commentaries THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY
EFFECTIVE ROLEPLAYERS

This is a commentary I have been meaning to do for a LONG time. I may not have been in the efedding world as long as others (I have been around for a few years though), but I am able to tell the difference between a good roleplay and a bad one. I have been both a competitor and (briefly) a fedhead, so I know what to look for. As well, I have studied journalism and I am an English major, so I have a bit of an idea what it is like to write. That having been said, I would like to bastardize a highly successful self-help book, in an effort to help you become a better roleplayer. I may add to this from time to time, or edit it or whatever, but this is basically it. I should point out this is mainly meant for those new to the efedding scene, but I feel as though there is something here for us all. Enjoy.

Be Proactive

The Past is the Past. Get Over It

-Don't blather on too much about all yourr past accomplishments. Unless the fed you are in features many members from the previous fed, no one is going to understand what you are talking about, nor will they care. Because, you know what? If you think about it, you could really just make it all up if you really wanted. "Oh yeah, I was the, uh...XWR World Champion 13 times. And, I also won the BWFE Tag Titles 27 times. Honest." The point is that no one appreciates it and it means NOTHING in the place you are in now. Everyone is on equal footing, no matter what your past accomplishments are, because the bottom line is that you have to prove to the fedheads how good you are. Maybe you did win a lot in one of your past feds...but maybe the competition there was crappy too. Focus on the present (or the future), but don't dwell on the past too much, if at all.

Begin With the End in Mind

Working Bass Ackwards

-It's a good idea to know where you are ggoing with the roleplay. Edgar Allan Poe often wrote of the importance of "denouement." Stay with me here. The term refers to "the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work," so says my good friends at Merriam-Webster Online (www.m-w.com). This does NOT mean the climax. Need an example? Okay, so in Othello our hero, the titular character, is led to believe his wife, Desdemona, has been unfaithful. A bunch of stuff happens you don't need to know about it, and Othello ends up killing his wife (this is the climax of the play). The denounement, however, occurs after this, when Emilia reveals that his wife was actually faithful to him all along. What a bonehead move, huh?

So where am I going with this? That play was written with that moment kept in the back of Shakespeare's mind the whole time. There is no way that just came about as he was writing it, he intended for things to unfold that way. So sometimes it is best for you to sit down and figure out what the whole point of your roleplay is. Don't just sit down and type because you need to (even though we have all done it). Rather, try to have an idea in the back of your mind first and basically try to envision the punchline or the ending to it first, and work your way backwards from there. It is not always the best way to write, but it can be helpful when you're facing writer's block. For example, if you know you want to write a roleplay where your character demands a World Title shot, think of that as the end of the roleplay. Work from there. Perhaps you do a more goofy approach and prove that he has an immense knowledge of world geography and should thus be the global representative for the company. Or perhaps you want to list your accomplishments, noting how you deserve that shot. Maybe the roleplay can start in a laundromat, as your character is washing a bunch of his blood-stained ring attire. He can then launch into how he has bled for the company and has got nothing out of it, and so he wants a title shot. See how easy that was? I started with my ending and worked backwards. Hey, there has to be something to it, Poe is often considered to be one of the best short story writers around (and really isn't writing a roleplay like writing a different type of short story?).

Put First Things First

Focus Young Jedi

-Focus on the match at hand. I know you may have some great angle in the works, but let's try to spend at least a little time focusing on the actual wrestling part of ewrestling, okay? I've seen some guys just go on and on with some sort of storyline surrounding their characters, but never actually mention their matches once. Back in RWW I know Legend Inc (I'm not trying to pick on him, I thought he was an amazing writer and I have a ton of respect for the guy) was someone that always had these really long roleplays, which although excellently written, NEVER had anything to do with wrestling to me. Maybe that was just when he was in RWW, I don't know. But everything I remember reading was more about his character and less about wrestling. If you are going to do something like that, why not just do creative writing and post it to some usergroup or something? Because isn't at least some of the whole point of being in an efed that you like wrestling? To me, Legend Inc's roleplays were a little like an episode of Everbody Loves Raymond. Yes, Ray is a sports writer, but how often does that actually play into an episode of the show? Almost never. The show is more about his family, especially his wife, brother, and parents ("it's not really about the kids"). Well Legend Inc's roleplays were always a little like The Further Adventures of Tom Lexian; a normal guy who was living his life, who just so happened to be a wrestler (not that it really mattered). Again, that's fine and all, but I always felt you should at least acknowledge the fact you have a match. This is ESPECIALLY important if you have a title match.

