Want to write epic content for your favorite tabletop roleplaying games, but don't know where to start? Start here!

Write, produce, and publish your first one-shot tabletop roleplaying adventure in this one-month-long, self-paced workshop! 

November 1-30, 2021

What is a "one-shot adventure"?

By the end of this workshop, you'll have written, produced, and published a 3,500-word adventure for your favorite ttRPG game system.

A one-shot adventure is a tabletop roleplaying game module that can be played and completed in one game session (think 4-6 hours). A one-shot is a great first step toward writing longer ttRPG content. We provide deadlines and structure so that you can stay on scope, finish your project, and build your ttRPG portfolio!
A woman with dark curly hair sits at a desk writing in a notebook. She gazes out the window over her shoulder. Above her floats a thought bubble, which contains a castle and a dragon.

Register for Your Adventure Path:

  • $35.00

    Write Your First Adventure | DMs Guild Path | Fall 2021

    Sponsored by DMs Guild
    Register for $35

  • $35.00

    Write Your First Adventure | Call of Cthulhu Path | Fall 2021

    Sponsored by Chaosium
    Register for $35

  • $35.00

    Write Your First Adventure | Fall 2021

    General Path
    Register for $35

The workshop begins on November 1st, 2021!

Register now to begin your writing adventure

  • 00 Days
  • 00 Hours
  • 00 Minutes
  • 00 Seconds

In this workshop, you'll learn how to...

  • Develop a Writing Process

    Make writing an important part of your life with tools and systems that work for you.

  • Outline and Mindmap

    Organize your narrative and mindmap the potential threads of your story.

  • Craft a Narrative

    Write an engaging narrative, including how to create villains, NPCs, and settings.

  • Edit and Revise

    Edit and revise your work, receive feedback, and implement changes.

  • Playtest

    Playtest your module, gather feedback, and make data-driven improvements.

  • Design and Layout

    Design your document and cover, and prepare your adventure for publishing.

Plus, your registration includes:

Support, encouragement, community, and additional resources

  • 24/7 Chat

    Join the Discord channel to share ideas, receive feedback, and brainstorm with fellow writers.

  • Pep Talks from the Pros

    Get advice, inspiration, tips, and tricks from some of the industry's most prolific creators.

  • Downloadable Templates

    Download templates and resources to aid in your writing and playtesting.

And... the digital RPG Writer Workbook!

All participants will receive a free, interactive digital workbook to guide their writing, for use on desktop or mobile devices.
The orange and green RPG Writer Workbook cover is visible on an iPad screen.

Pick Your Path

Choose from one of three paths to guide your adventure writing

The Call of Cthulhu Path

Sponsored by Chaosium

The Storytelling Collective partnered with Chaosium to produce our Call of Cthulhu path! Learn from prolific CoC author Paul Fricker to write and publish your own cosmic horror adventure.

Instructors: Paul Fricker, Nicholas Johnson, Ashley Warren, Christopher Walz, Jessica Marcrum, Yubi Coates
Register for the Call of Cthulhu Path - $35

The Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Path

In partnership with Dungeon Masters Guild

Learn how to write and produce epic D&D 5e adventures! This path is designed for aspiring D&D writers who dream of publishing their adventures to Dungeon Masters Guild and forging a career in D&D writing.

Instructors: Jessica Marcrum, Nicholas Johnson, Jacky Leung, Grady Wang, Sebastian Yue, Nimgyu, Beatriz Dias, Yubi Coates, Anthony Joyce, Justice Arman, Alicia Furness, Alison Huang, Bianca Bickford, Christopher Walz, Ashley Warren
Register for the D&D Path - $35

The General Path

Want to write for a different game system, or develop your own? This is the path for you! You'll follow the same structure we've outlined for every path, and we'll provide guidance on writing adventures for (almost) any game system for writers who want to publish to platforms like DriveThruRPG or Itch.io.

Instructors: Cat Elm, Imani Dean, Jessica Marcrum, Nicholas Johnson, Jacky Leung, Grady Wang, Sebastian Yue, Nimgyu, Beatriz Dias, Yubi Coates, Justice Arman, Alicia Furness, Alison Huang, Bianca Bickford, Christopher Walz, Ashley Warren
Register for the General Path - $35

Overview of the Curriculum by Path

Curious about what is included in each path?
Here's a table to guide your decision-making:

Lesson

System Agnostic

Free
Getting Organized
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Setting a Project Scope
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Better Brainstorming
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Creating Your Living Document
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Designing for Accessibility
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Studying ttRPG Style Guides
✔️
✔️
✔️
Exploring Themes and Motifs
✔️
✔️
✔️
Designing Narrative Choice and Obstacles
✔️
✔️
✔️
Outlining and Mindmapping
✔️
✔️
✔️
How to Go from Outline to Draft
✔️
✔️
✔️
Writing an Introduction 
✔️
✔️
✔️
Creating NPCs and Quest-Givers
✔️
✔️
✔️

