Second post. Dang, I'm going strong here, aren't I? Well, for me I am. I just kept thinking about this blog all day, and I was trying to figure out what I should I post next. What would be useful after my post in basic RP styles, terminology, forum vs chat room, and some skill examples? I read over my first post and realized that I didn't explain what exactly 1st and 3rd POV was- and that really affects how you roleplay! So that's what this post will be about: The Pros and Cons of 1st POV Compared to the Pros and Cons of 3rd POV. So, let's get started, shall we?
Okay, first off, POV stands for point of view. It's not an important RP term because you should have learned what it meant when you began learning true literature-- so around 6th grade. Point of view is the perspective in which the story is told; an exact definition from one of my old literature books! When roleplaying, you are basically creating a story right there on the spot. Sometimes you already think up a plot, while other times you're just going with the flow. Which is why roleplaying is such a great way to boost your writing skills and English scores.
Here's a little factoid:
There are five viewpoints employed in literature;
I got this lovely little set of definitions from (here) and you can check out other definitions if need be. Anyhow, the POVs that you will be using in RPs is the First Person and Third-Person Selective or Limited. Before I give you the pros and cons for those two (with some examples, of course), I'll just blatantly state why you don't use the other three POVs.
Dramatic/Objective is not used because either your character is the narrator or you are the narrator. There is no bias so you cannot use words like profound beauty or express the character's thoughts. You could use it, but it'd be more like a Shakespearean play- if done right. Omniscient Narrator Third Person is considered god-modding. You're roleplaying with other people, not just yourself so you can't be the all-powerful, perfect, invincible person we all wish we were. Stream Of Consciousness/Interior Monologue won't work while roleplaying, just like Dramatic/Objective. It's a style that really only works if you're writing a story/play but not creating a story with someone else.
Now that we're done with those POVs, let's go onto the POVs you'll actually be using. First thing is first: First Point Of View~
Books that you have read that were in 1st POV were either the Twilight Saga or The Hunger Games. Those are probably the biggest examples I could give in literature, since what I read is probably what you all scurry away from. So what did you notice about those books? Did they seem more emotional to you? Showed greater main protagonist character development? You probably noticed all the "I's, Me's, Myself's, Mine's" inside these great stories. There were lots of thoughts from the main character, and the main character was the narrator. Here's a small roleplay example of this POV:
"I walked down the small trail inside the quiet forest leisurely. It was early in the morning, and the air was moist from all the rain the day before. My boots left soft prints in the dark, loose soil as I continued my trek to the center of the forest. It had been so long since I had been there last, and I missed the Black Dove. I wondered if the bird had survived through the rains, and I remembered how it didn't seem to have a nest. Nest or no nest, the dove still must have gotten drenched. The trees of this forest weren't known for their ability to shelter someone out of the rain. Black Dove, I thought solemnly as I neared my destination, please be there. I need to see you."
Short little excerpt, but you get the point. Now, what's good about roleplaying like this? You get to describe your character's purpose easier, and describe their thoughts better as well. You describe actions when needed, and can describe scenery less and go further into your character's thoughts. What's also great about this that it's easier to transition into a flashback with having to actually write it's a flashback.
Now, what's bad? It may harder for you to differentiate between the past and present tense words. You could start out with: I walk down the small trail... I was missing the Black Dove; but it wouldn't make sense if you had done I walk down the small trail... I missed the Black Dove. It will take some experience and can take some time if you aren't use to the style. Also, when roleplaying with another person, if they're not using that style then it may be difficult to read. It's also suggested that you don't try roleplaying two characters at the same time because it can be extremely confusing.
Technically, this style is to your preference. I've only met a few who actually RPed like this, but hey, if you like it, then there are communities out there for you.
The main way to roleplay is through 3rd POV, and many writers write in 3rd. Books like Harry Potter, the Warrior cat series and Lord of the Rings write in this style. What was amazing in these books were that you got other character's thoughts and there was a smoother transition to how the character's interact and their emotions. You can use either their name or the he/she or their's and such to describe what belongs to them or what they are doing. You've probably read this from many books, but here is an RP example:
"'Fascinating' Gilan spoke, almost coldly, knowing that many elves were connected with animals due to the fact that they can speak with their minds. He absentmindedly played with the marble once again, swirling it between the fingers of his right hand silently and he looked up as a droplet of water fell on his shoulder. He had known that it was only a matter of time before it started raining, due to the fact that the sky was blanketed with dark grey clouds. He then saw a flash of lightning, but there was no boom of sound that followed, meaning that it was merely heat lightning from the warm front and the cold front coming together. The rain then started to come down faster, "Unless the little one gets shelter, he may fall sick" he spoke of the colt, whose fluffy pelt was being pierced by the cold rain. He pulled his cloaks' hood over his head, his face now hidden in a shadow. "If you don't want to make the journey home, there is an abandoned cottage about two minutes away, I had found it last night" Gilan told her, knowing that the cottage had a lean to. No, he wasn't saying it because he cared about the horse, he was merely helping out, strangely enough."