For emphasis, here it is, straight from our friends in GWO:

Many of you believe 'Wrestling RPs' are boring, but this is a fantasy wrestling federation. With that being said, not every single RP must take place in an arena, or have to do strictly with wrestling, however it's expected that 90% of your RPs focus (at least a little bit) on wrestling and your interaction with other characters in the Gateway universe.

Angles and storylines, are to flow with eachother. This means for example, if your wrestler is attacked in a match up by outside interference, it's expected you RP to move along the angle, or at least have play along with it in your RPs. You can't just pretend like it didn't happen. Match results are just as important to the storytelling of a character, as roleplaying is. So pay attention.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Your character is a wrestler, so act like it. You may not like the match you're booked in, you may not like the angle the fedhead is booking you for, but just go with it. I've been booked in many storylines I didn't really care for, but I always made the best of it.

Think Win/Win

Don't Let Your Yourself Get Discouraged, Stupid.

-If you are having trouble writing or finnding inspiration, DO NOT just slack off and not roleplay, hoping something will "just come to you." It rarely does when you are writing. At least for me it doesn't. I find I have to focus on the task at hand in order to come up with something creative. To that end, I know it helps out A LOT if the person you are facing off against is roleplaying as well, so you have something to go off of, but if they don't (or you are not booked in a match at all), do not let that get you down. Need help? Just try to call someone else out in your RP. Pick someone who roleplays often, but not someone who is high up on the card, because if a guy is in the world title ranks, he probably won't pay much attention to the new guy calling him out. You'll just seem like a newbie coming in, demanding a title shot, which I've seen far, far too much. As long as someone bites and goes with it, you can maybe get something going between the two of you, and perhaps you can book some sort of match or feud with the fedhead in the near future. If a match doesn't come about, at least you gotta pump out some roleplays (which should show everyone your skill, allow you to see what you need to do to improve your writing and your character work, as well as letting the fedhead know you are an active participant in the fed). That's how I got started in RWW, by picking on Stupac all the time. It worked for me and it can work for you too.

If you are still having trouble getting started, just think about your character and what type of setting they would be comfortable in. The Boy is almost always at some famous location or public place, because he wants to always be in the spotlight. He's an egomaniac who always wants to be noticed. If your character is a bit of a loner, maybe they are more at home walking the streets late at night, looking down at the world below from a rooftop or something like that. If your character was a ladies man maybe they could be filming a dating video, or perhaps reviewing tapes women shot for a dating service. Also, if there are special stipulations surrounding your match, you might want to use that. Having a ladder match? Go to Home Depot to take a look at their ladder selection. And your opponent can dictate stuff too. When I fought Lancelot in RWW I went to England to study his culture. Once you learn where to look, you'll find it is relatively easy to come up with new ideas.

Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

MakeS ure You're English is Goode.

-PLEASE make sure you check your spellingg and grammar. If you have troubles with that sort of thing, type it up in Corel Wordperfect or Microsoft Word or a similar program. They have both a spelling and grammar checker that does it all for you. There is nothing worse in efedding than trying to read a roleplay you simply cannot understand. At the very least be mindful of common mistakes, such as your and you're. A grammar checker won't always pick these sorts of mistakes up though, so always proofread. I know it seems taxing to do it, but it makes a huge difference. And how long are roleplays really? It's not like it will take you a long time to go over it once or twice more. Look at from this perspective: if you can't be bothered to read your own roleplay over once, why should anyone else in the fed? Also, if you are posting your roleplay as a link, always ensure you have typed the link correctly. That just goes along with the whole proofreading thing.

Synergize

A Fancy Word Meaning We Should All Work Together

-As I mentioned before, part of this invoolves actually interacting with other people in the fed, by mentioning them in your roleplays. Maybe reference other major angles that you are not a part of. If someone calls you out, run with it. As well, it should be noted it is important to participate, because that will inspire others to do so as well. Again, work together here people.

