Writing

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welcome thinkers to season four episode

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six of thinking critically and today's

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episode is a special one as it's

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dropping on my birthday so i hope you

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all have as great a weekend as the one i

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have planned for myself

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and why don't you as a birthday treat

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drop me a little review on your platform

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of choice and that would be really

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really appreciated so thank you all for

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listening and enjoy the episode

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[Music]

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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this episode i am joined once again by

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bart wynance thank you ever so much for

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returning to us but

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can you tell us a little bit about

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yourself my pleasure

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thank you for having me

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um about myself um nothing much has

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changed since last time i think uh i'm

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still a freelance ttrpg writer

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cartographer um i've worked recently on

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stuff for raging swan press

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the gaia complex and the terminator rpg

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and i busy myself posting uh historical

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and artistical tidbits uh which might

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serve as inspirational stuff

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on twitter each day

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yeah absolutely i think uh for for the

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listeners

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bart featured all the way back in season

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1 episode

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four 24

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fudging based on the twitter discussion

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we had and now we're back to talk about

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something at the the opposite end of the

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the scale

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of the tt rpg scale which is

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writing which is today's topic so what

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does that mean to you in the dnd and

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wider ttrpg framework well first of all

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i should say i'm by no means an expert

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in writing

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i

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figured out in i think 2018 that i

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wanted to

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to occupy myself

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with writing more

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stuff for my own rpgs

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prepare

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my own homebrew setting and if possible

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at all

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write commercially available modules so

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i decided i wanted to do that and i did

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some well

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you can't really call it research i mean

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i asked some people who i knew who i

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knew were writing at the time

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how do you go about it um what are your

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tips and tricks i i read some some

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self-help books you know how to start up

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your own writing scheme how do you uh

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come up with the discipline to do it

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each day

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and i sort of stumbled into it did my

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best and

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over time i found some some things uh

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some methods that worked for me things i

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also did uh as a background in in my

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professional background i used to be a

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project manager process manager in in an

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i.t environment so lots of lots of

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planning involved lots of um

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process drafting involved

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and i also did my best to uh well take

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any lessons learned from from that part

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of my job and try and apply them to to

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the writing okay so for me what what

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does writing mean it's it's an ambition

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first of all uh something i i try to do

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every day something i try to get better

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at

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and something i i would very much like

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to do full time but of course

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that's not always easy but uh i think

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i'm i'm here to share uh my experience

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and and well just tell you what what's

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worked for me

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amazing thank you well firstly just

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gotta say project manager in it

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situation is you must be you know

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incredibly intelligent only the most

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intelligent people can be a project

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manager and i team environment uh i see

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what you mean yes

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i have to concur of course yeah

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absolutely

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um let me just deflate my ego for a

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second uh

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the other thing i wanted to say was you

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mentioned there the thing i really

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wanted to pick up on there was

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you mentioned it

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trying to get into the habit a number of

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different routines and methods and so on

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but you specifically said a couple of

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them worked for you so i think a good

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place to start as any is when trying to

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get into the rhythm of something like

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writing it's always good to find out

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what works for other people

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so yeah can you elaborate a little bit

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more on those yeah of course but where

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to start as a question

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i think the main problem i faced in the

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beginning i i've always when i was a

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child i wanted to write to but the first

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thing you think

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when you try to write something like

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like a novel or or a commercially

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available module or something you want

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other people to read you take a seat in

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front of your desk pick out your pen

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start writing

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and you expect things to be perfect from

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the start and that's not going to happen

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and

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the conclusion you draw then usually or

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at least in my case is well

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either i have no inspiration at the time

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and i need to just drop my pen and try

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again

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tomorrow next week or whatever

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and if it fails a couple of times in a

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row you think well i've got no talent

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and

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that's completely not true i mean that

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there's sort of a mystical aura hanging

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over this whole writing well at least

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for some people including myself a

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couple of years back

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uh you think yeah to write you you need

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talent you need you need time you need

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luck opportunities that's all true and

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it all helps you

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but it's really it's just a craft that's

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the main thing i learned it's just a

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craft and

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you get better at it as you practice

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so the main takeaway i learned was

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it's mostly time management

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if you want to start writing

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you need to do it every day you need to

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start

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putting words to paper

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each day

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find that discipline make make writing a

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priority

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and um there's this saying i remember i

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i can't recall bruce said but

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as it is quote

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you can always edit a bad draft

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but you can't edit a blank page um yeah

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i do love that

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saying and that that's the thing right

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that's the thing that everybody always

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says is that that first word

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is the hardest but then once you've got

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something on the page because you don't

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want to ruin the blank page it's like

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this

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pristine empty thing but then once

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you've already got a word or a paragraph

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down you can just type away and ruin it

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the damage is done at that point so that

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initial hurdle is the hardest thing to

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get over here that's very true actually

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that's also something

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i've picked up from someone else i don't

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know i read a lot of blogs and stuff and

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they said when you sit behind your desk

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and inspiration doesn't strike and you

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really really can't put any words to

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paper

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and you're ready to quit

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give yourself 10 minutes and just try to

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write something in those 10 minutes

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and more often than not

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you end up writing one sentence to

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senses

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now you're off

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so indeed though those first few words

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are often the hardest and once you get

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going

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it's not exactly smooth sailing that

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it's a bit of hyperbole but

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it's okay it's doable yeah i've even

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heard like

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that first paragraph just type something

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you know unrelated just write something

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that's just your diary for the day or

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something just to have anything on the

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page

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that then means that you can

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just keep going and you can always go

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back and take it out but just just to

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have something

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happen

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on the page almost that it's yeah it's

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exactly yeah okay cool and i was gonna

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say that it is it's a habit right as you

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said you need to make it a priority you

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need to build it into your diary almost

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and this is good advice if i do say so

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myself not only for writing but also for

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just like campaign prep and

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exercise and

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healthy eating and brushing your teeth

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absolutely it's something you can very

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much like into those yeah yeah yeah at

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first it's

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a struggle but once you know you've gone

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over that initial hurdle and built it

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into the routine

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then it becomes it's a lot easier and

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there's less of this

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albatross

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hanging over you like this like homework

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used to be as a child i remember it's

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this just like oh this is now the time

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totally recall

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yeah yeah all too well uh this is this

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is now the time that i do my writing and

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that that building that routine is i

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think it's gonna do like so much of the

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heavy lifting for you it's not a silver

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bullet but it's it's gonna it's gonna

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help it's it's close though if you

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really have this good routine going if

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you if you know the

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the best time for your riding for me

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it's it's early in the morning that's

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why i'm at my that's when i'm at my most

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productive then i can consistently crank

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out several hundreds of words

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a day in a few hours uh before i can get

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to to my to the rest of my daily routine

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and that produces something uh as

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opposed to when i

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start out doing something else in the

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morning and i have to pick up my writing

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late in the afternoon after lunch maybe

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that's not hardly as productive so once

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you find your your ideal time your

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groove

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it really adds up it's a few hundred

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words perhaps each day ideally if you

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can spare the time even more

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but it really adds up to to several

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thousands at the end of the year

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yeah i mean i'm you know full disclosure

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a hypocrite which is not a surprise to

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regular listeners of course um

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i mean i've i've got my fair share of

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half finished

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projects as much as the next person

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everyone does no shame in that

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but you know i

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i still struggle to find my productive

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time and it is you know it's all it's

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one of those academic things it's a lot

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easier said than done i know we've all

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got busy lives and

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certainly with current climate things

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happening it's always awkward to find

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that those those times where you can

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just really just disconnect from the

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real world and then focus on what you

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want to you enjoy doing and so on and so

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on so i know it's i don't want to come

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00:10:28,959 --> 00:10:32,800
across holier than vowel 21 this thing

284
00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:35,120
it'd be like it's it's so easy just go

285
00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,720
out and make a novel like what are you

286
00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,560
doing you just didn't put an hour in

287
00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,279
your calendar you idiot like that is not

288
00:10:38,560 --> 00:10:41,440
what

289
00:10:39,279 --> 00:10:42,800
i'm trying to communicate at all because

290
00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:46,079
i don't do it myself

291
00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:47,839
but yeah it is just

292
00:10:46,079 --> 00:10:50,000
you know it's those tips that as you

293
00:10:47,839 --> 00:10:52,640
said we've picked up over the years

294
00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:55,440
and actually in a nice parallel

295
00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:57,839
of this routine the same is said for the

296
00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,360
show which is something that i have

297
00:10:57,839 --> 00:11:02,160
managed to keep to a routine this

298
00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:04,160
podcast of every of every friday

299
00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,240
and although i don't edit

300
00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,519
particularly in a given slot in my

301
00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,839
calendar

302
00:11:07,519 --> 00:11:11,519
it's almost my hand is forced because i

303
00:11:09,839 --> 00:11:13,279
have to get the show out but that that

304
00:11:11,519 --> 00:11:14,880
that is my routine my every my every

305
00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:18,079
friday that episode is dropping come

306
00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,680
hell or high water so in a sense uh i

307
00:11:18,079 --> 00:11:21,839
guess you could say thursday night it's

308
00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:23,040
my scheduled time to uh

309
00:11:21,839 --> 00:11:25,200
to do a bunch of work because the

310
00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:27,680
episode doesn't come out the next day so

311
00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:30,160
uh that means it gets done

312
00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:33,519
indeed yes yeah

313
00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:35,839
so you mentioned that you've done some

314
00:11:33,519 --> 00:11:37,200
some writing for ttrpg stuff could you

315
00:11:35,839 --> 00:11:40,240
remind me again

316
00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:43,200
what kind of products or what kind of

317
00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:45,440
exercises the main thing i've been doing

318
00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:47,600
these past few years is uh dungeon

319
00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:51,760
backdrops raging swamp press

320
00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:53,360
it's a concept where you have this

321
00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:56,160
it's it's uh

322
00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:59,120
i call it the the craft foods macaroni

323
00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:02,560
of dungeon design okay you have this

324
00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:05,120
package containing uh i think 13 pages

325
00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:06,720
of content of a dungeon which you can

326
00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,880
just drag and drop into your own game

327
00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,959
it's it comes with a background

328
00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:13,040
um the surrounds are described you've

329
00:12:10,959 --> 00:12:15,680
got some whispers and rooms going

330
00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:17,920
and all locations are also described but

331
00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:21,200
the only thing that's missing

332
00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:23,839
is um treasure traps and monsters

333
00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:26,880
okay and in practice what we've learned

334
00:12:23,839 --> 00:12:28,399
is that most people they buy a module

335
00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,760
they look at it they say well this

336
00:12:28,399 --> 00:12:32,240
doesn't work in my own game i need to

337
00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:33,440
strip it i i need to remove the cobalts

338
00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,920
because we don't have those in my

339
00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,959
homebrew game i add some orcs or or

340
00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,360
whatever

341
00:12:36,959 --> 00:12:41,760
or the levels wrong and by taking out

342
00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:43,600
those things and focusing on on

343
00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,839
what's most difficult to come up with

344
00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:47,440
the the cohesive backgrounds the

345
00:12:45,839 --> 00:12:48,240
flavorful descriptions all that sort of

346
00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,399
thing

347
00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,600
it's easy for gm's to just drag and drop

348
00:12:50,399 --> 00:12:53,760
their stuff

349
00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:56,959
into that dungeon and and

350
00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:59,120
get a game going with minimal rep work

