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[JoshRaed]

Cause I thought it was kinda obvious since most of us do it.

I think a lot of things are obvious only for it to turn out that they need explaining or to just not be true at all, and all those times i'm the wrong one.

I have never heard of a writer roleplaying as their character to make them do a thing, no matter which space I went to for writing advice, including a space for DND roleplayers. Even the Roleplayers never told me to roleplay as my character. Why would it be obvious?

[KevinReijnders]

I have never heard of a writer roleplaying as their character to make them do a thing

You are hyperfixitating on the word "roleplay" and taking what he said way too literal.

It's this overly literal way you approach what people say and do that's at the very root of your struggles as a writer and storyteller. How can you hope to prortray a chaacter as a believable person, when you don't have a grasp on basic human behavior. And no, this isn't something you can teach yourself by watching a youtube video or observing some guy in a bar. This is a fundamental sense of empathy you just seem to kinda lack or at least struggle with greatly.

This is lickely due to you being on the spectrum, I get it, it's hard. But you aren't gonna logic your way out of this, it's just something you gotta feel. your constant stream of questions isn't gonna help you here, frankly, I doubt any form of outside help will. It's an inward journey you gotta take, better understand yourself, because you can start to understand others and write characters as real believable people.

And before you ask, no, no one here is gonna be able to really effectively help you with that, it's all up to YOU. The only outside help you can really get is with a professional psychologist (which I really doubt any of us here are.)

[JoshRaed]

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

[KevinReijnders]

[JoshRaed]

You are hyperfixitating on the word "roleplay" and taking what he said way too literal.

So you just meant trying to think like them? Well that's just... what a writer does... try to get in their characters head and think of what they'd do, and i've done that. I don't see how any writer doesn't do it. I would never describe that as roleplay, it just is what writing is when you care about your characters.

[Kelheor]

It's imagining. You imagine what your character will do in this or that situation, trying to put yourself in their shoes. The same as roleplaying, maybe a bit less acting. Or not, you decide. You can literally roleplay all the characters in your book writing dialogue as you imagine yourself being them if it helps.

[JoshRaed]

Sorry about that post I should have waited for a second instead of reacting so quickly. I was hoping I had deleted it before you got to see it.

[PapaDom]

I think a lot of things are obvious only for it to turn out that they need explaining or to just not be true at all, and all those times i'm the wrong one.

Now you're just unnecessarily harsh on yourself. Look. I assumed that you knew it since it is common among artists and writers alike. You didn't knew it and that's okay. Nobody is giving you lip for that. Heck, I admit I don't know basic cooking stuff or other stuff as well that is commonly known and that doesn't let me down to still try it. If somebody is trying to tell you something it isn't meant in bad faith and they just let you know that you don't have the same problem again. You learn something new every day.

I have never heard of a writer roleplaying as their character to make them do a thing, no matter which space I went to for writing advice, including a space for DND roleplayers. Even the Roleplayers never told me to roleplay as my character. Why would it be obvious?

Okay. I'm calling BS on that point. That's why I said it is obvious since that is what a writer does. Especially in DND which is the core element of the game. Or do you think we just make characters like:

We make the characters based on tropes or other characters we've seen, maybe add a little bit of us for extra flavor to spice things up, and have our original creation that way.

[JoshRaed]

Wow I have the worst timing how did two people have the time to explain this in the time it took for me to realize it. Why would you call imagining things in your brain roleplaying? That's just imagining things.

[JoshRaed]

Okay. I'm calling BS on that point.

Well if it did happen I didn't see it happen which would be weird after I looked at every article on their website to be about writing.

[KevinReijnders]

[JoshRaed]

That's why I said it is obvious since that is what a writer does. Especially in DND which is the core element of the game. Or do you think we just make characters like:

I know that you think of the character before writing them. I don't know what part of what I said can be interpreted as what you said. Why does my autism flare up like a weird monster as soon as I'm discussing writing and not anything else? It's like the elephant in the room but it's tearing the house down instead of just hiding in the corner.

[joannekwan]

Remember you can always step back and reflect on what people have already posted @JoshRaed. Read their posts multiple times!

[Kelheor]

Maybe I wouldn't, someone other, in this case was PapaDom, would. When you imagine two characters saying stuff to each other and reacting it's pretty much roleplaying. Everything else is semantics.

[PapaDom]

Dude, I never EVER mentioned your autism nor did I thought you had. (And to be honest, I don't care. But I'm not gonna be rude towards you for that nor think of you less for it. I know people who have it and be happy to have them as friends.)

But just like joannekwan said, just take your time to respond.

[JoshRaed]

Sorry, that wasn't an insult it was self-depreciation. I think I understand how this mistake was made, but not really. I guess I really shouldn't have made that comment about myself in this conversation. I just wanted this to not be an argument and to make it clear that I didn't blame you for any of this.

I feel like from now on I should make a new rule, where I write something one day, read it again a day later, edit the comment, then post it.

[PapaDom]

Hey. It's cool. No need to be harsh on yourself again. Things can escalate but by tomorrow everything is a-okay again. We're all human after all.

I feel like from now on I should make a new rule, where I write something one day, read it again a day later, edit the comment, then post it.

You can apply that rule for thread making as well. Makes less repetition and still get conversation going. Just saying.

[RNJayne]

Hi, Josh.

I've never met you; nor do I know the implicit history behind this thread, the relationships you have with the other posters BTL (below the line), or the frequency of your posts on similar subject matters.

However, I would like to commend you on asking questions. Your clear intention is to strengthen your stories by making your characters more believable, adding depth and dimension to their portrayal. Too many people think they know all the answers and balk at the notion of changing their approach. It takes a certain level of bravery/boldness/[insert idea here] to admit that you are struggling, and to ask for suggestions on how to become a better writer. (Even when some people do get worthwhile answers to their queries on self-improvement, they don't always heed the sage advice given.)

As a fellow neurodivergent person, I understand and can empathize with your desire to comprehend and apply the suggested solutions while still needing and/or desiring clarification on said application. Unfortunately there's not a "one size fits all" approach to your predicament. On the bright side, most of the advice given by other posters is valid, worthy, and worth exploring. Hopefully you'll find a solution that speaks to you.

I wish you the best of luck discovering what makes your characters tick, and imbuing them with the depth you seek to illustrate with your words.

[KevinReijnders]

Not to open up wounds or anything again, but I think this might be a good watch for you

[JoshRaed]

Thank you. This is really good.