difficult to understand who is saying what in the middle of what action (see, confusing!). Whenever a new person starts talking or separate dialogue is spoken, you should always begin a new paragraph!

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G. General Format
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- Tense
Tense is the form of writing you are in with indication to time. While there are actually several kinds in two different categories (active and passive), we’ll generalize them into three types for simplicity’s sake: past tense, present tense, and future tense. Past tense is when you are referring to something that has already taken place, using words like “were,” “was,” and “had.” Present tense is when you are mentioning something that is occurring at that very moment, employing words such as “is,” “am,” “has,” and “have.” It doesn’t necessarily have to be dialogue or self-reference. Future tense is an allusion to something that will happen, using words similar to present tense (most namely “have”), although meaning them for an upcoming event, and it also includes “will.”

Examples
Past Tense:
1. I was once the greatest fighter in the world.
2. We were just training.
3. I had it all.

Present Tense:
1. Is this what it has come to?
2. I am going to kill you if you don’t get this right.
3. I have every intention of leaving.

Future Tense:
1. Will you come with me?
2. Within a year, I will have finished my training in RoSaT.

A big “no” in writing is changing tense in the middle of a sentence. It can be done, but most people don’t know how (it is usually in dialogue)...so just don’t do it.

Incorrect:
1. “Okay, it’s now time to train your body to fully withstand the effects of Kaio Ken,” said the Kai as he bandages up his monkey’s tail.

Correct:
1. “Okay, it’s now time to train your body to fully withstand the effects of Kaio Ken,” said the Kai as he bandaged up his monkey’s tail.

“Said” is in past tense, while “bandages” is in present tense. You just need to modify the word and correct it to the proper tense.

- Point of View
There are three points of view: first person, second person (or the “objective” point of view), and third person. We won’t ever encounter second, so mostly, we deal with first and third. Here at Chubbs, we never, ever, write in first person (which is always in present tense), which is where the narrator/writer (you) are describing things from your character’s perspective, actually participating in the role-play, unless it’s dialogue. Third person is where the writer is not involved in the actual post, but merely illustrating things from a bird’s-eye view.

First Person = Incorrect
1. Goku slowly gets up and takes a breath.
2. They are all wearing weighted clothing.

Third Person = Correct
1. Goku slowly got up and took a breath.
2. They were all wearing weighted clothing.

=======================
II. DESCRIPTION AND DETAILS
=======================
The spices to any post are your basic D & Ds: description and details! Nobody wants to read bland, boring sentences. A reader craves sagas that are interesting and appealing, something so good they can’t wait to devour the next post. It’s one of the joys of being at an RPG. Despite what you think, it’s not all that difficult to put some zest into your work.
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A. Boring to Brilliant (at a glance)
-----------------------------------

Boring:
Goku raised his power level and shouted and fired a Kamehameha at Furiza his power level rising even higher!

Better:
The powerful saiyan Goku shouted as his energy skyrocketed, an aura appearing. He drew back his arms and fired a mighty Kamehameha at Furiza, all the while his power getting stronger and stronger.

Best:
A defiant roar boomed across the sky, tearing the very air with its deafening cacophony. Never before did an ear hearken the detonation of such a dogged bellow. A brawny pair of arms sank deeply at the waist of the extraordinary Goku, stalwart defender of the Earth. Bright azure flames of pure energy caressed his body with its effulgent luminescence as ki of cobalt and white amassed into his pining palms. The power he was emanating was incomparably catastrophic. Chanting the harbinger of Furiza’s doom, the vehement warrior unleashed his vengeful wrath upon the defenseless icer. A colossal, inescapable beam bore down upon the tyrant, sinisterly sizzling with malicious intent. Frozen in fear, Furiza could sense his enemy’s phenomenally increasing strength.

