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Getting out of a Slump: Advice for the Unexcited GM

I was reading this article over at Gnome Stew this morning and started thinking about the dreaded slump.  I think all GMs find themselves in a state where the excitement just isn't quite there anymore.  Along those lines I thought I would share the strategies that have worked form me.


  1. Take it up a notch.  This, by far, is the strategy I am most likely to deploy.  Instead of putting together a set of encounters, lather, rinse, repeat, try planning something totally different.  Take one of those crazy ideas you have been saving for later and use it now.  Intense, crazy, unexpected scenarios not only recharge your own skills, but they can bring a new sense of life to the players that is contagious.
  2. Take a break.  When you have a slump, sometimes you just need to take a break.  A break, even a short one, can give your own creativity and imagination time to catch up with you.  During the break, I suggest lots of reading of both RPG and non RPG materials.  Even movies and old TV series can become an inspiration for what you might want to try next.
  3. Be a player.  Turn the table around and be a player for a while.  I find my recent Pathfinder game where I am a player does a lot to refocus me to a whole new view of the game.  As a player, even a linear set of expected events can become rich and interesting if the characters are interacting in creative ways.  As a GM, this inspires me to pump up my NPCs a bit.
  4. Write.  When I really need to get myself thinking in the right way again, I sometimes turn to writing.  By focusing (or maybe not focusing) on a story I control completely, I can explore some new aspects of character and plot interaction that might inspire me to get back into my games.  And, if not, writing in itself is a useful thing.  My novel is about half done now.
  5. Engage your players.  When you're in a slump, its time to talk to your players.  What they want in the game may surprise you and might challenge you in a way that you didn't expect.  See what they have to say.
  6. Fiddle with the Formula.  When things get boring, fiddle with the formula.  Your group might not want to change systems, but maybe you can pick up an aspect of another system and adapt it to your game.  Personally, I am itching to get the materials for Burning Wheel (for Christmas or my birthday, maybe?) so I can learn enough to maybe run Burning Wheel (not real likely) or at least pick up some of the ideas and integrate them into my Pathfinder games.
  7. Hit the Reset Button.  When things get old, a new start can do a lot.  Stop your old game, reschedule to a new day, pick up some new players, grab a totally new scenario (maybe even a new system) and see what happens.  There are bound to be some new and exciting things that emerge.
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