As of April 19, 2008, Operation Redo is now closed.
1. Character Holds -- Requesting a hold is a good idea, especially if you are interested in a more popular canon character. If you change your mind about applying for a character, let us now so we can take the hold off. In the same vein, if your hold is expiring, but you know you need more time to work on the application, please request an extension of your hold. We will be glad to extend un-contested holds for however long you need.
2. If the character has been raised as a Muggle, include their reaction to discovering their magical status. Such a life-altering event should have an impact on them. "He got his Hogwarts letter and started school there in the fall," isn't as convincing as, "Getting his Hogwarts letter was a dream come true. He could hardly believe he was actually a wizard."
3. Physical Appearance -- This can be tricky. Try to write it as an actual paragraph. "Brown hair, blue eyes, 5'10", medium build," sounds like a wanted poster. At the same time, don't go overboard. We don't need five sentences about the character's hair. Nor purple prose, i.e. "She has soft, creamy skin the colour of ivory that you just long to touch." Because, eww! If the character is all looks and no substance, be prepared to admit that fact.
4. When it comes to canon characters, write more than just what's in the books. We know Neville was raised by his grandmother, is afraid of Snape, likes Herbology, has a pet toad, and that his parents are in St. Mungo's. Tell us about his relationship with his grandmother. Does he like her? Does he hope his parents will get better someday? How did he acquire Trevor? Does he respect Snape, despite his fear of him? Does he want to teach Herbology when he grows up? In other words, be creative. Give us more than a cookie-cutter bio. Interpret the character. Just because Rowling never said what he does for fun or who he fancies doesn't mean you can't make up your own answers. As long as it makes sense, we're all for it. And please do not copy the character's entry from the HP Lexicon. The Lexicon is a great resource for your bio, but we are looking for more than what is explicitly stated there.
5. Limit Muggle attributes. It's okay to like the random Muggle thing, think Muggles are interesting, or be Muggle-born, but it should be within reason. When most wizards don't even understand Muggle clothes, it seems doubtful that they wear popular Muggle fashions, listen to the hottest Muggle rock stars, etc.
6. Keep in mind that this game takes place in the mid-70's, in the UK, and try to work within that time period and setting. Avoid modern concepts and Americanisms as much as possible. The time-frame doesn't exactly apply to the future students, but they should still try to hide the fact that they're from the future.
7. Previous RP experience is not required. Everyone has to start somewhere, after all. If you have RPed previously, however, links to samples of your previous games/threads are always a plus.
8. If your PB of choice is currently 50ish, but you intend to use pictures of them when the were much younger, please say so. Links to picture examples are also welcome.
9. Avoid god-modding at all costs. Unless it's been established in canon, your character can't know Remus is a werewolf, they cannot have dated Sirius, nor could they have duelled Snape. If these things happen during the course of game-play, that's fine, but you can't make decisions for other people's characters. You can talk to the players and ask them if your idea is okay, but no forcing things on them. If your character idolises Harry, it's okay to say they don't like Draco. Just don't say they duke it out with Draco on a regular basis.
10. Write as best you can (see Rule #9). Nothing hurts an application like poor grammar. We can forgive a few typos, but not an application that reads as if it were written by Ralph Wiggum. Reaching for the dictionary or thesaurus doesn't make you weak, and the "spell check" button is your friend. (Even we mods spell check our posts, even though we have a fairly good grasp of spelling/grammer, because we screw up on occasion, too.) Any professional writer who takes his craft seriously will tell you the same thing. A little extra effort will go a long way.
11. If you need help or have questions, don't be afraid to ask. We're always happy to offer you advice. We all get stuck and need feedback from other people sometimes.