Working together with another player is a very good solution if you get stuck on a post. It benefits you and the PBEM (Play By Email) game. Working together is not only more fun it is also more productive!Get help from one of the other players! If you simply do not know how to continue the post, don’t trash it and don’t stick it in the drafts box for weeks only to find its too late to use it!
Turn it into a joint post! A PBEM (Play By Email) game is a collaboratory effort; you work together to form a story. Do the same with a post! If you can not finish it, perhaps you can talk to one of the other players to get his or her input; but I think you should go one step further and ask to write the post together.
What? You think you are too good to ask for help? Well, you got stuck, didn’t you? Get over it and have some fun!
Let the other player read what you have written, give input on the story so far and perhaps suggest some improvements. Then let the other player continue to write on your post, either freely or from ideas you have worked up together.
This collaboration can be done in a couple of ways. One of the fantastic things about the Internet is that you can make friends all over the world and all time zones. The problem with this is that you can probably not meet face to face to write the post.
One way is to find a time you are both available and use a chat client to talk. You can then even play out the post in the chat room if you think that is easier. Otherwise, you can discuss ideas or take turns to write paragraphs.
Another alternative is to use email. If you are in time zones far from each other that can be a better way to communicate. Send the post back and forth and add paragraphs to the post. You can of course also add comments and suggestions.
When you both feel ready to send it in, don’t forget to make sure you both get credit for it. After all, you are both the author of it.
Working together is the very foundation of a PBEM (Play By Email) game! Use it to your advantage. It makes a much more dynamic game, improves communication between players and simply is a lot more fun!