I'm Commander Shepard, and today I'm going to be giving a TED Talk about RP etiquette, as someone who's been lurking on the ol' twitter for the last 8yrs.

Let's start with plotting. I'm not saying everything has to be planned out meticulously, but there needs to be communication between writers so there's clear understanding of what each character is doing. That communication is also vital for other reasons (which I'll get to)

Stories don't need to be overly complicated either. Just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be done. There's no need to cram everything into one tweet/response.

Now we move to the delicate subject of harm being done to a character.

That meddling communication comes into play. Talk to the people you RP with, agree on what damage may befall your/their character. Without talking to each other, you risk breeding hostility, or even the dreaded GodMod style RP.

For those who don't know, GodMod is where a character is invincible from harm, no matter what the scenario. They always have a work around for every adverse scenario. That's a no no. Most RPers don't really appreciate it. Certain characters have specific invincibilities, but >

That is not an excuse to be an asshole for no reason. Now what we need to address is that tricky blur that is cross universe RP.

Now, RP across universes is perfectly fine, but you must remember that the other writer may not be well versed in your, well... Verse!

Confusion is inevitable in that scenario. Frustration and anger follow. That crucial communication is part of this now. You need to make sure the person you RP with understands terminology or concepts. They need enough information to make the scene work.

Now, perhaps I seem out of my depth, but let's talk villains and antagonists. They're assholes, sure. But the delivery of their responses is what's important. The communication between writers is CRUCIAL in this scenario. Just being an asshole out of nowhere doesn't always work.

Not all villains are asshats off the bat, so their portrayal is really difficult. Just remember, sometimes villains are charismatic, and pull the asshole card when least expected. Being a prick 24/7 isn't necessary being a villain. It's usually just being a prick.

Even with all of this communication, its still possible to throw surprises into a storyline. The more you talk with other writers, the more you can build the ability to share silly jokes and memes in character. Trust me, 7yrs on and I still joke around with my crew.

Last, but definitely not least, let's talk shipping. Sometimes, writers don't wish to ship their characters, and sometimes they wish to ship with someone specific. That's perfectly fine either way. It's important to find out how the writer feels about it before diving >

Right in and assuming. This also applies to smutty writing or those naughty lewds. Please be respectful of writers. If a writer has asked not to be involved with lewds, then please do not tag them in such content.

That's all I have to say on the matter. Sorry if I'm preaching to choir, but I feel this information may help someone down the line. Thank you for listening.

Now I'm off to save the Galaxy.