This guest post was written by Pamela Eisenberg
I’m a writer, a performer, an occasional gamer, and a nerd. That means my social circles form a giant Venn diagram with Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) in the middle.
Somehow, however, I had never played D&D myself. Then my D&D-obsessed partner moved in with me, and I started observing his weekly game. That’s when I realized that rolling dice and describing attacks are only part of the Dungeons & Dragons experience.
D&D is collaborative storytelling.
It involves creating characters, building worlds, and telling an action-packed story that leads to a climax—usually (but not always) a confrontation with the primary antagonist.
I started to see direct parallels between writing fiction and playing D&D. Many of the skills that lead to an engaging, memorable D&D campaign are the same skills that lead to a gripping novel.
To get more insight into the storytelling elements of Dungeons & Dragons, I interviewed a panel of experts: my partner, Sam, along with his D&D-enthusiast friends Ryan and Eric. They all have extensive experience as players and as Dungeon Masters (DMs).
If you write fiction, these D&D-inspired storycraft tips can tighten your narrative and bring your characters to life—whether you’re an avid D&D-er, play on occasion, or have never played.
A quick D&D primer for the uninitiated
Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game where players form an adventuring party and go on quests or campaigns. No two games are exactly alike because the game relies on the creativity and improvisation of the players and the Dungeon Master. The DM is defined, according to D&D Beyond, as “the game’s lead storyteller and referee.”
Here’s how the game works:
- Establish the world and its rules. Before the game begins, the DM sets parameters for the world, deciding geography, location, social norms, laws of physics, monsters, nonplayer characters (NPCs), and more. Many pre-built modules exist for DMs to start from, but some DMs prefer to create everything from scratch.
- Create characters for the campaign. Each player invents their own character and fills out a character sheet, which they share with the DM. They choose a class category (paladin, bard, barbarian, druid . . . the list goes on) and write a detailed account of a character’s abilities, personality, backstory, and more.
- Embark on a storytelling quest. The DM leads the adventure, describing the world, embodying NPCs, and narrating situations. The DM will also ask players to roll dice throughout the game to inform the outcome of some actions. Players decide what their characters will do and say in response. The DM determines the results of players’ actions by consulting game rules, their imagination, and dice rolls.
At its core, D&D is a game of creativity and improvisation within a set of boundaries.
WORLDBUILDING: Deep dive but be strategic
Worldbuilding sets the foundation for the characters and plot of any story. Dungeon Masters do a lot of pre-game worldbuilding prep because they don’t know how the players are going to choose to interact with the world. So they need to be prepared to narrate any situation the player may decide to explore.
In Dungeons & Dragons and fiction writing alike, effective worldbuilding creates an immersive, consistent experience without overwhelming the audience with unnecessary detail.
Build enough to establish scope and keep your story consistent
For many DMs, worldbuilding begins with creating a map because that dictates what type of situations can take place. “Having a map allows you to keep things in scope. If you start out with an island, you’re not going to have intergalactic business going on,” Eric pointed out.
Once you’ve established the scope of your story, you’re ready to flesh out the world’s geography, weather, forms of government, history, background characters, etc. Anything, as Eric asserted, “that will help me keep an internal consistency within the world.”
Consistency is important to avoid confusing the audience (boy, do people love to point out consistency errors in books and movies). But apart from that, planning out those elements helps a DM improvise if players make an unexpected choice. And it helps authors create situations and conflict that feel natural within the world of the story.
It’s easy to go overboard with worldbuilding, so don’t let the planning stages delay the actual writing process for too long. Plan out enough big-picture elements to create a framework, and the smaller details can come later.
Let your audience discover the world
Whether you’re running a D&D campaign or writing a novel, you have to keep your audience in mind when deciding which details to describe, and which details stay in your planning notebook. Ryan summed this up succinctly: “No one wants to listen to five minutes of mountain detail.”
He learned this lesson the hard way. Ryan spoke candidly about why he felt some of the campaigns he ran were less successful. “When I tried to run campaigns I wrote, it was boring,” he admitted. “I immediately jumped into [describing] the backstory and the history. I wasn’t letting people discover the world.”
Instead of overloading the story with minutiae, let your readers uncover the world gradually. Be it D&D or a novel, it’s best not to explain everything up front—allow the world to reveal itself naturally, through action and interaction. Highlight the details that advance the plot, deepen character connections, or evoke emotion, while leaving the rest to the reader’s imagination.
