In a recent comment (on How Should GMs Learn to GM?), TT reader mcv suggested that we start a Q&A forum for GMing questions — a place where GMs of all skill levels can come to ask questions, and have them answered by the TT community.

This is a great idea, and I’ve actually been thinking about it recently — but would it work on TT?

Because there’s nothing sadder than a ghost town forum, I don’t want to make this call on my own — what do you think? If this is something you’re interested in, read on!

For my part, I like this idea because (as mcv pointed out) as a single-author blog, discussion here necessarily revolves around the topics that I decide to write about.

What if you have a question? You can always email me (as people do), and I’ll try to be as helpful as I can — but why not have a forum just for questions?

That way, GMs of all skill levels could ask questions about GMing, and the TT community could answer them. It’s a powerful concept, and if it turned out well it could be a very useful resource for GMs.

My conception of a Q&A forum goes something like this:

  • I’d install PHPBB, or something similar, and set up a single forum, Q&A.
  • If you have a question, you register (once) for the forum and ask your question.
  • TT readers frequent the forum, as do I, and (hopefully) you get some great answers to your question!

Forums build a sense of community in different ways than blogs do, and they can be an excellent way to get to know fellow gamers. A Q&A forum here could also be a hotbed of post ideas for RPG bloggers (myself included!), and could spur your creativity — and make you think of questions you might not have thought of otherwise. In short, I see a lot of potential in the idea.

Naturally, I have a few concerns, too:

• The last thing I want to do is tack a ghost town messageboard onto TT — would enough GMs use a Q&A forum to make it worthwhile?

The Masters’ Council already exists for this purpose (among others), and unfortunately I don’t think it works particularly well. Would a Q&A forum here work any better?

• Forums require moderation to be worthwhile, and I worry about the potential time commitment — I wouldn’t want a forum to detract from being able to write TT!

…which leads to 4 questions for you, the TT community:

  1. 1. Would you ask questions in a Q&A forum for GMs?
  2. Would you answer questions from other GMs?
  3. Are you willing to help out with moderation? (If so, please email me.)
  4. Is this a good idea? Would something else (emailing me questions, which I then post on the main blog, for example) work better?

If a Q&A forum for questions about GMing is something you’d like to see here, let me know by answering those questions in the comments, or by emailing me directly.

My decision about this idea will depend almost entirely on the level of response to this post. I hope that doesn’t sound ominous — I’m just a bit wary of this idea!