Not an introductory paragraph, somewhere in the middle, but it gets the job done. So what's good? If another person roleplays like this, then it's like reading a story. You can differentiate between characters easier when posting, and you can go into character thought or motive. With the character's actions you can describe it more profoundly and explain how'd look like to other characters your character is interacting with. It's more fluid, and basically the universal and preferred POV when roleplaying, especially on forums or advanced chat room RPs. You can also RP two or more characters at the same time without making it too dreadfully confusing for your RP buddy.
What's bad about it? If you're inexperienced with roleplaying, you can really mess up by your inexperience. If you can't describe setting and detail then this POV can fall apart. Also, it closes you off from someone who RPs in 1st POV. There's also an issue if you can't keep track of your present/past-tense words.
Overall, you're gonna want to stay with 3rd POV. But if you really love 1st POV, then don't worry. There's so many forums and chat rooms with users who adore roleplaying that way. If you're a beginner, try out both. And try out which way you like it. You want to be more in touch with your character and express emotion, flash back, and personal experiences more then go with 1st POV. You want to describe setting, actions and RP two+ characters at the same time then use 3rd POV. Each POV has it's pros and cons, and it's mainly just up to you pick and choose and try.
Well, that's the end of this post. A lot shorter than my first one, huh? Anyways, I may as well just tell you all that my next post will be about roleplaying etiquette. Internet and RP etiquette go hand in hand, but there are some things you'll just have to know to be courteous and knowledgeable so other RPers will respect you more and will like to RP with you more.
If this blog is helping you in any way by giving you ideas or just refreshing stuff inside your head, then share it, follow it, or just read it. I want the blog to go big, not just for brag rights, but because there's a lot of people who would find it useful. Since I'm going from how to roleplay to roleplay ideas and character design/development, I'll be posting regularly. If this is information that you need, then great. If it isn't, then give me suggestions on how I could make the blog better for you and others. Give me ideas, share this, and even give me websites that I can help critic and analyze and advertise for you. I read any and all comments and am ready to serve you.
Well, enough rambling. Don't procrastinate people, and roleplay long and well.
INTRODUCTION:
Okay, first off, POV stands for point of view. It's not an important RP term because you should have learned what it meant when you began learning true literature-- so around 6th grade. Point of view is the perspective in which the story is told; an exact definition from one of my old literature books! When roleplaying, you are basically creating a story right there on the spot. Sometimes you already think up a plot, while other times you're just going with the flow. Which is why roleplaying is such a great way to boost your writing skills and English scores.
Here's a little factoid:
There are five viewpoints employed in literature;
- dramatic or objective: A viewpoint wherein we are not conscious of a narrator, for the author does not comment on the action but simply describes the scene, telling us what happens and what the characters say, so we get a feeling of being there, observing the scene as we would in a play.
- first person: An eyewitness gives a firsthand account of what happened as well as his or her response to it.
- omniscient narrator, third person: An all-seeing, all-knowing narrator, capable of reading the thoughts of all the characters and capable of being in several places at once if need be, tells the story.
- stream of consciousness or interior monologue: A third-person narrative that seems to incorporate the first-person form, although the participant in the action is not consciously telling the story. It is a unique inner view, as though a microphone and movie camera in the character's mind were recording every thought, image, and impression that passes through, without the conscious acts of organization, selectivity, or narration.
- third-person selective or limited: The narrator is omniscient except for the fact that his or her powers of mind reading are limited to or at least focused on a single character, who becomes the central figure through whom we view the action.
I got this lovely little set of definitions from (here) and you can check out other definitions if need be. Anyhow, the POVs that you will be using in RPs is the First Person and Third-Person Selective or Limited. Before I give you the pros and cons for those two (with some examples, of course), I'll just blatantly state why you don't use the other three POVs.
Dramatic/Objective is not used because either your character is the narrator or you are the narrator. There is no bias so you cannot use words like profound beauty or express the character's thoughts. You could use it, but it'd be more like a Shakespearean play- if done right. Omniscient Narrator Third Person is considered god-modding. You're roleplaying with other people, not just yourself so you can't be the all-powerful, perfect, invincible person we all wish we were. Stream Of Consciousness/Interior Monologue won't work while roleplaying, just like Dramatic/Objective. It's a style that really only works if you're writing a story/play but not creating a story with someone else.
Now that we're done with those POVs, let's go onto the POVs you'll actually be using. First thing is first: First Point Of View~
1ST POV
Books that you have read that were in 1st POV were either the Twilight Saga or The Hunger Games. Those are probably the biggest examples I could give in literature, since what I read is probably what you all scurry away from. So what did you notice about those books? Did they seem more emotional to you? Showed greater main protagonist character development? You probably noticed all the "I's, Me's, Myself's, Mine's" inside these great stories. There were lots of thoughts from the main character, and the main character was the narrator. Here's a small roleplay example of this POV:
"I walked down the small trail inside the quiet forest leisurely. It was early in the morning, and the air was moist from all the rain the day before. My boots left soft prints in the dark, loose soil as I continued my trek to the center of the forest. It had been so long since I had been there last, and I missed the Black Dove. I wondered if the bird had survived through the rains, and I remembered how it didn't seem to have a nest. Nest or no nest, the dove still must have gotten drenched. The trees of this forest weren't known for their ability to shelter someone out of the rain. Black Dove, I thought solemnly as I neared my destination, please be there. I need to see you."
