GMing is a practice

Running any RPG is a practice, like yoga or music or martial arts. It's not something that you master. There's always room for improvement, always something to learn.

Running Stonetop specifically is its own skill, its own practice. Even if you've got experience running similar games (like Dungeon World or Apocalypse World), there's a learning curve. Stonetop is easier to pick up if you've run other games, but that experience can work against you, too! You'll have to unlearn habits and adjust to new approaches, and that can be hard.

The point is: running Stonetop isn't exactly easy, but you get better at it by doing it, by reflecting on how things went, and by trying to do better next time.

During the first adventure, focus on your agenda, on following the core loop, and on recognizing the triggers of the basic player moves. Lean on your prep—that's what it's for—and take your time. Expect things to be a little rocky as you and your players learn the rules. Don't worry about punchy descriptions or voicing NPCs or sticking to every single principle.

After the first "in character" session, ask your players for feedback. What did they enjoy? What felt rocky? What do they want to see more of in future sessions? Ask for clarification if you need it, but don't get defensive and don't try to explain yourself. Try to be humble and receptive.

When you've got some time, review the session in light of your agenda. Did you portray a rich and mysterious world, or did the world feel flat, hollow, arbitrary? Did you punctuate their lives with adventure, or did you let things drag? Did you play to find out what happens, or did you force things down the path that you thought they should go? If you didn't pursue your agenda, ask yourself: "What would pursuing my agenda have looked like?" Next time, do that.

Look over your principles. Did you ever fail to follow them? How did it impact the game? What would following the principle have looked like instead?

Think about moments where you were stumped, unsure what to do. Then look at the core loop. Where were you in the loop when you got stuck? What could you have done differently? What sort of prep might have helped? Maybe prep something like that before the next session.

Review the player moves (basic, special, expedition, etc.) Did you miss any moves getting triggered? Did you call for a player move, even though its trigger wasn't really met? For moves that were used, did you follow their procedures correctly?

Next session, try to do better. Write down 2-3 things you want to do or focus on. Put them somewhere you can see them. During the session, try to do them.

Repeat the process. Ask for feedback. Review the session in light of your agenda, your principles, the rules, and the core loop. Prep to shore up your weaknesses. Set goals. Try again. Repeat.

Get good. Then get better. Then get great.