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Writing Tips For Play By Post Role-playing Game Masters

Writing Tips For Play by Post Role-Playing Game Masters

We have many Threads surrounding how to be a better Game Master / Dungeon Master / Referee here but none that specifically focuses on the writing / descriptions given by the GM / Dungeon Master for their games. Today, I've introduced the upcoming International Discussions Thesaurus as a helpful writing tool to improve storytelling in our Role-playing Games. This Thread is also open for your questions, comments and tips surrounding effective writing for Role-playing Games in a Play By Post format.

Masters Game Role-playing Post Play Tips Writing

I like when things are descriptive enough that you don't have to ask questions like "What are the surrounds like?", "Who is in the room?", "What time of day is it?". If I have to ask that to me its a wasted post that could have been my character's action. At the same time I don't like descriptions to be so long that your imagination is lost in too many details that aren't important.

Writing Tips For Play By Post Role-playing Game Masters Reviews RPG & Card Board

I like the image above and what both posters said. Good descriptions save a lot of time in Play By Post so you don't have to turn around and ask the obvious questions that you should already have answers to.

I also used the thesaurus, not for an Role-playing Game, but it was really cool. Its a good writing tool I'll recommend to anyone.

Masters Game Role-playing Post Play Tips Writing

I like good descriptions but I never want it to be so descriptive that I feel like I'm reading the Dragon Lance series in order to visualize one event.

Masters Game Role-playing Post Play Tips Writing

While uploading an image makes easier work why take all the fun of describing what the Characters see? Let's take the image in this first Post as an example I, as the Dungeon Master, could write something like this rather than show the Players that image:

"Out of the earth ahead of you appears a hairless dirty olive humanoid creature with pointy ears, a wide pug nose and menacing eyes. You can only see its shoulders and head popping out from the ground but you can tell that it has a muscular frame and is up to no good."