Thread by @SuperQueero, This is a thread on the imposter syndrome that I experience regularly [...]

This is a thread on the imposter syndrome that I experience regularly in the ttrpg community.

How, in my opinion, the community as a whole seems to overlook individuals who they don't see putting work in behind the scenes.

And how it affects @RussWildest and my friendship. 1/19

Russ has given their consent to be talked about in this thread. We talk about this topic all the time because it consistently rears its ugly head between us, and I hate that.

I hate that these miniscule things cause this reaction in me and make Russ feel sorry for me. 2/19

Russ and I didn't know each other prior to starting Prism Pals with Sam, Ollie, and Ben. Within merely 6 months we considered each other best friends, and we still do. I'd do anything for them and I think they'd do the same for me. I love them unconditionally. 3/19

However, it quickly became apparent to me that the ttrpg community, both creators and fans, have a bias when it comes to supporting other creators. There's also a unfounded expectation in what certain people do when it comes to an actual play production. 4/19

For the longest time in Prism Pals:
Russ was the game master.
I ran all social media and a majority of production.
Sam created all official art and facilitated the Artist Spotlight portion of the show.
Ollie edited every single episode.

We work as a team. Always. 5/19

Unfortunately, a lot of people didn't realize that.

There's this weird idea that a lot of people have that a GM is the driving force behind an actual play. People thought that Russ was our leader, the person in charge, that they did most of the work.

This was NEVER true. 6/19

We've never had a leader or person in charge, all decisions were made together and everything was a group discussion. We were only in charge of our "departments" so to speak and nothing more.

Russ and Sam founded the show together, it was both of their ideas. 7/19

Russ built the world and then handed it to the four of us and we shaped it into what our listeners know it to be today. Without myself, Sam, Ollie, Ben, and now Mariam, Prism Pals would not be anything like it is now.

By placing all accolades on Russ you discredit our work. 8/19

Does Russ deserve all of the praise for their amazing game master skills, roleplaying talent, and creative ideas??

ABSOLUTELY

I am constantly in awe of their talent and that's one of the reasons I love them so much.

And I never blame them for other people's assumptions.
9/19

Being the one who 90% of the time operates the Prism Pals twitter account, I was much more in tune with the community than Sam or Ollie were. They never saw much of the things Russ and I did, we dove into this community head first and wanted to be involved.
10/19

My imposter syndrome stems from the fact that Russ and I joined this community together and up until fairly recently, most of our presence within it was together but a lot of people seem to overlook me.

When I say that I mean primarily in relation to Prism Pals. 11/19

Other projects that Russ is a part of have no bearing on me, I'm so proud of them for the work they've done outside of our show and they know that.

I really have a problem when people think of Prism Pals as Russ' show, or Russ and the Prism Pals.
12/19

We've received direct messages to the show account addressed to Russ.

People have messaged Russ privately about working with Prism Pals instead of messaging or email the show.

There have been tweets referring to "Russ and the Prism Pals"

Emails addressed directly to them 13/19

Occasionally, projects I helm that are NOT Prism Pals related have been attributed to them. And that REALLY sucks.

Most recently, I organized and moderated a panel for PAX Online that was not a Prism Pals project, I invited Russ to be a panelist because of experience. 14/19

Even still, people addressed questions to Russ specifically that were not content related. Emails were addressed to "Russ and Kyle". And when I made a post about how PAX mistreated my panel and my panelists? Russ received so much more engagement than my original tweet. 15/19

This all piles up. Two years of being overlooked when you're working hard to produce content as a team absolutely blows. It's human instinct to seek validation and it's draining to see your teammate receive affirmation on something you worked on alongside them. 16/19

This community needs to stop looking at the game masters of shows as the only ones who do any work because it is so disrespectful of everyone else at their tables.

I won't name drop anyone without their permission but I see it constantly and no one ever talks about it. 17/19

If you love a show for their content, their mission, whatever reason, you need to support not just one of it's team members but all of them.

If you're apart of a show where the game master does ALL the work, I encourage you to reevaluate your involvement. 18/19

This community doesn't value anyone as highly as GMs and that's a problem. Support everyone else involved because their work is just as important.

If it wasn't abundantly clear, I love Russ to death and hold no ill feelings against them. I'm angry with the perpetrators. 19/19

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