Rolling the Dice in Storytelling
Some say writer’s block doesn’t exist—it’s a made-up phantom that authors use to get out of writing. Yet when our imaginary friends won’t speak to us, the frustration is real. Throw in imposter syndrome, where the story we are working on never feels good enough compared to the dream we first envisioned, and an author can easily stagnate on a page for days. The little black cursor where the next word should go blinks on repeat, taunting us with our lack of creativity.
May I suggest rolling the dice? The storyteller is but a mouthpiece for an entity with a life of its own. Every story has a destiny even before you put it to the page, so believe in that destiny.
Ask anyone who has ever been a Dungeon Master. When the fantasy role playing game Dungeons and Dragons hit the shelves in 1974, the tradition of the oral storyteller who used to lead campfire tales returned. In the game, Players create their own character and then role dice for everything from fighting legendary monsters to opening a door. Every role of a twenty-sided die can change the direction of a story completely.
I can imagine some of you readers saying to yourselves,
“But I am a planner and outliner. My storytelling doesn’t rely on dice rolling!”
Well don’t take my word for it, then. Take the example of voice actor and storyteller, Matthew Mercer. Matt made a career of voice acting the English versions of many Anime dubs, but in 2015 he began a podcast with a group of other voice actors called Critical Role. Little did they know how large their following would become, or that their gaming adventures would turn into a critically acclaimed animation series called Vox Machina.
Although Matt outlined and planned the course of his story, his friends would come up with some outlandish ideas. Fate always played a role, but never was it on display more when one of his players activate a trap in a dungeon. The trap killed the character of Vex, played by voice actress Laura Bailey. Here are a few alternating photos. Some from the group of gamers as Laura is told her character has died, and they are somewhat paired with the same moment playing out in the Amazon show.
As Dungeon Master (or king author) in control of the fate of his players, Matt Mercer now had to make a decision. One of the other players had the ability to pull off a resurrection spell, and he succeeded. Mr. Mercer could have let the resurrection happen and continued the story as if nothing had happened. He no doubt did not plan on killing off any of his characters/players. If this were a trilogy of novels, it would only be the second book, or act two of a very large story. However, as a storyteller, Matt understood a death must have consequence and meaning.
Liam O'Brien, who plays the elven rogue Vax and brother to Vex offered his life in exchange for his sister on a whim. Mercer took this offer and ran with it, crafting an entire story arc involving Vax becoming the champion of the Goddess of Death – the Raven Queen. It was a captivating tale the storyteller did not see coming, but it now captivates audiences, and they cannot wait for more. Make sure you check out Vox Machina on Amazon Prime for more twists of fate.
More than that, if you find yourself stuck in your story, maybe try rolling some dice and letting fate decide. Kill off a character unexpectedly. Have two lovers become mortal enemies. Have a hero fall to the dark side. Have a villain redeem herself. You don’t always have to make up all the rules. Not even we authors are masters of fate, not even over our own characters. We merely respond to the will of the story and build something beautiful from it.
