Although I am not going to share the nature or details from my writing yesterday, I do want to share that I began to work on the game I have been talking about wanting to run since Roleplay Rescue began. The feeling of release and accomplishment in beginning was intense and positive.

My focus in roleplaying has been, for the longest time, upon exploring the fantastic worlds that we imagine as gamers. Over the years, however, I have held back from writing the worlds that have been bubbling around in my head for fear of the judgement of others. In other words, I could not even begin to sketch out notes – even if they were 100% private – because I was worried what others would say or think.

My ideas are not so much radical or in any way shameful as they are simply not what most people might expect from their gaming. I do not like to stay within the neat boundaries of genre and convention, nor do I particularly enjoy the staid tropes of the regular kind of game. But I have been too afraid for too long to make any kind of move towards investing in this different creation.

My key encouragement were the words of David Hargrave, of Arduin fame, who wrote often of trying new things and being prepared to take risks in our gaming. But more recently, as I have worked to overcome my anxiety and listened to the gamers with whom I play, I have felt encouraged to explore the games I truly want to play.

In so doing, I have discovered a deep well of joy and energy that I did not know was there. I have experienced a more intense excitement and creativity that has lain dormant for decades. For all of my past efforts to bring entertaining games to the table for my friends, never have I felt quite so free as I do after putting pencil to paper yesterday.

Here’s my advice: if you’ve been wanting to write your world then, please, for the sake of all that is creative do it. Take the plunge. Do not hold back. However crazy the idea might seem, even if it feels like it might not work, write it. Get it out into your experience, in front of you where you can see it and play with it.

You don’t have to share it any further, but I am willing to bet you will feel all the better for sharing it with yourself. Don’t hold back. Imagine YOUR world. Play YOUR game. Write it.

Game on!