By Fluffy (Edited by PirateSpice)
Ah, love. Many players enjoy role-playing romantic relationships. Here are some suggested guidelines for keeping it interesting and avoiding classic pitfalls.
Tip One: Keep It Interesting!
For each scene you play with your in-game S.O., each of you should strive to play a scene with others as well. Then when the inevitable "What have you been up to?" question comes up, your characters will have something to talk about!
Tip Two: Try to Match Playing Times
Avoid committing your character to a character whose player's game-time is inconsistent with your own! If you log on infrequently and rarely play, find someone with similar RP time, to reduce the frustration and questions like, "What the heck is happening with our characters?" The question will come up in RP, and it gets boring to keep saying, "Oh, we're fine, nothing new to report," all the time.
Tip Three: Plan for a Possible Break-up
Have a prearranged agreement as to what happens with your character's relationship in the event that one of you suddenly has a different RP schedule and can't play as much as you used to. Examples: Broke up amicably. Broke up with a fight. Drifted apart.
Tip Four: Pay Attention to Others
When playing a scene with lots of other people, don't RP exclusively with your in-game partner. Others aren't there just to watch your characters be sappy and cute. Go talk to them, too! Be social or something!
Tip Five: Address the TS/ERP Question Early
To TS/ERP (TinySex/Erotic Role-Play) or not? Discuss this privately and maturely before it becomes an issue and be very clear about who's comfortable with what. Under no circumstances should either of you cross any pre-drawn lines.
Tip Six: Multitasking During Intimate RP
If you are engaged in a scene of an intimate nature, be extra careful about playing another scene in another window. It is very easy to get one's windows crossed, and that is not the kind of pose you want to accidentally send to the wrong channel!
Tip Seven: Keep It IC
Just as in real life, be open to different outcomes for an in-game IC relationship. Sometimes characters have great chemistry but aren't fit for the long-term. Sometimes characters just want to have a bit of fun (and maybe only one of them does). Sometimes the relationship might lead to marriage! Just remember… this is In-Character! Don't let the emotions of writing a romance turn your Real Life upside down. Keep RP and RL separate! If you find that you're having difficulty doing that, perhaps romantic RP isn't for you.
Tip Eight: Have Fun!
If at any point an in-character relationship ceases to be fun, break it off! The game is about having a good time, so keep that in mind and don't let an imaginary romance drag you down.