new Dm need tip

Ill be Dming my first campaign this Sunday and would like any tips other dms have

Don't forget to have fun. The players are going to do things that you completely didn't expect to happen; this is normal.  Just be cool about it and use your creativity  to respond to what the players are doing. After you're finished, think about what you could have done a little better and then next time do that.

Don't be afraid to talk to your players.  It's always good to have both sides lay out their expectations/hopes before you even get started to avoid any unnecessary disappointment.  it sucks when you want to run a political intrigue game and your players are more interested in exploring dungeons and killing stuff.  But there's always room for compromise! And I can't stress what Dave D. said enough: Don't forget to have fun!  If the DM isn't having fun, something's definitely wrong.  Don't just slog on through for the players' sake.  I've found, in pretty much all cases where someone isn't deliberately being a jerk, everyone has a better time if the DM is digging the game.

thanks ill keep those in mind 

Players are insane. Expect them to do something that no sane person would ever do in a thousand years, no matter how many inappropriate substances they've consumed in the past twelve hours. So, to summarize, if something unexpected happens and you have no idea how to handle it don't be afraid to call for a coffee/bathroom break to give yourself a little time to figure it out. :) (and no offense to players, the insanity is usually also the source of a lot of the entertainment value)

Start out small and keep it simple. You can always add more stuff later. A simple plot with a good flow are still heck of fun to play even if it looks simplistic on paper. And as people has already said: the players will mess it all up in the end anyways. ;) Try to always have a "voice in the party". A supporting character that stands in the background but makes it possible for you to partake in discussions and perhaps give your players a nudge in the right direction if needed. Continuity is your friend. If the players meet the same supporting cast and visit the same areas more then once they will soon feel more at home in the setting. Try to make notes on all the inns, craftsmen or beggers that the characters come across in their travels and reuse them whenever possible.  Make good use of consequences. Let the characters actions matter and have the world react to their choices.   Don´t be afraid to improvise if the players go on another path then what you had planned. So what if they wreck your plot? If they are active they are having fun. You can always revision the adventure if needed and your players will be more then happy to give you a break as long as they don´t feel railroaded thru the story.  Be fair and just. If the players trust you they will have more fun. Drink lots and lots of coffee.  

Yes and if they go somewhere you don't plan use a future encounter or have a spare encounter ready 

Hrmm I am happy to help new DM's get their feet wet, and it is definitely a daunting task at first. There are a few things that you should always keep in mind as far as I know, and these things you will learn pretty harshly sometimes if you aren't prepared. 1. Don't over prepare your encounters/story... try to keep it general in your notes, but let the intricacies play out in game. Nothing is worse than spending 8 hours coming up with a story just to have players blow right by it without understanding it's importance, or by circumventing your plan somehow. 2. This is not DM vs. Players. I have seen quite a few DM's that have went down that path. That being said, don't be a total pushover either. You need to learn the balance with your group and what they are capable of. Some players like difficult dungeons where death is always around the corner, some prefer the intricacies of your story. Trying to keep a balance between the two is difficult, but talking to your players as a previous person said can make all the difference. 3. Probably the most important, make sure you get enough rest and eat BEFORE the game. Being tired can make you forget things, slow down the game, and make you cranky, avoid that if at all possible. 4. Try to be decisive. If there is a rules question that has little bearing on the outcome of the game, make a fair ruling and stick with it. If you find out later that your ruling was incorrect, THESE THINGS HAPPEN. Explain how you were incorrect to your players, and how it actually works, that way if the situation ever rises again not only you know, but your players also understand the ruling difference. This allows you to continue the game without having to break all the time for rulings, just do what you think is right. Without writing a book, I will end there, there are too many nuances to DMing to post lots of stuff here. Use the internet to your advantage, it is probably the DM's greatest tool now, besides a great imagination. It is a daunting task to be a DM, but your players enjoyment is almost always worth it, and the positives usually far outweigh the negatives.

