
Words by Tibbs Weir
Photos by Caroline Finn & Susan Laws
Storytelling has existed in some form or another in every community throughout all of history.
Cave paintings danced on walls lit by flickering fire, theatres were packed with working folk, stories were passed down through generations.
The modern day story is locked away; to see it, you must pay.
To make it, you must be a professional, placing partition between creator and audience.
It places pressure on any creative individual that what they create must be the perfect commodity.
If I could only make things on the condition they were perfect, then I wouldn’t make another thing.
If I could only tell a story on the condition that it made total sense, I’d never speak again.
If you want to be creative and engage with your community first, you must celebrate the beauty of imperfection, and when it comes to this there are two activities that stand out to me: Zine-making, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

What is Dungeons and Dragons?
To take the last thing first, as most of my sensical stories do, let me tell you about the local Dungeons and Dragons group I’ve been running in Dumbarton for a few years.
If I could describe the kinds of stories we tell in our games, I would say they’re a bit like if you gave 100 tiny typewriters to 100 rats, fed them shredded Terry Pratchett novels with space dust sprinkles, and read the results upside down.
There is usually some kind of quest to complete, with a villain to defeat, using a magical feat.
There will be challenges, puzzles and moral dilemmas; the team might be working for a shared prize, or to help a third party, or for the greater good.
The game is powered by pure creativity, the players each acting as their own character with complex motives and backstories.
The dungeon master keeps the story moving when needed, playing an ensemble of bit parts, although mostly just a crusty little white dog called Spiff.
And yes, sometimes there are dice. And maths!
But fun though it is (especially the maths), there are opportunities for more meaningful moments.
Unlike most games, it frames things in a non-competitive way.
There is no losing in D&D; there is failure – plenty of it – but that’s what makes a good story.
Trying, failing and trying again, teaches resilience to people in an age group that can feel paralysed by the expectation of perfection.
It tends to reward teamwork over individualism.
Skills and Fun
You and I might say that is just common sense, but in a world that is growing more cutthroat, pitting us against each other for scraps, it doesn’t hurt to practice asking for help.
On top of this, D&D games are a safe space for young people to explore who they want to be through the characters they create.
To engage in a different world, as a different person, offers the escapism that many of us need, especially young people who are facing the pressure of exams, applying for further education or careers training, and worst of all the incessant pressure to be cool.
We can leave a lot of societal pressures behind as we play, creating an atmosphere at the table where we can be as loud, weird, and flamboyant as we like.
There are many skills to be gained from the game, but we keep the emphasis on having fun.
Everything we gain -the communication skills, problem solving, and confidence – are just lucky side effects.
Preparation levels vary between players, with a certain player’s notes detailed enough to be admissible in court, and another bringing only a used train ticket that says “Hobgoblins?” on the back – which is sometimes just as useful!
But until recently the only lasting record of our adventures, once they were over, had been the notes we took during games.
Although this time was not wasted, it is nice to have keepsakes, because together, we’ve woven exciting tales worth remembering and revisiting.
The collaborative aspect, in a relaxed, social setting, sparks the collective imagination, resulting in rich, humorous, and inventive stories.
This is where Zine making comes in.

Creation to Keep
Zine making is an easy and accessible way for a person or group to create a small publication, in our case in the style of a comic, to share with our community.
You don’t need a budget and an artist to make a Zine, but when Clydesider offered us these things, we jumped at the chance.
With the artistic guidance of Susan Laws (check her out on Instagram), and organisational help from Clydesider’s own Caroline Finn, we created our comic Zine (with help from the notes of that one player).
It tells just one chapter of our adventure – but it’s a good one: a high stakes gem heist.
The drawings were a collaboration, showcasing the variety of art styles in the group.
This gave some of us that weren’t experienced artists the chance to tell the story in our own way – I can tell you, it was a new one for us to sit in total quiet together as we focused!
The hard work paid off, and I am so proud of our group’s creation.
If you’re ever looking for something to do with your friends, family or community group, I hope this has given you some ideas.
D&D manuals are expensive, but there is no need to buy them – everything you need can be found for free online, from YouTube videos to D&D websites.
If you want to make a Zine, whether imaginative, political or a real-life story, all you need is paper and pen (though scissors and glue are useful too).
Even if what you make is a critical failure, remember you can always try again – just next time take a few extra train tickets to make notes on, and maybe some meaty bribes for little Spiff the dog!
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