What I look for in a GM

The biggest factor in a role playing experience isn't which system you use, or where you play, or even the quality of your snacks. It's the people you play with. And the person who has the biggest effect on the experience is the game master. Different games call it different things: Narrator, Storyteller, Dungeon Master. Actually, the "X Master" formula is rather common in these games, with X being something integral to the game, usually part of the title.
Being a good GM is both a lot easier and a lot harder than most people think. You don't have to be an accomplished writer, or a brilliant actor, or even capable as either. What you do need is dedication to making sure the players have a good time. That means keeping the game moving and giving the players what they want. Here are a few tips on doing the above:
1. Do the prep work. I know it's not fun, but making sure you know any special rules you'll need, as well as having pages for whatever you need marked and ready for quick reference does wonders for you games. The last thing you want to do is be sitting at a table trying to find the paragraph about Medusa's petrifying gaze while your players sit there twiddling their thumbs.

2. Drive the players. Don't let your players be passive. Some people are always going to be more outspoken than others, but don't let the group just sit there. When somebody's turn in combat comes up, let them know immediately, and keep looking at them until they finish their turn. When the party bogs down making a decision, kick them along a little. Make an explosion in the distance. Have a tunnel collapse. Make one of the choices obvious. You shouldn't do this every time the party disagrees, but if more than five minutes go by without the players doing something, get the ball rolling again. If you lose momentum, they'll lose interest.

3. Play consistently. Find a time when all your players can make it every week and stick to that. If someone can't make it that week, play without them. If someone's going to be late, start without them. It's great if you can get the group to meet at a different time, but don't exclude someone from the game because they can't make that time. The regular time should be changed only if everyone can make that time. Also stick to one campaign. I know it's tempting to start up a new game every time you have a great idea, but your players will get really tired of never being able to develop a character properly because you can't commit to a game.

4. Find out what the players want and give it to them. If the players want to do an Ocean's Eleven style heist, don't put them into a military game. Unless it's a Kelly's Hero style military game. They'd like that. Keep that example in mind. If you want to run one style of game, and your players want to play in another, try and combine the two. See if there are any sources that have already done this. If so, steal like the place is going out of business.

5. Give the players the opportunity to be awesome. Yeah, a complex plot full of intrigue and three dimensional characters is great, but some days you just want to hurt something. If you've set up an elaborate and dramatic court scene for the conclusion of your Gothic horror campaign involving multiple coup d'etas and a mind breaking revelation about one of the players, and the parties drunken master bursts into the throne room, ninja kicks the two bodyguards, and then blows a gout of flaming alcohol into the vampiric baron's face, run with it. He obviously wants to get on with the violence, and if the other players are half as flamboyant, you're going to see a fantastic floor show. Don't completely jettison your plans, but be flexible enough to let the players handle things their way.

6. Manage the number of players you have. This can be a real problem, depending on the type of group you hang out with. Any more than five players is going to be difficult to keep focused. I've seen it done, and done well, but it's difficult, and usually not very satisfying for the people involved.

Lastly, I want to again direct you attention to this column. It's now defunct, but it's still a very good primer for anyone interested in running a game. That's it for me. Keep these six points in mind, and your players will have no reason to break your knees. See you in 48.