Reading RPs that you are not part of...

[Ellri]

Do you do it?

[Engel]

Nope, it doesn't interest me. I'd rather spend the time reading a book or doing something else.

[NuttsnBolts]

Nope.

I read the RPs I'm in, and maybe a couple posts of one I'm entering, but I won't read an established RP that I'm not entering.

[Fillet]

Nope, it doesn't interest me. I'd rather spend the time reading a book or doing something else.

@Engel

This.

[Arawak]

I make occasional attempts, but it's hard to follow RPs you are not a part of because you won't understand shit if you don't read the apps half the time and even than (especially with more advanced RP) you usually are following multiple plotlines. It gets confusing extremely fast to say the least.

[Tulpa]

[Keyguyperson]

Only ones I planned on joining but never had the time to.

[AuntFlavia]

No, but maybe I should start. Apparently people read Wolf Manor and Wink Muder, two RPs I'm a player in, so it only seems fair to give back.

[Mixtape Ghost N]

Yeah, I read the RPs my homies are in.

If only most of my homies RPed anymore. :(

[Invisible]

I did it quite a bit back when I had a lot of free time but school, work, and roleplays I'm active in take up most of my time. I occasionally do so still now but that is mostly due out of sheer boredom or simply for inspiration.

[El Taco Taco]

I tend to read the RPs that my friends are in, especially on other forums with an overarching plot. Beyond that, I barely have time to keep up with my threads, let alone someone elses.

[tsukune]

I'm definitely a creeper. I'll read lots of RP threads IC and OOC but I never join them. I may even talk OOC sometimes even if I'm not a part of the IC group.

I guess my only explanation is that I don't have any confidence in my own writing to will myself to join a group RP. The one's that I truly think would be perfect for the kinds of characters that I would like to write out, usually end up dying and abandoned anyways.

The trend of starting an RP and then everybody suddenly just dropping out (because reasons) is another factor that severely limits my want to join a good group RP. I watch it happen far too often. That and people can be very mean-spirited. (Ignoring characters, over-controlling, taking OOC drama into IC. I could go on for pages, really. I've even seen GM's vanish.)

I do enjoy writing and I enjoy watching writers grow. That is an experience I think that is unique to roleplay forums and I like to see it happen in real time reading RP threads that I'm not a part of.

A part of myself wishes that I could join in on the fun, but at the same time I'm too scared to.

@Tulpa

^ This.

For me I avoid group RPs because I cannot keep up with speed-posting or overly strict posting timetable that makes me feel like RP is no longer a writing hobby but a horrible business job with a tight deadline.

[Animus]

Sometimes because some people have really interesting characters or ideas. However, it's hard to keep it up for long because it usually turns boring lol. It's the type of thing that isn't as much fun to watch as to actually participate in.

[Tulpa]

[Haeo]

<Snipped quote>

I know exactly how you feel. People seem to forget that we are doing this in our free time - for fun, no less. Sometimes work and real life obligations interrupt with our treasured free periods that prevent us from posting. Of course, we never enjoy our free time being sucked away like that - so of course want to get a post written up as soon as possible. The pressure is so overbearing. With a job and responsibility to all juggle at once, it's not fun to put our creative writing into the same spectre. People can be so impatient, but they must experience the same things too?

@Tulpa

First, I have been told that my manner of expressing myself in discussions can come across as excessively authoritative. I say this because it is a flaw in my present communication skills that I am trying to correct. If this occurs, please inform me and try to not take offense as it is not intentional.

I think that I would venture to say that it is the sharing of that experience that drives much of their impatience. The sense that there is barely enough time to post can throttle patience and understanding, especially when paired with the fear that a day without posting will signal the death of yet another role-play.

It just gets really painful to watch one beautiful, inspiring daydream after another die and be discarded. It's also depressing to have the people around you, whose skill you respect and admire, simply assume that you can effortlessly discard a character you put your heart into and move on to cranking out another one. As many have said in one way or another, roleplaying is about interaction. The human heart is impossible to remove from the activity. No matter how much a given experience hurts you (or me, often enough.) the fact remains that there is at least one other human heart involved. People may make their decisions with their heads but those decisions only rarely, and with great effort, contradict what the heart is saying.

-- Also, as regards the original question of this thread, I do. But, I do not do this often. It requires significant storytelling skills to capture my attention without interaction.

[Undine]

.

[BrobyDDark]

Sometimes I'll read some of the roleplay, but only if I'm thinking about joining. Its only to see how their storytelling skills compare to mine. I'm not very particular with who I play with, but I do have some standards. For instance, the person has to have a sense of humor, the person has to be literate, etc.

If the players in the roleplay I'm thinking about joining don't have those, I won't join.

[ayzrules]

sometimes, if i'm interested enough in the topic-but rarely so. I have too much other stuff on my plate

[Makky]

Story is story.
Not often but yes, I do.
Bookmarks even! *waves 'em*

It's like fanfiction,
they have their times.
Or say, wattpad, fictionpress
and their armies of clones