351
00:12:56,959 --> 00:13:01,920
and i've designing i've been designing

352
00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:04,000
uh quite a few of those in the past few

353
00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:06,480
well years now

354
00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,399
some similar products uh regarding

355
00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,839
non-combat adventures

356
00:13:08,399 --> 00:13:11,360
so it's usually

357
00:13:09,839 --> 00:13:12,399
let's say

358
00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,560
short

359
00:13:12,399 --> 00:13:16,959
modules

360
00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:20,160
more focused on on background and story

361
00:13:16,959 --> 00:13:21,440
and flavor than than crunchy bits okay

362
00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:24,320
so that's that's an interesting

363
00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:27,360
challenge and of itself then that

364
00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:29,360
exercise of writing something that is

365
00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:30,720
agnostic enough that it can be dropped

366
00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:34,079
into many different

367
00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:36,880
settings and games and maybe even to the

368
00:13:34,079 --> 00:13:38,639
extreme you know systems so how do you

369
00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,240
approach that how do you focus on the

370
00:13:38,639 --> 00:13:41,279
fluff on the backdrop and stuff while

371
00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,760
keeping

372
00:13:41,279 --> 00:13:45,680
what i'm i might see is some some key

373
00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:49,279
elements that you know the population of

374
00:13:45,680 --> 00:13:52,399
said dungeon well let's see how should i

375
00:13:49,279 --> 00:13:54,000
explain um

376
00:13:52,399 --> 00:13:56,399
this is a bit coming from my background

377
00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:58,560
as a as a project manager

378
00:13:56,399 --> 00:14:00,639
i always start with the structure so i

379
00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:01,600
decide the structure beforehand

380
00:14:00,639 --> 00:14:03,279
meaning

381
00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:05,440
the logical layout the logical

382
00:14:03,279 --> 00:14:07,120
explanation of the whole thing so

383
00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:09,440
the product itself is easy to read and

384
00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,279
digest and especially use at the table

385
00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,440
because that's the most important thing

386
00:14:11,279 --> 00:14:15,440
for the gm so that's your audience in

387
00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,199
this case however

388
00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,120
that structuring's already been done for

389
00:14:17,199 --> 00:14:21,680
me because i uh the publisher has given

390
00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:23,680
me a template to use okay and

391
00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,760
of course i understand he wants the same

392
00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,600
template to apply to all these products

393
00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:30,639
which is a good idea

394
00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:32,720
so deciding the structure isn't really

395
00:14:30,639 --> 00:14:33,920
that important in this case

396
00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:36,560
however

397
00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:39,440
then what i do is i take this template

398
00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,800
which says basically you need i i need

399
00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,959
to come up with a background which is

400
00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,600
approximately half a page i need to come

401
00:14:42,959 --> 00:14:47,440
up with let's say eight to ten flavor

402
00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,959
for locations

403
00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,639
with something the heroes that the

404
00:14:48,959 --> 00:14:52,079
characters can interact with

405
00:14:50,639 --> 00:14:54,480
describe the surround so i have all

406
00:14:52,079 --> 00:14:57,440
these sections and the first thing i do

407
00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:59,199
is just jot down uh the first ideas have

408
00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:02,000
come to mind what do i want to do with

409
00:14:59,199 --> 00:15:04,320
this dungeon backdrop uh the map is

410
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,639
usually known beforehand also

411
00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,920
so that gives me an idea about what's

412
00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:09,920
running around

413
00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:13,120
in that dungeon might be running around

414
00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:15,839
because um the monsters can be added by

415
00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:18,880
the dm but as you mentioned i think

416
00:15:15,839 --> 00:15:20,480
those monsters also well they influence

417
00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,839
the the setting the flavor the

418
00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,399
background little

419
00:15:21,839 --> 00:15:25,279
so i often end up suggesting something

420
00:15:24,399 --> 00:15:27,040
yeah

421
00:15:25,279 --> 00:15:29,360
uh just just to get that cohesion

422
00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:32,079
because if it's truly agnostic that you

423
00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:34,720
can drop in anything at all that doesn't

424
00:15:32,079 --> 00:15:37,360
vibe well no for instance if it's a

425
00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,360
crypt a catacomb somewhere and and and

426
00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:41,600
it's been uh

427
00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,759
it's just been discovered after being

428
00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:46,160
left derelict for a thousand years well

429
00:15:43,759 --> 00:15:47,680
you can't really put orcs in there well

430
00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,600
you could but then the descriptions

431
00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,639
would be completely different from

432
00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,240
undead

433
00:15:50,639 --> 00:15:54,000
for for instance

434
00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,839
yeah i'm glad you mentioned that because

435
00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,120
a key tenant of my own

436
00:15:55,839 --> 00:15:58,800
design

437
00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,120
of the fluff and

438
00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,639
backdrop for any given

439
00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:06,399
set of encounters

440
00:16:02,639 --> 00:16:07,680
are quite at least in my game are quite

441
00:16:06,399 --> 00:16:09,680
uh

442
00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,399
very similitude is quite important to me

443
00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,160
so

444
00:16:10,399 --> 00:16:14,160
they actually are quite focused you know

445
00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:16,320
and specific in some instances so like i

446
00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:18,560
do have a cobalt dungeon that

447
00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:22,320
yes you could probably

448
00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:24,000
reskin to be something similar but it's

449
00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:27,040
it's you know

450
00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,040
almost intrinsically linked

451
00:16:27,279 --> 00:16:31,199
they have their own theme i mean the

452
00:16:28,959 --> 00:16:33,680
traps the small passages

453
00:16:31,199 --> 00:16:35,279
so if i were to design a cobalt dungeon

454
00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,480
for raging swan plus a cobalt dungeon

455
00:16:35,279 --> 00:16:37,600
backdrop

456
00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,040
then

457
00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,800
the whole thing would be designed as if

458
00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,800
the cobalt were living there

459
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,880
with a sidebar perhaps saying well yeah

460
00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,639
you could put some orcs in here but

461
00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:49,360
make a note that this and this and this

462
00:16:46,639 --> 00:16:51,920
needs to be changed okay um but anyway i

463
00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:53,759
i just i started jot down

464
00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:56,000
notes about everything all the ideas i

465
00:16:53,759 --> 00:16:57,920
have like the background what could live

466
00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,440
here how old is this dungeon who built

467
00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:01,440
it what's the purpose

468
00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,480
so i i note that down in bullet points

469
00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:04,640
usually

470
00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,160
that for all the sections

471
00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:09,679
and when that's done

472
00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:12,160
i let it stew for a bit usually

473
00:17:09,679 --> 00:17:14,319
and then i start filling it out

474
00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:17,039
so instead of bullet points i'll write

475
00:17:14,319 --> 00:17:18,880
full sentences still nothing pretty just

476
00:17:17,039 --> 00:17:19,919
full sentences

477
00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,480
until

478
00:17:19,919 --> 00:17:23,839
the page is more or less filled

479
00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,760
and then in a

480
00:17:23,839 --> 00:17:27,600
third phase i should say

481
00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,720
i pretty it up

482
00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:30,240
so basically

483
00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:33,520
there's three

484
00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:35,280
roles you take as a writer i mean

485
00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,600
this is all personal of course so as a

486
00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:39,200
writer i i i have three roles i take

487
00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,200
first time i'm the architect of the

488
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:43,120
story i decide the structure in this

489
00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,280
case it's been done for me but

490
00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:47,760
when i'm designing something of my own i

491
00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,559
first design the structure

492
00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,039
then

493
00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:53,840
i become the builder so to speak i add

494
00:17:51,039 --> 00:17:55,840
in the brickwork and and the rough stuff

495
00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:58,080
and then only in the final phase

496
00:17:55,840 --> 00:18:00,799
you start doing some interior design you

497
00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:03,520
paint you you pretty things up

498
00:18:00,799 --> 00:18:05,520
and from what i've learned

499
00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:07,120
most times when i get rider's block and

500
00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,440
i really really don't know how to

501
00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:11,600
advance because that still happens

502
00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:14,799
it happens often happens to everyone

503
00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,919
the reason when i go examine it is that

504
00:18:14,799 --> 00:18:18,000
i'm

505
00:18:15,919 --> 00:18:21,039
forcing myself to the wrong role

506
00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:23,679
so for instance i i'm writing something

507
00:18:21,039 --> 00:18:26,400
and i can't find the right words or or

508
00:18:23,679 --> 00:18:27,679
the proper turn of phrase or

509
00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,760
it's not right

510
00:18:27,679 --> 00:18:31,280
and usually when i take a step back and

511
00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,280
i examine the writing then it's

512
00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:36,480
something else that's wrong

513
00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:38,960
and it's it might be the structure

514
00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:42,000
or it might be the

515
00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:45,120
rough wording the the content of it all

516
00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:46,880
and when you try when you have this

517
00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:48,799
when you have this these glasses on of

518
00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,320
the interior decorator who's trying to

519
00:18:48,799 --> 00:18:52,400
pretty up the text

520
00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:54,960
you're blind to these things

521
00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:58,320
and you're trying to fix something

522
00:18:54,960 --> 00:19:00,720
that's not within your role if if you

523
00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:01,679
see what i mean yeah so at those points

524
00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,600
i

525
00:19:01,679 --> 00:19:05,360
i take a step back try to re-examine

526
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:08,320
what's wrong and more often than not

527
00:19:05,360 --> 00:19:10,799
it's it's something related to the role

528
00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:13,039
and then well i go grab myself a coffee

529
00:19:10,799 --> 00:19:15,200
i come back and um

530
00:19:13,039 --> 00:19:17,360
i i take off a different role

531
00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,880
and i might redesign the structure and

532
00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:20,320
i'm off again

533
00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:22,240
okay thank you for that that's that's an

534
00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:25,520
interesting take i think on on that kind

535
00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:28,160
of mental space of where to be in and

536
00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:30,240
and i think it's very important to

537
00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:31,760
obviously there's this i'm in a creative

538
00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,120
mood i'm not in a creative mood or i'm

539
00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,559
in a productive mood i'm not in a

540
00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:36,960
productive mood there's also one level

541
00:19:34,559 --> 00:19:38,720
down of like what kind of

542
00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,559
productive mood am i in am i in a big

543
00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,640
picture kind of mood or am i in the

544
00:19:40,559 --> 00:19:44,240
details kind of mood today here

545
00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,480
exactly that's very important i think

546
00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,320
because it's still a creative effort

547
00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,840
yeah the the reason i'm

548
00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,600
asking these kinds of questions is

549
00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,559
because i'm i'm personally finding them

550
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,600
applicable to kind of general prep as

551
00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:57,360
well

552
00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,760
and a lot of

553
00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:02,559
what is prep if it isn't writing down

554
00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:04,880
things as a from a gm's point of view

555
00:20:02,559 --> 00:20:07,120
yeah yeah you might be drawing a map but

556
00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,960
you're also writing down what's

557
00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:10,400
happening at this place or what might

558
00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,559
happen or what should happen or what

559
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,520
could happen so

560
00:20:12,559 --> 00:20:14,720
it's

561
00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,280
it's the same thing it's just a

562
00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:20,000
different audience that's all

563
00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:21,919
yeah yeah absolutely absolutely i'm just

564
00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:24,320
trying to think of like

565
00:20:21,919 --> 00:20:26,480
i'm i'm really disorganized i'm trying

566
00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:29,360
to think of like my my process or lack

567
00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,960
thereof as the case may be and it is

568
00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:35,200
very much just like

