Article: When you write your roleplaying scenes, read over your character description to make sure you’re staying in character. It’s okay for characters to grow and change over time, but you don’t want them to completely reverse major personality traits! Literate roleplayers don’t use abbreviations or chatspeak, so make sure your posts are written out in complete sentences! Each post should be at least one paragraph long to start, but as you improve your posts should each be at least two or three paragraphs long. A big part of literate roleplaying is using long, detailed descriptions instead of short phrases. Go into as much detail as possible. For example, instead of writing “Frodo walked through the rain,” you could write “Frodo trudged through the torrential downpour, his bare feet squishing deep into the mud with every step.” Don’t just limit yourself to actions--write about how your character feels and reacts to situations. This will give your characters depth and growth over the course of the game. For example, if your character is punched, don’t just write about how they fought back. Write about how the punch made them feel and what it reminded them of from their past. A big part of literate roleplaying is keeping your characters and settings on topic--this isn’t the place to suddenly transport your characters to outer space! Keep your characters and settings in mind the entire time while you roleplay, and try to make each response as realistic as possible in the context of your setting.

What is a summary?
Keep a description of your character handy. Write out your posts in complete sentences. Use descriptive words and phrases. Write about your character’s feelings and reactions. Stay on topic.