Solo RPG Journaling—Easier Than You Might Think!
How to start writing your first solo RPG actual play (if you need a little help)
Introduction
A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to stumble into the fascinating world of solo tabletop RPGs, and after some false starts, I’m happy to say that I’ve officially begun my very first solo campaign!
I chose Shawn Tomkin’s excellently designed Ironsworn as my first solo RPG, and after making my way through its rulebook and reading about the clever mechanics and methods the system offers for crafting a compelling narrative, I knew that not only did I want to play this game, but I also wanted to document my experience so I could save it for myself and also, hopefully, share it with others.
Before I started my premier Ironsworn campaign, I looked at a lot of existing actual plays to find examples of how I could go about recording my sessions, and while it was amazing to see the creativity and passion that people pour into their games, it was also a bit intimidating!
A lot of written solo actual plays you’ll find on the internet are composed like novels, filled with paragraphs of intricate prose. And while the prospect of creating something similarly impressive was appealing to me, I wasn’t certain that I’d have the time, attention span, or literary dexterity to write a mini-novella every time I sat down to play a session.
So for my Ironsworn campaign, I decided not to do that. I picked what I perceived to be an easier method, and I’m sharing a few key takeaways from my experience in the hopes that they’ll help you overcome any hesitation you might feel about starting your own written actual play.
Three Easy Tips
Conveniently enough, one short excerpt from my campaign’s first session concisely illustrates three suggestions I’d give to anyone who wants to create an actual play but is intimidated by the thought of having to write reams of prose.
1. Use bullet points!
Crafting paragraphs of text to describe every scene of your story can be very time-consuming. If you don’t get a ton of intrinsic joy from the writing process, don’t be afraid to use bullet points to outline the key details and events of your session. You can always go back later and expand upon your outlines if you’d like.
2. Use placeholders!
When I play a solo RPG, one of my goals is to keep the game moving. Getting stuck on minutiae can kill the momentum of your session.
If you have an idea that feels right for your story, jot it down, and if you don’t have every detail worked out in your head just yet, put in a placeholder to remind yourself to come back to the idea later. I like to use words in ALL CAPS to draw my attention to placeholders in my outlines.
3. Keep it playful!
“She takes 10 embarrassment points” is a winking reference to an early episode of The Adventure Zone, a popular RPG actual play podcast that was my introduction many years ago to the world of Dungeons & Dragons. The quote has nothing to do with Ironsworn or its mechanics, but it was a line that came to me in the moment and made me chuckle, so I wrote it down.
It’s totally valid to keep the mood serious if that’s the vibe you want for your campaign, but if you tend to feel self-conscious about the idea of playing an RPG by yourself, injecting some lighthearted humor into your sessions can be a great way to stay relaxed and let yourself have fun with your game.
Conclusion
I hope these tips are helpful if you’re on the fence about creating a written solo RPG actual play. Documenting your game sessions can be an immensely fulfilling experience, allowing you to express yourself creatively while saving the priceless memories of your adventures in a way that is uniquely yours.
If you have any thoughts on the ideas I’ve shared or other tips for people new to the world of solo RPG actual plays, leave them in the comments!
When I started solo play last year I wrote out everything but I noticed it was killing my vibes while trying to make the game progress. I love to write but realized I was overdoing it. So I did what you did. Bullet points, keywords, reminders to extend on the story when I write my newsletter. I love my new way much better. 😊😊 great suggestions btw!
Great article. Ironsworn is an incredible game. I've always found it fascinating how rolling on random tables can create a cohesive story in our minds.
It's odd how self-conscious solo play can make you feel. Afterall, there's literally no one there to see. Still, I totally know the feeling.
While I'm actively using solo RPGs as a writing tool, and loving it, there's no single right way to play. The main thing is to have fun.