Need some RP advice. ._?

I've roleplayed for 30 years here are some tips:

a) Invest in your character, this could be financially or materially and I don't mean real money. I had a character that bought a pony and treated it as a classic car, bought only the best food for it, the best saddles and equipment.. losing that pony and it's kit would have been a serious financial loss and it defined my character over the course of the campaign. The tiem I spent arranging adequate stabling, haggling over costs, making sure it didn't wander off or get "eaten".. investing in the character of the pony, teh DM even made a character sheet up for it half way through the campaign and I had to roleplay against it!!

b) Create a background for your character, a family tree or at the very least some kind of resume AND STICK TO IT. Once you have that background you have to play to it even when it means going against your own personal nature. If you're playing a neutral evil character you have to look after number one, if you're playing a lawful good character you'll have to shop your own party members to the local police if you catch them stealing, etc,etc

c) Create a quirk! Over the years I've had a character that always spoke in rhyme or remained silent, another that ended every sentence with the phrase "...in accordance with prophency", another that kept a pet chicken, another that refused to use anything that was blue as it was "against his religion".... make up your own, if it's humerous or ridiculous all the better

d) Take time to get to know your friends characters and take the time to investigate their background, half the fun is in the situations YOU create without relying on the DM. If anything the DM is just there to make sure that what you are doing is, loosly, within the rules. Bottom line: It isn't all about the XP.

Hope that helps, enjoy your gaming :)