Twilight Role-Playing: A Twitter Nightmare Vs. A Great Distraction

Twitter. Some of us can't go without it. Some of us wish it had never been born. Some of us want to beat the inventor with a bat. Some of us worship the connection we now have to the likes of Peter Facinelli or the 100Monkeys. Some of us tell their followers how to bake a cake. Some of us use it to spread hate. Some of us use it as a direct connection to our FF authors to ask about stories and maybe elicit when they might get the next update.

Some of us have met a bounty of new friends. Some of us cackle evilly at the misfortune of others. And, some of us laugh and ogle at our screens while viewing the enormous amounts of fuckery being passed around in twit-photos and web addresses. All in all, it's become the new 'in' thing. Walking away is never easy, and even I have tried it.

And now, present the last few months, another form of distraction caused by Twitter has come to light. Twitter role-playing. More specifically, Twilight Twitter role-playing. And for some of us, it has taken over our Tweetdecks, our live feeds, and a good portion of our free time. I remember the very first role-player I met over the tweets. His name was MoodManipulator, otherwise known as Jasper Hale-Cullen, aka BetOnAlice's husband and mate. He instantly won my heart, and I was sucked into the lives of the TwiSagaCoven.

How do these RP characters get out there and attract their followers? Why do we love them so? Well, it's simple really. We, the die-hard fans of Twilight, gravitate towards anyone playing our favorite characters. And, we're comforted by the idea of an Edward, a Jasper, an Emmett, or a Carlisle wooing us and flirting with us, or even just chatting with us over a football game or a song blip. It's fun. It gives them their audience. It gives us an escape of sorts from our real lives, or even from our own writing. It's a way to get acquainted with others, or perhaps meet a new friend. It's entertainment, and it should always be perceived as that.

Long story short, I recently made the decision to play a part in that coven after a rather wonderful gal talked me into doing it. She had thought that since I created a rather diverse Peter in my stories that I could play the part. So, I did it. I signed up with TwiSagaCoven and made my way into the role-playing world. My character was Peter, and I was known as CharsFavNomad (My Char and I recently left TwiSagaCoven because...er...we got in trouble one night for not following the PG-13 format. I couldn't help myself. What kind of fucking idiot would deny himself the privilege of having a threesome with two beautiful ladies? Anyways, I left. I definitely don't belong in a group that is strictly PG-13).

Now, I did enjoy a certain amount of anonymity. But, I also had the girls here on the blog informed on the first night I popped my role-playing cherry. Part of the reason we're so intrigued by these characters, though, is because we don't know who is on the other side of that character. But also, the truth is that sometimes it might be beneficial to have something on the outside of the role-playing to help get you out there among the masses, especially if you're running as an independent character not associated with a group or a coven. Anyways, the secret wasn't kept very well, especially by me. I can think of at least four times my tweets went out as IdreamofEddy, when they should have gone out as CFN. Or, sometimes, they went out as both. I have both accounts set up on my Tweetdeck. Big mistake, even if you are paying attention. Tweetdeck fails.

Playing a male character gave me the attention of the ladies. But, I can imagine it's very difficult, especially for the ladies, playing the ladies of Twilight. While it's probably true that the majority of RP contributors are women, playing the part of a man comes easier. And, as women, we rock it. But, do I really want to flirt with Alice or Bella as myself? Er...no. So, the people behind the women have my greatest respect for getting out there and making themselves known.

Role-playing is not easy. It's almost as difficult as writing a story. There are many factors to consider. First of all, unless you have your script mapped out ahead of time, it takes you a moment or two to plug in what you're going to say. With only a 140-character limit for one tweet, you're forced to condense it as much as possible, otherwise you have a neverending string to put out. There are also guidelines that are preset. Actions are generally written between arrows or astericks; out-of-character tweets are set between parentheses; dialogue sits distinct from the rest. If you wing it, tweet-by-tweet, you sometimes have to think fast. For some, it comes naturally.

