GM recruitment drives (& mentoring)
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Posted by derekguder
#1

I've been thinking about GM recruitment drives and the ideas about mentoring and here's a plan:


  • Gaming groups and companies looking for additional GMs are encouraged to start threads in the EO/GM forum explaining what they are looking for and what they are able to offer their volunteers.
  • Individual GMs willing to have someone shadow them and watch them run one or more games can also start threads offering and explaining what they will be running.
  • Aspiring GMs who want to shadow someone can start a thread explaining what they are looking for.

This will be annoucned to the EO/GM email list in an update before the holidays, likely in a week or two.

Then in early/mid-February we'll include some general announcements in email blasts encouraging general attendees to check out and get involved, explaining how they can run events on their own or pointing them to these threads if they want to join an established group.

The intent is to try a simple, straightforward approach to communication and recruitment. We would still be hoping to do other stuff as well, so this shouldn't be the only solution we attempt. 

Thoughts?

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by alphastream
#2

I like it as a first start. It also rewards companies and GMs who are paying attention! :-)

Posted by derekguder
#3

That's the hope. We'll see how it pans out :)

Anyone else have any thoughts or ideas? Should we just kick it off and see what happens?

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by aawgames
#4

AAW GAMES seeks GMs to run Pathfinder RPG and 5E compatible adventures at Gen Con!

Volunteers would run 1-2 games per day for 4-6 hours each and receive free digital subscriptions to Adventureaweek.com, PDF adventures, and their choice of print products as well as invites to private events (where I'll cover food costs) going on during Gen Con with various RPG industry folks.

Please inquire with Jonathan-(at)-aawgames.com

Thank you!

-Jonathan G. Nelson
AAW Games

 

Posted by derekguder
#5

You'll want to start a new thread, so it's clear and you can answer questions :)

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by firvulag
#6

Not to revive a dead thread or anything and I apologize if I missed an email or something that explained it.  But was anything ever done in regard to the OP's ideas?

On a personal note, I've been to Gen Con several years, but this will my first year submitting an event.  Any kind of resources or support in that area would be helpful to myself and any other potential (nervous) new event runners!!

Posted by derekguder
#7

Not yet. We'll be sending out an announcement soon, and hopefully that will spur folks into discussing it more, and lead to more GMs signing up to help.

And thanks for joining the club. I'm sure you'll do great - lots of folks here to give advice and remember: if you have a question, just ask us, either before the show or onsite at any HQ.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by brotherbock firvulag
#8

firvulag wrote:
On a personal note, I've been to Gen Con several years, but this will my first year submitting an event.  Any kind of resources or support in that area would be helpful to myself and any other potential (nervous) new event runners!!

Yup, just ask away. A lot of us here have been running games for years, we've found both good and bad ideas among us :)
 

Posted by mercy0403
#9

I would be interested in running OWoD but nervous about going it alone. I would like to run under a group. I have about 20 years with the system, 10 as a GM.

Posted by derekguder
#10

Many of Onyx Path's (the White Wolf licensee supporting the World of Darkness) events are run by the Wrecking Crew. You can see their schedule from last year here and you can find them on Facebook.

If you're looking for a group to join, you could start there. They're good people.

Or you could look for any other group whose events you have enjoyed and ask to join them and run your events under their banner.

Reach out to folks whose events you would like to be a part of. Worst case, they decline your offer but will appreciate you reaching out and letting them know you liked their work.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by unglitteringold
#11

My group has been talking a lot about encouraging GMs to get their feet wet (mostly because I've been maneuvering my other group members into becoming GMs in their own right :P).

Not this year, but possibly next, it would be nice to have the option on the event submission form to note that we are open to being shadowed. Then after events are posted potential-gms could search for who is open to being shadowed at the times the potential-gm is free, and reach out to that group/gm.

Posted by derekguder
#12

Shadowing is not something we have the infrastructure to really support, to be honest.

If that is something you are particularly interested in, I would just reach out to a gaming group or company that you particularly enjoy the events of and offer to run an event or two for them - and ask for detailed feedback in return.

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by dustythoreau derekguder
#13

derekguder wrote:
I've been thinking about GM recruitment drives and the ideas about mentoring and here's a plan:

  • Gaming groups and companies looking for additional GMs are encouraged to start threads in the EO/GM forum explaining what they are looking for and what they are able to offer their volunteers.
  • Individual GMs willing to have someone shadow them and watch them run one or more games can also start threads offering and explaining what they will be running.
  • Aspiring GMs who want to shadow someone can start a thread explaining what they are looking for.

