Avoid "One-Liners"

Subject: Avoid "One-Liners" Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:49 pm

Quote :: <b>Definition of a "One-liner"</b>

A "One-liner" is a person who posts only one line of action and/or dialogue and expects an appropriate reaction to their post.
-rpmaster.web.com

One-liners are notorious role players who can gain large post quantities, but fail to accomplish what matters the most in role playing: <b>quality.</b>

Quality is far more important that quantity. It's essential because it not only makes your posts look impressive and more developed, but also develops your characters!!

Lets show an example:

Quote :: Xylander paused for a moment, catching his breath and glaring at his opponent. He smirked, "Let's see what you've got." With a grunt he swung his sword.

As you can see, that post is VERY short and to the point. This type of response is generally more common on threads. However, it lacks the structure to develop your character.

Now, let's compare to a more detailed response.

Quote :: Skidding back on the ground, Xylander regained his composure. He paused, catching his breath as he eyed his sparring partner. He narrowed his eyes, watching every subtle movement his opponent made.

He knew that he had to be quick. He was fighting a very agile student from the Academy, and if he planned on winning this fight, he needed to catch his partner off guard.

With a smirk, Xylander gripped his sword tighter in his hand.

"Let's see what you've got."

As soon as his opponent stepped into his range, he attacked. Lifting his heavy sword with a grunt, he swung it in a large arc in hopes of landing a solid blow.

The second post is considerably better than the first. Not only did the same action occur, but you also saw into the character's mind for a moment. This can allow character development to happen!

Remember, posts can range from a few sentences, to multiple paragraphs. The key is to make sure it's a decent size and help build your character while still replying to the previous post.