#plotting guide

A Handy Guide to Plotting RP Scenes

Sometimes, you’re just overflowing with creativity and a whole heap of ideas. Other times your mind might be coming up blank. Plotting can be tricky for some, just as much as it can be easy-peasy for others. Here are some tips to plotting so that everyone can feel like they are contributing to the planning stages of RP. This avoids folks feeling like they are the one doing all the heavy lifting, avoids burnout, and may even result in a little bit of pride for knowing that you could bring something to the table.

Option one: Start with a general theme that you might like to explore with your character. Below are just some very vague examples, but they should give you an idea of what I mean:

Do you want to explore how they handle loss?

Could be a sudden passing, or maybe they lost a battle/fight/etc, maybe a friendship fell apart, there is more than one type of loss.

How about getting some really good news?

Maybe it’s something they have been waiting to hear for a long time or maybe it’s an unexpected surprise.

What if someone they had a falling out with in the past comes to mend fences? What if someone they thought died actually lived, or they have a run-in with a person that has it out for them?

Do they secretly have a warrant/bounty out for them? Are they wanted for something? Maybe it was legit, maybe it was a mistake or a ploy to frame them.

Maybe your muse uncovers a huge secret and needs to share it with someone else, or wants help looking into it.

Option two: Pick a time and a place for them to be and go from there:

What would they be doing at this point in their lives?

Who are some people they might run into?

What are some major events happening in this location, at this time? Maybe you can find a way for this character to be involved, or do something loosely related to it.

Option three: Pick another character or player you are interested in engaging with:

What muses do they have?

Why are you interested in those characters?

How does your character relate to theirs, and does it make sense for them to meet?

Option four: For media based RP, take an existing plot within the game/books/comic/etc.:

How would you modify it to fit your muse(s)?

What other characters would you like to be involved in this with yours? Why?

Option five: Lastly, you could just use a prompt generator!

Find a good plot or prompt generator, or a prompt list and tweak it to fit your character. Follow the above suggestions on time, place, etc. to help retrofit it to your muse.

I hope that folks will find this useful. Feel free to reblog and if you repost you MUST CREDIT. Thank you and happy plotting! ❤️

Plotting can be a very important part of rp, as it gives threads and interactions a direction, and allows you to develop interesting dynamics between muses. But it might seem daunting! So here is a little guide to plotting.

Plotting doesn’t need to be complicated! Sometimes, even a little idea can go a long way, so don’t feel pressured to figure out the entirety of a thread from the get go. It’s fine to start from a simple starting point and go with the flow! For instance: "I think our characters could meet in a coffee shop" or "both of our characters like painting - maybe we do something with that?" And don’t hesitate to return to plotting if the interaction needs a bit of tuning up.

Use tropes as inspiration! Enemies to lovers? Reluctant allies? These make great starting points to figure out a plot.

Look at your mutual’s wishlist (if they have one). Maybe there is a plot in there you really want to try too, and it will make plotting much easier if you already have an idea to start from.

Also look at your mutual’s verses page (if they have one). Sometimes a verse will be the better fit for an interaction, and it might spark inspiration!

Take inspiration from media you love! This is rp, it’s just for fun. There is no shame in being inspired by the plot of a movie you really like!

Plotting is a two muns’ job! Don’t let your mutual do all the work. If they offer an idea that doesn’t work, suggest something that might work better. If they say something you like, add to their idea! For that reason, avoid replying just “yes” or “no” when someone suggests a plot! 

It’s ok to say no to an idea! If something doesn’t work, you should say it. Just remember to suggest another idea, that would work better. And don’t get discouraged if your mutual rejects your ideas. Plotting is a discussion. 

Avoid just replying “whatever you want” when your mutual suggests a couple of ideas! If you really like all the ideas, it’s fine to say that of course, but still offer one idea you can both start with. Otherwise, it puts all the responsibility to pick on your mutual’s shoulders.

If you are a multi, or writing with a multi, try to have a couple of muses in mind when reaching out to plot! If it’s very nice to hear that a mutual loves all your muses, it doesn’t help with plotting. So even if you want to write with all of your mutual’s muses, you should still have a couple characters in mind for plotting.

send in a ♧ + your muse(s) names ❨ specifically for multi blogs ❩  and i’ll fill out the form below to help make interaction easier for the both of us. ❨ this is meant to be long, but helpful. ❩

𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐔𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝚨𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. make things easier by pairing off muses if it helps. ❨ skip this option if you’re a single blog ❩

𝐏𝐑𝐄-𝐄𝐒𝐓𝚨𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝚮𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝚨𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝚮𝐈𝐏𝐒? bold answer

yes / no / depends

𝐖𝚮𝚨𝐓 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝚨𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝚮𝐈𝐏 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝚨𝐍𝐓? brainstorm ideas! don’t be shy on explaining details. don’t limit yourself to just one type of relationship. feel free to strike out anything you don’t want. use italic for things you could see but you want confirmation from your partner.

