No Plot? No Problem! is a great little book that describes itself as ‘a low-stress, high-velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days’. It’s written by Chris Baty, the guy behind Nanowrimo, which I’m participating in this month for the fifth year running. Writing a novel in 30 days requires at least some improvisation. GMing often requires a lot. I’ve read this book each year but I figured looking at it from a different angle it may have some hidden insights into gamemastery. And I think I’ve found some.

The book talks about, among many other things, making two lists: one with all the things you like in novels and one with all the things you don’t. It’s not quite a pros and cons list, but close. It’s sort of a list of cues or reminders for yourself. I realised that doing the same thing for RPGs could keep us GMs on track, especially for on-the-fly or improv-heavy GMing.

I participated in and completed Nanowrimo last year, for the fourth year running. I’ve learnt more and more from it each year, about myself, writing and even roleplaying and gamemastery. This time, there were some particularly useful things that I wanted to share. So, here’s what Nanowrimo taught me about roleplaying.

• Finally resumed #Demonsea with my wife. She’s sneaking into enemy pirate camp using shadow demon. Can she kill the two enemy captains? #rpg
• RT @Burning_Luke Just signed a contract to do a game for an amazing license. @JoshuaACNewman is going to freak out.
• Last day of the worldbuilding course today. Bought myself #ForbiddenIsland. Looking forward to playing it! Also got a hard copy of #Fiasco.
• Listening to the audiobook of The Passage by Justin Cronin. Slow so far, but very good, and we’re still pre-glowing-vampire-apocalypse.

• Double rainbow! OMG! http://yfrog.com/evr88yj
• I managed to do 623 words at lunch today. That’ll do. I’m still almost two days ahead. Now time for #pathfinder and Chinese!
• This http://bit.ly/d4A1sI made me investigate ICONS then this http://bit.ly/a6iLnb and the currently half-price PDF made me buy it #rpg

• 2,261 words for #nanowrimo already! Unlike my MC, my week is off to a good start.
• 4,607 words for #nanowrimo and the fun is about to begin for my main character.
• Adding “Write 2000 words” into Epic Win as a daily task is motivating. Also add this optional daily task: “Write 2000 more words” #nanowrimo
• RT @Riesetheseries Don’t forget RT this message to possibly win an EXCLUSIVE #Riese prize pack! Watch Riese: Kingdom Falling on @Syfy.com/riese
• Lamest/coolest lycanthrope ever: the werecrossbow.
• I was going to try 4E again once Character Builder got the Essentials update, but I have unreliable Internet so a web-based CB rules me out.
• After watching Kiss Kiss Bang Bang again, I have to say that Robert Downey Jr. would make an incredible Harry Dresden.