What OOC Means in Roleplay

OOC means "out of character." In roleplay, it marks a message (or part of one) where you're speaking as yourself, the writer, rather than as the character you're playing. Its opposite is IC, "in character."

I draw my sword and step between you and the door. "Nobody leaves." (OOC: is it okay if this turns into a fight scene? I can keep it to a standoff if you'd prefer.)

The first line is IC: your character acting in the story. The bracketed line is OOC: you talking about the story.

How to format OOC

There's no single standard, but these are the most common:

Format	Example
Round brackets	(OOC: can we skip to morning?)
Double brackets	((brb, dinner))
Prefix	OOC: I meant the other door, sorry!
Separate message	a whole message that's only an OOC note

In AI roleplay, round brackets with an OOC: prefix are the clearest. They make it obvious the note isn't something your character said aloud.

When to use OOC

OOC is a tool for fixing direction, not for narrating the story. Good uses:

• Skipping time when the in-story version would be slow: (OOC: let's jump to when we reach the city.)
• Correcting a misunderstanding: (OOC: my character's the older sibling, not the younger.)
• Changing the story's direction when in-story nudges haven't worked.
• Setting boundaries: (OOC: I'd rather keep this one lighthearted.)
• Asking what the other side wants, in human roleplay especially: (OOC: are you enjoying the mystery angle or should we lean into the romance?)

When not to

OOC breaks immersion, a little. Too much of it turns a story into a planning meeting. Avoid it for:

• Things you can do in-story. If you want the scene to move to the market, have your character walk there. If you want a twist, introduce one through an event. The steering guide covers in-story techniques that are almost always smoother.
• Narrating your character's feelings. (OOC: my character is actually really sad right now) is weaker than showing it: I turn away before you can see my face.
• Directing the other character's every move. OOC notes like "(make him apologise)" take away their agency. Suggest a direction, don't script it.

A good rule of thumb: try in-story first, OOC second.

OOC with AI characters specifically

AI characters handle OOC notes differently from human partners. A few practical points:

• Keep it short and direct. One sentence is ideal. (OOC: skip ahead to the ball, please.)
• Expect it to be treated as a story instruction. The character will usually just adjust the scene rather than chat back as themselves.
• If the character starts talking OOC unprompted, steer back in-story with a strong IC action. Giving them something to react to pulls them back into the scene.
• If a character keeps drifting from their personality, an OOC reminder can help, but strengthening your own in-character replies is usually more effective. See keeping AI characters in character.

OOC phrases you'll see

Phrase	Meaning
brb	"be right back"
ttyl	"talk to you later"
FTB / fade to black	skip over a scene, implying it happened
time skip / TS	jump forward in time
retcon	"let's pretend that last bit didn't happen"
AU	alternate universe, i.e. same characters, new setting
muse	inspiration for a character ("my muse is gone today")

More definitions are in the full roleplay glossary.

Examples: weak vs. strong OOC

Weak:

(OOC: idk what to do now)

Strong:

(OOC: I feel like this scene has run its course. Could we time-skip to the night of the festival?)

Weak:

(OOC: you should be nicer to me)

Strong (in-story first):

I set the box of her favourite pastries on the counter and wait. "Peace offering. I'm not leaving until you've had one."

The strong versions either give a clear, actionable direction or avoid OOC entirely by solving the problem inside the story.

Retcons: undoing something

Sometimes a reply takes the story somewhere you don't want, such as a character dying, a secret revealed too early, or a mistake in your own message. A short retcon note fixes it:

(OOC: let's retcon that last part, my character wouldn't know about the vault yet.)

Then continue as if the earlier version never happened. If the whole scene has gone wrong, restarting from the character's opening scenario is often faster than a string of retcons.

Quick summary

• OOC = you, the writer, talking. IC = your character talking.
• Use brackets: (OOC: …)
• Try to solve problems in-story first.
• Keep OOC notes short, clear and rare.

Ready to put it into practice? The formatting guide covers the rest of the conventions, and how to roleplay with AI puts them all together.