Note-Taking During Sessions

[ThisIsZen]

How do you do it?

Now, maybe this is more an issue for me than others, but I find that I'm often too distracted by actually RUNNING the game to simultaneously be taking down notes on what is happening during. Do you just scrawl out what you remember at the end of the session, or do you have ways to find the time to note things in the moment? What methods might make this easier or more natural for some people?

I've only run a couple sessions and fortunately this is the sort of stuff my memory is really good at anyway, buuut... regardless, developing the ability to actually keep track of what happens at a point where I can be totally sure I remember everything would be ideal.

[kaffalidjmah]

You use a sheet to take note of the party's pf right? Write the note on the back, just the major one, and go on with memory. Always worked for me

[Crake]

if you're finding it hard to remember what happened, what I used to do was put my phone in the center of the table on record. It's not the most perfect way to do it, beause sometimes audio alone doesn't tell the whole story, but for the most part, it helps quite a bit in getting the story straight

[KillianHawkeye]

I'm not totally certain how useful this advice will be to you, but in my own experience (as I write my own original adventures) I try to foresee which things will require a particular notation and leave a place for that. For example, if I leave an artifact or a cursed item someplace, I'll definitely want to write down which PC ends up taking it. Or if there's a chance PCs will be infected by some disease or curse. You also wanna write down if any PC in particular pissed off a surviving villain. Stuff like that.

Another thing is that I always keep my adventure notes in a spiral notebook, and if I ever have to write something down I can just turn to a blank page. Basically, just always have spare paper on hand in some format or another. My latest thing is affixing Post-It notes onto the pages in my notebook for easy access to extra info or someplace to write notes. Did you know you can even get Post-Its that are done like graph paper? It's SUPER useful! :smallcool:

[Krobar]

When I'm a player and not the DM I take copious notes. Kind of a journal. Of course I'm usually playing my bard, and the way I take notes focuses much more on how*I* did everything and I occasionally mention the other PCs. Sometimes I'll even say something like "and everybody else just stood around and watched while I, by myself, with naught but wits and courage, defeated Iuz the Feeble and all his minions... all hail the Greatest Swordsman of all Time!"

We always recap the last session and stuff like this always gets a laugh.

[Seclora]

When I'm a player and not the DM I take copious notes. Kind of a journal. Of course I'm usually playing my bard, and the way I take notes focuses much more on how*I* did everything and I occasionally mention the other PCs. Sometimes I'll even say something like "and everybody else just stood around and watched while I, by myself, with naught but wits and courage, defeated Iuz the Feeble and all his minions... all hail the Greatest Swordsman of all Time!"

We always recap the last session and stuff like this always gets a laugh.

This has been the case in my experience as well. We had one player, Half-Elf Pet Maniac, sorry, 'Beastmaster' Ranger who took all of the notes in the form of a journal. I'm still not totally certain what she was writing, and considering how excitable the player was, I'm betting there was a strong nature and randomness focus to the whole account.

When the player missed sessions in the next campaign, new character was a drunken werekangaroo monk(not Drunken Master, just drunk), I'd send notes in the form of a highly self-centered diary written by my Human Beguiler.


I've never seen our DM take notes. Initiative and damage all get written down, but he usually seems to just keep track of everything else in his head.

[zeifly]

I don't usually take notes during a session unless something important happens like an encounter with the BBEG or if the party splits up for some reason or other. I usually just remember stuff in my head or ask the PCs at the start of the next session if I've forgotten something. I will jot down a note or two to myself at the end of each session to help me remember where the party left off, if anyone is in critical condition or sick, etc.

[nyjastul69]

I've always found it difficult to take notes while GMing as well. I usually make any notes I need to immediately after the session. I usually put them on an calendar for whatever setting we are using.

[atemu1234]

I ask the players to keep an in character journal, if they want to. It's easy to reference.

Most don't, but I still ask. Maybe I'll just use the recording idea.

[chihawk]

One of my players is a note taker and as soon as the session is over she emails them out to everyone, usually before we even leave the table. Because she does this as the GM I only keep notes of important stuff the player's don't know and then edit them into her update (keeping it to myself, of course).