I hate being direct but... >_>

[Emi Hitokata]

So, I had a pretty bad day, and I decided to go on the board to burn off some stress like I used to do in the past. However, my hands just won't move on the keyboard and my mind turns blank.

I wouldn't blame the whole thing on writer's block. There are so many things that are going on that I spend my time thinking about those. I want to roleplay so badly, but there's something just blocking me from writing anything.

I'll just get to the point >_>

Have you noticed that there are a few members on here that take whatever the person above them posted, and then repost that in italics? I heard that it's called "lifting" or whatever. I complained about it to a staff member and a couple of other people, but nothing has been done about it, which is really frustrating.

There are some threads that have four or more people roleplaying in it, so maybe quoting what someone said makes everything a little easier to understand. Then there are some threads that have only two or three people and then lifting is still done.

Is this all really necessary? I don't need anyone to repeat what I just wrote. I guess some people do this to increase post length. The problem is that you sacrifice post quality for post length.

Errr um... Quality or quantity, right?

You guys are all good, creative writers, so why do some of you need to repost dialogue? It's very annoying, and that pretty much ruins my mood for roleplaying. I can't write a good post whenever I'm roleplaying with someone who does that.

There's another issue I want to bring up: one of the class threads.

phsispwn.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=icschool&action=display&thread=864&page=1

I'd hate to post this up, but this is a good example of what annoys me. Also, I have no idea how the teachers distribute awards, but if it's based on post length, then that sort of feels unfair. I'll admit that my posts are shorter than what I can usually write and full of grammar mistakes, but if you take a good look at some of the posts, you can see that some are half full of "lifted" dialogue. If any teachers are giving out rewards, then they should at least have that in mind.

I have no intentions of being mean to anyone. Just think of this as a way to improve

[Keeper Of Secrets]

You are not being mean at all!

Your complaint has been brought up in the last staff meeting and we are working out a solution as diligently as possible.

Thanks for the additional heads up and Link though <3

[THE Justin]

I have taken it upon myself to be diligent towards people who are active; you're not going to just sit in my class and expect the EXP. I made that comment specifically because you have Emi not participating beyond saying she hates the class and is bored. That's not deserving of EXP.

And on the case of 'lifting', when multiple people are speaking in a thread such as that, it is expected of the teacher to respond to them, wouldn't you think? I do it so that people know A) Who I'm responding to, and B) so that if people don't want to read someone's entire post, they can get what is important out of it.

The class isn't rewarded on post length, its rewarded on participation in the discussion. i've gotten multiple compliments about how I'm actually engaging people in the class; you're the first negative i've heard about it.

[Ryuu]

I myself am guilty of "lifting," that much I'll admit. However, I've written in this style for years, and not once has anyone complained to me about it. I "lift" not to increase my post length, but to help me figure out how to respond, as well as clarify the point I'm trying to get across.

Also as someone who RP's a teacher here, if I don't "lift", people might get confused as to who's question I'm replying to, so it makes it easier.

[Emi Hitokata]

But it is necessary to lift when you're in a thread with only one other person?

@justin And I was just making sure that class exp wasn't determined by post length. If it's determined by participation, then I'm fine with that.

[Adrian]

Sometimes lifting is helpful even if there's only one other person, especially if you're talking to each other in big ol' blocks of text.

That way, what you're replying to is right there in front of you, so you can access it easier instead of having to keep scrolling down, and back up, and down, and back up.

With that said, however, I'm definitely a personal opponent of the technique. That's not to say I get irritated when people do it, but I rarely, if ever, so it myself, unless I really feel the need to highlight what it was someone said. *nodnod*

[Emi Hitokata]

I can think of other ways to reply to a person without using lifting. >_>

[Ryuu]

True, it's sometimes not necessary when you're in a thread with only one other person.

However, a lot of people on the board do "lifting," even in a one-on-one thread. For me personally, it helps me to get my post flowing in the direction I want it to go. But let's be honest here, it's more or less a preference in style of writing.

I tend to "lift," but I also tend to re-cap some stuff too. I've yet to receive any complaints from people that RP'ed with me, so naturally, I've continued doing it this way.

[Matrim Gallagher]

I'll do it, but I won't do like a whole crapload, and I try not to. But it's part of the whole rule that you can interrupt something from happening, and if someone has a lot of breaks in their speech, I like to add saying stuff in between their sentences, and I use that as a tool to say 'hey he says this like right away' but outside of that I really hate doing it. But that's just the type of stuff I was brought up on with 253 and 650. But each board I go to I've noticed completely different styles.

I mean I'd like to say it's a different style, cus I don't use it for the purpose of lengthening a post, but some people go really really overboard with it and it just gets ridiculous.

[THE Justin]

If someone lifted everything I wrote, I could understand... but I mean, I'm answering someone else when i write that. I have to interject, that's why I use it. I never use it as Stu. And if I do, its usually just their last sentence, or if I want to really highlight a point they made and how it affected Stu.

I guess I don't understand how something like that can throw you off your form so easily. Its a really minor thing.

[Emi Hitokata]

I've seen people in the past who have lifted entire paragraphs. It looks like a super-long post, but when you take all the stuff away, you only see a little of what the roleplayer has wrote.

If you find it necessary to lift, then why not take out the first sentence and put ... ?

And Ryuu, I hate to tell you this, but you're the worst one out there. I don't see why you have to do it when we roleplay because I know what I write in my posts.

[Ryuu]

Yes, I realize that Angela. I realized that a long time ago.

But I can't change how I write. I can cut down on how much I "lift," but I can't completely change my writing style.

You know what you wrote, but the way I write my posts, I tend to do it in a somewhat manga style, like, Emi says something to Ryuu, he'll respond to it. I can try to change how I write, but I can't completely do a 360.

[Professor Doloyovich]

Angela, personally I find your form of non-participation RPing annoying, but I mean, its your choice. I'm not gonna knock you for it (unless you don't do anything but sit there, cuz then you're getting docked exp), I'll just keep on trucking.

[Allen Daughtry]

This thread's already getting a hostile edge to it. I suggest it be cut out.

I will admit that I've never been a fan of using or interacting with people who use "lifting," since I find it to be a redundant literary technique that harms the flow. Sometimes people use it sparingly, but honestly those who do use it often rely on it. So I find myself reading my own work in and out.

Still, I never brought it up because I don't want to come across as a writing elitist. As much as I support that writing is essential to roleplaying, most people who roleplay aren't as interested about the art as I am. They'll make shortcuts if they can to keep up speed. So I tolerate it. But still, I can share Angela's concerns. It's not an attractive habit. Best to just out and say "So and so said this" and reply accordingly.

[Professor Doloyovich]

Except when there are 11 participants in a thread, and then its much easier to have all 10 responses and my own laid out so people don't have to keep checking by scrolling all over the place.