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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Man in the Funny Hat" data-source="post: 3296488" data-attributes="member: 32740">I can write - I'm just not a WRITER, if you know what I mean.  I can string words into comprehensible sentences, get most of the readily noticable grammar, spelling, and punctuation correct.  I even form paragraphs!Writing anything like publishable fiction has always eluded me.  I simply do not have the MASTERY of the tools of language and writing that I would demand of myself before I deign to seriously attempt it.  Much of that comes with practice, but I have at least an approximation of a life and not enough love of the craft of writing itself to devote the time to it.  I do still try a little from time to time, and what player of D&D doesn't think they have at least one good rip of fantasy fiction in them?Writing an ADVENTURE is different.  It's always seemed to me more like writing an OUTLINE for a story than writing a story.  You have a list of some characters - but not the MAIN characters which are the PC's.  You have some locations, a general plot, and hopefully the abiltiy to reach the climax of your adventure by more than one route.  The rest not only can but SHOULD be left up to a DM and players to fill in.  There's no dialogue except perhaps for a few bits of boxed text.  The characters YOU provide are little more than a paragraph or two of backstory and motivation to pass for developed characters.  And yet when it's read by a DM it needs to seem like a vibarant, cohesive whole and not a random, dry assemblage of elements.Neither writing fiction or RPG adventures seems easy to me.  Probably why I wing EVERYTHING as a DM.  I make up adventures as I go and largely just HOPE they turn out to be entertaining when the players inputs and influences are factored in.  Thankfully, it generally does work out that way.  I'd rather PLAY the game for several hours once a week with an hour of prep rather than spend a week in prep for a few hours of gaming.  Naturally that includes writing adventures but READING them and ADAPTING them as well.  I don't doubt that I'm an exception.Still, having at least tried half-heartedly on occasion I do not disrespect adventure writers as a rule.  My own issues with contemporary adventures begin with that they are, in fact, too long given the 3rd edition paradigm of a more rapid character advancement than I was PERSONALLY used to with previous editions.  Oh, and that since I make up so much of my games as I go along I have very little need for them (though it isn't a COMPLETE absence of need for them).</blockquote>

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