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Do's


~ Make a background story/plot and tell a bit about the settings, this helps the readers and potential Rpers get a feel for the story, and maybe even relate to it.

~ Give a set of rules, of course, you all know that an unruly Rp can be no fun at all.

~ If need be, create a black list, this shows that a person has misbehaved in your Rp and is not allowed back, this is also helpful because you can check OTHER people's black lists to see who is on and who isn't, to maybe even stop a potential problem before it starts.

~ In contrast to the blacklist, is the white list. This is a list of people who you would recommend to other Rp maker's, and maybe even check for yourself if you want to see who's great at Rping, maybe even ask if they would like to join?..

~ Another Essential is the Character list and Sign up sheet, you'll want a character list so that other Rpers can see who's who, what they look like, where they come from, and how they act (the characters of course). A sign up sheet is also very important because it helps keep things in order when you want people to sign up and you want specific information, as it gives them less things to think about putting in their profile, and it also makes it easier to sort in the character list.

~ If you want it, say it! Another important thing that most makers miss is telling how they want the members to post. If you wish to make a literate Rp, state that you want it literate, if you want to make it author style, state it. It reduces all the confusion and stress when a random person just comes in and posts horribly. For example, you run a literate Rp Thread, and a member comes in and posts:
Quote:
alicia walks in hi!

Things like this can be very stressful, even in a guild like this where author style (quotes for statements, everything else just normal typing, mostly literate) must be used, you will still see a lot of one line posts, which get tiring and take up space. So, to reduce this, say that you don't want one line posts and warn anyone who does it, if they do it repeatedly, ban them. Which brings me to my next point.

~ Enforce your rules. What's the point of having rules if no one is going to follow them? If you don't enforce your rules, it can be a hassle as you'll give members leverage to do what they want, which could lead to you getting in serious trouble. For example, two members begin taking things above "pg-13", you can be held responsible for not making sure to keep this from happening, I've seen it plenty times before and most likely will see it much more. When you do enforce your rules, don't go overboard on it, a little leverage is ok, just not too much. Too much can be seriously annoying, which will drive Rpers away.

Just Plain Normal Tips


~Follow your own rules! I see this all the time, a person makes an Rp, and then doesn't follow their own rules. Someone complains about it, then the complaining person gets kicked out, its a good way to kill your Rp (not following your rules...). If you do follow them, its a good way to boost your Rp in the thoughts of Potentials (all potential Rpers shall now be called Potentials), and its also a good way to set a great example.

~Keep a close eye on your Rp! Some people dont watch their Rp, which can lead to multiple things (like people start to get very loose on the rules, and start doing things they aren't supposed to be doing, or when people need your help, you aren't there, sometimes it even creates laziness amongst your members because of the "If my boss doesn't come to work on time, why should I?" type of thinking.

~If people don't post in your Rp, remind them or remove them! If someone stops posting, or never posts in your Rp, pm them (as a warning first). If they still wish to not participate, or do not respond (pm them first saying that you removed them), remove them. This is a good thing because it reminds people that they are still in your Rp (some people forget), and it even helps keep your character list clear of inactive members (who wants to look at a long list of characters who aren't even in the story? *it also saves on loading time and space*)