# Literate Roleplay Server



## KimberVaile (Oct 28, 2017)

So, I inquired about a literate roleplaying server for furries a couple days ago, and was rather disappointed to find none existed. So, I reluctantly created my own with some assistance from @Simo.
If you're an experienced roleplay or are a particularly talented writer, do consider joining.
As should be evident by the title of the thread, membership is reserved for those who are capable of posting at least a paragraph and are capable of providing an appreciable amount of detail as to what they are trying to convey. In other words, we would prefer applicants with a competent writing style. Also, please do not worry about the occasional grammar error, we understand in particularly long, spanning posts, that you might forget a few commas, or possibly misspell or misuse a word, it's fine!

People who do not meet the qualifications may still join, but as a pupil. As a pupil, you may read roleplays, but may not participate in any, save for the pupil designated roleplays. The intent of this is to not be 'elitist', but rather, intended to allow pupils a chance to develop their skills so that they may eventually become members. I know today's society places particular emphasis on inclusiveness, and accessibility. But, I feel setting a difficult goal for people to aspire to, will foster the important value of self betterment. Though, the point of this post is not political, so I digress.

Anyways, I'll post the link below, but be warned, that this server is still a WIP. You'll not be getting instant gratification by joining and becoming a member, and I presume it will take at least 1-2 weeks before the server comes into it's own. Advertising such a niche server is much more difficult than you'd assume!


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## KimberVaile (Oct 28, 2017)

Discord - Free voice and text chat for gamers


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## silveredgreen (Oct 28, 2017)

I mean i know you said you don't intend to sound elitist but implying that those who don't meet your standards have 'something to learn' from you sounds elitist. Some people are just casuals who could easily be more literate if they tried but don't care enough to bother with it. They just wanna have fun.

I'm not saying you have to include everyone, everyone is allowed preferences. I just find it a bit off-putting to refer to people who don't meet the standard as pupils, and imply that they're beginners who could learn from you.


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## KimberVaile (Oct 29, 2017)

silveredgreen said:


> I mean i know you said you don't intend to sound elitist but implying that those who don't meet your standards have 'something to learn' from you sounds elitist. Some people are just casuals who could easily be more literate if they tried but don't care enough to bother with it. They just wanna have fun.
> 
> I'm not saying you have to include everyone, everyone is allowed preferences. I just find it a bit off-putting to refer to people who don't meet the standard as pupils, and imply that they're beginners who could learn from you.



You know, I actually made an effort to try and phrase myself as inoffensively as possible, though, it seems there's always some aspect you forget that people find wholly reprehensible.
I'm sorry, but it's not 'elitist' to suggest somebody who casually roleplays or had done it all of two times in their life might have something to learn from somebody who's been doing it for years. I'm not going to apologize for having confidence in my abilities. Comparatively, nobody is going to complain that a programmer of 10 years expressed that neophyte programmers or casual programmers might have something to learn from them. People with more experience in their respective field generally are better at what they do than beginners, or people who participate in said trade less. You can make the same argument too, they could be better, but the casual programmer does not have the drive to improve because they just do it for fun. It does not change that the experienced programmer who's been practicing his trade for 10 years is better at it than them.

I'm a hobbyist do it yourself repair guy that just likes to fix stuff for fun and I'm sure as hell ain't gonna argue that the guy who does it as his job is clearly better than me. I just fix stuff for fun and have no drive to significantly further this particular skill. A perspective not all that dissimilar from what you asserted. The difference is, I'm at ease with admitting he is leagues better at fixing electronics than I, and that I certainly can learn something from him.

Additionally, I am not shaming casual roleplayers, and this post isn't really directed at them. The reason I included the 'pupil' role is rather ironic, it was done because I didn't want to seem elitist. I wanted to try and be inclusive despite the fact that I am primarily looking for experienced roleplayers. I included the role, because I wanted experienced roleplayers to help them and guide them. In essence, giving people who are interested despite not being experienced in roleplay a way to become a part of the server and a chance to participate with enough dedication.

If you want to spin that as being elitist, be my guest. If I hadn't said anything about the pupil role, people would have still called me an elitist and told me how much of a pompous ass I am. In essence, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.


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## Steelite (Oct 29, 2017)

KimberVaile said:


> I'm sorry, but it's not 'elitist' to *suggest somebody who casually roleplays* or had done it all of two times in their life *might have something to learn from somebody who's been doing it for years*. I'm not going to apologize for having confidence in my abilities.


I'm not against having confidence in your own skills, or even confidence in thinking that people can learn from you.
What bugs me is that the role "pupil" here makes you sound really plain, blunt and vocal about it. In a sense, it's like you're rubbing it at people's face and boasting that you're better.
Also :


KimberVaile said:


> Additionally, I am *not shaming casual roleplayers*, and this post isn't really directed at them.


I dunno, pal. Even if the post isn't directed at them, you kinda already mentioned it right at the beginning, anyway.



KimberVaile said:


> The reason I included the 'pupil' role is rather ironic, it was done because I didn't want to seem elitist. I wanted to try and be inclusive despite the fact that I am primarily looking for experienced roleplayers. I included the role, because I wanted experienced roleplayers to help them and guide them.


