Three Things You Can Do to Show Your GM Some Love!
Ok, GM’s Day isn’t for a few weeks yet. But why wait. GM’s Day is the ‘official’ day on which we are supposed to show our love for those self-sacrificing, tireless people that run games for the rest of us. I am including myself in the ‘us’ even though I often GM, because I also get to play. And as a player, I would like to issue a thank you to all the GMs out there who do so much to keep this hobby going.
Now, a lot of retailers have jumped into GM’s Day whole hog, hoping that you will buy their products and give them to your GM. OK, fair enough. GMing can be a significant expense, and getting free gaming stuff is always nice. And there is a lot of terrific product out there. If you want to do that, just Google GM’s Day Sale when the time comes, and click through any number of links. But there are also things you can do that won’t cost you a bunch out of pocket, and you can do them anytime, instead of having to wait for the sale. Things that show you care without having to shell out the big bucks.
Because I do GM a fair bit, I would like to offer you a few ideas from the other side of the Screen, about how to show your love [OK, you can put those photos away. Right now].
1. Run a Game. If you are a GM too, you might already be doing this – good for you. But there are a lot of GMs out there who don’t get to play as much as they would like, or at all, because they are busy on the far side of the Table. If you are a player, and your GM has been waiving around a player’s guide with a manic look you might recognize from your own mug, you can do her a solid, and run a game for her to play. Heck, if you are new to GMing and want to give it a shot, this a great opportunity. You can probably get all kinds of support from the very GM who will benefit from your largesse.
But. Maybe your GM doesn’t want to play, you say. OK, let’s move on.
2. Do Some Homework. See if there is something that needs doing FOR the game and do that. I am not talking about taking over a section of the game world that the GM hasn’t developed and turning it into your gaming thesis [hey, if that works for both of you, more power to you]. What I mean is, look at the things that the GM has trouble with during the game or between games, and offer to do some of that. If you always game are the GM’s place, offer to host for a change. Or vice versa if the HM always has to shlep his miner’s cart full of manuals all over. Or pick up the GM’s share of the Pizza. Or offer to take over something that needs doing ‘in game’. If you are combat savvy, be the Initiative Tracker for the game. If you would rather write between sessions, offer to start a journal from your character’s point of view, or as a general chronicle of events, then send it to the GM to edit and use as a recap tool before upcoming sessions.
These are just a few ideas, the key is to actually help with the stuff that bogs the GM down, or that she doesn’t have time to do. Oh, and don’t do things the GM doesn’t want done, or that you suck at. If you are lousy at painting figures, maybe offering to paint some up for the monsters that keep showing up isn’t the best use of your time and talent.
3. Show Your Enthusiasm. GMs are performers as well as world-builders. They like to know they are doing a good job. And nothing shows that better than your enthusiasm for what they are doing. So if you had a rough day at work, try to leave it behind when you sit down to play. Presumably you game because you like it and you want to be there. So let that anticipation and interest show, and downplay the stuff that is bugging you. Your eagerness might turn someone else’s day around, even the GM’s. They have bad days too.
