Schizoid Dialogues
The worst examples I’ve seen of sloppy sockpuppetry have involved some poor schlub trying to talk to himself via his alternate accounts. I’ve already gone over the basic means to distinguish between characters, but creating a back-and-forth dialogue adds an extra level of complexity. It means you have to perform in a one-(wo)man show, which looks great when the actor pulls it off, but many actors just … don’t.
As I mentioned above, this is definitely not the time to boost your ego. If you feel compelled to have your alter praise you to the rooftops, you’re probably not cut out for this sort of thing. It would be more believable to engage in a flame war with your alter, or at least a disagreement. Better yet, just have a real conversation.
If you want to try to create a dialogue, keep in mind my earlier admonition: Preview, Preview, Preview. Also, take a step back with every logout/login. Refresh your memory as to which character you’re playing. Remember the medium you’re using. Sometimes a dialogue in a thread occurs rapid-fire, with a few minutes or less between responses, and at other times, the thread develops more slowly. Maintain some variation in the posting intervals, to prevent the appearance that the whole conversation is contrived, which it of course is.
I hope someone finds this essay useful. I don’t profess to be the Internet’s foremost authority on this topic. However, I have used these techniques successfully on more than one site. At least, no one here has unraveled my own shenanigans, or any who have are keeping it to themselves.
Schizoid Dialogues
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