Reading RPs. Period. Just reading.

[Malikoy]

So I was wondering, are there people out there that enjoy reading role plays without ever participating? Or even making their presence known to the RP members? Or is that the only readers of an RP is its own players?

I personally keep at least one RP to follow and read for every 10 RP I participate in. I know, lots of RPs, I just admire writing instead of TV. Anyone out there actually READ other people's RPs and follow them?

[MissCapnCrunch]

Oh definitely! Sometimes if my roleplays I'm participating in are at a stand still I'll peek around at other people's roleplays and read them. Even some of the free ones, I'll take a few minutes and read through 30 some pages of silly story just to keep myself entertained for awhile. It's fun (:

[mmidnight]

I find myself reading the NRP's a lot, and even some in arena that have interesting concepts. It's pretty fun!

[Rina]

Every once in awhile I'll read a few. It usually starts with a roleplayer I enjoy roleplaying with or someone with a roleplay in their signature and I'll be curious in seeing what roleplays they participate in but I usually get sidetracked when another roleplayer in the roleplay I'm reading catches my interest and check out some of the roleplays that person is in and down the road it goes from there.

[Gowi]

Yeah, I like to read and as one of the credos go—to improve on your writing, read more—which is something I try to do often. There are two of my friends (Dervish, Pachamac) that I will read even if I have no interest or ability in joining them in their prose. I’ve posted in the OOC of them sometimes and joined in idle chat but have been shooed away before, which hurts but I get it as some people think such chat should be directly involving participants and not lurkers.

[Kidd]

Not typically unless I'm close to one of the RP'rs. And it's been a long, long time since I've been close to a frequent RP'r...

But I guess I should follow a RP or two just for reading whether or not I know someone, haha. Definitely a potential learning experience.

[AlteredTundra]

If the rp itself interests me enough, then yes I will read it without participating. I sometimes will throw a message to the GM of said rp stating that I am following it.

[Ruby]

I've yet to see a RP with writing consistently good enough to make me want to read it if I'm not directly playing in it.

[Rilla]

If I'm going to read one then its going to be in the arena.

[Skallagrim]

I am like Rilla if I read one it is in the arena.

[Skallagrim]

Sorry for the odd double post.

[Griever]

To be completely frank, I sometimes even find reading other posts in RPs I'm in difficult. Whether or not I'm the GM of that RP is irrelevant, some people just have a verbose and drawn-out writing style that makes reading IC posts a chore and not particularly fun.

Also some people make bizarre stylistic choices in regards to their posts, like switching between point-of-view narratives, switching between past/present-tense and even switching languages mid-posts (protip: this is an English RP site, let's keep the posts in English unless otherwise specified.) All of this doesn't make their posts more "stylish" it just makes them more confusing and that much more irritating to read.

I suspect one of the reasons many RPs die, is because people are fed up with reading other posts.

[Malikoy]

I agree, when reading other posts stops being fun and turns into a chore you just have to do the RP basically dips into a downward descent to inactivity and death.

But you can always pick out the participating individuals to avoid that. Nothing ruins a nice RP like on le player with horrible or uninspiring writing style.

[Rare]

Griever said
To be completely frank, I sometimes even find reading other posts in RPs I'm in difficult. Whether or not I'm the GM of that RP is irrelevant, some people just have a verbose and drawn-out writing style that makes reading IC posts a chore and not particularly fun.

Also some people make bizarre stylistic choices in regards to their posts, like switching between point-of-view narratives, switching between past/present-tense and even switching languages mid-posts (protip: this is an English RP site, let's keep the posts in English unless otherwise specified.) All of this doens't make their posts more "stylish" it just makes them more confusing and that much moer irritating to read.

Malikoy said
I agree, when reading other posts stops being fun and turns into a chore you just have to do the RP basically dips into a downward descent to inactivity and death.

But you can always pick out the participating individuals to avoid that. Nothing ruins a nice RP like on le player with horrible or uninspiring writing style.

That is why the Free section is there, so you don't have to read paragraphs and don't have to worry about all of those things that you both said.

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I like to read other RPs that are good to read. Plus, it helped me improved on my writing.

[Malikoy]

I don't mind reading lengthy paragraphs, in fact I enjoy them, I just meant I hated it when some players have inconsistent writing styles or heavy and annoying grammar/spelling mistakes that cuts the enjoyment of reading.

[Gwazi Magnum]

Nah, I almost always prefer being engaged in something and having input and control rather than sitting back and observing.
It's why I never, ever read books for free time. But will constantly look for video game narrative master pieces like The Walking Dead. I derive far more enjoyment from giving input and making choices than simply watching.

I still watch some TV mind you (The fact they have voices and visuals helps a lot, so I know I'm seeing what I'm seeing. And not say completely miss-imagining what the author means for you to imagine). But I suspect a reason I have big issues starting new series (even though I'm essentially on a 8 month summer break) is because you need to get me in the right mood/state of mind to be entertained by just watching, rather than being actively involved and participating.