Getting into High Quality Role-plays (And Staying There!)
This guide assumes that you have already found a role-play (RP) that you wish to join. If you haven't found one yet, I'd suggest you keep looking around both the Barton Town and Barton OOC forums, and don't forget to look into some of the role-playing featured in guilds.
Now, let's say you've got your sights on an RP with a great setting that you're just dying to get into. However, perhaps said RP has strict rules on joining, or you are unsure if you are qualified to do so. In this guide, I'll do my best to give a few pointers on how to "dress to impress", so to speak, to land the character spot you've been after, and then what to do next!
Getting In
Step One: Do Your Research
This should be a fairly obvious thing to do, even though you haven't even submitted an application or profile yet. However, this is extremely important! Be sure to read everything in the role-play's introduction. Usually, the RP creator has this in the first one or two posts, but some creators put useful information on the entire first page, or even in other threads. Make yourself familiar with the genre, setting, characters, and any other aspects of the universe in which the RP is set. Make sure you are comfortable with the rules the creator has set forth, and make sure they agree with the Gaia ToS. If the creator has posted other players' profiles, be sure to read them over. This will not only give you an idea of what types of characters the creator is looking for, but can help you create a unique character that stands out from the others.
Some creators like to have applicants title their PMs with a certain phrase they have placed somewhere (often inconspicuously) on the first page. Be sure to check if your PM needs a certain title! Forgetting to appropriately title your application can leave a bad impression on the creator.In addition, I've heard of creators creating hidden rules that are colored white (i.e. white). Though this may seem a bit much, don't be caught unawares by it. In general, it's a good idea to double-check the first few posts of the RP explaining rules and setting before you submit anything, just to be sure.
Step Two: Ask Questions
This is something that people often forget, but it can make a big difference if you know how to use it! Most high quality RPs have a fairly set universe that the creator wants to maintain. If you are unsure about what is accepted in the setting provided, don't be afraid to ask the creator about it! Most creators love to talk about their settings (trust me), and it gives them the impression that you really care about the role-play. If the RP has already started, ask them if they can think of a clever way to work you into the story, and discuss your own ideas with them. As said above, developing a slightly closer relationship to the creator is a great way to make sure you get into the RP and stay there.
Step Three: The Character Profile
How to create a character is beyond the scope of this guide. However, I will provide some tips on how to make sure the profile you provide will impress the RP creator.
In general, make sure that your spelling and grammar is tip-top in your character profile. Remember that you are trying to leave a good impression, and the creator expects no less than your best. Check and recheck your profile for mistakes, and make sure that you are completely satisfied with your work before you send it. For now, here are some specific tips for the various parts of most profiles.
Name: Make sure the name you provide keeps within the overall setting of the RP. For example, if the role-play is set in a fantasy world, a name like "Buck" might not fly. In the same way, "Roccinapheneledril" might not get you many points, either.
Appearance: Unless specifically told to do so by the creator, do not post a picture (real or anime) of what your character looks like. Instead, describe his/her appearance as best you can. Be sure to include things like eye color, height, build, skin tone, facial features, other easily distinguishable features, and possibly what he/she is wearing (provided they don't change often). This will help others describe your character as well, and taking the time to write everything out lets the creator know that you are serious.
If a picture is requested, make sure that it follows any guidelines the creator set forth. Using an anime picture when a real photo is required, for example, could lead the creator to think you weren't paying attention to their requests.
History/Personality Provide as much or as little detail as the other accepted players have posted, but make sure it is still well written even if it is brief. Try to only include relevant information in the character's history, and be sure to leave some details out; you can bring them up later in the RP as your character interacts with the others. If you can, try to think of ways that your character's history and/or personality can link to the storyline. This can include plot twists, character flaws, etc. Make sure that your character will benefit the RP!
Step Four: The Sample
This can often be the trickiest part of the application process. Some creators prefer to review your post history, while others simply ask for a sample.
Say the creator has stated in the thread that your post history will be checked. In this case, there's not much else you can do. If you are confident that they will like what they see, your job is done. However, perhaps you haven't role-played on Gaia recently, or perhaps you have simply been forum hopping for a while. Sometimes, if you can impress them enough with your character profile, they will trust you enough not to check.
Alternatively, if they request a sample post, you have a bit of leeway. If you know of a great post you've made in the past, feel free to dive into your post history and submit it. If you don't think you have one on hand, you might just have to make it right there. I'll provide some tips on submitting role-playing samples that give the creator a good impression in either case.
Using a Previous Post:
Double check your post to make sure that it is as great as you remember it to be. Check for grammar or spelling mistakes, as well as the overall length and flow of the piece. In addition, you may want to consider doing the following:
● Make sure you explain any details that the creator might need to know about (for example, the basic setting). However, keep the summary short, as it will detract from the post itself!
● Submit the actual post, as well as a link to it in the RP!
● Try to submit a post that it is in a similar genre. This is not always necessary, but it can help.
Creating a New Post:
I am going to assume that you will not copy-and-paste something you've done in the past, and have decided to make your sample on-the-fly. That being said, you should make your post in the setting of the role-play you are joining. This will do two things: First, it will show the creator that you are fully capable of posting high quality work in his/her RP. Second, it will prove without a shadow of doubt that you yourself wrote the post. Now there are some things you can consider.
● This is a great opportunity to show how you will use your character in the RP.
● This is a great opportunity to write about your character's history.
● Try to keep the post related to the RP's overall theme.
● Make sure that your post is poignant. This post needs to be exciting and interesting enough that the creator will want to see more of your work.
● Your post should be able to stand alone without a prologue or epilogue.
● Make sure it is long enough, but not too long!
Don't be afraid to make some room at the top of your message to say a few words to the creator directly. You can compliment his/her work on the RP, express how excited you are to find it, or how much you can't wait to start playing with everyone else. Let the creator know you're really interested in the RP and that you're going to stick with it!With some common sense and good writing of your own, you should be a shoo-in to get into the role-play you've been wanting. So get out there!
