Ah, control freaks.

Some people like to be in charge, to manage every detail and to keep a tight rein on what happens. They thrive in many occupations, though I pity anyone who works under them.

They’re often a bad fit at the tabletop, though.

As GMs, they’re often disasters. They’re the ones players complain about later – the railroading fascists who see the PCs as actors in their play, not the protagonists of their own stories.

If this is you, then congratulations for recognising this in yourself. Most control freaks don’t realise what they do.

How to fix it?

I like to say that every weakness is a strength. If you like to manage everything and track all the details, then that’s great! You’re most of the way towards being a brilliant GM – a better one than I am.

Controlling all the variables means you run a consistent and vivid world.

The only catch is you can’t manage the PCs. Run the entire universe as tightly as you want – just give the players the freedom to do anything they want with their characters.

Yeah, it’ll mean they break your shiny world. They’ll probably do that every session.

That doesn’t mean you aren’t still in control, though. Some things, like crumple zones, packages and perforated edges are designed to break. Build your sessions like that, so your players can break them in the right ways.

Surrender some control to gain more of it. After all, the more the PCs explore your world, the more in control you are. If the players all walk, then everything you built crumbles.

Don’t let that happen.