Just wanted to share something I had been thinking about when it comes to starting off roleplay/writing letters, since I am honestly a little bit stumped when it comes to mine. Obviously new introductions are easier (you just make the introduction as you would) but letters that would theoretically, for example, be one in what has likely been a chain of exchanges between, say, family members or long time friends is a little harder.
Anyways, my suggestion definitely isn't anything convoluted or profound, but I thought it might help anyways. Just arranging with people your character will have been in regular correspondence with who will be the first to send a letter in play, and the person who is NOT sending the first IP letter (ie, the character that would have in theory sent the last letter) can give a general synopsis on what that letter might have entailed (general topics, tone, maybe a single line or two just to get the feeling across, especially since it should be easier to come up with a few bullet points than an entire goddamn letter), so that the first in play letter can be formulated as a "response" right from the get go (as opposed to having to come up with a "response" to something that never actually existed).
Anyways, just thought the suggestion might help anyone who is also a bit stuck with figuring out where to start! Feel free to add any other ideas/tips you might have on getting started.
Right obviously this doesn't apply to characters who are not on the forums, but trying to coordinate with those you already know and have connections with will leave more spoons and less confusion for contacting those who you want to contact after the newsletter drops.
My assumption is that both the news letter and the NPC letters will give you a reason to reach out to other players RE: that thing you have recently heard about them. If you have specific arrangements with other players outside that basic game mechanic, you might want to specify where you are in your personal correspondence.
But for me personally, I have one or two ties I've built for a richer backstory with fellow PCs. And all the rest, I am just waiting for the inciting action that the GM delivers. I am going to try to find a reason to write to lots of folx, on the pretext of already knowing them or not. :)
I believe, there are less than 50 folx who have been posting on here, and unless I'm mistaken, there are another 60 to 70 who haven't. So, in all honesty, we might be having this a bunch when the first newsletter drops.
I would say, wherever possible, work with your connections to establish who's writing first. But when it crops up, well. accidents happen.
I admit to having some small trepidation about both myself and a connected character sending letters to each other that cross in the post, and then sorting out the mess of conflicting/misfired statements.
On the one hand, I'm sure everyone here will 'yes, and' without much issue, so it's not like it would 'ruin' play. And I'm sure letters crossing in the post is historically accurate. :D
On the other hand, I'd feel like I started on the wrong foot, and forced an OOC conversation (here, I suppose) to determine whose letter is 'canon' and which of us will be the responder.
So I like the idea of just checking in to establish- am I waiting on a letter from you, or are you waiting on a letter from me?
Bonus: For those of us having to budget our spoons, this allows us to moderate the pressure of how many letters we need to write immediately.
This has been on my mind so hard but I keep getting told that it'll sort itself out. I'm down for this plan if folks are generally onboard.