I see writing and role play a little like therapy. You get to work out your issues in a safe way and explore new ideas, learn about yourself and vent all through a world you create.
Does anyone else see it this way or use writing and RP this way?
Does anyone else see it this way or use writing and RP this way?
It definitely depends on how you use it. I once role-played a character as a counselor, but later discovered that one of my partners was really just channeling their real-world problems into their character (persona playing) and applying my OC's advice in reality. I felt like I'd been tricked in a bizarre way, especially considering I'm not a persona player, and my character did not give the same advice that I would have used. I was frustrated and concerned that something I considered fictional fun was being treated as gospel by someone who needed professional help.
Of course, that was a very literal case of role-play being used as therapy! I do believe there's a practical way to go about psychoanalysis when reading our own work in retrospect. Reading can be therapeutic, the literary world allows us to see things and think about them in new ways. I'm more articulate in writing than speech, so writing gives me the chance to better express myself. All in how you use it!
Of course, that was a very literal case of role-play being used as therapy! I do believe there's a practical way to go about psychoanalysis when reading our own work in retrospect. Reading can be therapeutic, the literary world allows us to see things and think about them in new ways. I'm more articulate in writing than speech, so writing gives me the chance to better express myself. All in how you use it!
Well, I don't use it to solve small real-world problems. I use it more to explore myself and the world around me. It helps me make sense of stuff that happened in my past. I usually don't need to think too hard on how I want to go about exploring these issues.
My characters are not ME. They represent parts of me. I may have like 5 characters and they all are different sides or parts of me. They have different personalities, temperaments and backstories. I can't just write my whole self into a story. I would make an awful fiction character.
For example lets say I went to the store and someone was mean and I wanted to process it. I might write a scene where my character is at school or just walking and someone comes to be mean. I tailor it to the world and circumstances. Maybe instead of insulting my outfit the character sneers at me because they clearly are a nobleman/woman and it makes my MC feel bad. Then I explore how my MC would handle that situation and maybe I would end up with a story exploring the idea of pride and social hierarchies.
Does that make sense?
My characters are not ME. They represent parts of me. I may have like 5 characters and they all are different sides or parts of me. They have different personalities, temperaments and backstories. I can't just write my whole self into a story. I would make an awful fiction character.
For example lets say I went to the store and someone was mean and I wanted to process it. I might write a scene where my character is at school or just walking and someone comes to be mean. I tailor it to the world and circumstances. Maybe instead of insulting my outfit the character sneers at me because they clearly are a nobleman/woman and it makes my MC feel bad. Then I explore how my MC would handle that situation and maybe I would end up with a story exploring the idea of pride and social hierarchies.
Does that make sense?
Makes sense. I think roleplaying is very therapeutic in that way. It helps you learn about yourself, and understand the motivations of other people.
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