This will be annoucned to the EO/GM email list in an update before the holidays, likely in a week or two.Then in early/mid-February we'll include some general announcements in email blasts encouraging general attendees to check out and get involved, explaining how they can run events on their own or pointing them to these threads if they want to join an established group.
The intent is to try a simple, straightforward approach to communication and recruitment. We would still be hoping to do other stuff as well, so this shouldn't be the only solution we attempt. 
Thoughts?
-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC


I think one of the hardest things about showing someone how to do something is that there are many styles/tastes that individual DM's have, and criticism as well (albeit healthy, or not, depending on who and what is being played), and I think a very open, general shadowing experience is probably the best way. I guess I'm just noting to keep that concept in mind, although I feel like what I'm commenting on is common knowledge already.

There are some individuals online who are interested in this topic exclusively, I know one in particular is Matt Coelville, and he's incredibly invested and gaining much popularity on YouTube (he was just in a podcast recently for WotC D&D). Here's a link to his channel, and I think I'll send him a link to this thread, see what he thinks.

Posted by derekguder
#14

Yeah, his videos are great, even as reminders for experienced GMs. I watch them pretty regularly as he puts them out.

Video help is awesome, but I do think there is also a space for hands-on experience, both in teaching and learning. Plus producing web videos takes the idea further away from a realm that I have any direct control over :)

-
Derek Guder
Event Manager
Gen Con LLC

Posted by mu skulls frank unglitteringold
#15

unglitteringold wrote:
My group has been talking a lot about encouraging GMs to get their feet wet (mostly because I've been maneuvering my other group members into becoming GMs in their own right :P).
Not this year, but possibly next, it would be nice to have the option on the event submission form to note that we are open to being shadowed. Then after events are posted potential-gms could search for who is open to being shadowed at the times the potential-gm is free, and reach out to that group/gm.

I like this idea! In the meantime I'll be at Gen Con 2017 running games for the MU Skulls. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you'd like to arrangements for a GM shadow with me at the convention.
 

Posted by trace_sl
#16

For GM recruitment, think I would hit up some of the GM workshops each year.  Have someone drop by and provide information for being a Gen Con GMs and volunteering.     

Posted by unglitteringold trace_sl
#17

trace_sl wrote:
For GM recruitment, think I would hit up some of the GM workshops each year.  Have someone drop by and provide information for being a Gen Con GMs and volunteering.     
Maybe some of us could work together to just run workshops so that Gen Con doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting on GM recruitment?
LoC is running a few GM Workshops this year about general word building/plot building, but I'd be down for organizing some events next year specifically to encourage people to run at Gen Con. 
We could even set something up the way Iron GM does where you have people sign up to be GM's and others to be players. The GMs could come early to workshop adventures, then we bring in people who understand that these are "teaching events" where the GMs are new to running at Gen Con?

Posted by trace_sl unglitteringold
#18

unglitteringold wrote:
trace_sl wrote:
For GM recruitment, think I would hit up some of the GM workshops each year.  Have someone drop by and provide information for being a Gen Con GMs and volunteering.     
Maybe some of us could work together to just run workshops so that Gen Con doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting on GM recruitment?
LoC is running a few GM Workshops this year about general word building/plot building, but I'd be down for organizing some events next year specifically to encourage people to run at Gen Con. 
We could even set something up the way Iron GM does where you have people sign up to be GM's and others to be players. The GMs could come early to workshop adventures, then we bring in people who understand that these are "teaching events" where the GMs are new to running at Gen Con?

Do it Wednesday as open gaming. 

Posted by sabel
#19

Run a game on Wed is great no pressure no guilt, make a sign and run a pickup game of your favorite system, there are always people looking to fill time. 
I am running games Thur and Fri [L5R, FFG Star Wars, and a large multi GM 8 hr D&D 4E event all day friday] if people want to witness GMing come on over! [in RL I m a teacher :) and I have 23 years working with teens I can help people that would like to learn how to run work through the process.

If there is interest in making a panel of GMs to help get people to sign up events I would be happy to join [as long as I am not running something] and next year we could pool a group of people together to run a seminar if that would interest potential GMs.

Now back to work on this years stuff!

Posted by unglitteringold
#20

"Wednesday events do not provide any credit towards qualifying for a complimentary badge or hotel room, 
or any kind of reimbursement or payment"

But if enough GMs were willing to help be "mentors" I would be willing to organize a Wed event for new GMs next year. 

[email protected] is my gaming group contact. I can put together an email list of GMs and we could chat over the next year.

Maybe we could meet up at the Stink this year and talk about it?

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