I have recently ran into a dilemma that I'm not entirely certain how to solve. How does one write a longer response? I normally write about one paragraph, sometimes if my imagination is really there then I can get two or three. I would like to be able to write more for my partner because then they can get to know my character better, and be able to respond to me with more knowledge about who my character is. How do I write more without overexplaining things or going off topic or having my character do one million and ten things? And what are some better ways to say " he said"? Thanks in advance!
There is ways to improve your writing,you said it was about your character. Okay I think I have something(I'm gonna use one of my characters as an example)
Instead of saying "She got up and went to school..."
Say this "It almost 9 Am,and Charlie slept through her alarm,again. She woke up and noticed she was very late for school,she hurried out of bed to get ready. Charlie threw on some clothes,like a t-shirt,a blue jean jacket,a pair of blue jeans,and some worn out sneakers. Once she got dressed she quickly brushed her hair and teeth,then she grabbed her things and fell down the stairs because she was running. Good thing her stairs were carpet,otherwise she would have been in bad shape. She got of the ground and ran out the door and made a bee-line straight for her school, Elk Wood High"
This paragraph shows that my character is messy,always running late,and a bit of a klutz
the sentence above the paragraph doesn't tell me much,it only says she's just going to school,that doesn't tell me anything about the character.
and yes,there are other ways in saying "he said"
He exclaimed
He protested
He explained
He said with a smile
He answered
He replied
That is all I can think of at the moment...
Instead of saying "She got up and went to school..."
Say this "It almost 9 Am,and Charlie slept through her alarm,again. She woke up and noticed she was very late for school,she hurried out of bed to get ready. Charlie threw on some clothes,like a t-shirt,a blue jean jacket,a pair of blue jeans,and some worn out sneakers. Once she got dressed she quickly brushed her hair and teeth,then she grabbed her things and fell down the stairs because she was running. Good thing her stairs were carpet,otherwise she would have been in bad shape. She got of the ground and ran out the door and made a bee-line straight for her school, Elk Wood High"
This paragraph shows that my character is messy,always running late,and a bit of a klutz
the sentence above the paragraph doesn't tell me much,it only says she's just going to school,that doesn't tell me anything about the character.
and yes,there are other ways in saying "he said"
He exclaimed
He protested
He explained
He said with a smile
He answered
He replied
That is all I can think of at the moment...
thank you!that helps a lot!
Tugboattom wrote:
thank you!that helps a lot!
no problem
Honestly, length shouldn't really matter. Quality > quantity. As long as everything you're writing is important and relevant information to your partner(s), you should be fine. But if you still want to lengthen your posts, describe the scene, your character's emotions and thoughts (but not too much or you'll drag on!). Describe other things the character is doing like reading a book, fiddling with their hair, etc. Finally, describe things your character might notice when observing something. Think of the five sense. What do they hear, see, smell, and feel?
I have a few tips, and hopefully they'll give you an idea or two! 
Hope that helps!
Here's a small list!
- Give your character small quirks! It helps define how your character may be feeling, and it may result on further development about how they would react to certain situations, too.
- How do they feel? What does your character do when they're surprised? Rueful? Irritated? Excited? Do they scrunch their nose? Laugh but look away? Cry? Though you don't have to describe every little movement, it's still good to have the sprinkles on the cake, y'know?
- Try not to repeat yourself so often. Now, this is one that everyone ( For the most part ) can say they've ran into at least once. Did you say the words, 'He smiled' in the last post? Get creative! Try other things like 'He grinned' or 'The edges of his lips curved into a expression of amusement' ( Okay. That one's a little dorky, but you get the point
).
- But, most importantly, just write! Don't worry if your post might be too short or if it might be too long! You do you! Sometimes we just can't think of anything to write ( Darn writer's block, right?! ), but that's alright!
Hope that helps!
thanks! sorry guys, I always forget to subscribe to any forum that isn't roleplay. anyway, thank you, those make sense. I'll have to try them out( among other things) thanks!
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