Although some of lesser caliber would consider the first sentence to be exciting and dramatic, it is in fact pure crap. Not only is it poorly punctuated, but it also is annoyingly redundant. It is a classic example that could almost be a constant excerpt from the majority of the joining posts that are half-assed. There is clearly very little thought or detail. The next one is better. It is at least acceptable to read. There is some attempt at being descriptive, with a few minute details. Instead of trying to cram all the information into one awkward sentence, there’re two, and together they still carry out the theme of the first example. The third is the best of the three, although it makes a bigger jump in quality than from the first to the second. One sentence has been turned into a small paragraph. Each action is explicitly defined, painting a visible and imaginative picture. Adding to the theme is the inclusion of emotion and a glimpse of character perception. While this certainly may not be even close to the best presentation of role-playing you will ever see, it is something you could aspire to.

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B. Tactics
----------
- Word Choice. A vast resource, selection of words can make or break a post. They are the stirring stick of the imagination, so it is important how you use them. Description is a pictorial representation of an idea. Words are the colors that comprise the pictures, so use as many and as diversely as possible. Chubbs is a world where verbs (action words) dominate. Supplement these verbs by peppering your sentences with adjectives and (describing word; i.e., hideous, battered) adverbs (modifies a verb, noun or other adverb; i.e., quickly, boldly). Avoid mundane repetition. The simplest remedy for that problem is to get a thesaurus. There are numerous online sources, or you can use your Microsoft Word tool. Synonyms are your friends. Change up your sentences. Try not to overuse names or pronouns (substitutes for nouns; i.e., him, his, her, hers). Instead of always saying “Goku, Goku, Goku” try putting something like “the ebony-haired fighter” in its place. Whatever you do, make your sentences flow as smoothly as possible.

- Components. Flex your fingers into a fist. It may seem like a simple function, but several things are happening all at once. Your brain is sending nerve impulses to move them. The skin on the back of your hand is being drawn thinner. Blood is being circulated through your fingertips. Much more can be attributed to that activity than just what it seems. The point is, articulate every miniscule detail of an action, exactly how you would imagine it, on several levels. Picture it in your mind and break it down into several different pieces. Now, use the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. For example, Dabura is launching a fireball from his mouth in the middle of Hell. What does each individual action he is taking look like? What does his environment look like, how does it smell, what are the sounds? Can he taste the fireball as it’s coming out? How would that feel if a giant ball of flame was spat from your mouth? If you thought that was enough material, you can add in his vantage point. What is he thinking? What emotions is he feeling? How is this attack affecting his body? Ask yourself these questions and then answer them in the best, most descriptive way you can.

- Literary Devices. These are useful things that are designed to make a sentence stick out and really pop off the page. Some people actually use them without even knowing what they are, but they are better utilized when purposefully deployed. The basic ones are: similes, personification, metaphors, analogies, alliteration, and hyperboles. Similes, which are comparing two things using the words “like” or “as,” are the simplest to understand. Personification isn’t too hard either. It’s describing inanimate objects, such as a rock, with human-like traits. Metaphors are very common. They are symbols and figures of speech, such as the phrase “sea of troubles.” The troubles are not literally made of a sea, it’s just a word used to describe. Analogies, which are often in the form of a simile, are comparisons based on similarities. Alliteration, my favorite technique, uses several words together that start with the same sound, kind of like reverse rhyming. For example, the old tongue twister “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” It’s the “puh puh puh” sound that makes it alliteration. Lastly are hyperboles (hi-per-BUH-lee), which is just a fancy word for “exaggeration.” You use exaggeration for dramatic effect. These all might seem confusing, but are really handy once you get the hang of them. They become even more effective when combined!

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C. Show, Don’t Tell
--------------------
The “Show, Don’t Tell” rule is probably one of the most violated in all of writer-dom, and probably one of the most difficult to learn. I don’t know of anyone (professional or Chubbsian) who hasn’t at some point or another broken the token.

Telling
Goku was a young man with kind eyes and a strong, confident, heroic stance. All of his life, he was a fighter, and he was one of the best. His youthful face always had a smile on it. His hair was spiky and black. He always wore the same, classic outfit: an orange gi with a weighted blue undershirt. All of his life, he was a fighter, and he was one of the best. He loved his family: his wife Chi-Chi, and his two sons, Gohan and Goten. Even though Goku could be a gentle family man, he hated any evil-doer that tried to hurt them, because he was raised to be good and righteous as a little boy by his grandpa, Gohan. Anyone that threatened peace, Goku would fight.

