Buckling down to work

[Mr. Lobo]

A good tactic for me is to make notes, either outlined or bulleted. If I get off track I just go to the section (or document) that strikes my fancy at the time. You don't have to write a novel - just plot threads and notes on NPC's. I find that it is easier to change things using an outline form vs. a written paragraph (can't you tell? ). The biggest advantage is that I can stop at any place and then when the "writing" urge hits again I can easily figure out where to edit without a lot of re-reading of my material.

Also, since you don't have a group at this time it sounds like you just have ideas you want to put down. I don't agree with JoeGKushner's statement (above) in the least. As with any skill, writing takes practice. The more you write the more practice you get. And you get more in tune with how your thought processes work and how you can arrange things better. With the outline form you just type out your ideas (in like one sentence) and then arrange to fit. When you start playing you can easily fill in more details as required. At first everything does not have to make sense! When you begin play, your campaign events may help kick start you into getting ideas for "maturing" ideas that aren't complete. The onus doesn't totally have to be on the GM to have all the ideas.

Anyway, it works for me.

 

[PapersAndPaychecks]

1. Plan to write stuff for release on the internet as a .pdf or series of .pdf's. That'll make you focus on writing a decent adventure, and it's a constructive contribution to the hobby for anyone without a current group of players, provided your adventure's good enough that some people actually play it.

2. Find a "proofreading buddy" - someone who's prepared to proofread your stuff thoroughly and give you constructive criticism. Two people who will do this is even better. (You might offer to proofread material for their campaigns in return.)

3. Give yourself some timescales and deadlines to work to.

You are now ready to start writing.

 

[Patman21967]

I've been GMing and gaming with the same group + or - a person here or there for about 15 years or more. I have found, despite my best efforts of the hated task of writing out stuff, they either go off track, or I do. Therefore, I usually do a framework of where I want the night or adventure to start, and end up, then I make notes as to what happens. As for campaign scale, I think along the lines of a book. I know what I want to happen, and the framework of the campaign, but you can never plan for everything. So, my advice is to come up with an idea, and then play it by ear, how it gets accomplished. I know, as a player, I hate feeling like I am being railroaded, so i generally do not do it as a Gm either. The game I am running now, The PC's are at a place, where they can completely leave everything I have worked on behind, because they are at a place that they can go to 5 or 6 seperate, different Prime Material Planes. I know what 1 of them is, and I know what I want to happen if they go there, as a matter of fact, 2 more plans came to me typing this up....

just relax and have fun..

 

[arwink]

Dealines really work. 500 words per day, every day, and you have three or four pages of campaign notes written every week.