Giving Feedback in a Game

I hear a lot of GMs on various forums say “I wish my players would give me feedback,” and a lot of players saying, “I wish I could give my GM feedback.” Generally what holds people back from giving feedback is the fear that they will wound the other party. Players by and large hold their GMs in deep affection even when they dislike some aspect of the game – sometimes to the point of being willing to leave the game without ever speaking to the GM about it. That’s how deeply they fear the wound that critique may give. What follows are my tips for giving feedback in a way that doesn’t destroy your GM, your game, and your friend group. Cultivate a table culture of feedback If you are able, introduce this at your session zero. “How do we want to give feedback at our table?” Sometimes the question is framed as “what do we do if there’s a problem,” which completely links feedback to problems and increases worry. Advocate for any regular feedback mechanism that people seem open to. Try to…