I second everything said here.  I can only suggest from my experiences is to keep in mind the idea that no matter the game you are supposed to be a story teller of sorts.  You are there to explain the world and help guide the story the players make with their actions.  You job as a story teller is quite simple really.  you are there to provide challenges for your players to beat.  As to whether they can beat or how easily they do will depend on the challenge itself and the group you are playing with.  Pretty much  this is where some of your fun comes from.  You get to watch the players take your challenges and try to tear them apart to solve them.  : )  If they do don't get discouraged because that is a major part of where the Players have fun.  You are there to help guide the chaos the Players will leave in their wake. : ) I can't think of any thing else.  If anything is unclear to any body send me a message or something.  Good Luck Greg! : )

I think there is some fantastic advice here. I think a few things I would like to add are Try to avoid railroading your players. There are going to be a lot of situations where you had only one solution in mind and your players come up with something radically different. Think about their solution, and if its good, or simply innovative enough, let them get away with it. Players who learn to be creative make for fantastic sessions. Surprise them once in a while; have a long time ally turn out to be a villain (with a few clues dropped a long the way), have them fight their way to the bad guys lair only to find out it was a distraction. Run a session that is completely investigation with no combat (or vice versa if you run investigation heavy RPas I do). Use Roll20 for all it can offer. Think of fun ways to play with the maps, with handouts, NPC's and so on. Don't be afraid to gather inspiration from books, movies, games, other peoples campaigns. Mix it up and make it your own.

A quick suggestion from a player’s perspective, if someone in the party wants something new or something abnormal take the approach of, "that sounds cool, I’ll need to review it a bit better but im sure we make it work". The last thing you want to deflate their enthusiasm.

My biggest tip: "Don't argue about it." What I mean is, be willing to say "because I'm the GM and this discussion will only slow the game down for everyone. If you want to talk to me about it afterwards, feel free, but until then, this is the ruling I'm going with." Any decent player is going to respect that and if they really have an issue with something you've decided, they still have an opportunity to voice their concerns later. I've had too many players (rather, one with whom I regularly play) decide they don't like something that is clearly stated in the rules for whatever reason, and they want to argue about it for no reason. It is terrible and terrible, for everyone involved. I've learned not to indulge him anymore. If only I could keep him from arguing outside the game... (He's my roommate. :( )

Thanks to all the tips first session went pretty well

One for your second session: You are ALWAYS right. It doesn't matter if you change your mind later, you were still right, and the fact that you've changed your mind has only made you even more right. Also, if your players catch an inconsistency, never admit it unless it's REALLY obvious. Always act mysterious. If they're chasing something, and one of them says "Hey, shouldn't we have caught this thing by now? When we saw it, it was way slower than us", just nod, smile, and say "Yeah. Weird, isn't it?". Whilst you may be secretly saying to yourself "Oh no, they're right, this ruins the entire set-piece, what am I doing to do?", they don't know that - and they'll start giving you ideas. They'll start discussing among themselves what it could possibly have been that caused this inconsistency, because your confident smile and casual agreement has them thinking that you've really outsmarted them. And if you can't think of a way to resolve this pseudo-plot-hole, use the best of the ideas they came up with. They'll feel happy that they figured it out, and you feel happy because you fixed a plot hole that only you knew existed. Players can be incredibly creative sometimes - some of the plots that my players have loved most have come from situations like this. Just be careful not to go too far with this - if you have a favorite villain that you wanted to follow them for a while, and they plan really well and have him in a situation where he can't get away, don't contrive some reason to have them escape just because your players won't know you made it up on the spot. If they win a scenario in that way through brilliant planning, allow them their well-deserved victory.

thats an awesome tip equinox ill keep that in mind

Equinox said: And if you can't think of a way to resolve this pseudo-plot-hole, use the best of the ideas they came up with. They'll feel happy that they figured it out, and you feel happy because you fixed a plot hole that only you knew existed. Players can be incredibly creative sometimes - some of the plots that my players have loved most have come from situations like this. Just be careful not to go too far with this - if you have a favorite villain that you wanted to follow them for a while, and they plan really well and have him in a situation where he can't get away, don't contrive some reason to have them escape just because your players won't know you made it up on the spot. If they win a scenario in that way through brilliant planning, allow them their well-deserved victory. That's great! I've done this quiet a bit, and players really do enjoy it.  Just don't overuse any particular strategy.  Try and keep them on there toes.