Writing Freeform Larps on DriveThruRPG

Well, that was a pleasant surprise. 

As well as an automated “… is now live for sale on DriveThruRPG.com” email, the people at DriveThruRPG sent me a nice note saying they liked Writing Freeform Larps, commenting that, “This is a very thorough guide, excellent work.”

They also gave me some suggestions (including one I thought I had done – my DriveThruRPG-fu needs work) and changed my account to verified.

So that was a lovely start to the day.

What is Writing Freeform Larps?

Writing Freeform Larps is my book that explains how I write my freeform larps.

You can buy it as a pdf from DriveThruRPG or Itch.io. I hope to have it available as a physical book from Lulu in the next week or two. (It’s delayed because I’m waiting for another check copy as I wasn’t happy with the cover on the last one.)

What is a freeform? Or a freeform larp?

Freeform larps are interactive roleplaying games involving anywhere from six to as many as eighty players, all with detailed character backgrounds. I (and others) have called them freeforms since the early 90s, and I find it hard to call them anything else.

Writing Freeform Larps is a 154-page book outlining a structured process for writing freeform larps, covering the initial concept through to running the game. Topics include writing plots and characters, character sheets, and rules and mechanics.

Examples of larps written this way include Hollywood Lies, Railways and Respectability, The Roswell Incident, Children of the Stars, Messages from Callisto, The Highgate Club, and Once Upon a Time in Tombstone. (There are more – these are off the top of my head.)

It’s also the process we recommend authors use when writing for Freeform Games.

Contents

1 Introduction: I briefly explain freeform larps and why I wrote the book.

2 The process: The ten-step process I use to write my freeform larps.

3 Character sheets: A detailed look at freeform character sheets.

4 Structure and events: How I structure my freeforms, from game start through to wrap.

5 Plots: My four-step process for planning and writing plots.

6 Characters: What makes a good freeform character?

7 Rules and mechanics: A discussion of freeform larp mechanics, including combat, romance, contingencies, crime and punishment, abilities—and more.

8 Running freeform larps: How I run a freeform larp.

Appendix A: Freeforms: Details of the freeforms mentioned in the text, along with links.

Appendix B: Abilities: Example abilities from several freeforms.

Appendix C: Other freeform styles: A discussion of other freeform styles, including horde games, workshop games and faction games.

Appendix D: Where to find more: Links to other resources.

The freeform writing process

This is a summary of my writing process (discussed in much more detail in chapter 2):

1. Concept and constraints: Ideas and setting boundaries.
2. Themes: What is the game about?
3. Character types: In broad-brush terms, who are the characters?
4. Outline characters: Characters in more detail – their public and private faces.
5. Character sheet layout: What the character sheet will look like.
6. Structure: Determining the freeform’s structure.
7. Plots: Writing plots – the heart of the process.
8. Rules and mechanics: Deciding on rules and mechanics.
9. Background: Writing the game background.
10. Finishing off: Getting it finished and ready to run.

(In reality, I hop between sections as the muse takes me. But the overall flow follows this process.)

Waiting for Lulu

Now I’m waiting for another copy from Lulu to check before publishing it there. 

(Update: Now available via Lulu!)