Henry
Autoexreginated
Like I'm guessing 99% of the respondents, I'm self-taught, and the further education continues.
I started in 1981, buying the Moldvay box set and leading my cousins through our first adventure (level 1 characters through the White Plume Mountain --- WHHEEEE! ) Afeterwards, I DM'ed one best friend through about 3 years of modules and improvised adventures that looked nothing like the rules (I was about 13 or so before I actually learned how to use all those funky dice!) and then didn't game, just collected and read, for about five years. My first experience as a player came 7 YEARS after my experience as DM!
From there, I've learned to DM by reading and re-reading, by watching other DM's, and trying to broaden my horizons with all sorts of other inputs (non-genre stuff, non-fiction, history, etc.) My second-biggest learning curve in my life was being introduced to DMs like Piratecat, Rel, der Kluge, Old One, etc. through ENWorld, which has increased my proficiency by leaps and bounds, I believe.
I started in 1981, buying the Moldvay box set and leading my cousins through our first adventure (level 1 characters through the White Plume Mountain --- WHHEEEE! ) Afeterwards, I DM'ed one best friend through about 3 years of modules and improvised adventures that looked nothing like the rules (I was about 13 or so before I actually learned how to use all those funky dice!) and then didn't game, just collected and read, for about five years. My first experience as a player came 7 YEARS after my experience as DM!
From there, I've learned to DM by reading and re-reading, by watching other DM's, and trying to broaden my horizons with all sorts of other inputs (non-genre stuff, non-fiction, history, etc.) My second-biggest learning curve in my life was being introduced to DMs like Piratecat, Rel, der Kluge, Old One, etc. through ENWorld, which has increased my proficiency by leaps and bounds, I believe.