Hello. You may call me Edward, or Ed.

I'm a seasoned writer and role player. According to a certain someone, I'm also a nice guy, which I guess is why I'm all alone now and have time to write this.

This is my initial general information interest check. I'm planning on posting a separate interest check with a list of plot ideas.


I'll say this now in case you decide to contact me before reading all of this interest check, because I admit, reading it all may not be the first thing on your to-do list today:

If you are under 25, please don't contact me. If you don't know that some of what I write here is designed in the hope to be amusing for you, then please don't contact me. But if you do contact me, please do it by PM, not here. Thank you :)


Writing partner.
I am a man, and by the standards of many in their youth, I'm starting to get old. But according to the elderly fellow who pushed by me in the market the other day, I am actually just a young bastard. The main reason I share this anecdote with you is to illustrate my preference in finding a female writing partner who has a compatible amount of maturity. That is not to suggest I'm mature. It is just to suggest the possibility that if you are a lady who the youth don't deem one of their kind anymore, even though the elderly may consider you a young bitch, then perhaps we might get along. Just to clarify, in case the point was lost back at the elderly fellow in the market: As a matter of maintaining a sense of immersion in the RP, I am looking for a woman to write the female protagonist in our story.

Content.
At this spry stage of my interest check, it may be redundant to mention that I am not adverse to mature content. Bad language, sex, violence, gore etc. It's all fine. I am rather open and free to write any of these subject matters. However, I'm not one to abuse these subjects with the overuse of content. Balance really is great. Naturally, I will respect and adhere to my partners preferences in any of these matters. Still, a full menu is, I believe, the best way to indulge. Then again, what would I know, I'm just a young bastard. But also a nice guy, apparently.

Exemption clause #1: The actual story and it's characters are most important and preside over all other content and subject matter in the RP. I am here to write a story with you.

Exemption clause #2: Fun presides over all other aforementioned objectives.

Communication.
It seems like a good time to point out that communication between RP partners, or any partner for that matter, is vital to an enjoyable and successful story. I mean, we don't need to brainstorm every detail of the story or sit around chewing the fat all day long. But I do feel that agreeing on some shit helps. Oh, and of course honesty in collaboration is the best policy. If there is something you need your partner to know, let them know, and if they are a good partner, they will respect and support your position. If they are not a good partner, they are likely to walk out on you for being too nice.... What I'm trying to say, though, is that I might just be that supportive and respectful partner, it just sounded less egotistical to write it the way I did.

For me, knowing that my partner is happy plays a big role in my own happiness, and I do hope for the same or similar perspective from my partner. Just like I hope a certain someone is happier now that she's with that other mean guy.

I also just enjoy a comfortable amount of OOC chat.

Stories.
It goes without saying that insuring both writers are happy is a must. The way I see it is, the happier both writers are, the less chance one of them are going to be abandoned. A story and characters that appeal to both writers is therefore staple.

A good story is a treasure chest with layers upon layers of goodies to discover inside, so collaboration for me can be a matter of being selective. I mean, duh, of course both writers agreeing on where the base plot is headed is often essential before the RP starts, even if that means that they both agree to wing it. But then, knowing every aspect of what is to come is about as thrilling as my hypothetical inamorata spelling out every way she plans on torturing me. There isn't much excitement in knowing every detail of what is to come.

Genres and eras.
On a cold morning when bundled up under the covers of a warm bed, a clean, fresh bedspread is best. Even when a story resembles some other known literature, a fresh take on it is preferred. I only write stories, and characters for that matter, under the guise of originality. I say "under the guise" because at this stage in history it is mighty hard to create a plot that has never been tapped in any aspect before. I always lean toward originality, though. Creating is one of my favourite things.

To be more specific, I have no apparent interest to write a fandom or any pre-existing TV, book or motion picture series. I will most likely never write something less than naturalistic, either, and so cartoons and any animation-style roleplay is not in the cookie jar.

Aside from those aspects, I pretty much enjoy most genres, be them set in history, present day, or the future.

Characters.
Good characters really are born, aren't they? They grow and they develop as the story progresses. After all, impregnating your own brain with the seed of a character is, and should be, a joy. I'll hazard a guess and say that most writers write characters that they enjoy writing, but I personally like to ensure that my partner will like my character as well. Did you know that both are possible? I didn't until she was gone. That said, a discussion on basic tastes and a subsequent brief depiction of a character should be ample understanding for the story to start with.

Like genres and eras, I enjoy original characters. I don't think I have ever written an existing or pre-existing real life person or celebrity. Neither have I ever written or consciously reworked someone else's character creation. I adore creating my own.

By the way, if it feels like I'm rambling on for too long, that is just because I am. Like most lonely young bastards advancing in years, I haven't yet learned that nobody cares what I have to say.

Exemption clause #3: I change my mind a lot, usually due to thinking of a better idea than that stupid old one I had.

Reply speed and writing quality.
I really don't know what the deal is with needing to know the time zone of a partner for the sake of posting. Unless we are writing a fast-paced freestyle RP, which I assure you I won't, then I doubt either of us are going to plan our real-life schedule around making sure we deliver a post that is conveniently timed for our partner. I think we should just post when we post. That said, if I am ever going to be delayed in posting, I will let my partner know. Basic courtesy between partners and friends.

Hip note: Basic courtesy is a matter of respect in equality amongst humans. I don't ghost people, because that his spineless and rude. See, I've learned form the best, so when I do leave, I tell them I'm leaving then take off before they can get a word in edgewise. Really though, don't leave people hanging and wondering wtf. If you are a writer then how hard could it be to let someone know you don't want to continue? "No" can happen late. We should acknowledge it and move on. Closure is good for mental well being.

Which somehow brings me to my next point. Punctuation, spelling and grammar, even presentation, it is all a matter of basic courtesy. Despite my lack of patience in many things these days, lately I've been learning a lot about making my posts esthetically pleasing using the formatting tools they have on this site, and I'm finding it to be a bit of fun, which doesn't hurt. But anyway, in regards to the actual writing side of it, I don't expect posts to be written perfectly, and my posts won't be perfect either, but delivering a post that is legible because a respectful amount effort was put into it is appreciated.

I haven't actually been able to properly quantify a... Wait, really? Quantify? ...Okay, so, I haven't actually been able to properly quantify a "specific" distinction between casual and advanced. At this stage, I'm just leaning towards the difference being more of a quality thing than a length-of-post thing. In that regard, I'd say my RP writing would be upper casual class? That's right, I'm not sure, but still classy. I consider myself well written and experienced, somewhat. In case this interest check didn't already ring that bell, my posts can be on the lengthy side sometimes ;). As for what I do expect from my partner, a few good paragraphs to work from is enough.


Yes, I know that this post is a little lengthy. That is because, ironically, I believe in quality over quantity, and that goes with post length as well as the number of writing partners I have. I prefer to have a smaller number of awesome partners to write with, rather than a bunch of unstable sideshows. Which is why I think putting a meaty dose of effort into my initial interest check might be worthwhile.


Thank you for reading, and even more thanks to those who read it all.

PM me if you'd like to chat.

Ed-