From a few members here on the site a question of post length has come up. I read in one thread a member asked another if she would please write more, the short-posting member ignored her request and continued to post only the minimum (I'm guessing since she wasn't breaking the rules and couldn't really get in any member-threatening trouble for it). In another thread one girl posted right at or just above the minimum, and the girl she was posting with didn't seem to mind. On another site of mine, I have both people posting only the minimum and the whole thread was entirely....well it just could have been so much better.

To me, writing more shows dedication and shows your putting time and effort and that you care about the role play and the character you are portraying. However I understand you can easily care a great deal but just not be able to think of much to write to make it two or three paragraphs a post. Plus, I think it's easier to reply to a long post for many reasons. More detail, like if a character notices a butterfly, it gives you something to add to your post. Or if one character add that it's windy out, then the next has something to react to other than just the girl.

Don't get me wrong, the majority of girls on this site post wonderfully, even those who post the minimum, but I thought I'd present this question to the community. Based on the results here's what I intend to do.

If the popular answer is that the minimum is just fine, I will apologize to any members who I've asked to make their posts longer who post the minimum, and will say nothing to them in the future unless they post below the minimum.

If the answer is it's fine, but posting more is better, I will add a little to the rules about how if you post only the minimum you will be expected with each post you write after that to add two more sentences than the last post you wrote. For example you start a thread with the minimum, someone replies, then you reply and if you only want to write the minimum again, you have to add two more sentences, then they reply, you'll have to write as much as you wrote before plus two more sentences, and so on....confusing? I'll explain better if it becomes a rule. But remember posting above the minimum at any time is appreciated! And to those who always post above minimum, the rule would not apply.

And if you all decide that it should be longer. What should the new minimum be? 150 words? 200 words? Any higher and we could risk losing members or future members by being too strict.

If you have any better idea than these feel free to post them!--Please nothing about lowering the minimum that can't happen.

With love,

Rin

I am honestly unsure as to what should happen. Honestly, I like big posts, but at the same time I can understand when people have a writers block. So I guess my vote is probably going to the minimum being fine, but more is always better.

I think a realistic goal is to find a post length where the post has a lot of detail, but also that it doesn't drag on with repeated details. Like if someone is posting more just for the sake of posting the minimum and they give up on adding content, so they fill the rest in with one line repeated explanations or something similar.

My suggestion, honesty, would be to have the minimum stay, but more is better, but also not to go on about repeated info or something along those lines.

Did I make sense? Sorry if that sounds weird.

I agree with Ryoko. More is better but writers block sucks.

I agree, the minimum should be there for people with writers block or people who are new to role play and writing, some can easily put out two or more good sized paragraphs a post, but others (Even myself) can end up staring at the screen like.. "That's all I wanted to say..but it's soooo short! What else do I put? T.T" The reason I mentioned there be the rule about gradually writing more each post is to help people learn to write more until it comes naturally.

Role playing should not only be fun, but can also help improve Creative writing" writing skills since it's all text based, without being boring like a class and with homework you WANT to do (responding to someone's post). XD

Now that, I like the sound of. Rather than jumping the minimum higher, let's gradually increase it as a subtype.

So like I said, a person could start a thread with the min, and then each post they write after that should be as long as their last post, plus two more full sentences. That makes sense right? Des that sound fair?

I won't decide anything till everyone has a chance to vote though.

I dunno, on some other sites I've rped on the minimum is 5 complete sentences and those who like to write more tell who they rp with the post count they want and if the other doesn't want to then they don't rp together. Just a thought.

For me, i agree with Ryoko-chan and Rachel-onee-sama. More post for more understanding.

I have had this problem on my site as well, almost in a more dramatic sense, and this is what i came up with. my site was a RPing playground for Role players of all levels of experience. We had people posting one liners, so installed a 2 paragraph post limit, shorter if the RP is stunted and needs to move. This would help the Newbies get better, appease the seasoned RPers and get, whats most important, the stories moving.

What I find for a good rule of thumb is that a 3 paragraph post is perfect. it should let you react to past posts, reflect on the situation at hand, and your next action to forward the story. I find it usually work.

Longer is better but only to a point, after a certain point a longer post starts to cut off a players chances to respond efficiently. It is like you are Role playing all the possibilities and leaving the next person with scraps to work with.

2 is a good minimum but 3 is the magic number.

I think that the length should at least be the min yes, but some people as you said Rin-sama can do really good posts in that small amount, others like to make it a bit longer. So long as the people in the thread don't mind then I think it's okay. But if it's asked for longer then the request should at least be attempted to be granted.

0.0 wow lol now I feel like a bad rper cause lord knows i dont post a lot >> i mean obviously i should lol its just a lot of times between school family work kids... things get more than a bit hectic lol. Personally though Ive been on sites, a long time ago, that had an outrageous minimum of 7 to 10 paras. Long posts like that constantly i feel would just scare away new people. Soooo I think as long as the person gets across her train of thought or what needs to be said, the details and whatnot can just come when the person either A) gets more expirience or B) feels more comfortable doing so, details eventually run out to almost nothing if the characters are in say a long conversation for example. you wouldnt want to constantly comment on hair eyes the room or things of that sort. yet to the flip side perhaps details in the room could reflect the feelings of the character. Things like that just take time and practice to be developed and all... so yea... i think i beat this horse enough lol

(ooc- booyah rin! now the birdie can relax lol ^ ^ )

I like the idea of whoever starts a thread sets the standard, and I do agree with Erinn with 3 being a perfect number. So how about a hybrid idea?
 
The person starting the thread can rate the thread on a scale of 1p, 2p, or 3+p. Based on that whoever replies has to follow this: 1p means the min, 1 paragraph replies are accepted, no less than 2 paragraphs for 2p, and no less than 3 or more are reqired for 3+p and there can be some sort of reward for posting more and being a 3+p. And regardless of the rating you can always post more. Rewards for posting more than 3 paragraphs could be a new sig, your own solitary dorm, your own diary board or maybe a special title. What do you think?

I really like this idea, it give incentive to give more in a role play but it isn't an absolute standard. Not only that it would be known for people going into the thread what everybody expects newcomers to have to achieve.

You gotta be careful and be sure to define what equals a paragraph though. I have an rp site and even with a seasoned rper it got a little tight on what to write. Each of us had to pull rabbits out of our hats in order to make the story move, but the new ones seem to stall it. Maybe try to room a seasoned rper with a newbie to help them out. Like someone greeting them at the gate to show them what its like? That'll help give them a bit more confidence in posting longer instead of just throwing them out there. I do like the idea though of defining what kind of one its gonna be.

Good idea, unfortunately I'll need another week or so to get a specific new posting rule together. That will leave this poll open a little longer too. I'll post the rule here first to see if you guys think it's fair.