Simplify and Streamline your Session Prep | The PUT A CLUE Framework

How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM

Why are prepping sessions so hard? Why can’t it be as easy as remembering a simple phrase, maybe something strange like PUT A CLUE? Why can’t I save time by learning this phrase PUT A CLUE and then using it to prepare my sessions so much faster?

Friend, you’re in luck. Today’s episode is for you.

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM, the show to help dungeon masters new and old learn how to take their DMing skills to the next level. I’m Justin Lewis and I’ve been helping Dungeon Masters solve simple and complex problems with my cohosts for over 150 episodes now. We’ve talked with professional voice actors, writers, podcasters, and even real life blacksmiths, all to help you fix your DMing mistakes, and truly become the World’s Greatest DM.

As I mentioned today’s show is about helping you do Session Prep in a way that takes less time, far less mental stress, and helps you structure yourself to get finished faster and in a more complete way.

To do that, I give you the PUT A CLUE framework. Simply fulfill each of the aspects of this framework and your Session Prep is done.

The PUT A CLUE framework breaks down as follows:

Purpose: Understand the general goal and purpose of the session

Unfinished business: Wrap up and recap what happened in the last session

Timeline: Write down a general chronological plan of what you want to have happen

Acts and Arcs: Separate that timeline into a few acts (or scenes)

Characters: Prepare characters and their actions that are needed for the session

Locations: Prepare the setting and maps needed for the session

Unexpected: Prepare a twist or something unexpected for the session

Encounters: Flesh out the mechanics and final details of each encounter

Maybe it’s simplifying session prep, but in that case, GOOOD!

There’s no reason session prep has to drain your soul.

Try out the framework and see how it works for you.

Thanks for listening to today’s show.

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