Worldbuilding isn’t about showing off how much you’ve created. It’s about crafting a space where characters and stories can come to life.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Bring characters to life through voice and visuals
D&D players begin a campaign by filling out a character sheet outlining the defining features of the character they want to play. The template includes spots for backstory and personality, and a lot of space is dedicated to combat-relevant stats, abilities, and weapons.
Even in an adventure-focused game like D&D, however, an outline can only take you so far. To transform a character from a series of bullet points to a vivid, multi-dimensional person (or creature), Ryan, Sam, and Eric all agreed that the key is connecting viscerally to the character’s voice and appearance.
Develop a voice to show personality and attitude
At a basic level, shaping a character’s voice is essential in D&D because the game is played by talking. But creating a distinct voice also helps players flesh out a character’s attitude, background, and motivations.
A character’s voice isn’t just how they sound but how they convey their personality. “How they talk is the first step of figuring out how they think,” Sam noted.
You can draw inspiration from anywhere: music, movies, even people in your life. Ryan, for example, developed a brash female character’s voice by immersing himself in the music of women-led punk and metal bands.
In writing or in D&D, a character’s voice should offer a glimpse into their soul. Sometimes it’s about cadence, tone, or speech patterns. Experiment with small details—even subtle choices can speak volumes. Maybe your character pauses thoughtfully to show their contemplative nature, or your nervous character rushes through sentences.
“Sometimes it’s just softening your voice a little,” Ryan offered. “You’re putting a little flavor on it. A soupçon of flavor.”
Visualize your character to add dimension
Creating a mental or physical image of your character can help you continue to get inside their head. It may start with practical features like hair color or number of limbs and teeth, but it’s also about their facial expressions and how they carry themselves.
Sam described his character development process: “Once I’ve got a feel for who they are, I develop a mental picture of how they present themselves—if they’re slouching, standing straight, if they’re striking a particular pose.”
Like Ryan does, Sam will occasionally turn to pop culture for inspiration. “For my slimey, used-car salesman vampire character, I used a picture of Danny DeVito’s character in Matilda [as my visual]. I had a style of character in mind already, but that picture informed how I played him.”
Developing your character’s voice and look not only helps you describe your character to the reader, it also helps you create memorable dialogue and authentic decision-making. By getting in your character’s head, it might spark ideas you hadn’t originally thought of.
PLOTTING: Let the story unfold organically
Unlike D&D, fiction writing is usually a solo endeavor—at least in the first drafting stage. As an author, you are the architect. There’s no table of players making unexpected decisions that throw wrenches into your story.
Yet many authors have experienced the phenomenon of the runaway narrative. Sometimes your story and characters seem to take on a life of their own.
When this happens, you may be tempted to try to regain control and wrangle your narrative back into place. But in the spirit of taking a page from the D&D playbook, consider embracing the organic flow of your story. Instead of rigidly steering every moment, let your characters and the world guide you to what happens next. (If you need to, you can clean things up later during the developmental edit.)
Leave space for characters to respond to the world
Some DMs want to lead a very specific campaign regardless of where the players try to take the story. “It’s called railroading,” Eric explained. “You’re trying to keep your players on a single track to get them to the story that you want.”
Eric prefers to let players lead the story’s direction. In one campaign he ran, “I let them approach [the story] like a sandbox. I had a story kind of planned out, but they didn’t necessarily grab the hooks I offered. They grabbed what was more interesting to them.”
Unless you’re writing a “choose your own adventure” novel, your reader can’t decide to veer off course—but your characters can. Let them make mistakes, follow unexpected paths, at least when you’re initially drafting. How might your characters naturally react to the world you’ve built? Would they flirt with the mysterious stranger? Would they change their plans because of the weather?
When making decisions in character, even if he’s playing a vampire or half-orc, Sam strives to make his characters feel three-dimensional, flaws and all. “Most people aren’t always rational . . . but they are predictably irrational,” he grinned.
Novels are a marathon, not a sprint. You can provide structure while leaving room for your characters to respond organically. This makes them feel more like real people and less like chess pieces in your plot.
Slow down; let the story breathe
Rushed stories can lose their emotional weight. Resist the urge to always rush to the next plot point. Instead, savor the small beats that give your readers a chance to enjoy the characters.
