The Category of Role Playing Creativity

I really like to write. Mostly I write poetry, and this I put a lot of effort into. My poems are formed and then edited like crazy to make sure every little part is intentional. I consider myself a poet, and believe that as such there are certain standards of quality I strive for. I found, by high school, that I cannot write very good fiction. Though I have on occasion written decent sci-fi, my plots are predictable and my characters bland. Yet I desire to express my creative nature. In this, I have discovered the artistic expression of Dungeons & Dragons.

As a Dungeon Master, I am required to plan an adventure for my players. What is wonderful is that this is not simply writing a story. For some reason, the art of writing fiction, coupled with the attempt to impress, challenge, and surprise a select group of people is wonderful. I do not worry about the proper dialogue and character depth too much, that is the job of my players. Instead, I get to use my thorough understanding of this magical setting to expand the minds of my players, and show them the fantasy world's possibilities. I have devised poems and riddles for my games, and have created puzzles, challenging combats, and tricky situations that have pleased my players, and left me feeling like I've created something great.

My art in this form lives only in the memories of my friends, and as such, much of my creation is lost. Some of the finer work however is immortalized in old stories remembered together, and times fondly missed. When I do not get to play D&D, I start to feel like Sherlock Holmes without a mystery. Though I will not take his solution and take up cocaine, I do start to feel I am not being true to my creative nature. I am so thankful that D&D has provided for me a way to express my creative nature in a fun, social way that brings enjoyment to my friends.

The only complaint is that the stats for zombies in D&D are lame, and I never use them.