Starting my journey with my first notebook

Peterfromfargo · 2019-10-06 19:42:53 UTC

I know you’ll think this is odd, but I find it strangely exhilarating not knowing what’s coming next.
-Raymond E. Feist

I grew up in a fundamentalist home where my parents lived in the 80s fear brought down by evangelicals of the time that games like D&D led to the occult and suicide. Now in my 40s I have the opportunity to take on table top RPG for the first time. I aspire to be a game master and bought a notebook to compile my thoughts and inspiration.

Drawing a quote from my favorite fantasy writer of all time, Raymond E. Feist who led me on this journey with the Magician novels when I was in 7th grade.

Looking for any advice you might have on what to include in this book - beit practical advice or flashes of inspiration.

As an apprentice game master I will henceforth be known as Arennas, the name of my elf Druid from my WoW days.

Looking forward to many adventures.

Khan · 2019-10-06 20:00:39 UTC

Welcome and may your journey be exciting!

Alex · 2019-10-06 20:01:42 UTC

Scribble all over that book. Give yourself permission to really make a mess of it. And include everything. Anytime you have a thought about anything hobby related, draw it, write it, scribble, doodle, map it, cross out, write again, draw arrows, smear stuff, and draw again.

I promise that one day you will look back at your work with such overwhelming fondness, you’ll wonder why you never started sooner.

Venteck · 2019-10-06 21:28:15 UTC

That thing should look like a scatter brained explorer’s field guide when you’re done with it!

skippy · 2019-10-06 23:37:59 UTC

Write, write, and write.

Know that this journal is the first of many.

You’ll probably dabble with lots of different ways to record, organize, and cross-reference your notes. BulletJournal is a popular mechanism, and worth exploring, but don’t let its prescriptions be too prescriptive: use what makes sense to you, and keep writing.

It’ll be an exciting journey!

Peterfromfargo · 2019-10-06 23:51:52 UTC

I’m going to use a loose form of bullet journaling,

ObisFaedux · 2019-10-07 02:51:45 UTC

Arennas. Your journey has begun. It will never end. It is an endless search for knowledge of the esoteric. Welcome, Ser, to the Fold. There is no turning back now.

Chaologic · 2019-10-07 13:21:52 UTC

Yes! The excitement and power is contagious!

Wreck that thing. Put all your ideas in there, don’t worry about chronology, setting, or anything: have a notebook that is expressly for wrecking. I have a journal like this one, and others I keep game notes in, and you can do the same so don’t treat this notebook as a frail, dainty thing. This notebook is steel you’re heating and hammering into the foundation of worlds and universes!

Hammer hard.

Peterfromfargo · 2019-10-08 04:12:28 UTC

Spent some time tonight filling out the start of the first few pages. Story ideas, bits of inspiration, a glossary for me to record new ideas…jotted down a few bits from bed time stories I’ve made up for my kiddos…looked at box art for old adventure games I played as a kid…just relaxed, having fun dreaming and remembering