GM Guide

This site is compiled in order for me to add to, what I consider, a small number of websites that have been created in order to offer information, experience and guides to GMs across the world. My mandate is to provide as much non-system-specific guidelines to GMs.

After decades of GMing and playing, I have my own personal take on what works in a Role Playing Game and what does not. I hope you'll find the material helpful. I've played more systems than I can remember. During that time I've ran games that have lasted years, some just a night. Likewise, I've touched every genre I could get my hands on. We've had laughter and tears, and I've loved every minute of it. Certain sessions have been truly memorable; some have fallen flat on their face. By riding the highs and the lows, I've learnt quite a lot about what works and what doesn't. I hope that I'll be able to allow you to benefit from my experience.

Regardless of your choice of RPG (D20, Ars Magica 5th Ed, WFRP, Star Wars or any game of your own devising) I'm sure you'll find something of interest. I'll be posting essays on creation of NPCs and PCs, putting together the campaign and playing the individual scenarios and sessions, developing locations and plot. The only problem is time. Eventually, I'll have everything up on the site but if you're joining us in the early days then I apologise for the gaps.

Now for a note on my style. I've written articles for other sites. I have found the experience quite frustrating. I've had articles butchered, I've had my name omitted and most frustratingly, I've had articles thrown up for the world to see without any editing and winced at the typos for the world to see. GM Guide will contain 'essays'. I call them essays because then it allows me to ramble in any way I see fit including anecdotes, histories and the occasional half-truth. I should also point out that I'm English and in my mid-thirties. I only point this out in case some of you fail to get my references to English TV programs from the 80's ('Roobarb and Custard', 'Rentaghost' and 'House of Cards' for example), use English rhetoric ('Bollocks', 'Feck' and 'Arse' for example) and spells things properly.

Anyway, have fun and drop me a line