The Truth of Being A Paid Gamemaster

When we were young, we used to dream of doing gamemaster as a job. For the past year, I have run paid sessions of NUNA and Coyote & Crow at a big game store here in Vancouver. I was slated to run Stormbringer 1E today, but not enough people signed up.

So instead,  I thought I'd share my experiences of being paid to run a roleplaying game.

First thing you need to know is...

It's Not For The Money

Unless you have a corporate retreat or team building gig, you won't support yourself GMing for cash. My hourly rate is just above minimum wage and less than half of what I make teaching. Even if you could get a higher rate, it would be difficult to cobble together enough hours to support yourself. And like teaching or counselling, interacting with people at work is an exhausting experience because...

You Are Always Dealing With Baggage

Paying customers bring LOTS of baggage to games. I have had players ask to get a free success after a few failed rolls, or to have me let them be the hero. Some have only played one system, and some have never played at all. Others have their beloved system and find it hard switching to another game. I've had people fake rolls, use the wrong dice, etc etc. That said, I have had a ton more positive experiences than negative. But still, these little hiccups are part and parcel of the experience, and something you will have to deal with calmly. Other important abilities you will need are...

Preparation & Improvisation Skill

As with friend gaming circles, preparation and improvisation are huge drains on time and energy. I prepare a situation, then let the players come in and trash it. I am not stuck on one solution to a problem, and both accept interesting player solutions while coaxing them away from useless or disruptive courses of action. I also minimize my preparation by streamlining NPC or monster stats, and having a guide to relative strengths so I can ad lib encounters. This lets me be very improvisational in ways that respond to player choices and which guide the adventure to a satisfying conclusion in the 3.5 hour session time limit. I think response to my style has been positive, but even still...

Cancellations Happen

I was supposed to run Stormbringer 1E today, but only a few people signed up. I offered the session 2 weeks ago, which is a bit short, and with the end of summer people are probably preferring to spend time at home before work and school starts up again. So between the season, popularity of a game, and personal preferences, there are a lot of reasons a game might be cancelled. My NUNA and Coyote & Crow filled up super quick, so I see my games as more of a way of...

Building Community

It has been VERY nice to meet players interested in indigenous gaming, and people who bring their best performance to the table. I think this shows also what games or styles are likely to get more people to sign up here in Vancouver. Stormbringer is just too niche and Eurocentric, probably. But in general, I regard paid GMing as...

A Growing Need

Paid gamemaster is like being a video game tester. Someone needs to go to the corner of level 3 and jump 25 times to see if there is a bug, so let's pay an intern to do it until they get sick and quit. (I know a game designer how did this and it sounds terrible indeed) Paid GM is not that bad, but it is not a cakewalk either.

I think there are 2 markets where you have a good chance of getting steady work. The first is naturally running D&D 5E. I don't know what the game itself is like, but it is a marketing juggernaut that many have been programmed to believe represents the hobby. I see lots of stores and programs looking for DMs, so if that is your bag and you have the interest and ability, you should look into it if you live in an urban center that has stores or spaces that support such an activity.

The other would be running new, indie, or community oriented (ie LGBTQ) games for a cult audience. I think you would enjoy yourself more and meet a gamut of interesting folks, so the money would just be gravy.

Anyway, paid GM is no longer fantasy, so contact your FLGS or put up flyers and best of luck!

My Plans

With school and work impending, I don't think I'll run more than a game a season. I am slowly getting Giri-Ninjou ready for (hopefully) Kickstarter in November, so definitely run that in a store if I can. Lots of Asians and weebs here in Vancouver, so wish me all the luck I wish you.