GM's Tip of the Week

This is another general sort of tip that applies as easily to playing games as running them.

Playing a role-playing game live is different from play-by-post. Not only is it slower, but role play is much easier to prioritize in a text-based game. It also requires a skill-set that a live game doesn’t put as much emphasis on; specifically, the ability to write coherently and descriptively, and the ability to get meaning out of what is written. I generally refer to the latter as ‘reading for comprehension’, and I believe it is probably the most valuable general skill anyone can possess.

Text-based communication is great for descriptive writing, but it falls short in other place. Sarcasm, for example, is very difficult to convey via text. Descriptive text isn’t as easy to write as some make it look, and in point of fact, it can be one of the most challenging things you can do as a writer. It’s also highly subjective; some writers can convey a great deal of meaning in a very few words, some cannot.

Being aware of this, not only as a player, but as a GM will go a long way towards making your gaming experience in play-by-post gaming better.