When creating a roleplay ad, the best results come from creating as informative an advertisement as possible in a reasonably concise manner. Too long, and you’ll lose people in a sea of screen spam. Too short, and people won’t have enough information to know whether they would be interested in writing with you.
About two-three paragraphs long is the sweet spot. Many roleplayers make a website or a Google Doc that contains longer-form, more in depth information about themselves and their roleplay desires and link to this in their ad. The ad should address your present desires for the roleplay you want to start right now.
Here’s some of the information you’ll likely want to include in your post. This is also information you’ll want to consider including when responding to the advertisements of others!
Your age & gender (optional) -- A lot of people like to begin their ad by saying how old they are and their preferred pronouns to give potential partners a heads-up on who they are dealing with OOC. However, this is entirely optional, as many roleplayers prefer to remain more anonymous with their partners.
18+/21+/25+ -- If you are looking for writers who are 18, 21, or 25 years of age and older, put this in your ad and make it prominent. Make a note of what kind of mature content might occur in your roleplay. If you’re under 18, don’t lie about your age. I promise, older people can tell. Additionally, be sure to double check the age of your potential writing partner before ever writing content that could be considered NSFW. Both parties need to be over the age of 18 to write adult-themed content.
Length & literacy -- An approximation of the style of writing you like, as well as your typical post length, will help you find partners who are in your wheelhouse. Someone looking for rapidfire one-liners may not be the right match for someone who specifies advanced literate, 10+ paragraphs.
Post frequency (optional) - Some people like to include a tidbit about how often they post, e.g. once a week, several times a day, etc. If there’s a minimum post frequency you require from your partner, be sure to put that in your ad. Also ensure you’re being reasonable about expectations - if you expect 10+ paragraphs from your partner, it’s not reasonable to also expect multiple posts per day from them.
Genres/Fandoms -- Make sure you include the genre or fandom that you’re looking to roleplay! If there are specific canon characters you want, include that -- if you only want original characters, make a note of that as well. If you’re interested in canon fandom characters, it’s also fair to post the fandom ships you want to see develop in the story and the expectation of what canon character your potential partner should play.
Dynamics -- If you’re wanting to play a particular gender of character, or play against a particular gender of character, note this in your ad. If it’s for romance, just abbreviate as AxA, MxF, etc. If you want a particular type of relationship such as mentor/mentee, bad boy/good girl, rivals, etc., note this too.
Limits - Unfortunately, the internet is full of people who don’t read things very thoroughly. Save yourself the trouble of having to deal with a bunch of these people: bold your important limits, especially if it’s something out of the ordinary. Limitations typically refer to adult content related topics such as language, violence, and sex / romance. Also include triggers and any topics you are uncomfortable with.
Plot ideas -- If you’ve already got a plan for the plot, note this in your ad! This will help potential partners know what they’re walking into. If you can’t summarize the general gist of your plot in your ad, we recommend linking to a Google Doc or website so that others can read more in-depth about it if they’re interested.
Form of contact -- This is a most important and yet often overlooked part of an ad. Specify how you want people to contact you and what platform you’re interested in roleplaying on. Do you want to be e-mailed, DMed, or contacted on another platform?
And most of all, in your ad -- be you! Your voice and personality should come through in your ad. You’re more likely to get a response from the type of person you’re seeking when someone can already connect with you through your ad.
There’s no right or wrong kind of roleplay to ask for. The purpose of your ad is to help you find the best partner for the RP that you want, so don’t sell yourself short by omitting too much information about what you’re desiring.
Here’s some examples of acceptable ads:
Hey y’all! I’m on the prowl for a new RP partner. I’m a 26yr old M, and I love writing with other elderly persons (21+ at the very least please). I’m fairly literate, but my priority numero uno is that we have fun, literary awards be damned. I tend to write around 2-3 paragraphs, but I’m flexible and it’ll vary depending on what kind of mood I’m in.
I’m specifically looking for some historical-universe cosmic horror, OCs only. There will definitely be some adult-level violence and gore, but I’m not looking for any romance so just skip right on by if that’s necessary to you. What I do want is a creepy adventure that tilts our characters’ world on its head, takes tons of wrong turns, and gives us the friggin’ chills about the unknown. I’ve got a few plot ideas already simmering, so if you’re interested, please send me a DM here on Discord and we can discuss them further!
Hello, I’m looking for a romance RP in the Harry Potter universe. I’d love to play Hermione against another canon character. I’m not into doubling, though. I’m really craving a plot right now where Hermione is pitted against another talented rival student. The two are assigned a project by one of their professors, forcing them to learn how to work together (and hopefully more along the way). I write advanced literate and expect the same of my partners with at least 5 paragraphs per post, and I post about once a week. I only roleplay over e-mail, so please contact me at hermionelives@thisisfake.com, and be prepared with some writing samples. Thank you, hope to hear from you soon.
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This is part of an intro for my high-fantasy adventure! Interested? Please DM me, and also check out my RP website with more info all about me, my preferences, limits, and this plot: www.crazyfantasyadventures.rp
And here’s some examples of not-so-great ads:
Looking for harry potter rp please
This isn’t an ad, it’s barely even a statement. Add some specifics and contact information.
I just can’t find anyone who wants to RP with me :( I put up ads every day and no one ever responds. Nobody seems to like what I like. Yet here I am, trying again…
It’s fine to specify in your ad that you hate being ghosted, or that you have a very niche interest, but try not to let your ad sound too sad or too salty right from the get-go. Potential partners are usually looking for someone to have fun with and including these sorts of complaints in your ad can be a turn-off, resulting in even fewer responses. You’ll likely have better luck taking an upbeat attitude that invites people to contact you and expresses your enthusiasm for RP!
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