Let’s Craft a One-Shot: The Short Stories of TTRPGs.
A one-shot is a small adventure designed to be played in a single sitting. Depending on your group, the size, and the length of your sessions, that could change the dynamics of what you’ll be able to do. A four-person 4 hour session will be able to get through a slightly more complex story than a six-person 3 hour session. You will also want to tailor your one-shot to the playstyle preferences of your party. One of my parties are fans of action, so the one-shots I write for them tend to be heavy on combat. Another one-shot I ran for a group of young teenagers was simplified in scope and complexity to be more accessible to their age group. These minor adjustments will make all the difference in a smooth game day.