569
00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:36,159
i just i have to do what i have to do

570
00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,679
then

571
00:20:36,159 --> 00:20:40,080
i absolutely would benefit from some of

572
00:20:37,679 --> 00:20:43,919
my professional career uh advice

573
00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:46,400
bleeding into my personal life um

574
00:20:43,919 --> 00:20:48,240
it works yeah

575
00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,280
uh that would say i don't remember me so

576
00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,120
i've

577
00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:53,039
i want to talk about the differences in

578
00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:56,080
writing for funnily enough different

579
00:20:53,039 --> 00:20:58,320
audiences in a bit but

580
00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,360
i have

581
00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,679
many

582
00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:05,280
chapters and and many sessions under my

583
00:21:01,679 --> 00:21:08,320
belt as a gm um in varying different

584
00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:09,600
lengths and settings and

585
00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,440
theming

586
00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,520
and a couple of them were quite

587
00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:15,039
generic in a way and they were designed

588
00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,159
by that way for my players because i

589
00:21:15,039 --> 00:21:18,320
never knew when they would get to a

590
00:21:16,159 --> 00:21:19,600
certain place so it was like

591
00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,520
they might come here at level 20 they

592
00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,960
might come here at level two so to a

593
00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,080
certain extent they have to be

594
00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:27,280
inherently

595
00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:28,400
flexible and and kind of plug and play

596
00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,760
kind of

597
00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:34,320
so to that effect i was like hey these

598
00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:36,000
are pretty reusable you know the the the

599
00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,280
kind of fundamental

600
00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,880
conflict

601
00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,280
that's happening in this

602
00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:44,080
in this chapter in this arc in this

603
00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:45,600
place to go and get the mcguffin which i

604
00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,600
think is you know

605
00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:49,760
nine adventure arcs out of ten will be

606
00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:52,240
something along those lines

607
00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:54,159
yeah it's it is fundamentally

608
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:56,640
flexible and fundamentally plug and play

609
00:21:54,159 --> 00:21:58,640
and fundamentally reusable it's like hey

610
00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:00,240
i could probably if i tried hard enough

611
00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:02,559
i could probably

612
00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,679
write these up into you know published

613
00:22:02,559 --> 00:22:05,280
something that could be a published

614
00:22:03,679 --> 00:22:07,200
module that other people could benefit

615
00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,360
from because i happen to have say a

616
00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,360
cobalt dungeon that's

617
00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:13,280
90 percent you know burrito 80 of the

618
00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:14,480
way there because i've run it and used

619
00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,000
it and i know

620
00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:18,559
i've got the fluff and i've got this

621
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:20,960
that and the other so let me try and

622
00:22:18,559 --> 00:22:23,840
put the you know the interior decorator

623
00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:25,760
on and let me try and spice this up and

624
00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:28,240
make it pretty and make it you know

625
00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,039
customer facing so it isn't just

626
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,600
my

627
00:22:29,039 --> 00:22:33,440
insane scribblings on a one note

628
00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,960
somewhere across seven different pages

629
00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,480
yeah and

630
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,280
i found that

631
00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:38,720
you know

632
00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,960
on the face of it

633
00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,720
that sounds trivial as i said i'm 80 of

634
00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:45,919
the way there pretty much got it all

635
00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:48,640
this should be easy down low and

636
00:22:45,919 --> 00:22:51,280
no it was a completely

637
00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:52,799
different experience there for me from

638
00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,960
writing

639
00:22:52,799 --> 00:22:56,880
you know how i do how are you do do my

640
00:22:54,960 --> 00:23:00,320
normal prep for my campaign versus

641
00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:02,320
trying to write up this as a module was

642
00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,799
man i was like this is

643
00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:07,280
completely it was like relearning a

644
00:23:04,799 --> 00:23:09,440
completely learning a new skill rather

645
00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:12,320
than just a different application of the

646
00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:13,520
same skill yeah yeah the thing is when

647
00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:15,760
you're writing

648
00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:17,440
something to be published and read by a

649
00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,840
great number of people

650
00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:22,960
and it needs to be in in the case of a

651
00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:24,799
ttrpg module it needs to be usable

652
00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:27,760
by all those people and it needs to be

653
00:23:24,799 --> 00:23:29,600
easily understood by your audience so if

654
00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,919
you're writing for yourself that's easy

655
00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:34,240
because you write it you understand it

656
00:23:31,919 --> 00:23:35,919
but you need to

657
00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:38,240
double check and ask yourself the

658
00:23:35,919 --> 00:23:40,480
question at every turn is this clear

659
00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:42,080
enough is this a logical presentation of

660
00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:44,400
the module

661
00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:46,559
um will this be used can i do it better

662
00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,520
and you end up second-guessing yourself

663
00:23:46,559 --> 00:23:49,520
even

664
00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,120
even when you're in the right

665
00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:53,279
is it good enough

666
00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:55,279
so that that's also a factor that's uh

667
00:23:53,279 --> 00:23:57,039
that's in there i think

668
00:23:55,279 --> 00:23:59,120
yeah and i

669
00:23:57,039 --> 00:24:01,600
i think i'm

670
00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:04,640
middling to good at writing at least

671
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:06,640
short bits of fluff essentially fiction

672
00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:09,600
uh you know flavorful descriptions of a

673
00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:11,600
place that incite the emotions i'm

674
00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,919
looking to incite

675
00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:14,720
so then i can kind of easily get you

676
00:24:13,919 --> 00:24:16,240
know

677
00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,760
get lost in the woods i can't see the

678
00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:19,679
woods for the trees kind of thing

679
00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,720
because i'll write several you know i've

680
00:24:19,679 --> 00:24:22,799
written like

681
00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:24,320
10 different shops for a certain city

682
00:24:22,799 --> 00:24:26,159
and you know i got to a point i was like

683
00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:28,400
is this am i just

684
00:24:26,159 --> 00:24:30,240
like really over complicating this as a

685
00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:32,720
module because i'm just writing all this

686
00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:35,279
flavorful stuff here for

687
00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:38,000
is it maybe of no benefit or very little

688
00:24:35,279 --> 00:24:39,760
benefit to somebody and that that was a

689
00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,960
problem that i faced in terms of writing

690
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,600
a module and trying to at least

691
00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:45,120
translate my own homebrew into

692
00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,039
something that somebody else could use

693
00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:49,840
was trying to

694
00:24:47,039 --> 00:24:50,799
find that line in the sand to say when

695
00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,559
is

696
00:24:50,799 --> 00:24:54,240
when is this just

697
00:24:52,559 --> 00:24:56,159
self-indulgent

698
00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:56,960
fiction writing i don't know what you

699
00:24:56,159 --> 00:24:59,760
mean

700
00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:02,400
i also have a manuscript still on my

701
00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:04,720
hard drive um which is suffered from the

702
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:06,240
same i think i was writing a

703
00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,919
this was going to be my first

704
00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:09,679
self-published module

705
00:25:07,919 --> 00:25:13,600
and it just went like you said out of

706
00:25:09,679 --> 00:25:15,600
control i kept adding things adding npcs

707
00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,360
adding encounters enlarging the map

708
00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,559
adding subplots

709
00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:20,400
and

710
00:25:18,559 --> 00:25:21,279
at some point i had a bit of a writer's

711
00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:22,960
block

712
00:25:21,279 --> 00:25:24,240
and i was i was doing something else

713
00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,679
because it wasn't there was no hurt to

714
00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,320
complete this

715
00:25:25,679 --> 00:25:29,679
so i had a rough spot i abandoned it for

716
00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,760
a few weeks

717
00:25:29,679 --> 00:25:34,159
i did something else i came back to it

718
00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:37,039
and i was completely lost myself

719
00:25:34,159 --> 00:25:37,760
of course i remembered most of it

720
00:25:37,039 --> 00:25:40,320
but

721
00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:42,720
i i reread these chapters like

722
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,960
okay there's a well and and there's

723
00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:46,880
something living in there

724
00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:48,720
what's it doing there what what's its

725
00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:51,279
connection to the plot and

726
00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:54,320
um so that's a very real danger

727
00:25:51,279 --> 00:25:56,400
especially if you're riding

728
00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:58,000
in the wild let's say so without a

729
00:25:56,400 --> 00:26:00,240
publisher telling you okay you need to

730
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,799
do this and you have 13 pages to do it

731
00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,559
because those constraints help a lot it

732
00:26:02,799 --> 00:26:06,880
helps you find your focus

733
00:26:04,559 --> 00:26:08,240
but if you don't have that and

734
00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:11,279
you say i'm gonna translate some

735
00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:14,000
homebrew like like i did like you did

736
00:26:11,279 --> 00:26:16,000
there's a very real danger of just

737
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,200
everything going out of control and in

738
00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,520
the end well

739
00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:21,440
you have this word salads

740
00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:22,880
and there's good stuff in there it might

741
00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:25,440
all be good stuff

742
00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:27,679
but um i think essentially that's a

743
00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:29,200
structure problem that's something that

744
00:26:27,679 --> 00:26:30,880
the architect

745
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,720
should have considered beforehand and

746
00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:35,039
said okay

747
00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:36,080
and this is something you as a as a

748
00:26:35,039 --> 00:26:38,960
colleague

749
00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:40,720
are familiar with the the minimum viable

750
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:43,679
product yes that's what you should focus

751
00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:45,919
on so ideally that's something you keep

752
00:26:43,679 --> 00:26:48,080
in mind when you're writing

753
00:26:45,919 --> 00:26:50,960
when you start out and i think that even

754
00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:53,440
applies to this this applies to riding

755
00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,480
an adventure a module even novel i would

756
00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,080
say

757
00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,960
you need to decide the minimum structure

758
00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:59,919
to get your story across

759
00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,440
because

760
00:26:59,919 --> 00:27:05,360
everything else

761
00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:07,520
that you add to it be it subplots or

762
00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:08,880
side quests or whatever

763
00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,640
in the end

764
00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,960
when there's no room or when it doesn't

765
00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:14,880
make sense those are the first to go

766
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:17,679
so the best thing you can do is focus on

767
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:20,399
that basic structure get it right

768
00:27:17,679 --> 00:27:22,880
and then when there's time you say okay

769
00:27:20,399 --> 00:27:24,080
this might use a subplot this could use

770
00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:26,640
an extra quest

771
00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:29,200
this could use a slightly bigger map so

772
00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:31,440
that's perhaps a better idea to tackle

773
00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:33,039
those things than just the kitchen sink

774
00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,440
approach of

775
00:27:33,039 --> 00:27:37,440
take the homebrew and translate it to to

776
00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:39,200
something prettied up because

777
00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,159
there's there's no no direction no

778
00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,320
control

779
00:27:40,159 --> 00:27:44,240
so that's a real danger and i i i know

780
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:45,840
exactly what you mean yes

781
00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,520
yeah the classic

782
00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,559
scope creep and funnily enough funny you

783
00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:49,279
should mention

784
00:27:48,559 --> 00:27:51,440
the

785
00:27:49,279 --> 00:27:52,960
minimum minimum viable product because

786
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,960
an episode which has dropped in the past

787
00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:55,679
on on kickstarter we talked about that i

788
00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,679
mean

789
00:27:55,679 --> 00:27:59,279
zach talk about that about you know

790
00:27:57,679 --> 00:28:01,120
where description stretch goals come in

791
00:27:59,279 --> 00:28:02,559
and how do you decide what the product

792
00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:05,600
or service is going to be and he said

