Impostor Syndrome is a hell of a thing. I don't know a GM that doesn't suffer from it from time to time, and it lays even the best of us low from time to time. So how do you deal with it?
For those who don't know what it is: impostor syndrome is the general feeling that you're a giant fraud, you have no talent or skill, and it's only a matter of time before you're found out.
With GMs it comes up as you add nothing to your games. Your players are the reason the game has been fun so far. Soon they're going to figure out that you add nothing. Your plots are weak. Yours tory in shambles. Your NPCs uninspired.
It sucks.
So how do you fight it?
I'm lucky enough to have players that are very vocal with their gratitude for me running games, and invest enough they always have something going on to talk about and get into to help me plot or if I ever get stuck.
I've also managed to recognize when Impostor Syndrome is kicking in, which helps to face it.
How about you?
Thankfully, DMing is one of the few areas where I don't suffer from it. Real life? All the time. DMing? It's my playing ground where I'm allowed to try out stuff, mess everything up and learn to deal with it.
ReplyDeleteI used to feel this way about GMing, even after being a GM for 20+ years, until I ran all those L5R RPGs at GenCon. Since then, I have been copacetic about GMing.
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