But more importantly, you need a good working environment. Most feds have rules, usually noting that racism and other hateful comments of that nature will not be tolerated. As they shouldn't. And, let me give some good advice here: don't use gay jokes. Not only can they be offensive, but they are SO overdone. I always consider gay references like the last refuge of the damned. "Uh, I can't think of anything relevant to say here, I'll call my opponent gay." Yeah, brilliant. And I never really think the insult works well in wrestling. This IS a form of entertainment which involves sweaty, greasy, half-naked men grabbing each in places they probably shouldn't. Calling someone else gay is really like the timeless pot/kettle argument. A gay joke here or there is okay, but don't just say in every roleplay "my opponent's a fag." Yes, I know gay humour has worked wonders for Will & Grace, but I would argue that is one of the most overrated sitcoms in history. So just avoid it at all costs-it takes no creativity whatsoever. More importantly though, DO NOT curse excessively. It's not that I find it offensive, nor is it likely that most of the people reading your roleplay will be offended (we are all adults after all). It's just not that creative and creativity goes a long way to making the fed fun. In fact, if you are not creative, then the fed won't be fun at all. Think about it though, how creative is this:

"Hey man, you f*cking p*ssy, I'm gonna come over there and rip your motherf*cking face off you f*cking piece of sh*t!"

Not at all that impressive, is it? I pride myself on my creativity and my use of the English language, and I think that gets me somewhere in efedding. Nevermind how uncreative the above is, it is pretty generic, isn't it? I bet you've read countless roleplays like that. I know I have. It's all good and fine to be intense or angry, but there is a fine line there between that and just some guy who screams and swears a lot.

Here's an example of someone being intense, without swearing every other word:

"This Sunday, I begin my quest to prove to everyone just how good I am. At Overdrive I'm going to take my place in history as not only the first-ever United States champion, but the first-ever champion crowned in all of No Surrender Wrestling period! We can do this the easy way or the hard way Lee. If you bother showing up at Overdrive, then I guess we'll be doing it the hard way. That's fine, it's your funeral. It doesn't matter because I am walking out the United States Champion! I know it, you know it, the whole damn world knows it!"

I'm sure you can figure out who wrote it, huh? (Read the actual roleplay on the roleplays page, entitled, "The Origins of the North American Legend") The point is I used actual words to get my point across. Do I sound any less threatening? Not really. But if I were the fedhead, I'd be more impressed by that (and not just because it's mine...lol) than the previous example. Again, it is more creative and like I said creativity leads to a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Plus it is just being respectful. Be mindful of the rules and each other. If everyone works together and creates a good OOC environment, everyone will have a great time in the in-character stuff too.

Sharpen the Saw

Keep On Keepin' On

Basically, ensure you are always improving and always working hard. Try to outdo yourself each time you write another roleplay. NEVER use the same jokes over and over (unless it is meant to be a running gag...although those usually wear out their welcome quite quickly) and try to say different things in your roleplays. No one wants to read the same freakin' roleplay thirty times over, so have fun with it. A good way to know that you're on the right track is when you're unsatisfied with you've wrote. I know it sounds funny, but a true writer always wants to improve upon the words he has put down on the (virtual) page. Once you start thinking this way, you'll know you're doing something write. HAHAHAHA!! A PUN!!....meh, I hate me too.

Some Other Quick Tips

-Referencing other wrestlers or feds doessn't do it for me personally. I know, I know, I've done it myself sometimes too. It can be hard to avoid at times. But don't make reference to WWE or TNA. Don't compare yourself to someone like HHH or The Undertaker. I always think one should approach efedding as though this were real and you were actually a wrestler trying to make a name for himself in the industry. Would a WWE guy go on camera and start talking about the competition? Nope, so neither should you.

-Try to come up with something for your ccharacter. How about some nicknames? Or a catchphrase or two? A catchphrase can literally be anything. How about something like, "you can't beat me, but I'd love to see you try"? Again, I like to take the approach that my character is a real wrestler who is trying to get over with the fans. I know I have a bazillion catchphrases and stuff these days, but it is because I am constantly trying to improve. I don't want to get stale. The point is, I feel like I have a ton of sayings and nicknames for The Boy which makes me very marketable. Therefore, I would be somewhat popular (most likely) and somewhat successful if this were real. Give it a try. If nothing else, it makes you unique and makes you stand out from the rest of the competition. And in the process I guarantee you'll have some fun too.