That may be a little plain, but I need to be as clear as possible in the distinction of the two. Notice how it reads. It’s almost like a checklist, isn’t it? You can practically see the writer marking each item off in their head as they think: who he is, what he looks like, what he wears, what does he do, a little background, what motivates him and why. The writer thinks they’ve covered all the bases. Well, they’re right, except there’s one little problem: the reader is being completely indoctrinated! In other words, the reader is being drilled like a lecture. Plus, it’s kind of boring.

Showing
Goku moved with the prime of youth; the result of bodily rigors weren’t going to hurt him today, because he had plenty of years to come. His physical prowess demonstrated the keen aptitude of a superior fighter, but his eyes betrayed the kindness of a gentle soul that resided within. A gust of wind billowed by and ruffled the spikes of black hair that protruded from his head. Goku was nothing more than an orange blur in his everyday outfit as he trained, his body feeling the weight of the blue undershirt. A smile crossed his face, one that rarely ever left, as he thought of his the family he loved so much. Every punch, every kick was empowered by the memory of Chi-Chi, who had stood by him through thick and thin, and the pride that he felt for that of Gohan and Goten. Their very faces were as clear as day to him, even when he could not see them now. Deep down, his heart skipped a beat at the very thought of anything happening to them. He could never forget the values instilled in him by his former masters, and certainly not those of his grandpa. It was a rarity indeed if he could forgive those who trespassed against all he cared about.

Hopefully the distinction is clear. Each detail is explained by action, memory, and insinuation through either/or (with the hope the reader can see between the lines). They’re not blandly slapped onto the page and obvious as broad daylight. This may not be the best example of Show, Don’t Tell, but it should give you an idea of the notion!

[SIZE=2]----------------------------------------
D. Schoolhouse Rock (for audio/visual learners)
----------------------------------------[/SIZE]
You may or may not remember these old cartoons growing up, but I do. I have collected an assortment of shorts for different parts of speech. Maybe this will help you!

- Conjunction Junction, What’s Your Function?
- Unpack Your Adjectives
- Verb, That’s What’s Happening
- Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here!



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III. CONTENT
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What are the utmost desires of a reader? They want to be hooked. If a saga does not leave them asking for more, then it has not fulfilled its designated purpose. You have to be original, creative, inventive, realistic, imaginative, and just a little bit crazy. Role-playing is nothing without a character, and subsequently a character is nothing without a plot. Your content is complemented by your spelling, grammar, and description and details, but you need the meat before you can add the marinade.

Tip: If you have trouble putting your posts together, write your first draft out and then let it sit for a few hours, or even a few days. Then, come back and reread it, so you can get a fresh perspective on it and see what you like or don’t like. –a suggestion once made by Tobias

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A. Plot Structure
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This is Composition 101, kids. The best kind of story is one that is well thought up. In order to convey your arrangement of ideas, you need to put them in a sequential order that most effectively presents the material. I’m talking a beginning, middle, and an end, people…come on! I know some beginners are so anxious to get to the “good stuff,” which is in the middle or end, that they completely skip the beginning and go straight to the middle, or worse, the end itself. Don’t rush it; these things take time! The beginning is the most important part, because it sets up the storyline and its characters! The introduction gets the ball rolling, so you need to give it a good push. Tell your readers what’s going on as best you can, because this is your hook and first impressions last a lifetime. A clever writer uses foreshadowing and allusion techniques, which is dropping subtle hints as to what is going to happen in the future without actually giving it away. The beginning is one of the best spots for this to take place, especially if the revelation doesn’t occur until the very end. Your juice is in the middle, where most of the conflict happens, which makes the ending a lot more enticing. Conflict or struggle is essential. You must have it! Conflict comes in all shapes and sizes; it’s not just about beating each other’s brains in. There are a multitude of types: mental, physical, relationships, challenges, trials, tribulations, surmounting, desire, denial, need…the possibilities are boundless. It is through conflict that the majority of your build up and plot-development lays. Finally, the ending of a saga is where the beginning and middle all come together in a climactic conclusion. A conclusion can either be a cliffhanger for the next saga, or it can bear the fruits of a character’s labor, whether it is by growth, acquisition, or a realization of something. Keep in mind that not all endings have to be happy ones.