Short little excerpt, but you get the point. Now, what's good about roleplaying like this? You get to describe your character's purpose easier, and describe their thoughts better as well. You describe actions when needed, and can describe scenery less and go further into your character's thoughts. What's also great about this that it's easier to transition into a flashback with having to actually write it's a flashback.
Now, what's bad? It may harder for you to differentiate between the past and present tense words. You could start out with: I walk down the small trail... I was missing the Black Dove; but it wouldn't make sense if you had done I walk down the small trail... I missed the Black Dove. It will take some experience and can take some time if you aren't use to the style. Also, when roleplaying with another person, if they're not using that style then it may be difficult to read. It's also suggested that you don't try roleplaying two characters at the same time because it can be extremely confusing.
Technically, this style is to your preference. I've only met a few who actually RPed like this, but hey, if you like it, then there are communities out there for you.
3RD POV
The main way to roleplay is through 3rd POV, and many writers write in 3rd. Books like Harry Potter, the Warrior cat series and Lord of the Rings write in this style. What was amazing in these books were that you got other character's thoughts and there was a smoother transition to how the character's interact and their emotions. You can use either their name or the he/she or their's and such to describe what belongs to them or what they are doing. You've probably read this from many books, but here is an RP example:
"'Fascinating' Gilan spoke, almost coldly, knowing that many elves were connected with animals due to the fact that they can speak with their minds. He absentmindedly played with the marble once again, swirling it between the fingers of his right hand silently and he looked up as a droplet of water fell on his shoulder. He had known that it was only a matter of time before it started raining, due to the fact that the sky was blanketed with dark grey clouds. He then saw a flash of lightning, but there was no boom of sound that followed, meaning that it was merely heat lightning from the warm front and the cold front coming together. The rain then started to come down faster, "Unless the little one gets shelter, he may fall sick" he spoke of the colt, whose fluffy pelt was being pierced by the cold rain. He pulled his cloaks' hood over his head, his face now hidden in a shadow. "If you don't want to make the journey home, there is an abandoned cottage about two minutes away, I had found it last night" Gilan told her, knowing that the cottage had a lean to. No, he wasn't saying it because he cared about the horse, he was merely helping out, strangely enough."
Not an introductory paragraph, somewhere in the middle, but it gets the job done. So what's good? If another person roleplays like this, then it's like reading a story. You can differentiate between characters easier when posting, and you can go into character thought or motive. With the character's actions you can describe it more profoundly and explain how'd look like to other characters your character is interacting with. It's more fluid, and basically the universal and preferred POV when roleplaying, especially on forums or advanced chat room RPs. You can also RP two or more characters at the same time without making it too dreadfully confusing for your RP buddy.
What's bad about it? If you're inexperienced with roleplaying, you can really mess up by your inexperience. If you can't describe setting and detail then this POV can fall apart. Also, it closes you off from someone who RPs in 1st POV. There's also an issue if you can't keep track of your present/past-tense words.
ENDING WORDS AND THOUGHTS:
Overall, you're gonna want to stay with 3rd POV. But if you really love 1st POV, then don't worry. There's so many forums and chat rooms with users who adore roleplaying that way. If you're a beginner, try out both. And try out which way you like it. You want to be more in touch with your character and express emotion, flash back, and personal experiences more then go with 1st POV. You want to describe setting, actions and RP two+ characters at the same time then use 3rd POV. Each POV has it's pros and cons, and it's mainly just up to you pick and choose and try.
Well, that's the end of this post. A lot shorter than my first one, huh? Anyways, I may as well just tell you all that my next post will be about roleplaying etiquette. Internet and RP etiquette go hand in hand, but there are some things you'll just have to know to be courteous and knowledgeable so other RPers will respect you more and will like to RP with you more.
If this blog is helping you in any way by giving you ideas or just refreshing stuff inside your head, then share it, follow it, or just read it. I want the blog to go big, not just for brag rights, but because there's a lot of people who would find it useful. Since I'm going from how to roleplay to roleplay ideas and character design/development, I'll be posting regularly. If this is information that you need, then great. If it isn't, then give me suggestions on how I could make the blog better for you and others. Give me ideas, share this, and even give me websites that I can help critic and analyze and advertise for you. I read any and all comments and am ready to serve you.
Well, enough rambling. Don't procrastinate people, and roleplay long and well.
Yours truly,
SC~
ignore this: <a href="http://www.hypersmash.com">HyperSmash.com</a>
Thank you for the advice.
ReplyDeleteMy reason why I prefer to use First POV is because it’s easier for me.
I tried using third person and I wasn’t all that great.
I’ve done well RPing with people who use third and I use first.
We still had threads going.
Thanks for the advice!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! I played roleplay long time ago and I wanted to do it again but I didn't remember how to do it.
ReplyDelete