793
00:28:02,559 --> 00:28:06,480
the same thing of like step one what is

794
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:08,399
you know

795
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:10,000
the bare minimum you know the the thing

796
00:28:08,399 --> 00:28:11,760
that if you don't have like a bicycle

797
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,600
without wheels isn't a bicycle anymore

798
00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,440
like that you couldn't you can sell it

799
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,640
without the wheels and the same can be

800
00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,399
said

801
00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:20,720
obviously because most some kickstarters

802
00:28:18,399 --> 00:28:22,399
are in fact published modules

803
00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:24,399
it can the same can be said for that and

804
00:28:22,399 --> 00:28:26,559
so the pitfall that i fell in

805
00:28:24,399 --> 00:28:28,240
and again as usual the reason i tell

806
00:28:26,559 --> 00:28:29,679
this is so others can learn from from my

807
00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:32,080
mistakes was

808
00:28:29,679 --> 00:28:34,240
obviously i had a conflict as i said i

809
00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:36,320
had a premise i had

810
00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,679
the mcguffin was somewhere there was

811
00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,880
stuff happening

812
00:28:37,679 --> 00:28:41,760
it would be interesting you know there's

813
00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:43,760
a setup what the players do will dictate

814
00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:46,000
the outcome of events in this particular

815
00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:47,200
setting in this particular city

816
00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:50,559
you know they have the you know it's

817
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:52,559
it's it's the classic 101 dm design of

818
00:28:50,559 --> 00:28:54,159
there is a situation the players can

819
00:28:52,559 --> 00:28:56,399
pick how to resolve it and then the

820
00:28:54,159 --> 00:28:58,240
outcome of that resolution

821
00:28:56,399 --> 00:29:00,480
impacts down the line there isn't a

822
00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,919
pre-ordained resolution

823
00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:03,840
so that you've got i've got all the key

824
00:29:01,919 --> 00:29:05,039
points there but of course through

825
00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,159
either

826
00:29:05,039 --> 00:29:09,440
preparation

827
00:29:06,159 --> 00:29:10,480
typical dm preparation in addition to

828
00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:13,520
regular

829
00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:16,640
improvisation during a game

830
00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:19,360
i ended up with a number of shops and a

831
00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:21,679
number of places of interest because

832
00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,559
either here's a tavern that they might

833
00:29:21,679 --> 00:29:24,159
go to

834
00:29:22,559 --> 00:29:26,640
versus one player being like i want to

835
00:29:24,159 --> 00:29:28,559
go to a magic shop and be going crap uh

836
00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,320
let me think of some interesting

837
00:29:28,559 --> 00:29:32,720
kooky magic shop that they could go to

838
00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:34,399
so i ended up with a whole bunch of

839
00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,440
places and the ironic thing is is that

840
00:29:34,399 --> 00:29:37,919
they

841
00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:39,679
all of these places themselves are plug

842
00:29:37,919 --> 00:29:40,399
and play a pick up and drop into any

843
00:29:39,679 --> 00:29:42,320
city

844
00:29:40,399 --> 00:29:44,640
so i i i ended up writing about two or

845
00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:47,520
three of them in this

846
00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:49,200
formalized pretty module i was

847
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,159
starting to write up when i was like man

848
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,840
these are

849
00:29:50,159 --> 00:29:55,279
these are just generic they're not

850
00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:57,279
really intrinsically related to

851
00:29:55,279 --> 00:29:58,559
the setup than not related to the

852
00:29:57,279 --> 00:30:00,880
conflict that's happening here that

853
00:29:58,559 --> 00:30:03,440
needs to be resolved they are just

854
00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:05,600
belts and whistles on top yeah i've

855
00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:08,080
spent way too long but yeah yeah exactly

856
00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:10,880
i spent way too long writing about this

857
00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:12,000
kooky warforged staffed coffee shop

858
00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,919
that's got

859
00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,480
graffiti on the walls inside and it's

860
00:30:13,919 --> 00:30:18,399
super hip then like what do the players

861
00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:21,200
need to roll to

862
00:30:18,399 --> 00:30:22,880
to persuade this key npc to give them

863
00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,799
some vital information that they don't

864
00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:26,559
like that please focus on the important

865
00:30:24,799 --> 00:30:28,640
thing to actually play the game and not

866
00:30:26,559 --> 00:30:30,240
just these like oh wouldn't it be fun if

867
00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,159
there was you know

868
00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,600
a big cauldron that they had to scoop

869
00:30:32,159 --> 00:30:35,440
the potions out of if they went to a

870
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:38,240
potion shop which is

871
00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:39,679
great nice but kind of not really the

872
00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:42,880
story

873
00:30:39,679 --> 00:30:44,559
so that that was my pitfall that really

874
00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:47,679
it's actually nice to have that in in

875
00:30:44,559 --> 00:30:50,240
the module i think but it's um

876
00:30:47,679 --> 00:30:52,320
it's very taxing for the writer to put

877
00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:54,000
put all that into it because that's a

878
00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:56,399
lot of effort for

879
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,640
what might need very little return so

880
00:30:56,399 --> 00:31:00,480
yes it's it's cool to have and and if

881
00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,919
you can spare the time it's cool to put

882
00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:04,960
in there

883
00:31:01,919 --> 00:31:06,960
but it might lead to a a

884
00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,080
rather quick burnout i think if you lose

885
00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,600
focus

886
00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,640
you know absolutely and it's it's uh

887
00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,399
also

888
00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:14,559
so not only did i

889
00:31:12,399 --> 00:31:16,159
spend time

890
00:31:14,559 --> 00:31:18,960
writing these bits that were as i said

891
00:31:16,159 --> 00:31:19,760
earlier on fun for me to write the these

892
00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,159
little

893
00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:24,880
vignettes of fiction

894
00:31:22,159 --> 00:31:26,399
and then so when i got to the actual the

895
00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,159
meat and the bones of being like and

896
00:31:26,399 --> 00:31:30,080
then you speak to this npc and they

897
00:31:28,159 --> 00:31:31,519
react like this and this is what

898
00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,480
happened this is the stat block i was

899
00:31:31,519 --> 00:31:34,000
like oh

900
00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,600
i don't really want to

901
00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:37,279
this stuff is a bit of a slog now as you

902
00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,960
just said and i've kind of filled up on

903
00:31:37,279 --> 00:31:40,559
the nice fun

904
00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,559
stuff and then

905
00:31:40,559 --> 00:31:43,840
the actual stuff that needs to to push

906
00:31:42,559 --> 00:31:45,200
it out the door

907
00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:47,840
is it's just not been done we've done at

908
00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:50,320
low effort essentially which is the

909
00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:51,360
wrong way round exactly yeah yeah so

910
00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,360
that's why i wanted to bring in that

911
00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:55,279
little anecdote to be like don't

912
00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,559
i love again i'm so glad you brought up

913
00:31:55,279 --> 00:31:59,760
the minimum of our products i think it's

914
00:31:56,559 --> 00:32:01,360
so insanely important i mean i'm kind of

915
00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:02,799
torn because on one hand i'm like here's

916
00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,880
a really cool tip that everybody should

917
00:32:02,799 --> 00:32:06,000
use and tool and then on the other hand

918
00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:07,440
i'm like

919
00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,410
people don't want to learn about

920
00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:12,240
managing projects and their ctrpgs

921
00:32:09,410 --> 00:32:14,080
[Laughter]

922
00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:15,200
i think there's a lot of stuff in there

923
00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:15,919
but there is

924
00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:17,600
because

925
00:32:15,919 --> 00:32:19,440
the other thing was um i brought up in

926
00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,600
that and that kickstarter one was the

927
00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:23,200
moscow method which is very similar to

928
00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:25,120
you know must-haves i was going to

929
00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:27,200
mention that but yes yes

930
00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:29,519
and that's one i actually use as well

931
00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:31,279
good

932
00:32:29,519 --> 00:32:33,279
you got you got the uh the minimum

933
00:32:31,279 --> 00:32:34,720
viable uh product and i'll have i'll

934
00:32:33,279 --> 00:32:36,960
have uh moscow

935
00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:39,279
[Laughter]

936
00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:42,559
i i'm right now in the process of uh of

937
00:32:39,279 --> 00:32:45,360
writing a module of my own which is

938
00:32:42,559 --> 00:32:47,360
called sperm of orcas it should be out

939
00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:48,559
in june if everything goes all right

940
00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:52,640
awesome

941
00:32:48,559 --> 00:32:54,240
long story short i did a i i did a tweet

942
00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:56,320
uh i think

943
00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:58,320
in in september last year about the

944
00:32:56,320 --> 00:33:00,399
world's oldest dungeon map it's it's an

945
00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:03,360
ancient sumerian clay tablet which shows

946
00:33:00,399 --> 00:33:04,880
a house an ancient submarine house and i

947
00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,159
i joked it was like a dungeon map i

948
00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:07,200
wasn't the first to make the joke

949
00:33:06,159 --> 00:33:09,919
apparently

950
00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:11,200
um but i had this idea i tell the people

951
00:33:09,919 --> 00:33:14,399
on twitter well

952
00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:16,159
if everyone or if some people send in

953
00:33:14,399 --> 00:33:17,919
a location description for one of these

954
00:33:16,159 --> 00:33:19,760
these rooms i'll make it into an

955
00:33:17,919 --> 00:33:22,480
adventure and i'll publish it for free

956
00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:24,960
and we'll see what it gives and i think

957
00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:27,279
10 people sent in location descriptions

958
00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:29,679
for a total of seven rooms so i had to

959
00:33:27,279 --> 00:33:31,760
end up combining some of them

960
00:33:29,679 --> 00:33:32,720
we published that was really fun to do

961
00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:36,000
so

962
00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:38,880
and i took a holiday in germany

963
00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:40,880
in november last year when i came across

964
00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:42,880
this this uh

965
00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:45,840
ruins of a roman villa

966
00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:47,919
and i thought let's do that again so now

967
00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,760
it's it's also a twitter fueled

968
00:33:47,919 --> 00:33:51,919
adventure uh

969
00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:54,320
some some 13 people sent in location

970
00:33:51,919 --> 00:33:56,399
descriptions we have 26 rooms

971
00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:58,080
so i'm basing myself with that and um

972
00:33:56,399 --> 00:33:59,679
because i had no structure of course

973
00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:02,320
it's something i'm doing myself

974
00:33:59,679 --> 00:34:03,519
obviously i based myself on the first

975
00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:06,320
project

976
00:34:03,519 --> 00:34:09,119
but i use moscow to determine okay what

977
00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:11,679
sort of structure are we after here what

978
00:34:09,119 --> 00:34:12,879
must this adventure have obviously

979
00:34:11,679 --> 00:34:15,359
locations

980
00:34:12,879 --> 00:34:18,240
but does it really need for example

981
00:34:15,359 --> 00:34:19,919
a detailed map of the surrounds

982
00:34:18,240 --> 00:34:21,760
no i wasn't going to do that because

983
00:34:19,919 --> 00:34:22,879
that eats up a lot of time needs a lot

984
00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:25,119
of words

985
00:34:22,879 --> 00:34:27,520
it's a lot of work and i want this

986
00:34:25,119 --> 00:34:30,159
adventure to be easily dropped into any

987
00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:32,399
sort of campaign setting so that's the

988
00:34:30,159 --> 00:34:33,520
must-have they won't have everything in

989
00:34:32,399 --> 00:34:35,919
between

990
00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:37,839
so i i really use that often to to

