Forums » RP Discussion » How do you handle the action/drama free moments?

I do not know how to hold a conversation during drama free moments.

For example, our characters are now sitting down eating, I got a decent reply to what they said, but I don't have much to leave for this person to reply to. I can't move it on, because that would control her character, and ending the scene is an option, but I feel like this happens often, and I feel like this is why people may have ghosted me before when the plot was slowing down, so when there's not a lot of drama, do you just do short one liners/one paragraph, or do you just end the scene. "They talked for an hour, and the dude left" Omgosh that is not how I write it is an example.

I could also just reply to what my partner said, but then they don't have much to reply to either.

Okay I hope this makes sense. Thank you

These are fantastic moments, and are the best opporunities for character growth!

- A chance to get to know other characters. "So you're not from around here, are you?" "You seem like you know a lot about this." Give them an opportunity to talk about themselves!
- A chance for your character to talk about themselves! "This reminds me of a time me and my brother --" "Let me tell you something funny that happened on the weekend." Just be careful to not info dump about your character! In real life, if you don't know somebody too well and they start telling you all about their life of woe - it's pretty offputting. It also makes it seem like you're making the RP all about you.
- A chance to drive the plot in new directions. "I was thinking of picking up some greesy Chinese food on the way home, wanna come?"
- A chance to inject some humour into an otherwise dramatic RP. "Let's go take a selfie in front of that statue with no head."

If the RP does seem to be dragging on there is NO SHAME in timeskiping. All books, films and other media do it! You don't see every second of every day. It can be as easy as "The next day" "In a few hours, their agent finally called. X answered the phone before the second ring." "They'd spent a little too long catching their breath, but they knew they had to push on."

Edit: In my previous game session, our characters while packing for a dangerous job promised that they'd go on a vacation together once they were safe. It was very off topic but cute character building moment! And maybe we could RP it in the future!

Character growth and bond-building!! Get a conversation going! Everything Claine said! Thought, it might be worth discussing with your partner if there isn't much to work with, especially if its a consistent issue.

Storycraft is both challenging and beautiful when done with a partner. Dramatic moments can become a crutch for those times that any good story must have, character development!

It is easy to find out if someone is brave during a gunfight, but far richer if done over dinner.

Having said that, I really liked this bit of the previous advice you were offered.

"If the RP does seem to be dragging on there is NO SHAME in timeskiping. All books, films and other media do it! You don't see every second of every day. It can be as easy as "The next day" "In a few hours, their agent finally called. X answered the phone before the second ring." "They'd spent a little too long catching their breath, but they knew they had to push on." -Claine

That is a great way to move ahead. BUT...

For those times when the more subtle character development needs to happen, because no one can live in the midst of drama indefinitely (except in Twitter feeds), let me offer a couple of tricks.

1. Be comfortable with an adjusted post length. Simply describe their expression, maybe the sounds or sights around them. Keep the scene fresh and living by taking notice of it in your post.

2. Say something worth responding to as with suggest by the others. Even a question about the other person or the situation can reveal something of your own character's personality and purposes. A guy on a date asking a girl if she fell from heaven is very different from the guy who asks her about her day.

I personally prefer action/drama scenes myself as slice of life leaves me rather bored. However there is no reason to rp out every little detail.

If i have nothing I can add to the scene any longer, i usually message my partner and ask if its ok to do a time skip or if they have more they wanted to add. Most of the time they dont so its all good. on rarer occasions they do so I find a way to write in more action.. or maybe mannerisms that shows my characters personality even if if they are falling silent to embellish that mood.

remember even when things are silent between characters, something is being said.. and it can be fun to explore those dynamics in a reply or two as transitions.

I admit I love high action and high drama-- those scenes can be the ones I reply the hardest and fastest to! I love to keep a rhythm going, especially if the other player is matching my speed!

H o w e v e r ~ the action/drama free moments are some of my favorite. I don't view them as a drag or a chore or anything. They're a great chance to build (or break) relationships, for characters to get to know each other in subtle ways and-- more importantly-- set the stage for the next big thing. These are the scenes where the world and context matters, where the big action and drama moments can really be built up to have more impact.

It also sets context for future interactions. My characters aren't going to react to things the same way across the board; they might react a certain way when things are heating up, be it spicy, fighty, or stressful, but give them a chance to share coffee with your characters...and they'll probably show a whole different side. They're more than their situation, you know?

Quiet scenes? Love 'em. I study the heck out of them. Got me taking notes on your character and gives me the chance I need to formulate the next big scene-- these quiet scenes are extremely important for the story as a whole, at least for the RPs and games I play, and it might help for you to view them as prep and build-up scenes as well! Great things like Big Scenes take time, and these quiet scenes are the best ones to prep for them.

(It might also help to place, like, time limits on the quiet scenes as well. Like was said before, time skips are invaluable-- has the scene done its job? Are we all set for the big pay-off? Alright, on to the next!)

as much as i love the moments filled with drama and action, i also love those without. when there’s no drama happening, i try to get the characters to interact, get to know each other and get closer (if that is what my writing partner and i want them to) and create moments that they get look back at later and be fond of - maybe they have a shared interest so they can spend some time doing that while learning about each other’s backgrounds

I personally really enjoy those quiet moments, they give me a chance to take inventory on what my character still has and can do ( if using more defined stuff with character sheets and dice) and can give the most fun talks between characters. For instance in the topic " ForArthyr" another character and I are walking in the woods towards the woven village where we plan on giving a life threatening message and maybe even stealing a wand. on the way my character insults her and mocks her and she does it right back. They talk about the stereotypes that their people's have and assumptions about eachother. At one poi t they even began talking about how the other character didn't want to be a hwro, or even a pretty princess. So my cjara ter, who is decidedly male, jokingly replied " I'm the pretty princess!" Which made both of us laugh. these can be fun character building times and they also help you build your skills as a writer. definitely don't skimp out on these, although sometimes they can go on a little too long.