Having trouble with description

[der_kluge]

I think having a really good vocabulary can really help. I spent an inordinate amount of time a couple of weeks ago trying to recall the word "grotto" to describe something.

Knowing the right pronunciation doesn't hurt either. "Pronouncing brazier, brassiere" will usually change the tone of your game rather quickly.

And you have to be careful with your choice of words. When I introduced the new female player's character as "well-equipped", I heard about that for weeks.

Did I mention that my players are all anal-retentive a*sholes?

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Did I mention that my players are all anal-retentive a*sholes?

Mine are a bit too. They latch onto one thing and will not let go.

I also have a bad habit of inadvertently drawing perverted things on the board we use.

Me: *Draws a long hall with a circular room at the end

Players: Start lauging

Me:

 

[MerakSpielman]

And then a portcullis clashes down, slicing the hallway neatly in half!

(smile inwardly as the players wince)

 

[Shallown]

OKay so heres an exercise.

Walk through your house and take a serious look around.

Now Find a private place to talk to your self. While taking a bath or Bathroom break. Or just while walking down the street. Learn to connect the seeing in your head with the speaking through your mouth. Do it with something you already know. Then start to embelish.

Mom's little blue vase becomes a sealed jug holding a small air elemental. How does it look etc. Talk through it. Its the little details that make the difference.

Just keep doing this.

Also the writing things down may help you set it in your mind. read it out loud several times. Then you may find yourself not even needing it. If your big brother never sees that you wrote it down Who cares. It will go from paper to mind fairly quickly.

Later

 

[der_kluge]

In one of my dungeons, the PCs came across a poltergeist in a kitchen who started tossing pots and pans at them.

I got flustered and said "potted pans". I heard about that one for an hour afterwards.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Well, my game is in about half an hour. I hope I am going to do well. I am just doing some last minute preparations.

 

[Trainz]

When I used to have stage fright (and I perform live in rock bands), I imagined the crowd naked, and that ease my fright. Now stage fright has been a non-issue for over 10 years.

That said, I have no idea what effect imagining your players naked will have on your game...

About your brother... what age are you ? I can *somewhat* understand if he's 18 and your 11 (big brothers are like that with their little brothers) but if you're 15 and up... tell him Trainz thinks he's not cool at all.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

When I used to have stage fright (and I perform live in rock bands), I imagined the crowd naked, and that ease my fright. Now stage fright has been a non-issue for over 10 years.

That said, I have no idea what effect imagining your players naked will have on your game...

About your brother... what age are you ? I can *somewhat* understand if he's 18 and your 11 (big brothers are like that with their little brothers) but if you're 15 and up... tell him Trainz thinks he's not cool at all.

Imagining my players naked would forever scar my brain.

As for me, I am 15, he is 17. I find it funny that he tells me to grow up. Yet, he is the one who is constantly annoying me, I do nothing to him. And in general do favors for him when he asks. Nothing big, but I try to be nice to him. Some things he says during the game really do disturb me though.

Like for instance, they save a little elf girl. His big Barbarian character picks her up and then says(forgive me Eric's grandma). " I am going to play with eher boobies." I can stand this sort of immature crap. There is only really one player who is sort of serious.

He also challenged a Paladin that was higher level, and complained when he gets the crap whacked out of him.

 

[Lu Wei Fong]

All these suggestions for better narrative are great, I'd take note
About the only thing I think I could add to that would be not to rush. When you get flustered and talk faster it messes up the pace and gives you less time to actually think about what you're going to say. Just calm down, center yourself, and go with the flow. Your descriptions will feel more natural and your players should in all probability be fine with that pace. Good luck!

*edit*
P.S. Tell us how your game went!