by Can Tran

Created on: February 24, 2009

In the last two and a half years, I had learned that role-playing and good writing do somewhat go hand and hand with each other. Role-playing can help with a person's writing. I also learned that being a good writer helps with being a good role-player. I have noticed that the two of them are interconnected through plot, story, and character developments. I can name several experiences in which I saw the link between writing and role-playing.

Around late-2006, I had joined a role-playing board because I had nothing else better to do. One should know that a role-playing board is a text-based role-playing game in the form of a message board. It took me at least a month to get the hang of things.
One could say that I was a fast learner.
Against other players, I managed to own most of them. Several people said that with certain items, I would be virtually unstoppable on the role-playing board. One could ask: How did my character get so strong in a matter of months?

My answer: I started out as a writer long before I joined the board. I had taken creative writing courses and high school and in college.
Around 2002, I had joined a website called FanFiction.net. For about three years, I was learning how to improve on my short stories by writing "fan fiction." From there, I had progressed into professional freelance screenwriting. At the same time, I was working on a book or two.
I learned how to work on plotlines.
However, I needed to improve on character creation.

I needed to see how my character would react to other people and vice-versa. At the time, I did not have the money to purchase the necessary software for storyline and character development. Those programs had cost a lot of money. However, I saw that the role-playing boards have offered a cheap and inexpensive way to build and design characters. At the same time, it has given me the opportunity to design storylines as well. My previous experience in writing gave me an edge over the other people.

In regards to my writing, I had used information I had accumulated over years for it. For research purposes for my writing, I read up on martial arts, world history, governments, sexuality, political issues, social issues, economic issues, current events, firearms, and everything else.
I learned how to utilize these subjects and put them into stories. In turn, I was able to apply all that information into my role-playing.
Perhaps it may have given me an "unfair" edge. However, I have no regrets. It is because I took the time

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