Sometimes a detail that seems inconsequential can bloom into a rich subplot. Ryan recounted how a throwaway name for a town became a side quest in a D&D campaign:
Once I had an entire story arc that came from an arbitrary choice for a name: I was Pimpernel Bywater of Danderbluff. Then Danderbluff became a real place [in the story] because the DM saw that I picked this ridiculous name. It blew into this family drama, and the DM [would make side comments] like, “You know how your sister is, though . . .”
By staying open to new possibilities, you give your story the chance to surprise you, creating moments that feel fresh and natural. Sometimes the most memorable scenes emerge naturally when given space to unfold.
Ryan summed it up nicely: “Let moments happen. Don’t try and force them.”
PACING: Keep the audience engaged through pacing and stakes
Letting moments happen doesn’t mean your story should slow to a crawl. In any story, variety in pacing, settings, characters, emotional energy will keep the audience engaged.
Even though D&D is an inherently action-packed game, the best Dungeon Masters understand that simply jumping from one combat to the next does not make for an interesting story. Knowing when and how to shake things up is key to keeping the attention of a player or a reader.
Raise the stakes to build tension
Most of the time, D&D players aren’t rooting for their characters or party to fail their quest—but knowing there’s a chance of failure keeps everyone invested. To create tension as a DM, Eric explained, “you want [players] to feel as if there are consequences to their acts. You want to feel as if the possibility of failure exists.”
For example, a DM might decide that a player’s choice to rescue a villager results in the villain gaining an advantage—and a powerful enough villain in D&D has the ability to kill members of the party. (Unlike some games, if a D&D character dies, it can be permanent.)
“That’s the challenge as a DM,” Sam said, leaning in. “You want them to ride that wave of teetering on the brink of disaster. It’s the rush that people get from gambling or skydiving. But instead of gambling with your life, you’re gambling with a sheet of paper.”
In fiction, this means every decision a character makes should ripple through the story. When actions have weight, readers are more likely to invest emotionally. The more tangible the consequences, the higher the tension.
If things feel stale, switch up the pacing
The best novels and D&D campaigns alternate between high-stakes action and character-driven interactions. To increase the narrative pace, DMs may spice up a slower session by adding an unexpected combat or confrontation.
Another pacing tool in a DM’s arsenal is a market day. An open-ended shopping trip can provide a break from the action, allowing for character-driven decision-making and interactions with nonplayer characters (NPCs).
“Create an encounter-rich environment, the classic one being the shopping day,” Sam advised. “Say there’s a market with every kind of stall. Now you’ve got three to five people asking themselves, ‘What is [my character] wanting to buy at the market?’”
A market day equivalent in fiction could involve a day where characters explore a new location or interact with colorful side characters. These scenes can be rich in worldbuilding, creating memorable moments that reveal new dimensions of your cast.
Sometimes, the most memorable moments come from detours—an impromptu side quest or a surprising decision. These breaks from the main story not only add variety but also deepen your audience’s connection to the characters.
AUDIENCE CONNECTION: Get feedback from others
It may feel obvious, but it’s worth calling out. Every storyteller needs feedback, whether you’re crafting a novel or a Dungeons & Dragons campaign.
Much like a Dungeon Master must gauge the engagement of their players, writers need feedback to understand when their story resonates and when it might need a new direction.
Be open to pivoting
During a game of D&D, the DM gets a constant feedback loop if they’re paying attention. A shift in energy at the table can tell a DM it’s time to pivot.
Ryan noted that perceptive DMs are tuned in to the group’s vibe. He offered an example: “It’s feeling slow; maybe we’re having a boring statistical market day. Then someone wants to check out the apothecary and the whole group perks up. The DM picks up on that and pulls out the zany apothecary guy he’s had in his back pocket, waiting for a chance to drop him on the table.”
Writers don’t generally have the luxury of real-time feedback, so it’s important to get opinions from professional sources (developmental editors, skilled beta readers) as well as people in your circle (critique partners, friends and family).
Be open to unexpected insights from feedback (especially from professional experts), but know that you can always ask specific questions about areas you’re concerned about. For example:
- Which characters do you want to see more of?
- Are there any areas where the story seems to drag?
- What were some of your favorite moments in the story?
Perhaps a reader connects deeply with a minor character or a side plot. Instead of sticking rigidly to your original outline, consider how you can incorporate that element more prominently. Always stay true to the story you want to tell—but a willingness to pivot can uncover some of the most compelling parts of your story.
