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Forums » Smalltalk » What motivates you to roleplay?

I was wondering if most people roleplay for the same reason or if there are lots of different reasons for different people. So I decided I would ask you fine folks! Maybe I'll get a few answers.


Do you roleplay mainly to...

1) Have fun

2) Make new friends

3) Improve writing skills

4) Escape reality/escape stress

5) Vicariously live out longed-for experiences or unfulfilled wishes

6) Practice the language you're learning

7) Flesh out existing characters

8.) Get over writer's block

9) Other Reason: ____________


My answer is that I mainly roleplay for reason # 5. And secondarily would be reason # 4. The other things that happen are good side-effects to role-playing that I am glad for, but they aren't the actual reason I do it.
Oh I would say #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 XD

I have a lot of time to sit and create while driving too and rp is a way to play with those ideas, explore them and see if they make for good writings. Sadly my rps have slowly been dying out or slowing down lately though :(
mostly 1, 2, and 5. Or as an extension on two, to find more common ground with existing friends. Suggesting RPing with people is sometimes a good way to maintain contact when theres nothing else to talk about.
1, 4, 5, 7 mostly

also the fact that I can't write out a comprehensive long-standing story on my own to save my life. I can write like several-hundred-word short stories for my characters, but anything longer than that? Not possible unless I am RPing lol
1, 4, and 7! The biggest one could be creative outlet that isn't my technical work on my books. I go stir crazy if I am only working on my books and have no other outlet for writing that isn't them.
1, 4 and 5 primarily.

Occasionally 7, though generally I make my characters for roleplaying rather than using roleplay to develop them.

A lot of it with certain characters is also due to gender dysphoria reasons. Or dissatisfaction with adult life with other characters. Or a disliking of certain aspects of human society with the remainders.

And with my stranger characters, it's more the idea of experiencing life from a different perspective - a different set of senses or abilities. So I guess that can be my 9.
1, 3, & 4 for the most part!

2 is a delightful byproduct when it happens though! So is 7 kinda.

I try to get my characters to a well fleshed out place before starting them in roleplay, but I love seeing how they interact and change in combination with other's characters over time. šŸ˜Š
Rogue-Scribe

Iā€™m a 1,3,4,7 kind of guy I guess, with 2 being a Beautiful by-product as I have met so many cool people through RP.
1,2,4,7,8 for me. The biggest reason is to escape reality.
LakotaSiouxWarrior

2,3,4,5,7,8 2 most of all u can never have enough freinds. My 2 nearest dearest ones are in this forumā¤šŸ’•
Abigail_Austin Topic Starter

SexySultryAngelBabe wrote:
2,3,4,5,7,8 2 most of all u can never have enough freinds. My 2 nearest dearest ones are in this forumā¤šŸ’•

We love you too. Hehe
Escaping reality used to be the big reason why I started to roleplay in the first place, while it's still a big one today it's certainly not my number one reason anymore. Nowadays I roleplay for the following reasons:

1. To find inspiration by putting the characters of my stories in different situations and interactions that wouldn't take place in my original story or even original world. Also by roleplaying things that are nothing like my stories that could help inspire new stories to write.

2. To practice English writing. I'm a non-native English speaker and while I'd like to think that I do a decent job, I always feel like I can learn something new during roleplaying with other people. This can be from running into words that I haven't seen elsewhere and learning them to the way sentences are formed by other players.

3. To connect with other writers and make new friends that share the same interests as me with whom I can roleplay, discover realms and have writing exercises.

4. To escape reality and the dreading of daily life.

5. To create stories. I'm a writer and it's certainly my favorite thing to do! ^w^
Skrifa

1, 2, 3,4, 5, 7, 8 XD
For me, itā€™s literally every reason you listed except six. Thatā€™s why itā€™s my favorite hobby!
A combination of many of the reasons listed, but the main one is a plot or character idea that I want to do something with.
Hallo!
Abigail_Austin Topic Starter

Midnight_Fox wrote:
Hallo!

Hola. Welcome to my little question thread. So what is it that makes you like to roleplay?
Abigail_Austin Topic Starter

SylOfficial wrote:
Escaping reality used to be the big reason why I started to roleplay in the first place, while it's still a big one today it's certainly not my number one reason anymore. Nowadays I roleplay for the following reasons:

1. To find inspiration by putting the characters of my stories in different situations and interactions that wouldn't take place in my original story or even original world. Also by roleplaying things that are nothing like my stories that could help inspire new stories to write.

2. To practice English writing. I'm a non-native English speaker and while I'd like to think that I do a decent job, I always feel like I can learn something new during roleplaying with other people. This can be from running into words that I haven't seen elsewhere and learning them to the way sentences are formed by other players.

3. To connect with other writers and make new friends that share the same interests as me with whom I can roleplay, discover realms and have writing exercises.

4. To escape reality and the dreading of daily life.

5. To create stories. I'm a writer and it's certainly my favorite thing to do! ^w^

I like all the detail you gave on this.

Re #4 *hugs*
Abigail_Austin Topic Starter

Skrifa wrote:
1, 2, 3,4, 5, 7, 8 XD


*smiles*
Abigail_Austin Topic Starter

Lune wrote:
For me, itā€™s literally every reason you listed except six. Thatā€™s why itā€™s my favorite hobby!

Right on. XD

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