GM Diary: Note Taking

Looking for a method to keep your campaign notes organized? Dawn walks you through her note taking journey.
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[@THEPELADOMASTER]

Since I play online, my "notebook" consists of a folder in my PC for the campaign. Inside that folder are .txt files with 1: world info. 2: NPCs. 3: places. 4: travel time and how long they spend in a particular place, like a travel log. Then, I have one folder for each session/quest. Inside those, I have maps, enemies, a .txt file with quick descriptions in case I forget something, or something must be explained, and a .txt with the notes for that session/quest. On the NPCs file in the main folder, I have notated every named NPC they meet, who they are, and the corresponding session where the party met them. If you're gonna have text files in your computer, don't have just one. You're gonna need several. .txt files weigh less than word documents. Or just have a software that helps organizing everything like One Note, where you can make folders within the document itself.

[@YourHumbleGameMaster]

It's great to see another GMs notebook. My notes are strewn across various books and google docs, I really need to get them all in one place! Thank you for the great video

[@CaravanTheatrePGH]

Oh wow, I hadn't thought to use the initiative tracker for hit points! I love my Rook and Raven campaign planner and your video sparked a few ideas to improve my note taking during and after the sessions. Keep up the good work. :D

[@sojournersawake]

If I write something down, I will recall it so much easier. I will write my ideas down and then translate them into google docs. I liked your video, and really enjoy hearing how DMs organize their sessions.

[@hollyredahan9924]

This was exactly what I went thru! (Going paper after starting in a word doc) Been in my Rook and the Raven planner for my newest homebrew and holy crap it's perfect. Thanks for this video!

[@andysimmons2648]

This is an excellent video about note taking. Thank you. As GM I found that a great deal was going on and I would miss stuff in my games so I took to recording things. The problem with that is that you then feel obligated to write everything down in your notes, which takes longer than the session lasted. I had to stop this stopped when a player said that did not wish to be recorded. Since then I’ve been in a bit of limbo. I did try Word, like you, but it gets very cumbersome. I’m now trying out Scrivener but only scratching the surface of it’s functionality. I do prefer hand written notes as it’s simpler and easy but my hand writing is pretty awful. (It a curse of us Lefties.)

[@wayner7263]

That looks more like a player diary than a gm campaign planner. If I may make a suggestion, go to an office supply store such as Office Max and get a daily planner binder. The one I used before going all digital was Cambridge daily planner 9" x 6". Mine came with a ruler and a hole puncher that could be attached to the rings. They make a lot of different types of sheets such as a variety of graph papers, line papers, and blank papers. The planner has a zipper on the side so that you can keep things inside safe. It has clear ziplock like bags (to keep things such as writing utensils). Basically, you can customize the daily planner any way you want. You can even port those sheets from the campaign diary with a little work.

[@Roll4Initiative]

Gotcha

[@donnkasten4111]

I know I’m late to the party but…. Thank you!!! As a dyslexic dude, I appreciate your tips on note taking for mother players and gm’s! And I want to encourage you to continue advocating for players with abilities that might be different from the “norm”.

[@Roll4Initiative]

So glad I can help! I think this hobby only gets better and better the more inclusive we can be

[@muzzynat]

I really love my r&r planner (happened to get the same cover as you as well), my issue is making myself USE IT IN GAME. I was always a bad note taker in highschool/college, I was able to remember details and got by fine without it- Now I have terrible handwritting and poor notetaking skills- Learn from me kids! Oddly enough, when I play I don't like paper notes, I use one note, but the encounter pages on the R&R planner are the best. (BTW For more complicated enemies, I use the spell card holders + Monster cards)

[@Roll4Initiative]

Yeah, I've started trying to go back through and clean up notes after session (or when I'm prepping the next session) since often during game the couple of things I write down are so obscure that I can't remember what I meant if I go back and read it several sessions later.

[@seanhillman1016]

I use a primary document on Google Docs or Word that has all the permanent information for the campaign. Then I use a 4x6 Card with brief session notes and take more notes in a notebook. Its not efficient lol. I feel as if I should tighten up my GM session tracking game a bit.

[@Roll4Initiative]

I tried using 4x6 cards, forgot to mention it in the video, but I ran into the same issue of misplacing them that I had with loose paper. I've thought about putting monsters on 4x6 cards and essentially making my own monster cards that I can reference, but that's going to take quite a bit of time.

[@seanhillman1016]

@@Roll4Initiative I tend to do it on a adventure by adventure basis. I have generic "Evil" cards for randoms I dont have a card for. But if I am putting a monster or NPC I will use again, I just make it before the adventure. So that saves me from making cards I may never need. Of course I Am going to back and re-do my format so it is a major undertaking in the works :) However, since I use a fixed init for creatures (Their Passive Perception + DEX mod if they have one) the cards work really well for cutting down on my in game work.

[@jordanbeard6687]

Love the video, but I have to say that I really love the system I stumbled upon and still use to this day. I use Google Docs for everything. I write a campaign summary in Docs, within that document I then link to each adventure which are also in Docs. Also everything for that campaign goes into a folder so I can find it all pretty quickly should I need to jump around. Then for session notes I will do a lot of things on paper (damage taken, use an initiative tracker on the DM screen, etc.) but a summary of those notes at the end of the session, and anything I know I will need for later goes into another document which is linked to in the adventure document. I used to put them just right into the adventure, but that made the adventure really long and hard to read later. So the session notes will have any NPC names/characteristics that I had to make up on the fly and a current status of the PC's and where they are in the adventure (also noted by where in the adventure the link to the note document is within the adventure, if the adventure ends up spanning 3 sessions I will then move the link to the new spot where they stopped). It makes a pretty streamlined system for me and I like how fast I can skip between things without a ton of scrolling or page flipping.

