Character Descriptions and “You”

How much is “enough”?
If you use a cool RP Addon like ImmersionRP, flagRSP2 or MyRoleplay used in World of Warcraft, you have this area for a character description (This is covered in RP 500). This can be a great tool in describing your outward appearance or features can see/hear upon seeing and meeting you. Other games have similar ways of doing this.

While it’s up to the individual to create this description, it is also up to them to edit and make it watcher-friendly to others.

Some Guidelines:
Using an outward description is good, that’s what these addons were designed for. A brief outward appearance is really helpful for those who read it. I good rule of thumb is think about how the character will be seen/heard when someone sees/meets them. In everyday life, can you know everything about the person’s past or know their innermost thoughts just by seeing them? Same goes with your character - No.

Description Example:
You see a rather plain looking young woman of medium build. She has black hair and blue eyes. Her voice is coy, but strong.

Optionally, you can add a Current Feature note to the description:
Currently: She is exceptionally well dressed, with colors and accessories selected with a great sense of style even to the dagger on her right side. A scent of jasmine lingers faintly as she passes. She is carrying a small set of scrolls.

This greatly adds to the “feel” of the character to those reading, and it’s brief enough to read and digest. Going overboard can create a wall of text that will crit your viewer’s eyes. *grin*

Here’s an example of a description from flagRSP2:

Character Bios/History: As far as writing a history in there, I would strongly advise against it. While some do like doing this (and abuse it at times) it can be a pain to sift through the paragraphs when all you really needed was a description. This can be a wall of text nightmare if someone puts waaaaay too much info in the area. Not only will it not be read most likely, it may not even be understood.

Let the details fall in during role-playing scenes and conversations. Don’t play all your “cards” on the table at once, hold back and deal them in time. If you do come across a history in someone else’s description - treat it as OOC and and play on.

Tip: However you chose to write about yourself, always make a backup text copy someplace. That way if an Addon update wipes it clean, you are prepared.

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