Lot’s of GM’s write their stories like they would novels or screenplays, they are WRONG! — sorta.

The traditional ways of constructing a narrative are indeed helpful for creating entertainment, I’m doing it as you read this. (Hypocrite? Guilty!) With a RPG we have a scenario where protagonists are written communally by others. (your players, the bastards!) Too often the GM gets caught up in the tale they wish to tell and will try to mash their interactive components (players) into the story like a Great Dane humping a Chihuahua. Ugly image, but railroading is as disgusting — and painful, ask the little four-legged freak.

Knowing your players is a common and good way to work the pesky players in. Still, without detailed psych profiles and/or years of knowing them, you’re bound to miss something that’s important to them or plan an awesome scene that gets completely circumvented.

“You don’t want to explore that room? You sure? It’s full of treasure. You’ve got more than you can carry? There’s golden wheelbarrows!” If you gotta break the fourth wall a bit of the world fades as immersion is lost.

 Convenient plot hammers (do it OR ELSE) within the story are little better: “Ok. The whole dungeon tilts to the east, causing you all to fall into the room. A pile of treasure sits behind a huge blue dragon … um … palming an Orb of … Seismic Alignment!” When the dragon is looted now the players own a power device they use to tip the dungeon to one side like piggy bank.

I focus on setting and the things that fill it. Where is this? What goes on here? Who operates in the area? No plot, but general plans of varied interests (aka bad guys) going about their business and left vague until the spotlight, which perpetually follows the player characters (the bastards!), shines there. I prefer rules-light systems for this reason, but most games can do it — just don’t try to write out full stats on everything, pacing can’t suffer.

The protagonists are for the players to write, they know them best. They can get wind of any numerous dealings and choose: “Baron von Badass is blackmailing the city counsel! BOH-RING. But, the Rusty Razor gang is charging higher protection fees on the merchants — how are we gonna unload all this owl-bear meat above cost!?!?”

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