Why This Blog? Why RP?

One year ago:

I've never really understood modern poetry. (For those of you who are already screaming "Off topic!" please bare with me.) Rhyming I got to a point. Like most of us, I grew up with Dr. Seuss and nursery rhymes. But free form, Shakespearean sonnets, and nearly all the bulk of "literature" (excluding Edgar Allen Poe) could have just as well been written in another language. The metaphors are often too obscure to be of any use, and the subject matter is so far removed from application that it is entirely alien to anything regarded as "real life."

I took several poetry classes simply because I didn't understand it. I wanted to. After all, so many people seem to understand/enjoy/interpret/write it that surely there must be something to it. I decided that even if I didn't get to the point where I liked it, I would at least ensure I could understand it and those who relished in it.

Fast forward to now:

Although free form still isn't my thing—Kudos to the poets who can write this and write it well; you are few in a million who attempt it with any success—I find that I am in love with the modern sonnet and the darker subjects they often envelop. As for the rest of poetry, I think I can appreciate it now. I know its mechanics and meanings, and it doesn't seem such a foreign thing . . . Occasionally, it's poignant. Those poems become my favorites.

I had said in another blog that I would never role play (RP), and for what I thought was a good reason. It is very difficult to turn my inner editor off whether I'm looking at my own work or someone else's. Grammatical errors cry out, "This person doesn't care about the subject matter or you!" and poorly thought out and juvenile thoughts leap from the page, dig a grave for style that would otherwise be pleasant and enjoyable, and dance circles on it.

I said I would never RP, but for the same reasons I took poetry classes, I'm going to try it.

I'm also putting my experience into a blog, so that if anyone else is wondering about RPing, or is afraid to, they may know they're not alone and may have an idea of what to expect. That said, every player is different, every guild is different, every server is different, and every game is different. If you're thinking of role playing, do some research and read up on each of those aspects to better prepare yourself for your own experience.

Meet Sapsorrow:

Sapsorrow, a Night Elf Druid.

I've already made a point to visit some of World of Warcraft's official forums to prepare: specifically World's End Tavern (a large, general forum for role play buffs) and on Wyrmrest Accord, a forum for the specific realm (server) on which I've made this character. The atmosphere in the forums has been encouragingly pleasant and welcoming. Several "newbies" such as myself have posted concerns, and all have been met with adequately and with a welcoming attitude.

My main concerns have been (and at this post, still are):

• how to initiate an rp experience
• what to say when you don't know what to say
• what to say when you've run out of things to say or need to leave, and
• am I going to be clobbered senselessly for not knowing every inch of lore within the game?

The short and sweet answers to these from the forums and other sources are:

• "Say, 'Hello.'" — Okay!
• Look at your partner's description or background for ideas.
• Don't be afraid to go out-of-character (OOC) and ask for help from your partner, especially if you're new. When you need to leave, just say something like, "It was a pleasure to speak with you, but I have pressing errands."
• Elitist assholes are (apparently) few and far between. Let it roll off like water off a duck's back: you wouldn't want to interact with those people anyway. Most people on said server are very friendly.

So far, this has been true, but I've only just started and my interactions with other players have been few and far between. More to come.