I must have hypnotic body parts or something

Tuesday 26th January

Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get away with such things.

Two days ago I held a seminar.

It doesn't matter what the subject was about though I'll admit this time it was on "Competetive Roleplaying and the do's and don'ts of being a player" which is a much better title than I had planned out originally which was closer to "How to win at roleplaying".

Thing is, it's not exactly as if I was every taught any of this. I've not read any books on the subject other than the joke one I wrote myself, it's not like there's any classes or review texts, no programmes on it from the open university.

And yet, it's just clues, hints and observations from a decade and a half of playing the games.

I don't know whether to be proud that people actually think I have something interesting to say or frustrated that what I'm saying isn't already in their heads since it should mostly be just common knowledge.

I suppose that's the thing about it. I've given a few of these lecture / seminars about various different aspects of playing and GMing games over time and it's really the obvious stuff that people don't know more than anything.

It's simply a case of the stuff that nobody tells you because everybody knows it? Well if that carries on long enough then you end up with nobody knowing it because everybody that does know it assumes you already know, so you have to work it out for yourself.

So, like I say, I sometimes wonder how I get away with these things.

It went down really well, in case you're wondering. Lots of talking by me, a few stories here and there and a few logical puzzles for everyone to finish with. I'm thinking of going on the road with it, do you know anyone that would like a talk on roleplay presented by me? Rates can be negotiated..

Thing is, I was asked by a load of people, before and afterwards if I had notes or some sort of synopsis that I could give them, some because they couldn't make it and some because they did make it but didn't take any notes themselves.

Now I'm not one for huge sets of notes, I make lists and then freeform my way around what I'm saying to suit the audience. It means I can be flexible about how I'm phrasing things and can move on or back depending on how well people are getting what I'm saying.

But I'm starting a new trend. I'm going to be writing this Sunday's lecture up and I'll be pasting onto one website or another for you to get your hands on. I might even make a series out of it.

Watch this space.