Musings on what makes a good GM?

Well the title is a bit of a loaded question I think. There are plenty of people in this world who are prepared to tell you what's good and what's bad. There are certainly GMs that can make adventures come alive, and work a sort of magic over the room, and others who seem to struggle to get everyone bought into the adventure.

That all said the GM is only part of the equation. The players need to be prepared to help the GM as much as the GM should help the players. Everyone is investing time and energy into the game, and everyone should come out feeling like it was a positive experience. It is very easy for a GM to blame players for derailing their carefully scripted adventure, as much as it is easy for players to blame a GM for not putting on a good show.

So what does that mean for what makes a good GM? Well I don't believe for an instant there is a one size fits all. Some GMs benefit from plenty of preparation, whereas others will thrive off the ability to just ad lib and make everything more free form for the players.

So what would I say to budding GMs?

• First, never be disheartened, anyone can have a bad adventure/session and everyone has to start somewhere. 
• Dive in, find what works for you as a GM, look for compromises to allow for the best fit for you and the gaming group as a whole. 
• Don't believe you are God as you are the GM. Listen to everyone's ideas, be prepared to work with ideas you don't always like to help get everyone feel invested in whats happening. 
• Work with the group to find a style that makes the game enjoyable for everyone involved.
• Don't be proud. If something isn't working, change it!
• Try some different RPG rules and styles. Sometimes people think they will really like a setting or style only for it to just not feel right, so don't get stuck, just change!
• Expect the unexpected! You can plan for everything ... only for the players to find an all new way to send your adventure off the tracks! Be prepared to just go with it and see where it ends up!
• Most of all have fun! Your playing a game as much as the players so enjoy it!