While talking to a fellow writer on Twitter, we came across the topic of roleplaying online. My earliest internet days were spent on websites like Neopets, where, when I wasn’t playing flash games, I was building a presence on the EMS board. I met my best friend and adoptive brother there, but that’s another story in itself. Here, we’re talking about the experience of WRITING!
My main character, Kari, was formed before Neopets, but those forums were where she really began to shine. She grew, developing abilities and backstory I would have never considered if I hadn’t had the chance to play out her actions with other people (we had a group of maybe 6 at any one time). We fought, dealt with plots and backstories and drama, and generally had a great time when no one was god-moding. As our group began to dwindle apart, my brother and I went to YIM (Yahoo Instant Messenger for any of you youngins out there, god I’m old) to continue our stories.
Kari’s very original story started as pretty basic, since I watched one main anime and played only a couple of games. I mentioned Kingdom Hearts as a huge influence to my writing choices, but Disgaea also helped shape a lot of what early “Kari” was. She was a demon, she hated people, and love was the epitome of “disgusting” to her…until she met her soul mate!
My brother often describes me as a “hopeless romantic,” and that’s where Kari lives now, albeit with all the stubbornness I can muster without making her frustrating to read.
In our IM RP sessions, Kari (and I) continued to develop to extraordinary places. Thinking back on where she started, I feel kind of dazed when I read what I write now. There was always the villains and the drama and the pain, but then there began to be patience and understanding and kindness. Kari went from a tremendously violent, all-for-myself character to someone with a hard backstory and a lot of growing still to do. Instead of hashing it out fist-by-fist with her enemies, she learned to talk and question motives.
I think of my first real villain when I reminiscence about the “old times.” She was Riniko, and she had sisters (half a dozen, at least, when I was younger and so very blind to “good” storytelling) and all of them wanted Kari dead. …for some reason. In the beginning it was “you’re a demon using a human name!” And to be honest, I’m embarrassed to even type that sentence. How utterly dumb it sounds now! But I had a whole chapter dedicated to this. How dare Kari use a name not gifted by her demon parents?! I roll my eyes.
Thankfully, like Kari, Riniko developed a backstory and reasons, too. She wasn’t a mad woman set out to destroy my MC for no real reason. Just as Kari doesn’t hurt others without just cause, Riniko had to be given motive.
For obvious reasons I won’t give such intentions on here, but just considering the vast difference 15 years has made… I, like so many others, was once a bright-eyed child with a huge imagination and exaggerated thoughts, and it all started on some silly roleplaying forum.
Writing is about just getting those things down on paper, but it’s also watching our journey unfold before our very eyes. Within our stories, we see so much that no one else will ever understand.
The Birth of Valerie Storm 