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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rune" data-source="post: 657752" data-attributes="member: 67">This is where being able to read your players comes in handy.  I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that their is an art to good pacing and, consequently, good DMing.  There have been some very helpful tips presented in this thread, especially, by the Rodent of the Night, but, ultimately, it all comes down to the DM's ability to read the momentThe question, then, is "how does one get to the point, where s/he can read the players so well?"My suggestion:  Try running games reactively, instead of proactively.  Get plenty of practice winging/freestyle DMing.  Make your notes as you go along.  As an exercise, this type of thing can really force you to pay attention to the players' reactions and preferences.  Pay attention to body-language and facial expressions.The reason I mention this (probably all too obvious) bit of advice is that, while I tend to feel that a good mix of proactive and reactive DMing is very important, I think your pacing problem stems from an over-indulgence of the former and a neglect of the latter.As for the issue of the players reading the DM too well, I advise the same.  Don't describe characters or situations by varying degrees based on their relevance to the game; describe them by varying degrees based on the players' attention to them.Anyway, good luck running an excellent adventure and be sure to tell us how it went, or, better yet, write a Story Hour.[Edit] Also, it's a good idea to get written feedback -- about the good and the bad -- from your players after each session and take note of it (or, better yet, discuss it) for future sessions.</blockquote>

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