Once the DM has established her neutrality (or is at least aware of her shortcomings), she should work on her awareness of her own playing tyle and possibly determine what style of delivery she will use. Style encompasses a variety of features: the pace of the game play (fast or slow), the way a DM interacts with her players, the ratio of combat to puzzle-solving or role-play, how problems are solved, the humor level in the game, the ratio of dangers to rewards, and so on.
Play styles are as varied as the people who play the game, though most will fall into one of the styles listed below. Much as an author must choose the way she will present her story (be it a mystery, historical fiction, horror, or epic tale), a DM must choose a method she is comfortable with when presenting information to the group.
While no style is inherently bad or good, right or wrong, it’s important to match play style with the overall personality and desires of the group, otherwise one may not be able to say”… and a good time was had by all.”
Rick’s Notes:
For most of us, it takes time to find your preferred style, while others like the challenge of ‘changing things up’. The main thing my experience tells me is to be open, try to listen to the others sharing your table, and to not be afraid of trying something new.
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