FictionCore
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Getting started with text roleplay

Learn how writers build a story together and choose a way to play that suits them.

3 min read

What you’ll learn

  • Distinguish the writers, their characters and their conversations outside the story.
  • Compare group size, shared control, live or asynchronous play, writing style, post length and reply frequency.

A story you write together

In text roleplay, two or more people create a story by writing their characters’ actions, dialogue and thoughts. Each contribution is called a post. You write a post, your partner responds with theirs, and the scene develops between you. For example, your character might find an unsigned letter and ask a fellow passenger about it. Your partner decides how their character answers. You can plan the mystery together, but neither writer has to decide the whole story in advance.

  • One-on-one, often written as 1×1, means two writers. A group has more participants; each may write one or several characters.
  • A Game Master (GM) may run the setting, introduce events and play characters the other writers encounter. Some groups share those tasks without a GM.
  • Live text roleplay means writing together at an agreed time. In play-by-post (PbP), you leave posts for others to answer when they are available.
  • You keep control of your own characters unless you agree otherwise. Decide together who can introduce events, play other characters or settle uncertain outcomes.

Hard to judge

Let’s RP. I’m active and write a lot.

Clear expectations

I’d like a mystery with one other writer. I can post two or three paragraphs a couple of times a week. I’d enjoy planning the clues together.

Describe what you enjoy

Terms such as semi-lit, literate and novella can suggest a preference for more or less detailed writing, but they have no agreed word counts across communities. Say what your posts usually look like and how often you can reply. Length, writing style and availability are separate preferences: someone who enjoys short posts may reply once a week; someone who writes several paragraphs may reply daily. Neither is a measure of how good a partner they will be.

Try it yourself

A profile says “semi-lit, active, no GM.” What would help you decide whether to write together?

Show explanation
  • Ask for a description or sample of a typical post; semi-lit may mean something different to each of you.
  • Ask how often they usually reply and whether that changes from week to week.
  • Discuss how you would share plot decisions and other characters without a Game Master.