-You should be mindful of your geographicc location. Because efedding is a global activity, you may find that not everyone understands your usage of local slang or references. I live in Canada and while I could make a pop culture reference to a celebrity here, the chances are you none of you will get it. To illustrate my point, where I come from in Canada "hoodies" are known as "bunnyhugs." No one knows why, so don't ask. But if I made a reference to a bunnyhug, chances are few of you would have any idea what I was talking about. It's alright to include these sorts of things, but be sure to do so in moderation and to explain something if you think others might not understand it.

-Ensure your roleplay is formatted in a way that is easy to read and understand. This is especially true if you are using HTML. Don't pick colours that are too hard on the eyes for your text. Also avoid using too many different colours, as that is just too distracting. When creating a webpage, it might be helpful to keep a few interior design tips in mind. One rule of thumb is the 60-30-10 concept. This means that 60% of a room (or in this case a webpage) is made up of one base colour, 30% of a secondary or complementary colour, and 10% used as a trim or accent. This page sort of follows this methodology, as red is the dominant colour, black the secondary and the white text is a third colour, acting as an accent. A second tip would be to use black. Interior decorators will tell you that using black against colour is helpful because it (a) helps "anchor" the eyes, by drawing your attention to what the black is framing and (b) it makes the colours arround it seem more vibrant. So don't just use all colours, add a little black in there to make it easier on the eyes. Betcha never thought I'd use interior design tips, huh? Me either. As for the text itself, make sure that thoughts, words, and actions are all clearly defined so that you know when someone is thinking something and when they are actually speaking. To me, roleplays should be dialogue-driven, so don't worry too much about your descriptions of places or people.

-If you are facing writer's block, don't just drop everything right away. Give it a few minutes. When I'm in school and I'm working on essays, I have a trick I use to make myself work when I don't want to. Basically, once I get tired of writing the actual paper, I then do the much less painful task of creating a title page, adding in all my footnotes, and doing my bibliography. That is all piddly crap no one wants to do when you finish writing anyway, but by doing it then I can say that I am still accomplishing something, even though I am getting away with not writing the paper itself per se. I use this trick when roleplaying too. I always type my roleplays up in Notedpad first, then I convert them to HTML, after which I upload the file to Geocities. From here I finish it all off. Finally, I cut and paste all the text into Microsoft Word, for a final spelling and grammar check. THEN I post the link. Sometimes when I face writer's block, instead of just quitting and forgetting about it for a while, I format all the HTML for the page and upload it. Then, when I want to continue writing, I just open up the page editor tool here in Geocities. That way, I'm still working towards the end, even if there are no actual words being typed. I think it's a bad idea to leave things because I think people like to slack off (or at least I know I do), you leave it for too long and then it is too late to post. And that simply won't do. So maybe you don't have all these steps that I do when roleplaying, but I'm sure you can figure out a way to keep on working on the roleplay, without actually typing. Maybe you could work on a new banner for the page? You'll figure something out I'm sure.

-I really, really hate lyrics included inn roleplays. Why? Because a lot of the time you will find that the lyrics are just there to "pad out" the roleplay, to make it seem longer. Why use someone else's words when can you use your own? In some instances it can be okay IF the rest of the roleplay is there AND the lyrics are somehow relevant to what you are writing about. If you are just including lyrics to a song you love, well...don't.

-ABOVE ALL ELSE: have fun with it. I know I've said this over and over before, but remember this is just a game. Who cares what your win/loss record is? Heck, even if you lost every single match, you could make a gimmick out of it. It worked for The Brooklyn Brawler, it could surely work for you too. Respect the decisions of those in charge. If you think they are being unfair, address the situation, but do so in a respectful manner (and NOT on the OOC boards; do it via private email). If you still think something is awry, just quit. It's not the only fed in the world.

So there you have it, those are my tips for you. It may not get you a World Title (or it might, you never know), but hopefully you took something away from this. And I would just like to ask Stepehn R. Covey or his publisher NOT to sue me for ripping off his work. You can buy The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People at Amazon.ca.

Remember once again to use both respect and creativity, I cannot stress that enough.

Scott "I Rip Off Other Writers to Make Myself Feel Better" Hellings

August 12, 2005; Updated August 13, 2005 and September 27, 2005

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