991
00:34:35,919 --> 00:34:38,879
decide what the structure is going to

992
00:34:37,839 --> 00:34:41,119
look like

993
00:34:38,879 --> 00:34:43,919
i think this is a nice usual segue into

994
00:34:41,119 --> 00:34:45,440
leveraging our professional careers in

995
00:34:43,919 --> 00:34:48,800
these

996
00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:49,760
in these ttrpg endeavors i mean as i

997
00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,119
said

998
00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:52,079
the kickstarter episode wasn't the only

999
00:34:51,119 --> 00:34:54,000
time

1000
00:34:52,079 --> 00:34:55,520
this stuff was been mentioned like scope

1001
00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:57,200
coupe has been mentioned several times

1002
00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:59,359
on the show and i think there is a lot

1003
00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:02,800
to be learned from those kind of

1004
00:34:59,359 --> 00:35:05,359
fundamental project management tenants

1005
00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:07,040
that can apply to both

1006
00:35:05,359 --> 00:35:10,320
preparing a campaign for you and your

1007
00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:14,480
mates once a month all the way up to

1008
00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:18,160
i'm writing a 10 000 word epic campaign

1009
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:18,160
that i hope allows me to quit my day job

1010
00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:23,240
it's a project if you think it's just a

1011
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:26,550
project like another one

1012
00:35:23,240 --> 00:35:26,550
[Music]

1013
00:35:29,110 --> 00:35:32,880
[Music]

1014
00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:34,320
so um

1015
00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:37,280
we've talked

1016
00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:39,760
at length about these kind of

1017
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,839
well differences and also similarities

1018
00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:43,520
between as i just said writing for my

1019
00:35:41,839 --> 00:35:46,240
mates and writing for

1020
00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:47,599
dm's guild or whatever it may be

1021
00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:50,320
what about

1022
00:35:47,599 --> 00:35:53,040
when it comes to writing for something

1023
00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:56,560
like an actual play either streamed or a

1024
00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:58,560
youtube or a podcast or

1025
00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:00,720
something in between or something across

1026
00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:01,599
all of those what are your thoughts on

1027
00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:05,520
how

1028
00:36:01,599 --> 00:36:07,119
people should approach writing for those

1029
00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:08,880
i have to confess i don't have much

1030
00:36:07,119 --> 00:36:10,480
experience with those

1031
00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:12,800
uh i don't have much time to listen to

1032
00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,800
podcasts to be honest just yours of

1033
00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:18,079
course

1034
00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:21,680
you have to say that that's fine

1035
00:36:18,079 --> 00:36:24,079
um but as i understand and and don't get

1036
00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:26,160
me wrong here the main thing i hear is

1037
00:36:24,079 --> 00:36:27,200
is those actual play podcasts are

1038
00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,880
usually

1039
00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:30,800
and i say this with the greatest respect

1040
00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:32,560
but but some of them are usually

1041
00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:36,400
scripted a bit or

1042
00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:38,480
is that right um i think there's there's

1043
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:41,200
concessions shall we say that have to be

1044
00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:42,560
made when it comes to

1045
00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:44,320
tailoring it to

1046
00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:46,000
a wider audience

1047
00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:48,000
again i should be a politician as i said

1048
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:50,640
for further an answer such a roundabout

1049
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:52,640
way of that but no i think

1050
00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:54,079
i do think there are some

1051
00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:55,599
yeah

1052
00:36:54,079 --> 00:36:57,040
that that i mean clearly i've asked the

1053
00:36:55,599 --> 00:36:58,240
question because i've got a thought in

1054
00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,119
my head

1055
00:36:58,240 --> 00:37:01,520
about

1056
00:36:59,119 --> 00:37:03,200
where how the difference might be

1057
00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,960
so we've seen but yeah i just wanted

1058
00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:06,560
like how would you in which case let's

1059
00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:09,839
assume that

1060
00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:12,480
they are at least there's a there's a

1061
00:37:09,839 --> 00:37:15,119
level of more scriptedness to them not

1062
00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:17,040
saying 100 it could be one percent more

1063
00:37:15,119 --> 00:37:18,560
but with that in mind then how do you

1064
00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:20,480
think then that you know someone sat

1065
00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:22,720
down to go let me let me think about the

1066
00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:24,640
next campaign arc let me think about

1067
00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:26,079
the story beats let me think about the

1068
00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:28,480
the conflicts

1069
00:37:26,079 --> 00:37:31,040
how do you think that differs between

1070
00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:32,800
me and my mates around the table to

1071
00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:34,240
let me write this you know agnostic and

1072
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,880
generic to

1073
00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:39,760
let me write this for an audience of x

1074
00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:41,520
100 x 000 people

1075
00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:42,640
first thing that comes to mind is it

1076
00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:45,200
should be

1077
00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:47,040
easy to run most of all

1078
00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:48,800
even if you even if it's a heavily

1079
00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:51,599
scripted podcast

1080
00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:53,359
perhaps or it's a module which is

1081
00:37:51,599 --> 00:37:55,599
commercially available

1082
00:37:53,359 --> 00:37:57,520
i think first and foremost your audience

1083
00:37:55,599 --> 00:37:59,920
should be the dm

1084
00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:02,800
and that's actually it's it's it's what

1085
00:37:59,920 --> 00:38:04,800
makes writing for ttrpgs rather tricky

1086
00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:06,160
because you have these two audiences you

1087
00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:08,800
need to keep in mind

1088
00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:10,560
if you're just writing a novel well just

1089
00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:13,200
you're just casually knocking out a

1090
00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:14,960
novel like on a sunday afternoon yeah

1091
00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:16,880
you know as you do

1092
00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:20,320
no that's just one audience

1093
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:22,000
but for an rpg an adventure

1094
00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:25,599
you need to present the information in

1095
00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:28,000
the logical way for the dm in a way that

1096
00:38:25,599 --> 00:38:28,800
they have an easy time navigating

1097
00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:31,280
through

1098
00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:33,599
the document during the adventure ease

1099
00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:36,640
of use is highly important because

1100
00:38:33,599 --> 00:38:38,320
if they can't easily use it they a might

1101
00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:39,599
not use it at all

1102
00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:42,640
and b

1103
00:38:39,599 --> 00:38:44,480
it might not be fun

1104
00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:46,720
if he has to leave through the module

1105
00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:47,920
back and forth several times during the

1106
00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:50,160
adventure the players won't have a good

1107
00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:53,280
time so

1108
00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:55,119
the dm is your gate to the players

1109
00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:56,320
who are of course your actual audience

1110
00:38:55,119 --> 00:38:58,240
because

1111
00:38:56,320 --> 00:39:00,720
while you're writing and structuring all

1112
00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:02,560
this for the dm you need to keep the

1113
00:39:00,720 --> 00:39:04,160
players in mind and and right from the

1114
00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:07,520
player's perspective

1115
00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:09,839
like what can they do in in in this

1116
00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:12,400
situation in this area in this storyline

1117
00:39:09,839 --> 00:39:15,359
this adventure you need to

1118
00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:17,520
to focus on the players and structure it

1119
00:39:15,359 --> 00:39:19,920
for the dm that's

1120
00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:22,480
sort of the main difficulty i see oh you

1121
00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:25,200
know i love that it's like

1122
00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:27,839
you're writing through a filter through

1123
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:30,160
an unknown mouthpiece yeah it's a

1124
00:39:27,839 --> 00:39:32,640
delicate balancing act yeah the the

1125
00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:34,240
audience is or the the end user should i

1126
00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:36,240
say is

1127
00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:37,839
kind of blocked off from you as an

1128
00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:39,520
author oh

1129
00:39:37,839 --> 00:39:40,839
well that's a scary position that i've

1130
00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:44,160
only just

1131
00:39:40,839 --> 00:39:46,160
thought that's a difficult part yeah you

1132
00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:48,320
need to enable

1133
00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:50,160
your primary audience

1134
00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:51,040
to make it easy for them to present the

1135
00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:53,440
thing

1136
00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:55,440
in a pleasing way to your actual

1137
00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:56,720
audience being the players oh blimey i

1138
00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,280
think that's that you've just

1139
00:39:56,720 --> 00:40:01,520
articulated why i found

1140
00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:03,280
writing that module so tricky or one of

1141
00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:04,800
the reasons why i found it so tricky was

1142
00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:05,599
for that exact reason and i couldn't

1143
00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:07,359
ever

1144
00:40:05,599 --> 00:40:09,760
really place my finger on it and it is

1145
00:40:07,359 --> 00:40:11,200
because you're writing through a filter

1146
00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,400
you're writing you're trying to

1147
00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,400
articulate

1148
00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:15,440
yeah an adventure that ultimately you

1149
00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:17,200
have no

1150
00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:18,960
very little control over when it comes

1151
00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:22,880
down to the moment-to-moment

1152
00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:24,560
enjoyment of it oh blimey

1153
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:27,119
pretty much

1154
00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:29,680
but but i think once you realize

1155
00:40:27,119 --> 00:40:32,319
that that's what's required

1156
00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:34,880
i think most seasoned dms will will not

1157
00:40:32,319 --> 00:40:37,200
have a very well they won't have a

1158
00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:39,440
tougher time than i for example

1159
00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:41,200
than doing that because

1160
00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,720
if you're season dm

1161
00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:45,280
you're a seasoned player as well i i

1162
00:40:42,720 --> 00:40:46,319
dare say so you know what players think

1163
00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:48,640
is fun

1164
00:40:46,319 --> 00:40:50,480
and you also know how you want your

1165
00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:51,920
information to be structured in order to

1166
00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:52,960
be able to present it during the

1167
00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:54,960
adventure

1168
00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,960
in a simple way so you can you can you

1169
00:40:54,960 --> 00:40:58,240
can handle it you can present it in a

1170
00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:59,760
proper way

1171
00:40:58,240 --> 00:41:02,720
and you know these two things so it's

1172
00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:04,480
just a matter of putting words to paper

1173
00:41:02,720 --> 00:41:09,119
making sure the content

1174
00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:10,640
facing the players is is fun most of all

1175
00:41:09,119 --> 00:41:12,800
and then structure that in a way that

1176
00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:14,960
you yourself would find interesting

1177
00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:16,160
would find handy

1178
00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:19,040
to uh

1179
00:41:16,160 --> 00:41:22,640
to run the game with yeah some very

1180
00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:24,400
good words of wisdom there again a a a

1181
00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:25,760
theme we've had on the show before is

1182
00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:28,000
you know you got to write the stuff that

1183
00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:29,520
you find enjoyable

1184
00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:32,160
you know it's the same for the podcast

1185
00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:34,160
like hopefully i i enjoy listening to my

1186
00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:35,760
own show which man hopefully doesn't

1187
00:41:34,160 --> 00:41:37,839
sound completely

1188
00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:38,640
self-centered but

1189
00:41:37,839 --> 00:41:40,400
i mean

1190
00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:42,160
i mean that i think it's good content

1191
00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:43,760
that i would enjoy listening to where

1192
00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:45,920
they're a different equally handsome

1193
00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:48,000
host

1194
00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:49,920
and in the same way you know you should

1195
00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:50,720
apply that to your writing style that

1196
00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:52,560
like

1197
00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:54,240
if you enjoy it then that's at least you

1198
00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:55,200
know there's one person that does and

1199
00:41:54,240 --> 00:41:56,400
it's likely that there'll be other

1200
00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:57,680
people like you out there that are going