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B. Characters
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- Be Original!
Characters are so moldable it’s scary…they’re like putty in your hands! They can be anything you want them to be! As with plot, your options are limitless. Since we only have custom characters, you have a lot of freedom to work with. Make someone interesting, and how you want them to be.

- Define Their Personality
Aside from that note, what make characters are their identifiable quirks. Quirks are things a character is known for, such as stupidity, bravery, friendliness, essentially any kind of dominant personality trait. Quirks must be real and relatable. Characters need to be real. They have so many different dimensions and emotions that it is so debilitating if they are single-minded and poorly defined. Give them a past. Develop them slowly over time. Cultivate relationships. Give them struggles. Ask yourself what their motivations are. Something that is far too garden variety is a warrior who wants to amass a bunch of power and “pwn everyone’s ass,” or someone with a hero complex and boldly runs around fending off those god-damned evildoers…worst of all, having a serious case of revenge. There’s nothing wrong with that (it’s DBZ, after all), but there’s only so much you can accomplish with extreme ends of the scale. Instead of good and evil, go for the gray. Instill a little humanity and imperfection. Endow them with a mixed array of emotions and moral fibers. A reader should always be aware of how a character is realistically feeling. It helps them relate on a personal level, making your work more interesting to read. Deeply integrated personal flaws always defined Greek tragic heroes, for instance, and how they overcame those detriments…if they didn’t lead to a dramatic demise. A good writer can manipulate their readers into feeling whatever they want them to. If you want someone to feel sad, you spin a somber, morose tale of tragedy. Likewise, to make them feel happy, you plod along on a trail of sunshine and rainbows.

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C. Style
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Not a difficult concept, style is your personal spin on things. Some people appreciate serious, others like humor (especially the subtle, dirty kind), and still others prefer dramatic soap opera tragedy. Your style is the flavor of your writing, whether it’s passionate, sarcastic, bitter, or even a little arrogant. You can follow any of these tips and change them in a way that best fits your preferences. Writing itself is very loose outside of the mechanics aspect. If you have trouble coming up with ideas, there are several things you can do to get inspired: watch a pertinent movie or television show, listen to provoking music, read other posts, read different books, involve yourself in an activity, whatever it takes to motivate you. Take some risks and be original, don’t be predictable. Analyze your pieces and think of how you can alternate things to make them more interesting and appealing. Be spontaneous. Try new things. Don’t find yourself in a continual cycle. Style is your thing to control.


TOOLS: QUICK LINKS
(Disclaimer: in no way do I take credit for creation or publishment of these sites and their respective material, nor have I plagiarized their contents. They are the sole property of their owners and/or authors. I implement these links for resource purpose only.)

Rules
Join Page
Dictionary/Thesaurus
Download Microsoft Word
Spellchecker
How to Use a Semicolon Properly (in case you didn’t catch it in the Commas sub-section)
Writer’s Handbook
Guide to Grammar and Writing (originally provided by Waffuru)
Diana Hacker’s Writer’s Reference
Developing a Plot
Character Profile


Ending Credits: I would like to say thanks to anyone who has ever given advice, those especially know who you are. It helped me tremendously in compiling all of this. Because so many people have contributed, and come in and out of this RPG and changed their characters, I can no longer accurately give everyone credit, so I will simply say thank to all of those whom provided inspiration over the months it took to create this and the years I have been here.

Specifically, though, thanks to Supes (Super Buu, a.k.a. Greg) for pointing out a mistake and reinstilling the faith in me that someone actually reads this damn thing, and again to Hellfighter for helping with mistakes.

Next, a little apology to The Cool Tapion, who wanted to help make this guide great: I accidentally erased all of your suggestions...and I stole your Quick Find idea. Sorry!

Lastly, this guide is not perfect! There is something called Hartman’s Law of Prescriptivist Retaliation, which means, “Any statement about correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling, is bound to contain at least one error.”