Now, here's the negative. I don't know about the rest of you, but I recently had to make some adjustments to my tweetboard. I couldn't see who I wanted to see anymore because my board was flooded with role-playing. I realized that I was following three Edwards, three Jaspers, two Emmetts, four Alice's, etc., etc. I could go on and on. The list was neverending. The truth is, if you follow one particular group or pair, the others out there who are trying to increase their 'follow count' WILL find you. Then one day you're saying to yourself, 'what the hell?'.

There's another negative, too. While you might like a certain character, your twitter buddies perhaps might not. Let's take Jasper, for instance. Some might think that one particular Jasper is too...pussy-whipped because he hangs with Alice. Some might think that another Jasper is too cocky and runs his mouth too much when he's out and about. Some might thing that another Jasper is just a complete whore.

This could lead to a debate and hurt feelings among your RP followers. Is it worth it? You also have to consider the person on the other side of the character. They might think they know what their followers like, but they might be completely wrong as well. The solution? Listen to your followers. Correct your mistakes. And, for you followers, even if you don't agree or 'like' a certain character, it's a simple fix. It's a click of the mouse, really. It'll give the RP'ers something to think about when their 'follow count' decreases, instead of going up.

I think the most important thing, however, is that it's like giving or getting a review on a story. Most of us prefer to be treated with respect, I believe. Constructional criticism is helpful, but I would suggest doing it in a private setting, such as a DM. Telling the world and your friends that you're unfollowing a particular character because you don't like the way he/she plays him/her is, and can be, hurtful. It's also up to the RP'er to listen with an open mind and consider every viewpoint.

I like to read a little of everything when it comes to Twilight Roleplay. There is some great twitter sex you can watch unfold, or even partake in, but it's just an outlet for having a good laugh, and er...maybe testing your skills to tweet out a fuck in a 140-character limit. But, it's not just about sexy times, either. Some thought and heavy planning go into some RPs, and it requires the parties involved getting together to map out their strategy, their plot, etc. Maybe even their lines. While some of the individuals behind some of the characters just wing it and have a good time with it, even with mistakes, some take this to the next level and put some effort in delivering a quality role-play. Those are the ones that don't seem to be eliciting attention or gaining the praise they deserve.

I've recently been following a storyline that grabbed my attention with the introduction of a little girl named baby_angelique. Before her introduction, I followed this couple and their hot times. And, boy, are they hawt! This couple was Peter_Whitlock and Char_Whitlock, and they recently left the Volturi Guard Roleplay group to strike out on their own with a couple others. The fact is, in some of these groups you have those who are participating all the time, but you have those who meander in maybe once a week, if you're lucky. Striking out on their own, they have developed a very well-rounded RP that deserves a little recognition.

I had to elicit the help of Char _Whitlock to fill in some gaps for me. It first grabbed my attention while I was at work, and I had missed a great deal. But here's the plot that has already been revealed:

Peter and Charlotte are in Idaho, and when Peter runs into town one day for supplies, he stumbles upon a little human girl who looks to be around the age of two. Now, Peter, who tends to be a fucker, is sucked in by this little girl who is abandoned, and he takes her home to Charlotte. Charlotte, of course, falls for the little girl, and by taking her in, they discover there's something awfully wrong with her - the baby has been abused. Long story short, they discover, however, that it's through her dreams where her injuries are occuring, and they soon discover the vampire behind it all. This vampire dies rather violently by the hands of Peter.

The story line will now have a time-jump into the future - six years, to be exact. Angelique, or Angel, is their daughter and she is enrolled in school. They've just laid the foundation for the jump, and Angelique will no longer be a baby. But, wow, the person behind the RP for Angelique plays her wonderfully.

If you're not following this couple, you should. It's very interesting to watch while you're playing around on twitter, or if you find yourself just staring endlessly at the screen because you have an addiction.

I hope you enjoyed this little post.