1201
00:41:56,400 --> 00:42:00,000
to enjoy it for the same reasons that

1202
00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:02,400
you do yeah absolutely

1203
00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:04,720
perhaps that should have been the

1204
00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:07,280
the main tip for writing you need to

1205
00:42:04,720 --> 00:42:09,280
write what you yourself find interesting

1206
00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:11,839
what you're passionate about because if

1207
00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:14,800
you don't and you right to please some

1208
00:42:11,839 --> 00:42:16,640
some faceless crowd hoping that uh it

1209
00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:18,880
will sell better or i know what your

1210
00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:22,079
motivation might be then even if it's

1211
00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:24,000
success it'll be hollow i think so

1212
00:42:22,079 --> 00:42:25,839
there's no sense in doing that yeah

1213
00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:27,040
that's that's where he here we're now

1214
00:42:25,839 --> 00:42:28,400
you know

1215
00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:29,760
three quarters of the way in the episode

1216
00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,599
and we're hitting some nuance now which

1217
00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:33,920
is good

1218
00:42:31,599 --> 00:42:36,240
because on the one hand we've got

1219
00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:38,640
not right for yourself but write

1220
00:42:36,240 --> 00:42:41,200
something that you yourself would enjoy

1221
00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:42,720
consuming but on the same hand as we

1222
00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:45,119
previously discussed you've got to be

1223
00:42:42,720 --> 00:42:46,240
wary of like scope creep and you might

1224
00:42:45,119 --> 00:42:48,400
enjoy

1225
00:42:46,240 --> 00:42:51,680
certainly writing and consuming weird

1226
00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:53,920
and wacky npcs yeah but

1227
00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:55,040
there has to be some constraints there i

1228
00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:57,040
think we're back to that constraints

1229
00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:59,520
like you said of your

1230
00:42:57,040 --> 00:43:01,119
publishing history of like you've got 13

1231
00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:03,440
pages and you have to write about x y

1232
00:43:01,119 --> 00:43:05,359
and z i think you know you got it going

1233
00:43:03,440 --> 00:43:08,480
to be cruel to be kind to yourself in a

1234
00:43:05,359 --> 00:43:10,480
certain way to say no let's focus on xyz

1235
00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:11,599
for today and that's

1236
00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:13,040
that is

1237
00:43:11,599 --> 00:43:14,560
trust me there'll be more value out of

1238
00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:16,960
it yeah

1239
00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:19,200
and it also fosters creativity because

1240
00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:22,319
if you have to write a background and

1241
00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:24,000
you know you have only half a page

1242
00:43:22,319 --> 00:43:26,800
well then you start making some tough

1243
00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:28,720
choices and you you pick the very best

1244
00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:29,839
ideas you had instead of writing three

1245
00:43:28,720 --> 00:43:30,800
pages

1246
00:43:29,839 --> 00:43:32,640
where

1247
00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:33,920
potentially sixty percent is just utter

1248
00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:35,440
drivel

1249
00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:39,200
and that's actually what i end up doing

1250
00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:41,119
um i usually write way too much so i

1251
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,079
have this word count i need to adhere to

1252
00:43:41,119 --> 00:43:44,319
for

1253
00:43:42,079 --> 00:43:45,920
the last assignments that was about 3

1254
00:43:44,319 --> 00:43:48,400
000 words

1255
00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:51,040
and i really paid attention not to write

1256
00:43:48,400 --> 00:43:53,040
too much and i ended up doing 4 500

1257
00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:55,359
anyway

1258
00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:58,400
but that's okay that that's just

1259
00:43:55,359 --> 00:43:58,400
that's my whoa

1260
00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:02,880
style i'd say style but

1261
00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:04,880
it's more of a handicap really i write

1262
00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:06,160
too much and then i need to whittle it

1263
00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:09,040
down

1264
00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:11,680
and in the end i make these choices i i

1265
00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:13,680
pick out the best ideas all those are i

1266
00:44:11,680 --> 00:44:15,760
consider best i hope the publish

1267
00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:18,079
consistent good too

1268
00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:20,400
and i whittle it down to a a manageable

1269
00:44:18,079 --> 00:44:21,520
amount of well 3 000 words i was

1270
00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:24,079
allotted

1271
00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:26,079
and that's how it works for me but there

1272
00:44:24,079 --> 00:44:28,240
are people who just sit down at their

1273
00:44:26,079 --> 00:44:29,680
desk they write 3 000 words

1274
00:44:28,240 --> 00:44:31,040
they're happy about them and they're

1275
00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:32,560
done

1276
00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:35,200
yeah well a couple of things that i

1277
00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:37,440
wanted to mention firstly is necessity

1278
00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:38,480
as the mother of invention as they say

1279
00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:40,000
so

1280
00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:42,160
which is you know basically having

1281
00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:44,960
constraints means you have to be

1282
00:44:42,160 --> 00:44:46,160
inventive to get around said constraints

1283
00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:48,720
and

1284
00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:51,440
it is like i've written

1285
00:44:48,720 --> 00:44:52,319
my episode recaps and again sometimes

1286
00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:54,400
i'll go

1287
00:44:52,319 --> 00:44:55,599
a bit self-indulgent and write all this

1288
00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:57,280
extra stuff and i have to read it

1289
00:44:55,599 --> 00:44:58,480
through and go down like this wait like

1290
00:44:57,280 --> 00:44:59,839
the players don't want to listen to you

1291
00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:02,480
talk for the first 10 minutes of the

1292
00:44:59,839 --> 00:45:03,920
[ __ ] the game right you idiot so like

1293
00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:05,359
cut it down to

1294
00:45:03,920 --> 00:45:06,880
the actual pertinent pieces of

1295
00:45:05,359 --> 00:45:08,560
information which are important rather

1296
00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:09,920
than like you did this and that and that

1297
00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:11,280
was fun and then this happened and this

1298
00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:13,280
other thing happened like no no get rid

1299
00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:15,280
of it down low that's so my own

1300
00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,640
self-imposed constraint there is the

1301
00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:18,880
patience

1302
00:45:16,640 --> 00:45:20,960
yeah the finite patience of my players

1303
00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:23,680
is very much you'll do that too session

1304
00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:26,079
recap same thing

1305
00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:28,480
and then um yes so constraints just in

1306
00:45:26,079 --> 00:45:31,359
general of like either word counts or i

1307
00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:32,480
can only have two shops in this city for

1308
00:45:31,359 --> 00:45:34,560
you know

1309
00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:36,640
it makes you ask those questions of

1310
00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:39,440
yourself of well i've got

1311
00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:40,880
five shops which which two are really

1312
00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:43,200
gonna be you know

1313
00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:45,280
are really not just something fun that i

1314
00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:47,040
did are really important to the setting

1315
00:45:45,280 --> 00:45:48,160
or really make the most sense in the

1316
00:45:47,040 --> 00:45:50,400
setting because otherwise you could just

1317
00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:52,160
add all five and then the reader might

1318
00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:54,400
go what the heck are these other three

1319
00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:54,870
doing in here that don't really make

1320
00:45:54,400 --> 00:45:56,319
sense

1321
00:45:54,870 --> 00:45:57,839
[Laughter]

1322
00:45:56,319 --> 00:45:59,599
yeah exactly

1323
00:45:57,839 --> 00:46:01,280
something i

1324
00:45:59,599 --> 00:46:03,920
sometimes do

1325
00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:05,920
or try to do is i think i read some ways

1326
00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:07,119
called the law of con conservation of

1327
00:46:05,920 --> 00:46:08,240
npc

1328
00:46:07,119 --> 00:46:11,680
if you have

1329
00:46:08,240 --> 00:46:14,960
several ideas for npcs you need mpc a b

1330
00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:18,000
c d and e uh say you need a doctor you

1331
00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:19,920
need a bard you need uh

1332
00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:21,440
a detective whatever

1333
00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:22,720
and you don't have room to describe all

1334
00:46:21,440 --> 00:46:25,200
five of them

1335
00:46:22,720 --> 00:46:27,440
you cloth them together or at least as

1336
00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:30,319
many as you plausibly can

1337
00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:32,240
and that actually it enriches a

1338
00:46:30,319 --> 00:46:35,200
character an npc's background if you can

1339
00:46:32,240 --> 00:46:37,839
do it in runway so that's a little tip

1340
00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:39,680
and and it often it it twists the

1341
00:46:37,839 --> 00:46:40,720
existing characters

1342
00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:42,240
and really

1343
00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:44,079
gives it gives a small background giving

1344
00:46:42,240 --> 00:46:46,640
us more meat on their bones

1345
00:46:44,079 --> 00:46:49,680
you can have your cake and eat it too

1346
00:46:46,640 --> 00:46:50,960
yeah no i love that that is a that is a

1347
00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:52,880
really great

1348
00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:53,839
thing because i know i've definitely

1349
00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:56,800
been

1350
00:46:53,839 --> 00:46:59,040
guilty of making two-dimensional npcs

1351
00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:01,119
either ahead of time or because i've had

1352
00:46:59,040 --> 00:47:02,240
to make one up on the spot and

1353
00:47:01,119 --> 00:47:04,240
i'm not

1354
00:47:02,240 --> 00:47:06,240
a professional npc generator there's

1355
00:47:04,240 --> 00:47:07,839
nothing wrong with that

1356
00:47:06,240 --> 00:47:10,560
but you know they're very much very easy

1357
00:47:07,839 --> 00:47:13,119
to be like this person's a baker and all

1358
00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:14,960
they care about is baking and they live

1359
00:47:13,119 --> 00:47:17,440
and breathe it and if you're not talking

1360
00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:19,680
about bacon bread you are wasting their

1361
00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:22,240
time and you know sometimes that works

1362
00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:24,400
and and sometimes it can be beneficial

1363
00:47:22,240 --> 00:47:27,040
to have these other nuances like

1364
00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:29,680
ah yeah but they are also the registered

1365
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:31,440
first aider so they have they can do

1366
00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:32,720
medicine checks or they can stabilize

1367
00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:35,520
creatures

1368
00:47:32,720 --> 00:47:37,599
they know some rudimentary cure wounds

1369
00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:38,400
adds that flavor that depth that

1370
00:47:37,599 --> 00:47:40,400
otherwise

1371
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:42,319
might not have been there so totally

1372
00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:43,920
that's totally possible to merge again

1373
00:47:42,319 --> 00:47:46,000
as you said within reason i'm not

1374
00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:48,079
talking about it of course

1375
00:47:46,000 --> 00:47:50,000
the same i got for your shops you can

1376
00:47:48,079 --> 00:47:52,240
blend two shops together

1377
00:47:50,000 --> 00:47:54,160
but even even if in in case of the

1378
00:47:52,240 --> 00:47:56,400
characters even if it doesn't seem to

1379
00:47:54,160 --> 00:47:58,559
match up in in the first instance like

1380
00:47:56,400 --> 00:48:00,079
you said if you have a barbarian and he

1381
00:47:58,559 --> 00:48:02,079
happens to be the the first aid

1382
00:48:00,079 --> 00:48:05,119
responder or whatever

1383
00:48:02,079 --> 00:48:06,480
if you can find a way to make that work

1384
00:48:05,119 --> 00:48:07,599
it might make for a real interesting

1385
00:48:06,480 --> 00:48:09,839
character

1386
00:48:07,599 --> 00:48:11,359
if you can find a way to make it work

1387
00:48:09,839 --> 00:48:14,160
but it forces you to ask yourself the

1388
00:48:11,359 --> 00:48:15,680
question how might this work and if you

1389
00:48:14,160 --> 00:48:16,960
can find an interesting answer to that

1390
00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:18,400
well

1391
00:48:16,960 --> 00:48:19,760
you have a really great character on

1392
00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:21,440
your hands

1393
00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:23,359
i did

1394
00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:24,800
his here's a gimmick that i did use and

