How To Make Someone Feel Welcome At Your Table

My takeaways from GMing 3 Black Halflings

I had the great privilege of GMing for 3 Black Halflings and I wanted to share some ways they made the process wonderful for me as a newcomer to their table.

I love performing. Going into a call with these highly professional folx caused my heart to swell 3x its normal size. I laughed for 3 hours. I felt so much joy just to be invited to the table, but then when I got there… it was amazing.

What Jeremy, Liv, and Jasper did to make me feel welcome:

• The atmosphere in the call was really warm and open to my guidance.

• Leading up to the game each of the players expressed their excitement and enthusiasm with the handouts I’d given them in the lead-up.

• They each filled out a safety/consent checklist and explained to me what sort of story they were interested in telling.

• Jeremy reassured me that I was a great GM and that I didn’t get to where I was by being mediocre. (He’d never played with me, he’d made the judgment call on my reputation, I believe.)

  • Reassurances for GMs or players who are self-conscious are sometimes really needed.

• Liv & Jasper let me know during my break time check-ins that I was doing really well and then asked how I felt about the show thus far.

  • Opening themselves up to hearing me voice insecurities meant a lot to me in those moments.

• Jeremy shot me a message post-game telling me that he thinks people are gonna really like the episode.

Sometimes I mention my imposter syndrome. I’d had an epiphany when I literally said to my therapist “I can’t have imposter syndrome, I haven’t done enough yet.”

What I’d done in 2022:

• Worked as a content manager as a side gig

• Founded my LLC and led my business to:

  • 51k revenue in my first year

  • Projecting 90-110k for 2023

  • Ranked in the top 3 pro GMs on StartPlaying Games year-round

• Was a panelist & GM for Kobold Press at GenCon

• Started a podcast & mailing list

• Built and developed The Vineyard RPG with my co-creator M Ebel

Yet still I have these brain goblins telling me that I haven’t done enough. Every day I finish work I look at my to-do list and guilt trip myself for not doing more. It’s wild!

So if I’m gonna give y’all any advice out there, it is: Be cool like 3 Black Halflings. Be kind. Make great entertainment.

Check out 3 Black Halflings on Patreon for ad free content, YouTube, Twitter, and follow Jeremy, Liv, and Jasper on Twitter!

I’ll be releasing the Dollars & Dragons interview with Jasper William Cartwright on the same day that our game of Thirsty Sword Lesbians premieres on 3BH. Stay tuned!