CREATIVITY TIP: Experiment with dice to introduce chance and chaos
Ahh, the dice. One of the defining features of Dungeons & Dragons—and also the D&D element I initially thought would be the least relevant to fiction writing.
What I discovered after consulting the D&D experts is that the dice are the ultimate agents of chaos, creativity, and improvisation—all tools that you can use as a writer to shake up your story. You may want to try incorporating dice into your writing process to spark new ideas and heighten tension in your novel.
Embrace the creativity that can result from chaos
When I asked about the role of the dice in D&D, all three guys were eager to share their thoughts. “The best creativity happens within bounds, and the dice are like the bounds of D&D,” Eric offered. “We’re all working under a similar set of rules, and the dice add chaos.”
Players and DMs roll dice to determine whether their characters are successful—and the degree to which they are successful—when attempting something risky. For example, if a player wants to sneak into a guarded fortress, the DM may ask them to roll a 20-sided die, specifying that, based on the character’s Stealth skill, they must roll at least a 10 to enter undetected.
However, it’s not always as simple as fail vs. succeed. If the player rolls a 9, the DM might announce that the guard sees movement and calls out, “Who’s there?” If they roll a 1 (the worst possible roll), the DM might say the guard recognizes their face from a wanted poster and calls for backup.
Now the player has to think on their feet to decide what they’ll do to avoid capture.
“The dice are the ultimate improv,” Ryan smirked. “You might have a plan, but like Mike Tyson says, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. There’s real magic in those moments when the dice just rocked everything because that’s when your party can come together.”
I’m not suggesting you roll dice to make every plot decision in your novel, but leaving certain outcomes to chance might lead you to creative solutions that add dimension and texture to your narrative. What happens if step one of your protagonist’s brilliant plan fails at first? By forcing your characters to adapt to unexpected obstacles, you can discover new facets of their personalities.
Balance success and failure to raise the emotional stakes
You might assume that D&D players want successful outcomes for every roll, but that’s not the case for Sam. “If your characters are always successful in everything that they do, that is not interesting,” he shrugged. Leaning in, he added, “Now, if your characters are successful in spite of their failures, that’s interesting.”
Failure raises stakes, reveals vulnerabilities, and sets the stage for redemption or growth. When you write moments where plans crumble, it makes eventual success more satisfying.
Too much failure, though, can be off-putting to D&D players as well as novel readers. The table brought up the idea of “fudging” rolls: when a DM softens the effects of a bad dice roll to avoid breaking the party’s spirit. But sometimes, letting the dice dictate is the best storytelling choice. Everyone got passionate about this.
Sam: Just like all successes is not interesting, all failures is not interesting either. Nobody wants to play that game. Nobody wants to read that story. It’s about balancing those successes and failures. There are times when, as the DM, you want to fudge a roll because you don’t want to take out that cleric. And there are other times when you don’t want to fudge a roll because—
Ryan: It was cinematic; it’s more natural. It’s the f***ing roll!
Sam: This guy crit* on you!
Eric: It’s like . . . I’m sorry, this is gonna kill you, but this is really a spectacular moment.
* “Crit” is short for critical hit. It means you rolled incredibly well and dealt significant damage during an attack.
Even the heaviest consequence of failure—character death—can be an opportunity for poignant storytelling. If you kill off a character, give the moment weight. As Ryan said, “let everyone feel it.” A well-handled character death can deepen the story’s emotional resonance and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Ultimately, people remember stories about humanity
Throughout the process of writing this article, I learned a lot about why Dungeons & Dragons has persisted since its creation 50+ years ago. It’s the same reason people continue to seek out books, movies, and television shows: we have a deep human need to tell and consume stories.
We all have different preferences for genre, medium, and story theme. You may gravitate toward fantasy, action, drama, horror, or comedy. But Sam eloquently reminded us that no matter how you engage with storytelling, the stories that resonate most deeply are those that highlight our shared humanity.
“The writing that sticks with us, and the role-playing games that stick with us, are the ones that tell stories about people. The stories where, in the face of adversity, we pull off something amazing.”
Whether you’re narrating an adventure around a table or writing the next best-selling novel, it’s the human moments of connection and resilience that leave the deepest impressions.
Pamela Eisenberg is a seasoned copywriter, karaoke competitor, and persistent question asker from Baltimore, MD. She values clarity, transparency, authenticity, and humor, in life and in writing. Once she wrote a greeting card that made Denzel Washington laugh.