In article <9qgvmg+k5df_at_...>, Ian Cooper
<ian_hammond_cooper_at_...> writes
>Charles made a fair comment. There is a difference between reading
>material and telling a story. GM's without practiced performance skills
>(me) reading lots of text tends to switch players off. (I've noticed
>colleagues nodding off during presentations at work too). The advantage
>of giving them a handout to read is that you get across the
>information, fill in the color of the skald's tale at the feast,
>without such a pause to the players participation.
>
The sort of storytelling I mean may sound worse, but might prove better
- it requires you to learn enough of the bones of the story to tell, and
then tell it from memory. You don't have to be word perfect and you'll
probably find you forget important bits (a GM use that as an excuse? oh,
would we?). Sounds awful? Well, for a start it's easier than it sounds,
and more importantly, you will be looking at the players - are they
looking bored, fiddling whatever - get a move on, are they paying rapt
attention - you can get flowery if you wish. You will probably also tell
in a much more lively manner than reading. But rehearse it to yourself
first, and aim for no more that five or ten minutes telling (ten, at the
start is ambitious).
--
Kevin Blackburn Kevin_at_...