1395
00:48:23,359 --> 00:48:27,200
i kind of accidentally did this with one

1396
00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:28,559
of my shops funny enough but i wanted a

1397
00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:29,839
classic

1398
00:48:28,559 --> 00:48:31,920
hipster

1399
00:48:29,839 --> 00:48:33,280
shop essentially so i had it was like it

1400
00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:35,440
was like a mining

1401
00:48:33,280 --> 00:48:36,960
shop for mining equipment that wasn't

1402
00:48:35,440 --> 00:48:40,160
kind of mass-produced and at the back

1403
00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:42,400
there was a coffee shop that was

1404
00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:45,440
like so you'd go and get your espresso

1405
00:48:42,400 --> 00:48:48,400
latte macchiatos while going for like

1406
00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:51,599
you know your new version 10.4

1407
00:48:48,400 --> 00:48:54,559
hammer or or you know pick or something

1408
00:48:51,599 --> 00:48:56,480
so i did kind of merge two

1409
00:48:54,559 --> 00:48:58,480
themes then that might not often be

1410
00:48:56,480 --> 00:49:00,800
merged so i kind of had already done it

1411
00:48:58,480 --> 00:49:02,559
but that's really cool i mean that's

1412
00:49:00,800 --> 00:49:03,920
that's memorable and that's something

1413
00:49:02,559 --> 00:49:06,000
you also

1414
00:49:03,920 --> 00:49:08,240
if you want to

1415
00:49:06,000 --> 00:49:09,520
write published adventures i think the

1416
00:49:08,240 --> 00:49:11,359
main thing you should be shooting for is

1417
00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:13,040
something memorable

1418
00:49:11,359 --> 00:49:14,960
something the players remember years

1419
00:49:13,040 --> 00:49:16,400
later like oh right that adventure that

1420
00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:18,640
was the one with the

1421
00:49:16,400 --> 00:49:20,400
the burning hill dwarf or i don't know

1422
00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:23,920
what but put something memorable in

1423
00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:27,040
there because if it's just grey dungeons

1424
00:49:23,920 --> 00:49:27,839
all the time they won't recall any of it

1425
00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:30,079
but

1426
00:49:27,839 --> 00:49:31,760
the miner the hipster miner shop that's

1427
00:49:30,079 --> 00:49:32,960
gold they'll remember that for years to

1428
00:49:31,760 --> 00:49:34,720
come

1429
00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:37,359
so that's a good thing and even if that

1430
00:49:34,720 --> 00:49:40,079
contributes only a very little

1431
00:49:37,359 --> 00:49:42,000
thing to to the plot or it might even

1432
00:49:40,079 --> 00:49:43,920
have nothing to do with the plot they'll

1433
00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:46,240
remember the module because of that so

1434
00:49:43,920 --> 00:49:47,520
that's also something you want in there

1435
00:49:46,240 --> 00:49:49,200
and i want to

1436
00:49:47,520 --> 00:49:50,480
i want to finish my part at least on

1437
00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:52,880
this one thing i've been thinking of

1438
00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:55,200
since we've been talking around how

1439
00:49:52,880 --> 00:49:57,200
with most things in the universe it's

1440
00:49:55,200 --> 00:49:59,520
easier to

1441
00:49:57,200 --> 00:50:00,400
destroy than it is to create

1442
00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:01,920
so

1443
00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:03,280
i would say

1444
00:50:01,920 --> 00:50:04,880
if you enjoy

1445
00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:07,040
like you you said yourself you usually

1446
00:50:04,880 --> 00:50:09,839
hit even when you're trying to be

1447
00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:12,000
concise you smash that word count it's

1448
00:50:09,839 --> 00:50:13,280
harder to smash that word count than it

1449
00:50:12,000 --> 00:50:15,119
is to cut

1450
00:50:13,280 --> 00:50:16,559
back you know it's easier to just tear

1451
00:50:15,119 --> 00:50:19,839
out a paragraph and suddenly you've lost

1452
00:50:16,559 --> 00:50:21,359
200 words than it is to write those 200

1453
00:50:19,839 --> 00:50:24,160
words so

1454
00:50:21,359 --> 00:50:27,359
for other people listening you know it's

1455
00:50:24,160 --> 00:50:29,599
is it to create new stuff it is

1456
00:50:27,359 --> 00:50:31,839
exceptionally difficult than it is to do

1457
00:50:29,599 --> 00:50:33,200
nothing or to you know to blow up a

1458
00:50:31,839 --> 00:50:34,880
building is

1459
00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:36,960
way easier than it is to build that

1460
00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:39,119
building and the same can be said for

1461
00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:41,200
these writing exercises so

1462
00:50:39,119 --> 00:50:42,880
i guess my final thought would be

1463
00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:44,400
if you have the time and the capacity

1464
00:50:42,880 --> 00:50:46,720
and there's and it's fine and nothing

1465
00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:48,640
else is sacrificed because of it

1466
00:50:46,720 --> 00:50:50,720
write more

1467
00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:52,400
have the fun bits if you're not working

1468
00:50:50,720 --> 00:50:54,960
to a deadline or any other hard

1469
00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:56,559
constraints up front and then

1470
00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:58,160
apply those constraints and then cut

1471
00:50:56,559 --> 00:51:00,800
back because that yes there'll be some

1472
00:50:58,160 --> 00:51:03,440
difficult decisions but ultimately it is

1473
00:51:00,800 --> 00:51:06,480
easier nine times out of ten

1474
00:51:03,440 --> 00:51:08,880
down those normal caveats apply

1475
00:51:06,480 --> 00:51:10,800
it is easier to cut back and then hit

1476
00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:14,079
that hit the constraints hit the word

1477
00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:15,680
counts hit the mvp to come out the other

1478
00:51:14,079 --> 00:51:16,960
side of like a really

1479
00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:19,280
chiseled

1480
00:51:16,960 --> 00:51:21,839
perfected product

1481
00:51:19,280 --> 00:51:23,440
well uh on on my my final thought there

1482
00:51:21,839 --> 00:51:24,640
is there anything that we haven't talked

1483
00:51:23,440 --> 00:51:26,640
about yet that we might have missed that

1484
00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:28,800
you really wanted to cover well there's

1485
00:51:26,640 --> 00:51:30,640
something i want to mention that's

1486
00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:31,760
for people who listen to this and they

1487
00:51:30,640 --> 00:51:33,680
say well

1488
00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:35,599
i want to start writing something you

1489
00:51:33,680 --> 00:51:36,800
need to know is that the first draft of

1490
00:51:35,599 --> 00:51:39,359
anything

1491
00:51:36,800 --> 00:51:41,920
is always crap

1492
00:51:39,359 --> 00:51:44,960
that's really that was an eye-opener to

1493
00:51:41,920 --> 00:51:46,880
me that even the best writers celebrated

1494
00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:49,119
writers in the industry

1495
00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:51,520
first draft is crap

1496
00:51:49,119 --> 00:51:52,480
so don't expect your writing to be top

1497
00:51:51,520 --> 00:51:55,280
notch

1498
00:51:52,480 --> 00:51:57,040
early on as i said i when i'm writing

1499
00:51:55,280 --> 00:51:59,440
i'm the builder

1500
00:51:57,040 --> 00:52:01,839
so i just write down

1501
00:51:59,440 --> 00:52:03,359
dumb short little sentences that get the

1502
00:52:01,839 --> 00:52:05,280
message across

1503
00:52:03,359 --> 00:52:07,040
and that's my first draft

1504
00:52:05,280 --> 00:52:09,119
and then as you said you start chiseling

1505
00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:10,960
away prettying things up

1506
00:52:09,119 --> 00:52:12,720
and perhaps you're doing a second pass

1507
00:52:10,960 --> 00:52:14,240
and a third and fourth

1508
00:52:12,720 --> 00:52:17,440
and only then will you have your

1509
00:52:14,240 --> 00:52:20,079
finished product so no one is writing uh

1510
00:52:17,440 --> 00:52:22,000
masterful prose their first try

1511
00:52:20,079 --> 00:52:23,119
so it's really it's a process and you

1512
00:52:22,000 --> 00:52:25,520
need to

1513
00:52:23,119 --> 00:52:27,119
be patient keep at it and if you write

1514
00:52:25,520 --> 00:52:30,240
something every day

1515
00:52:27,119 --> 00:52:31,920
that helps enormously i think

1516
00:52:30,240 --> 00:52:33,599
yeah no absolutely i couldn't agree more

1517
00:52:31,920 --> 00:52:34,720
and there's two things i want to back

1518
00:52:33,599 --> 00:52:35,920
that up with

1519
00:52:34,720 --> 00:52:38,079
one is

1520
00:52:35,920 --> 00:52:39,440
what with today's you know information

1521
00:52:38,079 --> 00:52:40,559
age

1522
00:52:39,440 --> 00:52:42,240
we are

1523
00:52:40,559 --> 00:52:43,680
drowning in

1524
00:52:42,240 --> 00:52:45,040
finished products

1525
00:52:43,680 --> 00:52:49,760
in the years

1526
00:52:45,040 --> 00:52:50,640
yeah be it ttrpgs or art or podcasts

1527
00:52:49,760 --> 00:52:52,640
that have

1528
00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:54,000
you know very easy to forget the amount

1529
00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:55,599
of work and the amount of failed

1530
00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:58,000
attempts and the amount of

1531
00:52:55,599 --> 00:53:00,000
scrawled up scribbled up pieces of paper

1532
00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:02,079
overflowing in the waste paper basket

1533
00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:04,160
next to the writer's desk there there

1534
00:53:02,079 --> 00:53:05,920
are especially as

1535
00:53:04,160 --> 00:53:07,680
you know younger or starting out in

1536
00:53:05,920 --> 00:53:09,200
something new it's it's very difficult

1537
00:53:07,680 --> 00:53:10,559
to see

1538
00:53:09,200 --> 00:53:12,640
with something like learning an

1539
00:53:10,559 --> 00:53:14,800
instrument that has been around for

1540
00:53:12,640 --> 00:53:16,480
centuries there's a bit more of like i

1541
00:53:14,800 --> 00:53:17,440
need to go through and have lessons but

1542
00:53:16,480 --> 00:53:19,359
for

1543
00:53:17,440 --> 00:53:20,720
stuff like ttrpg's which has only been

1544
00:53:19,359 --> 00:53:22,720
around a couple of decades it's very

1545
00:53:20,720 --> 00:53:23,839
easy to be like oh this guy's just

1546
00:53:22,720 --> 00:53:25,520
knocked out

1547
00:53:23,839 --> 00:53:26,839
seven modules this year and it's like

1548
00:53:25,520 --> 00:53:30,480
yeah

1549
00:53:26,839 --> 00:53:32,720
but yeah there's about 18's worth of

1550
00:53:30,480 --> 00:53:34,559
modules that didn't make it

1551
00:53:32,720 --> 00:53:36,880
or there were failed attempts or worse

1552
00:53:34,559 --> 00:53:38,400
absolutely that were garbage

1553
00:53:36,880 --> 00:53:40,240
and you know you need to really

1554
00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:42,800
appreciate that and

