I have played and run many different RPG systems over about a quarter century. During that time, I’ve seen and experimented with a variety of DM styles. In my experience the #1 rule of being a good DM is:

The DM’s main goal should always be to entertain the players.

“Entertain” does not mean that the players must be laughing and smiling. Think of all the people that are entertained through seeing tragic plays and movies each year.

This rule is pretty simple yet it takes hard work and dedication. I’ve also found that it is self-enforcing-- if the players aren’t entertained then they won’t play for long and the DM won’t have a group anymore. If the DM doesn’t like entertaining the players then he (or she) should certainly think about other outlets for his creative talents (such as writing.) To put it another way, the role of the DM is to facilitate the story and cooperate with the players-- not to be the antagonist. I think a person should not be a DM if they just want to exert control over the characters and devise new ways to kill them.

While breathtaking stories, memorable NPC’s, exotic locations, and amazing descriptions all contribute to the entertainment of the players, the easiest and most important thing you can do is to focus on your players. Anarkeith’s post “Visible, Accessible, and Compelling” provides great advice. Here are a few additional tips:

• Involve the players in the game. A gaming session should be an interactive experience in which you create stories together with your players. If the players are given no decisions to make, they would probably have more fun reading a book.
• Make the player’s choices matter. Show the players how their actions affect the game world and the NPC’s. Again, your players are telling an interactive story with you. If the player’s have no opportunity to effect the game world, they could read a book instead.
• Don’t let the player’s characters be overshadowed. While powerful NPCs can have their hour on the stage, the game should focus on the PC’s and what happens to them. In some stories, the characters may be surrounded by powerful forces beyond their control but the story should still focus on how the characters get along in such a world (think about the four hobbits in Lord of the Rings.)
• Draw out the quiet players. Gamer personalities range from extremely outgoing to intensely introverted. If you see one player not contributing try to involve them. For example, you could ask them a low-stress, open-ended question such as what their character is thinking or feeling.
• Provide something for everyone. Get to know your player’s motivations and the character’s abilities and then provide opportunities for those interests to come forward. For example, if combat has been dominating game play, create a chance for the player who enjoys problem solving to shine.

In my opinion, while being DM is hard work and it’s certainly not for everyone frequently you will be your own worst critic. Don’t fret if you don’t do everything perfectly. If you simply focus first on ways for your friends to have a good time many of the challenges are much easier. In future articles I’ll provide more tips especially the importance of interactive stories in which the players are presented with choices and the consequences of those choices.