I wonder if all mods go through these thought processes or if it's just me and I'm weird, haha!

1: I could totally mod this idea. Interest-check that shit!
You see a piece of art, hear a new song, see a movie, and inspiration strikes. Put up that interest check. The worst that can happen is no one responds. That's ok! Just put up another one. Something's gonna click.

2: Woo! Someone responded!
Proceed to re-read your interest check and admire your own ideas. Make edits and expand upon those ideas as inspiration strikes.

3: This RP is a go! OOC time!
Get all that formatting down, make sure your core concept is readable and the character sheet is clear, and refresh it until characters start getting posted.

4: Oh shit, this is actually happening isn't it?
Realize these characters aren't really what you were expecting and you actually didn't consider how the opening scene is going to go down, and what is this RP actually about anyway? Panic. Scramble to piece a feasible plan together and prepare to fail.

5: This opening post is awesome. But it probably sucks.
Post the opening scene. Reread it. Refresh the page. Check if anyone else is reading it. If they are, wonder whether they're just going to leave the RP now. Refresh. Chew your nails. Find chocolate and eat it.

6: Posts are rolling in! Yay! I don't think I can handle this.
IC and OOC posts are fast and furious, and everyone demands your attention. Your other RPs get put on the back burner. You stay up too late. You consider dropping everything else to work on the monster you've created.

7: . . . Where'd everybody go?
For the first time, three days goes by without a single post. Five days. No one's saying anything. Should you stop waiting for those stragglers and just post? Should you tag them? How often can you tag people before they get annoyed at you? They probably hate your RP. This is a failure. You make that mod post and move on. They can catch up if they come back.

8: Just take it easy, don't panic, and have patience.
Those players who disappeared return once every two weeks to make a post. Some are quicker than others, and sometimes the players have to convince you the RP isn't actually dying (though sometimes it feels like it's dying), and you accept that a mod post once every two weeks is okay if that's the pace everyone can keep up with. You breathe, and you take your time with those epic mod posts. You get a thrill every time a player posts.

9: Fresh meat!
Things have slowed down greatly and you've dwindled to 2-3 players. You post a new interest check, calling for new blood. One or two new players respond with an enthusiasm that rekindles everyone's motivation to post. Go back to #8. Repeat infinitely.


For me, the majority of RPs completely fail and fall apart around Stage 7. If an RP lasts until Stage 8 it'll probably stick around for a long while to come. Stage 10 is a finished RP -- but since I've never finished an RP, it doesn't seem right to include it here. ;)