[@jordanbeard6687]

It's actually more complicated to explain it, than it is to set it up or use it. LOL.

[@TheEscapistartist]

I feel like I'm in the same boat, constantly trying new means of prep and note taking! As for monster stats, I actually have an excel template I use that has all of my encounters, creature stats, a party snapshot, experience calculator etc. I just filter on the encounter and have all my monsters ready. I can share it with you if you like!

[@Roll4Initiative]

That sounds intriguing

[@chrisspray666]

i use my computer to organize the pics i use for NPCs. I turn the screen to the players and swap between pics when they have dialogue. Also try to keep landscape up if they are just traveling etc. Keep a notebook for overall campaign arch, the session ideas, and to track points of interest that may reoccur. as well as scrap for hp tracking.

[@Roll4Initiative]

Cool! Do you find having the photos helps your players identify and recall info about the NPCs?

[@chrisspray666]

@@Roll4Initiative sure does. it also helps to keep things strait when they are talking to multiple NPCs in a conversation, i swap pics and they know who is talking to them.

[@komakon]

So awesome! Thank you sooo much for sharing, I can't wait to get my dm planner

[@An_RPG_Abstractionist]

Why not write out monster stats on index cards? I store the cards in a small box and pull them out as I need them. You can also use index cards for magic items and NPCs as well.

[@Roll4Initiative]

That's certainly one way to do it! Lots of options out there, this is just one more option.

[@dallassukerkin6878]

:grins: A very enjoyable discourse on a perennial DM'ing problem, dear lady. My campaign ran for knocking on for thirty years before everyone having families and careers dominating their lives caused it to falter into silence - so you can imagine just how much stuff there was in my collection of notes :lol:. I had two bookcases full of folders and books and an artists folio binder for all the campaign world maps :faints:. Sadly some of this has now mouldered rather as everything got stuck in the shed for several years ... and then 5e came along and tempted to try to create something for that rather than AD&D ... soooo ... start again! :mops brow:.

[@zechariahunderwood50]

Thank you that was very helpful!

[@MrSupermanbren007]

I love the video, Seeing the evolution of your note taking, makes me feel better about my experience taking notes. I ordered a MMCP and a MMCD from Rook and the Raven. I can't wait to use them. I was wondering if you have any tips for players taking notes?

[@Sunflowrrunner]

I'm getting ready to run my first campaign, I've been thinking about getting a rolodex or index card organizer for NPCs, stat blocks, index town locations, ect, with reference page numbers in the setting book/my notebook. I may checkout a pre-organized GM notebook, but I've been making separate areas for different types of notes as a player for a couple years.

[@MarvelX42]

Wow, you do sooooooooooooooooooooooo much more work then I do. lol

[@Roll4Initiative]

To each their own. I enjoy the prep process and tend to over prepare in general.

[@OtocinclusAffinis]

For me the best method of GM notetaking is Obsidian. If you are systematic with this tool you don’t have to remember anything really.

[@danielmalinen6337]

I wonder how this notetaking happens in the old-school way, since not all DMs accept electronic devices (none of them) within a radius of 10 meters from the game room in order to prevent unnecessary use of social media and tapping on the phone during the session. I myself have come across a couple of such cases when I have asked if I can use D&D Beyond and the dice app during the campaign so that I don't have to carry books and dice with me.

[@_nixxie_]

I am looking really hard at getting a rock & the Raven GM book. I have asked my partner for one for Christmas but I'm thinking I can't wait that long (I keep planning it out on their website). I'm currently using a Google Doc for my session planning and notes but I'm experiencing the same thing- finding it overwhelming. I'm someone who prefers having a printed version of things but it a bit harder when running an adventure module/adventure path.

[@kittyrobinson1793]

I use Cornell notes

[@kittyrobinson1793]

@69FOV I don't use them the standard way. The left column is a 'key' (e.g. an NPC's name) and the right side is the information about him. This gives me clarity when I type up my notes after the gaming session, and lets me know where I need more info. What is 'avid'?

[@kittyrobinson1793]

@69FOV no, I have no idea what avid is. I'll google it

[@chrislundgren182]

Nice video and channel I like the Notebook you bought so far but wonder if it is universal enough for me to still use it as I am running an OSRIC AD&D game? I play 5th as well but don't DM that system yet. But I have been using a simple notebook as I need to hand write everything down to help my ADHD brain to stay on task. So this Notebook you bought looks like a possible option.

[@Roll4Initiative]

There might be a few pages that aren't a direct fit but it's universal enough the majority works regardless of system

[@maxducoudray]

I think this video would have been even better if you spent less (or no) time covering all the things that didn’t work for you. Using that time to focus on the solution that works for you would improve clarity and allow more time for viewers to see details about the spreads in the book you’re using (it would help making a diy version of the same spreads in a blank notebook).

[@Roll4Initiative]

Ok

[@gimlithegrey4863]

400th like 😄