If you’ve ever been curious about roleplaying games—the tabletop kind, not the ones you play on a screen—now’s the time to poke your nose into your local games store and ask around. Specifically, if you check in on this Saturday, you might find yourself entering in the middle of Free RPG Day.
Participating stores fill the day with introductory games and free giveaways, from game publishers ranging from Wizards of the Coast (Dungeons & Dragons) and Paizo (Pathfinder) through to Green Ronin (Dragon Age—yes, based on the video game) and Pinnacle Entertainment (Savage Worlds). These events are designed to show even the rankest novice what the games are all about and then hook you good, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get involved and start having fun.
Every store runs its version of the day in its own way, playing to its particular strengths. The stores buy into the program at different levels, and the publishers offer support at different levels too, giving the shops an assortment of options. Be sure to check the store finder and contact your local shop for details about their particular programs and giveaways before you head out to join in.
Matt Forbeck is the author of thirteen tie-in novels, most of them having to do with Dungeons & Dragons or Blood Bowl. Angry Robot recently published his first original novel—Amortals—and his second—Vegas Knights—is due out this spring.
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A number of tabletop game publishers have joined with 
The folks behind the upcoming over-the-top weapon-fetish video game 
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Innovative game designer and advocate 
Most homes have a closet or a corner stuffed with dented, torn, and decaying copies of classic games, things like Monopoly, Clue, Scrabble, and so on. They usually get hauled out around the holidays as a way to spend time with relatives you don’t see for most of the year, but once you’ve played them a few times, they get stuffed back in that closet to be forgotten once more. 
Please enjoy the first two chapters from new science fiction thriller 
Because I work and write in a number of different fields, I often get questions about how to break into them. Video games are a huge and growing field for creative expression these days, and a lot of writers would love to know how to make the leap from writing novels or short stories to putting words in the mouths of characters in their favorite games instead. 
One question a lot of people ask me is, “How do I break into writing roleplaying games?” There’s rarely a short answer to this. Most professional RPG writers made their way into the industry in their own unique way. Some start out running games at conventions. Others help in a publisher’s booth. A few throw caution (and more than a few bucks) to the wind and launch their own publishing company.
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