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D&D is first and foremost a co-operative game and the enjoyment and comfort of fellow players takes precedence over whatever beautiful arc you have in your mind. If you want complete control of the narrative, write a novel.

DM Hacks for Beginners

Normally when I get asks about d&d, they’re from DMs who are starting out and aren’t sure about the specifics of how to DM; not necessarily the rules, but rather how to create a good game that’s enjoyable for everyone.

Stability: 

The key to success in any type of creative undertaking is rigorous planning and outlining. I know that this sounds icky, but trust me, having a fixed schedule for writing and playing will make your life so much easier. More importantly, if your players know exactly what times and what day of the week they have to have free, scheduling becomes easy.

Improvising: 

Be flexible. You’re responsible for making their world, not for how they interact with it. If things don’t go as you plan, that’s okay. If your players choose to go off course and explore something you didn’t pre-write, roll with it. You should know your world well enough that you can improvise locations. 

Reading:

Read books. Read books. For the love of god, read some books. The greatest cure for writing block is to read, and you’ll find ideas there that you can build on for your own stories. Read history; see how conflicts work in the real world. The more facts you know, the realer you can craft a world.

Passion:

You’ve gotta care. If you want to tell a good story, you have to be invested in it. How can you expect your players to be interested and engaged in your work if you aren’t? You also need to be invested in their characters and their stories. Make a supportive environment for creativity. 

Collaboration:

Work with your players. Have personal talks with them one-on-one about the story, their backstories, and how they two are connected. Check in constantly about how each person is feeling at the table. Make sure they feel valued, since d&d is a huge time commitment. Be receptive to their feedback, and make sure that there’s a constant communication about how everyone (including yourself) is feeling in the game. 

Writing a historical novel means knowing how far they can travel on a horse, This is good info right here.

(via Pinterest)