Interview with Martin Ralya of Gnome Stew

Gnome stew courtesy Gnome Stew

I recently spoke with Martin Ralya of Gnome Stew, a gaming blog. Gnome Stew has been nominated for an ENnie in the Best Blog category.

Michael Tresca: Tell us about your company.

Martin Ralya: Gnome Stew (http://www.gnomestew.com), the Game Mastering Blog, was launched on May 12, 2008. We launched with nine authors, 60 members, and 250 RSS subscribers, and over the past two-plus years the site has grown to include 1,800 members, 3,700 subscribers, and 1,000-2,000 daily visitors.

MT: Tell us about Gnome Stew.

MR: Gnome Stew is a system-neutral blog for game masters of all skill and experience levels. We post GMing articles five days a week, with a slant towards the practical -- we're much less about navel-gazing than about giving you stuff you can actually use at the gaming table.

MT: What sets your entry apart from the pack?

MR: Gnome Stew is the most widely read game mastering blog on the planet, and I believe this is the case because we provide quality content, and lots of it, for free (including a full RSS feed) on a regular basis, and because of the community of GMs that has grown up around the site. The Stew has nearly 10,000 comments on our ~700 articles, with zero spam -- the signal:noise ratio, as well as the quality of the comments and the civility of the folks who spend time there, really set the site apart. 

MT: What type of player will be attracted to your blog?

MR: Any GM, of any skill level, running just about any RPG, will find something worthwhile on the Stew. If a particular day's article doesn't resonate with you, wait a day or two -- with nine authors, you'll find something cool in short order. 

MT: Anything else you would like to add?

MR: The gnomes love what we do. We're veteran GMs with a wealth of experience, and we love to share our knowledge -- and to learn new approaches and techniques from our readers. Even Wil Wheaton loves the Stew!