On reply length, once more (with feelings!)

[Dave Strider]

I just noticed one thing about people replying to prompts, the questions they could ask OOC, and the length of the reply they will give you once OOC chatter is over.

More often than not, when replying to your prompt (and here I'm talking about prompts, with a starter, not NAPs), if they ask you OOC what's the usual reply length you are willing to accept, even though they have a ground of comparison with your prompt, the resulting reply they will give you will be... Seriously underwhelming.



Latest exemple:

I had this prompt up, five and a half decent sized paragraphs. Someone picks it, we chat OOC to discuss plot points. Their first question was about their reply length. I don't think much of it, because they're nice, they have plot relevant ideas, interesting headcanons and all. We finish discussing, they tell me they will write their reply - which, normally, if they included the details we had just talked about, should be satisfying for a prompt of the size of mine.

Then, half an hour later, I get two paragraphs: one of four lines, the other of three.

See what I mean.



I mean, this is me making generalizations here, not everyone who asks about their reply length OOC will be disappointing. But often they are. And I cry.

[astrivid]

To avoid this kind of conversation I normally put that kind of thing into my prompt. I've had way too many rps where we don't talk about reply length. I'll toss out a 5+ paragraph starter and they'll reply with a few lines.

I'll either d/c or ask them to maybe give me a little more to work with. They will try or they will complain about me 'having such high standards' 'good luck finding an rp partner!' 'you're so rude omf' and so on.