I ran across a game where the GM had spelled out the posting rules he was using for his game. These are excellent so I'll just copy/paste them

WHEN TO POST

The Golden Rule of Posting:
Post!  It’s that simple. Nothing stalls a game faster than when players stop posting. RL happens to us all (some more than others), including your Referee/GM. Just because I have a problem posting doesn't mean you should stop.

The Two-Day Rule:
Over the years, I’ve found that the generally accepted rule for how often to post on a play-by-post (PbP) game is: every other day. Or once every two days. Many players can post more often than that, and that’s great. But, RL, schedules and time zone differences can keep players from posting responses more frequently.

If you don’t post in two days, the GM has the responsibility to post for you if he needs to move things along. Real Life (RL) issues can keep a player (even the GM) from posting as often as he should, and that’s okay. Even if that happens frequently, as long as you let the GM know that’s the case, he’s usually good about it.

However, if you don’t post that often, I’m not likely to boot you out of the game. Real Life happens. I shall NPC your character during those absent days, and after one month I may or may not keep your character around depending on how interesting you made your character (particularly through posting) or the current situation. I’ll almost never kill off your character (usually only if you request it), but he’ll leave the group when it’s convenient. For example, if your character is aboard a ship, I won’t have him just jump overboard—he’ll leave when the ship reaches port. That way, if your situation changes and you want to get back in the game, your character is still around.

The reason you should post at least every other day is to let the other players know that you are still interested in the game, which, in turn, helps keep them interested.

WHAT TO POST

The general rule for what to post usually starts out with: no one-liners.

What this means is that putting up a post that’s only one-line long is discouraged. Sometimes, however, there are reasons for doing so. In particular, some players post using their cell phone, and sometimes that makes typing long posts hard and more time-consuming than they have the opportunity for. Generally, if you let the GM know that’s what you do, it’s not going to be a problem.

A common ‘excuse’ for a player not posting often enough is that he’s either waiting on a response from another player (or even the GM sometimes) or else he doesn’t know what to post.

Waiting for another player: Keeping the Two-Day Rule in mind, if the other player doesn’t post in two days, you should move on as if they did. Never put words in the another PC’s mouth. You can post your interpretation of what you thought they said, and go on from there.

What you can post if you can’t think of anything to post:

1. Ask the GM for more details or further explanation. You can even ask about your gear, or post more details about it yourself.

2. Look around: re-examine the scene, the other PCs, etc. Speculate a little bit on what you see.

3. Character thoughts: post what your character thinks about the scene, or a PC or NPC, or some esoteric topic that came up (fighting mind-shredders, hunting wild turkeys, mountain climbing, etc.). Note: some GMs don’t like to see material in a post that others can’t react to; I’m not one of those. PbP is a writing medium—thoughts and introspection is a significant aspect of writing, so don’t be afraid to write. At the very least, others can pick up on inflections, movement, gestures, facial expressions, body language, etc… details that you aren’t likely to put into your post in the first place, so your writing can be used by other players to infer things about your character (which may or may not be accurate, but that’s part of the fun!).

4. Character memories/flashbacks: something your character sees/notices reminds him of an event he experienced in his past. Some possibly ideas are: a practical joke played on him or by him, an impressive and memorable character he saw, an NPC’s wound reminds him of a similar one he or a friend/relative received, etc.

5. Biding his time: post some action that your character is doing that simply takes up a bit of time, such as sharpening his knife, whittling on a piece of wood, cleaning his boots, mending an article of clothing (sewing on a button), cleaning his weapon, counting his ammo, bird-watching, day-dreaming, trying to see shapes in clouds, where he's going to go or what he's going to do when he gets back, how he's going to spend his million credits, etc. Note that if you use one of these several times, it becomes a personality quirk, which gives depth to your character.
Colors: My preference is to select a text color for your character’s speech, as I think it makes posts easier to read and understand, but try to pick a color that no other character is using. Obviously, though, if there are a lot of characters, that may not be possible.

Reserved Color: Orange is generally reserved for OOCs within in a post, as opposed to the OOC thread, and for the GM posting game mechanics (dice rolls, etc.).

Thoughts/telepathy: Treat it like normal speech, except italicize it without quotes. Still use your characters speech color, though.

Communicators/radios: For those games that use them, precede speech with COMMS >>> and end it with <<<END COMMS.