𝐏𝐋𝚨𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 — specify in detail ❨ ex. childhood friends, best friends, co-workers, someone works for the other, enemies to friends ❩

𝐅𝚨𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝚨𝐋 — specify in detail ❨ ex. like family, siblings, parents, grew up together in an orphanage or foster home. ❩

𝐑𝐎𝐌𝚨𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂 — specify in detail ❨ ex. slow burn, one-sided that might eventually become something, recently dating, on and off again, one night stand that became something else, soulmates, enemies that become lovers  ❩

𝚨𝐍𝐓𝚨𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 — specify in detail ❨ ex. working for different families / organizations that hate each other, partners forced to be together, one killed the others family, friends to enemies, lovers to enemies  ❩

𝐎𝐓𝚮𝐄𝐑 — specify in detail ❨ ex. friends with benefits,  partners in some sort of affair, both framed from a murder, after the same bounty, one rescued the other from something, servant to royalty ❩

𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ❨ list the verses you have that you would be interested in writing in. also let your partner know whether or not you will be willing to make a verse for their muse or if you want them to write a verse for your muses ❩

𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝚮 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐃? ❨ dialogue, para, etc. ❩

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝚨𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎. preferred method of communication.

discord / tumblr ims / other ❨ specify ❩

Plotting: 3 Act Structure For RP

INTRO

Plotting poses trouble for a lot of people. How often do you see those posts go around where people remark on being excited to RP with someone, but then there's no plot idea?

To that end, I'm going to suggest something radical. I'm going to suggest that dreaded high school beast: THE THREE-ACT STRUCTURE! Just promise to hear me out, okay

See, my thought on the matter is, if a simple, four-panel comic strip can do it, you can too. Ready?

THREE ACTS

Let's do something easy and mundane. Let's say I want to do a thread where Morrison and Reyes are hitting a bar. I need the following:

Act 1 the “Beginning”, where information is setup to provide CONTEXT for the story.

Act 2 the “Middle”, where characters attempt to achieve GOALS and encounter CONFLICT.

Act 3 the “End”, where there is a RESOLUTION to the CONFLICT and our character’s character is revealed.

PLANNING YOUR THREAD

Sounds complex, but it's not. Instead of thinking about it like an English assignment, imagine it's set up like a Garfield comic strip (or whatever the hell you kids read these days, I don't know).

Panel One: MORRISON and REYES are sitting in a dive bar. They're in their Army duds, sitting elbow-to-elbow at the bar with beer bottles in hand. (Act One: Context)

Panel Two: An attractive WOMAN walks up and orders a drink. Jack & Gabe look at each other, faces tight with resolve. There's one of her and two of them. May the best man win. (Act 2.1: Goal)

Panel Three: Both men are jostling each other out of the way to talk to her first while she looks at them, utterly nonplussed. She's reaching out to put her arm around the waist of another woman (presumably her s.o.) (Act 2.2: Conflict)

Panel Four: REYES is unlocking the door to their hotel room, while they both have long faces and little booze bubbles popping around their heads, promising they'll do better tomorrow night. They've called it a night, but we get a glimpse of their stubborn, never give up personalities. (Act 3: Resolution)

CONCLUSION

A quick and easy plotting guide

Send me ✔ and I will bold my preferences for your muse!

always accepting

@murasakiirohana

My muse(s):

Do I know your muse(s):  yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

Setting: our verse | my verse | your verse | modern | alternate universe | other (any)

Pre-established relationships? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Possible relationships: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protecter - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other 

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other

My muse(s): Keeva, Candice

Do I know your muse(s): yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

Setting: our verse | my verse | your verse | modern | alternate universe | other

Pre-established relationships? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Possible relationships: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protecter - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other

A Quick and Easy Plotting Guide

Send me ✔ and I will bold my preferences for your muse!

My muse(s): Archer, of course.

Do I know your muse(s): yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

Setting: our verse | my verse | your verse | modern | alternate universe | other

Pre-established relationships? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Possible relationships: “friends” | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protector - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other