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!