To me, it sounds more like you're basically :

Telling those with the role "pupil" to, right off the bat, admit that they're not as good as the experienced ones, and that they have much to learn.
Telling the experienced ones that those with the role "pupil" can use some help.
Another problem is that the "pupils" are not allowed to take part in literate RPs with the experienced. Personally, it doesn't sound right.
You'd wanna set up a basic guidelines and list of rules beforehand, such as writing in third person, having a certain length, and being properly informative, etc., and then guide/help everyone along the way.


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## KimberVaile (Oct 29, 2017)

Steelite said:


> I'm not against having confidence in your own skills, or even confidence in thinking that people can learn from you.
> What bugs me is that the role "pupil" here makes you sound really plain, blunt and vocal about it. In a sense, it's like you're rubbing it at people's face and boasting that you're better.
> Also :
> 
> ...



You're right, instead of using the term pupil, I should have instead used the term observing-member-who-I-deeply-respect-and-regard-who-is-not-less-experienced-at-rps-than-me-and-would-love-to-give-critque-and-help-foster-thier-latent-potnetial-but-again-not-because-they-are-inexperienced -or-lack-skill-they-just-need-the-right-motivation .

As an addendum to that, it's not just me that is supposedly being put on a pedestal, all experienced members are essentially 'rubbing it in'. The context you are going with suggests that's the prime directive here is to 'rub it in', rather than me an other experienced role players taking time out of their day to offer critique and methods for improvement.

Telling a casual roleplayer that they might not be as well versed in roleplay as somebody who is more experienced is shaming them? Really? Is that the route we're headed? Shaming, as I recall, might be more akin to telling said casual roleplayers some phrase about them lacking ability in an abrasive manner. You know, a variation of the 'you suck, quit while your ahead' insult. If telling somebody they have more to learn in their hobby is shaming, then I feel I have reason to be concerned with the speaker's perspective of life.

The role of pupil is not forced on anybody, and people certainly aren't forced to join my server. The role is intended for people who may be inexperienced with rp and have the determination to better themselves. Of course, we can always go with the more malicious connotation, that people coming to terms with how they have things to learn about their hobby(god forbid) is somehow indecent. Anyways, if the term pupil is so insulting, I'd be glad to change it to a more neutral term. Perhaps observer, since pupil is such a slanderous term.
In reply to your last bit, the pupils are allowed to partake in rp with a literate roleplayer, but it will be in a channel specifically designated for such. We already have guidelines, and rules that all members are expected to read, and critique is liberally offered and personally tailored to whoever may ask.


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## silveredgreen (Oct 29, 2017)

Tbh i wouldn't have considered it elitist at all if you simply stated you only wanted literate rpers. That's called having a preference, and isn't even remotely elitist. There's a fine line between sounding elitist and simply having higher than normal standards. Also you can't really compare roleplaying and programming considering one is an actual field of work people can go into and one is a hobby many people have. That's like comparing proffesional football players to people playing competitive MMO game. Of course programmers with less experience could learn from those with more, that's how they improve their ability to do their job better. Roleplaying is just a hobby, nobody is gonna benefit in such a way from observing literate roleplayers unless they themselves wanna take it more seriously. I've been rping for about as long as you have, maybe longer and i could easily be literate if i truly wanted to. However, i don't care enough to do so. Doesn't mean i have something to learn from you.


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## KimberVaile (Oct 29, 2017)

silveredgreen said:


> Tbh i wouldn't have considered it elitist at all if you simply stated you only wanted literate rpers. That's called having a preference, and isn't even remotely elitist. There's a fine line between sounding elitist and simply having higher than normal standards. Also you can't really compare roleplaying and programming considering one is an actual field of work people can go into and one is a hobby many people have. That's like comparing proffesional football players to people playing competitive MMO game. Of course programmers with less experience could learn from those with more, that's how they improve their ability to do their job better. Roleplaying is just a hobby, nobody is gonna benefit in such a way from observing literate roleplayers unless they themselves wanna take it more seriously. I've been rping for about as long as you have, maybe longer and i could easily be literate if i truly wanted to. However, i don't care enough to do so. Doesn't mean i have something to learn from you.



Roleplaying can translate into writing, hence it also has the potential to be an actual job. Not exactly the same granted, but I digress. The point is, you can treat roleplaying like a
hobby, just as you can treat palying football and programming like a hobby. "Nobody is gonna benefit in such a way from observing literate roleplayers unless they wanna take it more seriously." Put programmer in place of roleplayer and you got a nonsensical statement. Roleplaying experience does not magically change the dynamic between experienced participants and hobbyists doing it for fun. Logic doesn't work that way.


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## Simo (Oct 29, 2017)

We just ask you be creative, strong, writers.

you don't have to be like this, James Joyce:

*“He was alone. He was unheeded, happy, and near to the wild heart of life. He was alone and young and wilful and wildhearted, alone amid a waste of wild air and brackish waters and the seaharvest of shells and tangle and veiled grey sunlight.”*

But do try, to extend yourself.


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## Simo (Oct 29, 2017)

Play; have fun.


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