DMing and Writing Simultaneously

[Drakevarg]

Didn't know if this belonged in the Roleplaying forum or the Arts and Crafts forum, so I Took A Third Option (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TakeAThirdOption).

Anyway, I've been sorta-stuck in a bout of writer's block for the last couple weeks, ever since the DnD campaign I'm running started up again. The problem being that with the nebulous nature of a campaign's narrative, I've been coming up with kajillions of possibilities of where the story could go from any given point. As a result, I've had neither time nor creative energy to work on the half-dozen or so other writing projects I have ongoing.

My question to the Playground is, does anyone else here both write and DM, and if so, how do you manage both?

[Savannah]

I've done it in pbp, because I have an opportunity to think about things before I post a reply. Being pbp, I can't really tell you about long-term effects, however!

I've found it tends to be very reactive DMing; you go whichever direction the PCs head, and you can use ideas that you get as you go. It is also more relaxed, as I don't have to worry about making sure they find enough clues to head in the right direction, instead I either move things to be wherever they go, or just go with whatever they want to come up with. I wouldn't go that route in real-life playing, as I don't tend to think fast enough on my feet.

Personally, I'd suggest the Roleplaying forum.

[Cealocanth]

Just don't overdo yourself when planning a million different things to say for the miniscule chance that it's actually going to happen.

I have a few little tricks that might help out.

1: Design the characters that are intended to speak. If they're important, write a few quotes that they might say. If they're unimportant, like Random Orc #1, don't bother with the character sketch at all.

2: Prepare for the important parts, the minute details can be improvised and "made up as you go along." Don't over extend your artistic ability unless you strictly want all of it to go into your campaign.

3: Play the NPC's as characters, not quotes. That's the beauty of RPing, you don't need lines to know what to say. If you do this with NPCs already, play the environment as a character too. Think about it;

If the party is fought into a new room by a party of rampaging ogres and the adrenaline's rushing, would Environment say to their senses

"You marvel at the intense beauty of the Scarlet Forest. The watery scent of thousands of bioluminescent mushrooms releasing spores wafts past youfr nostrils, adding to the shining magesty of the resting place of the godess Terulia."

or would it say

"The ogres push you into a cavern lit by bioluminescent mushrooms. The blue light beams down onto an ogres face warning of the anger in his eyes."

[thubby]

i rely heavily on improvisation and a disturbing large number of NPCS that i have pre-rolled.
writing up all the possible branches is pointless since most of them will never happen. just write up what must happen and work from there.

[742]

or just make everything up as you go; works best with short sessions.

[Drakevarg]

My main problem is not dealing with planning my sessions; I do that just fine. What I'm wondering is how do I do that without being too distracted by it to work on my other (non-DnD) writing?

[Savannah]

:smallredface: Totally mis-read what you meant in the OP, sorry.

I always get really stuck on any one project after a while, so I just switch projects and balance things out that way. I've also done things like write one in the morning, and the other in the afternoon, with a break inbetween to clear my mind.

[arguskos]

My main problem is not dealing with planning my sessions; I do that just fine. What I'm wondering is how do I do that without being too distracted by it to work on my other (non-DnD) writing?
I blend the two, until I can't tell where my D&D plot and characterization stops and my fiction begins. See, a good character can be picked up and moved into any situations, fantasy or sci-fi, horror or detective, romance or noir, and still retain the same basic shape and form. Only the lines really change, and perhaps the fine details. It's not for everyone, but it works for me. I've taken characters from D&D (BBEGs even) and made them into supporting or primary characters in stories and tales without too much issue.

[thubby]

My main problem is not dealing with planning my sessions; I do that just fine. What I'm wondering is how do I do that without being too distracted by it to work on my other (non-DnD) writing?

right, work less on you planning and wing it more. it will free up your out of game time.

[Drakevarg]

right, work less on you planning and wing it more. it will free up your out of game time.

Thing is, it's not so much planning -- my players have too much of a history of utterly derailing my plots to bother -- so much as it is "a direction." I just mull over what possible things there are to do in the scenario they're currently in, and what would happen if they did each thing. Unfortunately, due to my excessive free time (no job at the moment), my brain starts cranking out the next 48 steps of that process, asking itself: "What would happen if they did X?" "Well, Y would result, giving them potential options of A, B, and C. And if they chose A, that would cause..." And so on.

And I try to tell it to shut up and work on, say, the Lovecraftian horror story I'm working on, but it seems to consider the potential alternate courses of the campaign far more interesting. :smallannoyed: Which I can understand, of course. The Lovecraftian story happens exactly the way I want it to. The campaign is a gaint pile of "maybes" that could shift at any moment, which has so much more potential. :smallcool:

[shadow_archmagi]

I find that DMing helps writing! After all, your group is effectively a captive audience that gives instant feedback and helps build creative skills.

Also, if you're having trouble finding the time and inspiration to write, I recommend trying panic.

I find that nothing helps me write like knowing it has to be done in half an hour or I fail the class.

[valadil]

I don't write while I'm DMing. Game gets 100% of my creative energies.

[Drakevarg]

Also, if you're having trouble finding the time and inspiration to write, I recommend trying panic.

I find that nothing helps me write like knowing it has to be done in half an hour or I fail the class.

I know from experience that this method works, since probably the most progress I ever made in a single bout of writing came when I had to write a play with a deadline.

Doesn't apply in this instance, unfortunately, on account of the fact that all my writing is purely of my own initiative. I can't freak out over deadlines because I have none.

[shadow_archmagi]

I know from experience that this method works, since probably the most progress I ever made in a single bout of writing came when I had to write a play with a deadline.

Doesn't apply in this instance, unfortunately, on account of the fact that all my writing is purely of my own initiative. I can't freak out over deadlines because I have none.

Anonymously hire a large angry man to beat you with a stick unless you finish by Wednesday then.

[Drakevarg]

Anonymously hire a large angry man to beat you with a stick unless you finish by Wednesday then.

That'd be more convincing if I wasn't already a large angry man with a sword. :smallbiggrin:

[Morph Bark]

My main problem is not dealing with planning my sessions; I do that just fine. What I'm wondering is how do I do that without being too distracted by it to work on my other (non-DnD) writing?

Don't overplan your sessions and try to make your sessions and your writing go in different directions. That way, you won't feel as mentally exhausted and distracted from either, and you will be able to come up with unique new situations that will fit in either your DnD sessions or your writing.

[shadow_archmagi]

That'd be more convincing if I wasn't already a large angry man with a sword. :smallbiggrin:

Then hire a swordier, writier man. (http://www.geekosystem.com/terry-pratchett-sword/)

[Drakevarg]

Then hire a swordier, writier man. (http://www.geekosystem.com/terry-pratchett-sword/)

"Finish by Wednesday or Sir Terry Pratchett will beat you to death with a Thunderbolt Iron sword."

Are you kidding? That would almost make me WANT to miss the deadline. :smallamused:

[shadow_archmagi]

"Finish by Wednesday or Sir Terry Pratchett will beat you to death with a Thunderbolt Iron sword."

Are you kidding? That would almost make me WANT to miss the deadline. :smallamused:

More like this, only with him shouting things like "YOUR DIALOGUE MUST FLOW! He who controls the dialogue, controls the plot!" or "More characterization! You call that a pun!? I've heard better wordplay from tongueless lepers!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evs565MUqzk#t=3m8s)