Location: if your group splits up into more than 2 locations, begin your post with your current location as [WATERFALL]. That’s just to help eliminate possible confusion.

THE USUAL STUFF:
Be considerate and respectful of other players. It's usually better to go with the intent of a post rather than what may have actually been written. Unfortunately, we all aren't best-selling novelists (with a horde of editors and proof-readers on staff).
If the game doesn’t seem to be going in a direction or way that suits your preference or gaming style, talk to the GM! You may not be the only one. I’m usually open to suggestions and requests. I try to be flexible, but without any input from the players, I just keep plodding along. Remember, too, that PbP gaming has a different dynamic that sitting around the table in an FtF game.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:47, Sat 02 Sept 2023.

and other guidelines (slightly adapted) that I find oh so excellent


Please abide by these simple rules within the game. Posts which break these rules are subject to editing, deletion, or angry rants from the GM. The Main Rule is bolded below, with clarifications and examples following:

• Keep up.
You must post 3-5 times every week. If you cannot, let the GM know in advance. Thirty days without posting will get a character NPCed and fall into coma, so please let the community know in the thread Notice: B. Absences: if you will have an extended absence.

Be sure to read and pay attention to the DM's and other players' posts so your post reflects what's going on currently.

• Write in a narrative style, speak - don't tell -, and proofread.
Although I personally prefer my PC to speak in-person, to homogenize the writing styles in this game, each player writes in third person past-tense. So do not write as "I" or address information to "you" but instead describe from a third-person point of view wherein they were in the act of doing something, not having done something. "X was doing that"

However, dialogs are more fun to read; who does not like movies or TV, so have your character speak (or think "aloud") when possible :
WRONG : "Joh was fed up with the customs officer. He came closer and intimidated him"
GOOD : "I'm fed up with this rat!", Joh thought. He came nose to nose with the customs officer and groaned: "I never forget someone who crosses me or my business. Even if you don't know who I am, and you don't want to know, consider your options carefully"

Proofread to make sure the worst mistakes are caught, that any color tags used in the post work properly, and so on. The GM is not going to bust players for misspelling a few words, especially since English is not my mother language. Be aware that I will edit posts to correct mistakes or correct game guideline mistakes. An edit from the GM is not a criticism in any way. The GM merely wants the storyline format to be consistent and readable.

• Be descriptive.
Don't try to cover all possible outcomes of a situation with vague generalities. That is, don't say, "He searched the door in the usual manner," or "She looked around and took anything valuable she saw unless it looks dangerous."

*Important* Players must write in such a way as to convey their character's emotions, feelings, traits, temperaments, or descriptive actions in reaction to the current scene from the GM. You, as a player, are participating in the telling of a story. One-line sentences, or a post with only an OOC chat, defies the purpose.

• Don't use formatting in place of clear writing.
Do not use color in place of quotation marks for speech -- use of color in addition is allowed, but proper punctuation is still required. Double quotes (" ") are for speech, and italics for thoughts, in broadest strokes. Please do not re-define these standard punctuation marks.

Italics are for thoughts, or internal dialogue and bold is for deliberate loud speech, and bold caps is for shouting only.

Repetitive and consistent failure to meet these requirements may result in the removal of a player from the game.

Posting Format
Use a color (except orange) for your character's speech, or don't use a color at all; your choice.  Out of character comments and dice rolls are written in orange color.

• Don't wait for me to tell you what to roll.

If you declare an action and know what stat/skill to roll, do not wait for me to tell you that to fire a gun you add 2d6 + DEX Mod + Gun Combat. Just roll what you think is appropriate (it probably is). I'll add/subtract circumstances modifiers, tell you the difficulty threshold afterwards; I may even change the stat/skill if needed, but I'll keep the dice result, so it's one less exchange in the game :)

Example Post might be written as--
<serif>Judge faced the cyborg and raised his laser pistol. <blue>"Perish CT14T11, this land is no place for you! <b>GET OUT!</b>"</blue> he shouted as he blasted the cyborg.
<hr><orange><small>
Today: Judge rolled 8 using 2d6+3.  Shoot cyborg using DEX Mod 0, Gun Combat 2, Laser pistol +1.
Today: Judge rolled 4 using 1d3+1.  Damage.
(OOC) This seems kinda familiar... Hits for 4 damage.</orange></serif></small>

--- yields ---
Judge faced the cyborg and raised his laser pistol. "Perish CT14T11, this land is no place for you! GET OUT!" he shouted as he blasted the cyborg.

