It is essentially the creation of and writing of a certain character. You 'join' a universe, that the GM, or Game Master, writes out for you, create a character, and play that character according to the specifications the GM makes for you. So, in short, RPing is kind of like a story that a group of people tell, each with their own take on events and own personality to show off. A good roleplay will have a colourful cast of characters that journey from one plot point to another, maybe even spanning years.

Because 'games' can have as many players as the GM feels necessary, it pays to create a unique and original character that has conflicting emotions with other players, and it's always important to know the other player's characters, so that you may intentionally rub against them for tension sakes. A good example of this is joining a roleplay to solely take on the villain character, to ensure that there is no shortage of interesting character development.

If you're new to roleplays, don't be afraid to tell people! GM's are, for the most part, more than happy to guide you along their vision, because when it comes down to it, it's everyone's story; the GM just guides it along a set track. The friendly staff here at RPHeaven also are available to offer advice; after all, we were all new once!

The most important thing to remember while RPing: Have fun. Writing gets very interesting when there's a group dynamic, and if you love crafting a story, definitely give it a shot.