◈ @skeleton-grayii and @jacklad asked: ❛ 20. Has this hobby changed your life at all? Your mood, your outlook, or your friendship group? ❜ // munday styles and preferences
Oh, for sure. Roleplaying has been my main creative outlet for the past ten years, and I think it’s safe to say I’ve sunk more time into it than any other hobby. I have little interest in writing outside of roleplay – I’ve never written fanfiction, I have no real aspiration to become a published author, and it’s been a hot minute since I’ve done any academic writing. I think I just thrive on collaboration, on the chemistry of throwing two or more characters (and writers) together.
My grandmother was a remarkable storyteller. Not a writer, but someone with a phenomenal memory, who spoke eloquently (and for hours) in exquisite detail. Before she died, she expressed regret that her life was a chapter in a book that she would never finish. That remark has always stayed with me. Roleplay allows us to live vicariously, to flex our creative energy, to empathise and contextualise, but everyday life and human connection is often what I use for inspiration. We are all shaped by our experiences and, as someone who has always been ‘sensitive’, I find writing allows me to channel emotions I feel deeply and vividly. Yes, I often smile when reading replies. Yes, I sometimes cry. I do occasionally get stressed about owing replies, failing to answer asks, keeping people waiting in conversations, etc. but that’s usually an internal pressure. Most roleplayers are gracious and understanding, and I’m fairly quick to distance myself from those who don’t realise that responsibilities exist outside of a screen.
Which lends nicely to my next point – roleplay has a powerful influence on my virtual friend group, as it’s my main online community. Honestly, looking at my Discord, I don’t see a single person who I haven’t written with at one time or another. Over the years, there have been some individuals who have blended into my wider ‘real world’ friend circle. Before having children, I travelled to conventions with writing partners, and even had a handful of them holiday with me, coming all the way from the USA, Ireland, Finland and England. I’d do that again for sure, when I have the time and energy to host.