1555
00:53:40,240 --> 00:53:44,319
my real final thing is to harken back to

1556
00:53:42,800 --> 00:53:46,720
my session notes

1557
00:53:44,319 --> 00:53:49,040
without failure i want to stress without

1558
00:53:46,720 --> 00:53:50,720
failure i will write

1559
00:53:49,040 --> 00:53:52,319
my session recaps

1560
00:53:50,720 --> 00:53:54,480
a week ahead of when i need to deliver

1561
00:53:52,319 --> 00:53:56,640
them and in that week or maybe the night

1562
00:53:54,480 --> 00:53:58,800
before or maybe even the day that i

1563
00:53:56,640 --> 00:53:59,680
meant to deliver them i'll read it and

1564
00:53:58,800 --> 00:54:02,319
go

1565
00:53:59,680 --> 00:54:03,440
that is a silly sentence that patently

1566
00:54:02,319 --> 00:54:04,880
doesn't make sense in the english

1567
00:54:03,440 --> 00:54:06,960
language those words shouldn't be

1568
00:54:04,880 --> 00:54:08,240
together or like there'll be so many

1569
00:54:06,960 --> 00:54:10,319
mistakes that

1570
00:54:08,240 --> 00:54:11,440
after i write that recap i go oh man

1571
00:54:10,319 --> 00:54:13,599
that was pretty good you knocked that

1572
00:54:11,440 --> 00:54:16,480
out in 10 minutes this time oh well done

1573
00:54:13,599 --> 00:54:17,760
down low two days later i'm like no

1574
00:54:16,480 --> 00:54:20,319
no you didn't

1575
00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:23,119
that's this is all wrong

1576
00:54:20,319 --> 00:54:25,520
that's inevitable

1577
00:54:23,119 --> 00:54:27,520
exactly so even for these small like 200

1578
00:54:25,520 --> 00:54:30,240
word recaps

1579
00:54:27,520 --> 00:54:32,880
even those don't get done

1580
00:54:30,240 --> 00:54:36,640
getting the right first time so that

1581
00:54:32,880 --> 00:54:38,960
that is that is totally normal

1582
00:54:36,640 --> 00:54:40,880
awesome well um

1583
00:54:38,960 --> 00:54:42,559
is there talking of writing is there

1584
00:54:40,880 --> 00:54:43,599
anything you would like to

1585
00:54:42,559 --> 00:54:46,480
plug

1586
00:54:43,599 --> 00:54:48,960
not especially right now i think as you

1587
00:54:46,480 --> 00:54:51,440
know you can follow me on twitter

1588
00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:53,280
my handlers at cryptographer

1589
00:54:51,440 --> 00:54:55,520
and i

1590
00:54:53,280 --> 00:55:00,000
well i post daily inspirational tidbits

1591
00:54:55,520 --> 00:55:02,559
for your ttrpg games uh consisting of

1592
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:04,400
well little factoids of history art

1593
00:55:02,559 --> 00:55:06,559
folklore that sort of thing

1594
00:55:04,400 --> 00:55:08,160
i'm also working with raging swamp press

1595
00:55:06,559 --> 00:55:10,880
on these dungeon backdrops we've talked

1596
00:55:08,160 --> 00:55:13,839
about which you might want to check out

1597
00:55:10,880 --> 00:55:16,240
and the final thing is uh sperm divacus

1598
00:55:13,839 --> 00:55:19,040
um that'll be my second self-published

1599
00:55:16,240 --> 00:55:21,680
adventure it'll be out i hope

1600
00:55:19,040 --> 00:55:23,040
before june um

1601
00:55:21,680 --> 00:55:24,640
something cool i'm doing it'll have a

1602
00:55:23,040 --> 00:55:25,680
musical component

1603
00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:27,760
oh wow

1604
00:55:25,680 --> 00:55:29,760
yeah i'm trying to be different here so

1605
00:55:27,760 --> 00:55:31,520
we'll have an interactive audio

1606
00:55:29,760 --> 00:55:32,400
component it's something i want to try

1607
00:55:31,520 --> 00:55:34,400
out

1608
00:55:32,400 --> 00:55:35,839
i hope to be able to post more news of

1609
00:55:34,400 --> 00:55:38,720
that soon

1610
00:55:35,839 --> 00:55:40,720
and for those who already want to take a

1611
00:55:38,720 --> 00:55:43,680
glimpse at what spurn of august will

1612
00:55:40,720 --> 00:55:46,559
look like you can download the first

1613
00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:48,720
project which is house of the exorcist

1614
00:55:46,559 --> 00:55:50,559
for free at drivethrough rpg and i'm

1615
00:55:48,720 --> 00:55:51,839
sure dan lo will post the link in the

1616
00:55:50,559 --> 00:55:53,280
recap

1617
00:55:51,839 --> 00:55:55,440
if that's right

1618
00:55:53,280 --> 00:55:57,200
maybe i'll maybe i will maybe i won't

1619
00:55:55,440 --> 00:55:59,440
and we'll see we'll see

1620
00:55:57,200 --> 00:56:01,119
surprise was lately

1621
00:55:59,440 --> 00:56:02,160
no no absolutely and i wanted to mention

1622
00:56:01,119 --> 00:56:04,000
actually i wanted to mention at the

1623
00:56:02,160 --> 00:56:05,680
beginning but now's a good time is any

1624
00:56:04,000 --> 00:56:08,160
about the little the little historical

1625
00:56:05,680 --> 00:56:10,240
tidbits you do they are i must say i'm

1626
00:56:08,160 --> 00:56:11,920
not pandering here they're very

1627
00:56:10,240 --> 00:56:13,920
interesting and unique and i've i've

1628
00:56:11,920 --> 00:56:14,720
scrolled through the six or seven tweets

1629
00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:16,400
about

1630
00:56:14,720 --> 00:56:18,079
some swords sticking out a wall this one

1631
00:56:16,400 --> 00:56:20,160
that i remember from a little while ago

1632
00:56:18,079 --> 00:56:22,720
in some random place in the world and

1633
00:56:20,160 --> 00:56:25,760
then me of course um and was like wow

1634
00:56:22,720 --> 00:56:27,760
that is this is cool you know twitter is

1635
00:56:25,760 --> 00:56:30,480
many things some good and some bad but

1636
00:56:27,760 --> 00:56:32,000
in this instance it is very useful piece

1637
00:56:30,480 --> 00:56:34,480
to you know i feel like i'm being

1638
00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:36,319
educated uh which is cool

1639
00:56:34,480 --> 00:56:38,160
cool i'm glad you enjoyed it

1640
00:56:36,319 --> 00:56:40,880
yeah absolutely so all that's left for

1641
00:56:38,160 --> 00:56:42,480
me to say is thank you ever so much for

1642
00:56:40,880 --> 00:56:45,440
coming back on the show bart it's been

1643
00:56:42,480 --> 00:56:48,559
i'm really stoked that we've had

1644
00:56:45,440 --> 00:56:51,040
both you know something really like

1645
00:56:48,559 --> 00:56:53,280
intrinsically d d this fudging dice all

1646
00:56:51,040 --> 00:56:55,599
the way back in you know good bad yeah

1647
00:56:53,280 --> 00:56:56,640
and all the way up to this kind of like

1648
00:56:55,599 --> 00:56:58,160
hey man

1649
00:56:56,640 --> 00:57:01,119
being creative is hard and here are some

1650
00:56:58,160 --> 00:57:02,960
tips on how to and how to help help that

1651
00:57:01,119 --> 00:57:04,240
process so i'm very very happy that

1652
00:57:02,960 --> 00:57:05,520
we've we've had both of those

1653
00:57:04,240 --> 00:57:07,599
discussions so thank you ever so much

1654
00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:10,720
bart cool as am i thank you for having

1655
00:57:07,599 --> 00:57:11,760
me again awesome no worries as usual all

1656
00:57:10,720 --> 00:57:14,640
the links will be in the episode

1657
00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:17,040
description below so please do everybody

1658
00:57:14,640 --> 00:57:18,319
listening check all of this this good

1659
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:19,200
stuff out

1660
00:57:18,319 --> 00:57:21,440
and

1661
00:57:19,200 --> 00:57:22,559
uh yeah thank you everybody for

1662
00:57:21,440 --> 00:57:24,400
listening

1663
00:57:22,559 --> 00:57:26,000
and good night

1664
00:57:24,400 --> 00:57:26,960
and now it's time for the patreon shout

1665
00:57:26,000 --> 00:57:30,160
outs

1666
00:57:26,960 --> 00:57:32,880
thank you to robert hartley dm for viva

1667
00:57:30,160 --> 00:57:35,119
la dirt league and writer on the d d

1668
00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:36,720
logic web series

1669
00:57:35,119 --> 00:57:39,520
i would encourage everybody to check him

1670
00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:40,480
out at robert hartley gm on twitter and

1671
00:57:39,520 --> 00:57:42,799
twitch

1672
00:57:40,480 --> 00:57:45,200
thank you to optional rule a two-time

1673
00:57:42,799 --> 00:57:48,000
guest of the show and a very insightful

1674
00:57:45,200 --> 00:57:49,280
and knowledgeable source of information

1675
00:57:48,000 --> 00:57:52,280
please check them out at

1676
00:57:49,280 --> 00:57:52,280
www.optionall.com

1677
00:57:52,720 --> 00:57:58,000
huge huge huge thank you to a great

1678
00:57:55,440 --> 00:58:00,480
friend of the show matthew perkins who's

1679
00:57:58,000 --> 00:58:02,799
out there making hilarious and

1680
00:58:00,480 --> 00:58:04,559
educational dungeons and dragons content

1681
00:58:02,799 --> 00:58:06,319
please go and check out his stuff at

1682
00:58:04,559 --> 00:58:08,720
matthewperkins.net where you can find

1683
00:58:06,319 --> 00:58:10,319
links to all of his socials and all of

1684
00:58:08,720 --> 00:58:12,000
his content including his own patreon

1685
00:58:10,319 --> 00:58:13,760
which i would very much encourage you to

1686
00:58:12,000 --> 00:58:16,640
check out

1687
00:58:13,760 --> 00:58:18,720
thank you to matt street at mpstreet88

1688
00:58:16,640 --> 00:58:20,240
on twitter for supporting the show if

1689
00:58:18,720 --> 00:58:22,839
you need support running your personal

1690
00:58:20,240 --> 00:58:25,040
or business schedule head to

1691
00:58:22,839 --> 00:58:26,799
virtualtimehustle.com or on instagram to

1692
00:58:25,040 --> 00:58:28,880
make that difference between should do

1693
00:58:26,799 --> 00:58:30,640
and done boss it better with support

1694
00:58:28,880 --> 00:58:32,960
from cat who will help you get back that

1695
00:58:30,640 --> 00:58:34,400
essential time you've been searching for

1696
00:58:32,960 --> 00:58:36,319
if you would like to support what we do

1697
00:58:34,400 --> 00:58:39,040
and get four shout outs a month head

1698
00:58:36,319 --> 00:58:40,559
over to patreon.com thinking critically

1699
00:58:39,040 --> 00:58:44,520
or you can just buy me a coffee at

1700
00:58:40,559 --> 00:58:51,540
kofi.com thinking critically

1701
00:58:44,520 --> 00:59:11,760
[Music]