Creating Villains and BBEGs
✔️
✔️
✔️
Incorporating Maps/Handouts
✔️
✔️

Writing Great Boxed Text (Sponsored by Dscryb)

✔️


The Five-Senses Guide to Creating Atmosphere
✔️
✔️
✔️
Worldbuilding Activity
✔️
✔️
✔️
Using a Template to Emulate D&D 5e Trade Dress
✔️

Using a Template to Emulate CoC Trade Dress


✔️


Playtesting 101
✔️
✔️
✔️
Editing Basics
✔️
✔️
✔️
Designing an Eye-Catching Cover
✔️
✔️
✔️
Layout Basics and Best Practices
✔️
✔️
✔️
Marketing Basics
✔️
✔️
✔️
Being a Good Community Creator
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Publishing Day Checklist and Course Wrap-Up
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️

Register for Your Adventure Path:

  • $35.00

    Write Your First Adventure | DMs Guild Path | Fall 2021

    Sponsored by DMs Guild
    Register for $35

  • $35.00

    Write Your First Adventure | Call of Cthulhu Path | Fall 2021

    Sponsored by Chaosium
    Register for $35

  • $35.00

    Write Your First Adventure | Fall 2021

    General Path
    Register for $35

Free Path

Not sure if the workshop is right for you?

Sign up for the Free Path to join the Discord server and get access to helpful free content, including eight lessons in the workshop and the pep talks from industry experts!
Register for Free Path

FAQ

  • What do you mean by "self-paced"?

    The lessons in this workshop unlock over the course of the month. (Check out the full schedule in the course.) This means that you can log in when you're able to log in and complete the lessons on your own schedule, any time during the month of November!

  • When does this workshop take place, and do I have to be online at a specific time?

    The workshop takes place from November 1st to November 30th. You do not have to be online at any specific time; we have a global community and scheduled classes are unfeasible. The lessons unlock on UTC time, but you're encouraged to complete them on your own schedule. We provide suggested deadlines to keep you on track.

  • What is the format of the lessons?

    In this course, all lessons are written (like blog posts/articles). Each lesson in the workshop's four units includes activities to guide your learning.

  • Where does this course take place?

    Right here on this website. On November 1st, just simply pop over here to StorytellingCollective.com and log in. The course will be available in your account!

  • Who the heck are you?

    The Storytelling Collective team and instructors are all prolific, passionate ttRPG creators. This is the 8th time we've hosted this course; more than 8,000 writers have taken our workshops since we started in 2018.

Our generous sponsors make these programs possible

DOTS RPG logo is black outlined text with a transparent background
David Glass Cartography

Curious to know what kinds of adventures are created during the workshop?

More than 8,000 writers from around the world have participated in this workshop. Check out the bundles we've assembled after previous sessions to see what kind of work is produced during the month!

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Join the RPG Writer Workshop Discord

Get help and support from our global community of writers! Our alumni agree that the Discord server is one of the most valuable assets of the workshop.
Join the Discord server
A man with dark hair in a partial bun sits at a desk that floats subtly up and down. He types on a Macbook. Behind him are the faint outlines of picture frames and a folder with a cloud icon on it.

Here's what RPG Writer Workshop alumni have to say:

Christopher Harding (@Xanethlyon)

RPG Writer Workshop Participant

Joining the RPG Writer Workshop has been the most fulfilling and welcoming experience that I've had in a long time. The connections and friends made, the knowledge gained and the confidence I have has grown. I've gone from being unpublished (and no writing projects), to 2 adventures, 3 supplements, a few collaborative projects, as well as charity bundles in just 7 months. I highly recommend joining the discord and the courses whenever possible. They've proven invaluable for getting my foot in the door and learning how to be a TTRPG writer.

TL Massey (@tlmasseywrites)

RPG Writer Workshop Participant

The RPGWW is not only a fantastic little community, it's also a powerhouse of project management for first-time TTRPG writers. Even if you're an experienced writer or illustrator, the RPGWW framework is a great new way to think about a module from start to finish. Best part about the community? You have baked in real-time access to peers and resources to make your debut into the TTRPG scene. Bonus: You'll still have them when you stick around after you publish module #1. I'm very pleased with how much I've been able to get done since I joined.

Matthew Wulf

RPG Writer Workshop Participant

The Write Your First Adventure workshop gave me the tools, motivation, and communal resources to publish my first TRPG adventure. The importance of having a defined goal every day cannot be overstated. This course will make you a better author and a better game master, guaranteed.

Michael Reid, MikeReidWrites.com

RPG Writer Workshop Participant

The RPG Writer Workshop is the perfect starting point for writers breaking into the tabletop industry. The structure of the course provides a strong foundation for developing each individual's method for writing TTRPG material, while the encouraging instructors and fellow students offer something even more important: community. Crafting my first adventure for the DMs Guild, "False Profits," as part of the July 2020 RPG Writer Workshop was a transformative experience for me as a new independent TTRPG writer. I can't recommend it enough!

Level Up Your Game Design

Continue learning about ttRPGs with the Storytelling Collective