---

Today: Judge rolled 8 using 2d6+3.  Shoot cyborg using DEX Mod 0, Gun Combat 2, Laser pistol +1.
Today: Judge rolled 4 using 1d3+1.  Damage.
(OOC) This seems kinda familiar... Hits for 4 damage.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:55, Sat 02 Sept 2023.

Some other guidelines I thought about :)

• after reading other games, I edited the above to set that you would be nice to describe your character's actions in the past tense, not present. This gives a more literary feel :)

• at this game's beginnings (or in this case, as the game resumes), you will be eager to post a lot, given the guidelines above. However, spare yourself: if you post twice a day for 2 weeks, you'll be exhausted and post under the minimum for the rest of the campaign - that is, if you haven't give up because there's too much to read. Hold your horses! :)

Also, it goes without saying, do not post like Nathaniel Harken in this 'Star Seeker' thread: link to a message in another game - everybody skim reads those absurdly long posts :/

• Personal actions will be public
Alfred Hitchcock told the following example, if memory serves: "Imagine a scene with people attending dinner. A bomb under the table explodes. The audience is stressed!

Now imagine there is an OOC scene when the audience sees the bomb being placed under the table.
Now, the audience knows there's a bomb, does not know when it goes off, cares for the fate of the attendees, and are more thrilled!"

Therefore, if PC X goes alone on a side quest, we'll post in in the thread with appropriate tags, and all the players will know it (there will be exceptions!).

• You're all experimented gamers who know how to ignore out of character information. :)
• You will have something to read, to root for.
• You will know when PC X is not present with your characters (no "What, he's not been with us all along ?")
• You will be able to discuss and comment scenes of the absent character in the OOC thread.
• The Player of X and the GM won't have to repeat all the info because it will be there for the reading! :)

I have seen this method implemented on the tabletop games of GM Hervé Carteau, for the whole satisfaction of all present. :)

• We'll skip most language issues
Sven asked cleverly*

*side note: I first wrote "<i>pointedly" and then checked the precise meaning of the word; Sven's player was absolutely not insistent, but clever. If ever you're under the impression that I am insulting you, just assume that I misused a word while trying to sound literate and ask me to clarify what it was I exactly wanted to express. Again, English is not my mother tongue. :)</i>

Don’t bother with the characters languages. There is a reason why in every Space Opera piece of work, aliens just speak English with an accent; it’s more fluid that way and emphasis is on the substance of the conversation, not the style. Believe me, I’ve gamed while simulating language difficulties (even writing on purpose in pidgin/broken English), and it was either preventing enjoyment (“no your character does not speak Xlang, so he can’t participate”) or hair-splitting, or un-fun to read, and ultimately broke the immersion! :)

Please Roleplay
Since a player's pleasure is to roleplay, and unless you really don't like that (you tell me)... :)

When your character's action is speaking and you roll to see if it works (so... Advocate, Deception, Leadership, Persuade, Streetwise (?)), by all mean, roleplay it! :) Write what your character is saying! :)

- if you did roll high: give us an idea of your orator's eloquence and rhetoric !
- if you rolled low: show us how your PC comically stutters, how his ideas are befuddled, his slip of the tongue... whatever works (not)! :)

Of course they are exceptions:
- roleplaying out loud a seduction scene makes you uncomfortable. Sure, approved.
- Or your character spits expletives or insults. Yes, better not roleplay that.
- You're not going to write a book to show how your character writes his book... Gives us the title, the theme, a few quotes ! :)

Posting in character over communications.
Use brackets with type of comms and target. Examples of type are, SAT-Link, COM-LINK, SHIP COMMS, VOX, and so on.  Additionally, put the target in unless it is ship comms which broadcasts every space in the ship. Examples include, /bridge, /Captain, /channel, and so on.

[Com-Link/Tanja] message

That example indicates a peer to peer communication between the sender and Tanja, usually a com badge or wrist band.

[Com-Link/CREW] message

Received by the crew only (not the passengers)


[SHIP COMMS] message

A broadcast to all people aboard. "This is your captain speaking..."


[Vo-ded/Shipyard] message

The example above indicates a voice channel with the shipyard on a frequency dedicated to them locally.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:58, Tue 26 Sept 2023.