What Roleplaying Games Taught Me About Writing

Lessons From Roleplaying: Collaborative, Playful Storytelling

[A previous version of this craft article was originally posted in the Retreat West Community, during my time as Community Writer-in-Residence.]

Even if you know nothing about roleplaying games, you've probably heard of Dungeons & Dragons, but what you may not know is that there's more to roleplaying than just D&D.

I've been a roleplayer for more than 20 years. I started on tabletop games, where a group of friends play out a story and (usually) roll multi-sided dice to determine the outcome of actions, and later moved to live action roleplay (LARP) events, in which you get dressed up as your character and act out the scenarios.

LARP events range in size and duration from a few hours for small groups, up to weekend or week-long 'fest-style' gatherings for hundreds or even thousands of people. Both tabletop and LARP games come in many genres; fantasy, science fiction, horror, historical, and more.

Over the years, I've learnt a lot about what makes a good story in roleplaying, and I think much of this can be applied to writing too. I've written this article with writers who may not have any experience of roleplaying in mind, but I hope roleplayers with an interest in writing may also find it useful!

Me, at a Curious Pastimes LARP event (photo © Oliver Facey)

Plot happens at different levels

In roleplaying, story takes the form of plot written by the gamesmaster (GM) or event organisers. The players interact with the plot as it happens, and their actions determine the course the story takes. Large LARP games in particular can have many levels of plot running at the same time, focused on individual characters, small groups, larger 'nations', or at the highest level affecting everyone in the game world.

If we apply this to writing, we can think about the different levels at which events occur within the worlds we create. Ask yourself where the story you're telling sits - at the individual, local, societal, or even global level - and what other levels might allow you to give wider context to a character's story, or conversely add a personal connection within a big picture, if you tap into them.

Follow the story threads that interest you

Having said that, at a big event with hundreds of people playing, there is no way you as an individual player can engage with every single plotline. All those story levels are there and available if you want them, but you can't possibly be involved with all of them at once. You have to choose what parts of the game are most interesting to you.

It's the same in writing; you have to decide which part of your idea is the actual story you want to tell. This is true whether your project is big or small, from novels to short stories to micro fiction. You can't include everything, so find what it is that really speaks to you in the piece and follow where it leads; tell that story.

My story bores the hell out of you and vice versa

I've also found that there are as many different ways to enjoy roleplaying games as there are players. Some people like combat, some like politics, some like to solve puzzles, and some like to explore the impossible - things like magic or futuristic science/technology (depending on genre).

As a writer it helps to remember that everyone is different when you are making decisions about what story to tell. A potential reader might want fantasy or realism, action or introspection. They might prefer happy or sad stories, small-scale slice of life or much higher stakes. Writing-wise they may choose character-led or plot-focused works, and love either poetic language or brevity. Ultimately you just have to write a story you enjoy and trust that the right readers will find you.

You can't force a story

There is an old roleplay adage, often quoted, that no plot ever survives first contact with the players, i.e. no matter how much planning the game organisers do, they can't predict how players will respond, and when players do something completely unexpected it can change the whole path of the game. Some of the best experiences I've had roleplaying have been when that happened and the story we ended up playing was all the better for it.

As writers we generally don't have to wrangle real people (just our own characters). But if you're struggling with a piece, consider that you might be trying to force it to stay in the shape you originally envisaged when it could be going in a different direction. Let a story be what it needs to be, and it will almost always be improved, and probably easier to write too.

Being playful makes for good stories

As children, most of us love playing 'let's pretend'. As adults we forget how, or become too self-conscious. Roleplaying games allow us back into that childlike, imaginative headspace, making up stories and acting them out. When you're immersed in a game, it can be emotional, exciting, joyful, even frightening, and it creates lasting and memorable experiences (anyone who knows roleplayers knows they love recounting their favourite in-game exploits).

The lesson here is to allow that playfulness into your writing. Let your imagination run riot, have fun with your ideas, and tell stories that conjure an emotional response in you (whether that's tears or laughter). Experiment; try new things. Let your inner child take the reins and summon up a little make-believe. Sometimes writing is hard, we all know that, so make time for joy in your storytelling too, whatever that means to you.

Finally, storytelling is collaborative

It's possible to have single-person roleplaying games, but in most cases there are multiple people involved, whether that's five players around a table or a thousand at a LARP event. The creation of the game and the story is a collaborative effort between players, the game organisers, and (at big events) volunteers playing pre-planned NPC (non-player character) roles.

This might not seem immediately applicable to writing, given most writers work alone, but consider your story as a collaboration between writer and reader. Think about how much to reveal explicitly on the page and what to leave unsaid, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. Making your reader work a little harder can help them feel more engaged in your story, and also gives them space to make it their own. Stories can mean different things to different people, and that's not just ok, it's great.

Applying These Lessons to Your Own Writing

So, if you have a piece you're unsure about, try the following:

1. Look for all the possible different levels the story could be taking place at. Are you working at the right level? Is there another level that could add something?
2. Decide whether your story excites you in its current form. Is there another thread you could follow? Is the story pulling you in a different direction?
3. Do something playful or experimental to shake things up. Change the voice or perspective. Put your characters in an unexpected situation.
4. Find a collaborator. Get a second pair of trusted eyes on your work, or find a critique group. A reader's interpretation might show you what's not quite working.

And if you've never tried it, maybe give roleplaying a go sometime!