6 Ways Google Docs Changed How I DM

Greetings gamers from all systems, places and timelines.

If you’ve been running games for a while, you probably kept countless sessions in an ordinary paper notebook. But this classic method is not without its flaws – such as if you’re like me and sometimes can’t read your own handwriting. Or when someone asks a question, and you need to flip through your notebook frantically like you’re in a timed open-book test.

However, the grand prize is on game day, when you can find every notebook you have ever owned but not the one you actually need. 

Advances in technology are said to be the ultimate game-changers, and with gaming it’s no different. For me, that game-changer is Google Docs, which is free and solves every issue mentioned above and far more.

So, allow me to explain how this online word processor became an invaluable tool for how my games are both prepared and run. Because every DM has a limited amount of time to spend working on any given game, and this could help you use that time more effectively. 

1. You Were Bringing Your Phone on Game Day Anyway 

Google Docs can be easily accessed from pretty much any phone, and now it can be effectively your notebook. This is extremely convenient because you can add a line or two whenever inspiration hits. Then later, when you actually sit down at your computer to work on the adventure, you will have captured all of your ideas and covered ground.

If you’re not a big fan of actually typing on your phone, Google Docs speech-to-text isn’t half bad. Not to mention, if you’re working remotely and interrupted for any reason, the autosave function is spot on. 

2. All Your Work Is Readily Available 

Because Google Docs allows you to create an absurd amount of both documents and pages within them, everything will always be right at your fingertips.

If you’re breaking up the games by individual sessions, this will allow you to look back as far as you need to. If you’re in a game that is on session 23, like my one group currently is, this can be a real lifesaver. It can be especially handy when someone wants to know an obscure NPC’s name or there is some disagreement over what treasure was collected. (But we all know THAT never happens.) 

3. Organizing the Scenes 

While this may be more specific to the style of the DM, it can be helpful to lay out everything in your session in terms of scenes. This allows you to add the relevant information for your introduction, encounters, final battle and conclusion with scene numbers and then scroll down as the session plays out. Add as much or as little detail as you need here, so your game breakdown could look anywhere from a summary of each scene to an actual mini script. 

All of this can be especially valuable with game time management. If the players spent longer than expected in one scene and may not reach where you wanted them to end the session, you can easily cut a scene from your list. Just choose a scene that isn’t part of the plot and cut-and-paste that scene into the next session (so long as it still fits your story). 

4. Notes Are Helpful With Licensed Material 

If you’re running a licensed product, there is often a ton of material, and the information you may need isn’t always easily located. So, when running Storm King’s Thunder, having my own notes made navigating everything much smoother. In this case, the game was on Roll20 and worked well moving back and forth from the token map and my doc notes as needed. This allowed me to keep everything related to the session in one place and still have the ability to look back on previous ones as needed. 

What you want in your notes will depend on your style, but you can keep everything from the DC of the saving throws to info on an important NPC. Whatever you choose, the point is to have the details ready to make the game run smoother for everyone – such as to store information the players might discover that is relevant to their characters or the story. 

5. Streamline Combat 

Back in the days of 4E, to run a combat with multiple creature types, you might need half a dozen pages to cover all of their stats and abilities. Now, 5E monsters can be looked up using any number of apps right on your phone. But odds are, you will still find yourself constantly flipping between creatures as the players alternate between attacking armor class, dexterity and wisdom saves.

Google docs solves this problem because you can cut and paste all of the monster stat blocks right into your notes, including pictures if you’re feeling fancy. 

6. Not Perfect But Definitely Great 

Just to be clear, this was not a paid endorsement. Nor is this application without some weaknesses, such as how you need to hit control X to cut and then Control V to paste. If this is bothersome to you, then you are welcome to buy a copy of Microsoft Word, the 2019 version, for $84 that is good for one device. Also, you will need to be online to use it. Which, to be fair, might have been a tripping point a few years ago, but now that so much. Not to mention it is available in 100 languages and, according to Google, “Google Docs users have no limit for the number of Google Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Forms and Drawings that they can have.”

I did however hear it’s not great for presentations if you’re running slides, but hopefully, your games don’t remind your players of a bad office meeting. 

Final Thoughts 

For the modern DM on the go, Google Docs can be an invaluable tool. If you are stuck in a doctor’s office or getting your oil changed, just open the document and start typing away. But the real advantage is how organized things can become. One thing that always drove me crazy is having an idea that should have been written five days ago. Now it’s all in one place, ready for edits, with no more reading every page trying to find something. 

While I will always have a special place in my heart for notebooks, it is fantastic to only need to show up at a game and never worry about if you have everything. Or never having to worry if the flow of your game will be disrupted as you frantically dig through your notes for a character’s name when you can just hit CTRL-F.