Frugal GM Review: 47 Tips and Tricks to Become a Better Game Master or Storyteller

I just picked up this small PDF of 47 Tips & Tricks to Become a Better Game Master or Storyteller from Blackstone Entertainment, Inc.

The premise seems good....who doesn't want some tips & tricks to be a better GM? The price is a whopping $1, definitely in my budget. Let's not forget how important to me that a PDF not be overly secured....this one has no security.

My first question when getting this file, which is only compounded even more when I look at the rest of this publisher's offerings, is, "What is the deal with 47?" All 12 of BlackStone Entertainment's offerings are about "47 things". I don't get it, and the publisher's website isn't about the publisher at all, just some RPG I've never heard of...and seems to be a work in progress.

At any rate, I read through the 29 page PDF and while I liked the general advice, it was a difficult read. This PDF is not something you want to print out....ever. Every page is black text on a way-too-dark grey background. The background on the cover is the same on every page. The font selection and layout is funky enough to detract from the reading, with too many widows & orphans. The original text was written using MS Word and while 3.56 MB isn't that large of a file, for what you're getting it is relative huge, presumably from the background graphics that don't add anything to the product. The layout itself isn't even consistent point by point. Some of the tips are indented, other are not. The use of paragraphs in general is spotty throughout the document.

This was not a pleasant read for me. Many of the points could be simply deleted and replaced with the 1st sentence explaining the point. For example, "Develop, copy, or wing your vocal skills." doesn't seem like a tip to me while "Find a way to alter the tone, depth, and pace of your voice as you run your games." is a useful tip.

There is some good information in this product, but pulling it out is a less than stellar experience.