Let Go of Award Resentment

Welcome everyone, I’m Sol and today we’re talking about something that’s probably making a lot of you uncomfortable right now: awards resentment.

It’s that time of year again in the TTRPG space. Nominations are flying, social media is buzzing with congratulations, and if you’re like a lot of creators I know, you’re sitting there with a knot in your stomach wondering why your name isn’t on any of those lists. That sting? It’s real, and it’s valid.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned after years in this community: that resentment will eat you alive if you let it.

The Scorekeeping Trap

Let me be honest with you here. I’ve been there. Watching someone win an award and immediately doing the mental math: “I’ve been creating content longer.” “My engagement numbers are higher.” “I helped more people.”

But here’s what I realized: that mental scorekeeping is poison. Every minute you spend calculating who “deserved it more” is a minute not spent making your next project better. I watched a creator friend get so bitter about award snubs that they stopped enjoying their own work. The joy was gone.

Don’t let that be you.

Your Worth Isn’t Measured by Trophy Count

The best game masters I know have zero awards but run tables that people talk about for years. Awards recognize moments, not mastery. They’re snapshots of what a particular committee noticed at a particular time, filtered through their own biases and preferences.

I know a creator who’s never been nominated for anything major, but they run a Discord server where new players get their start in TTRPGs. Those players go on to run games for their friends, creating ripple effects of joy and creativity that no award could quantify. Tell me that’s not success.

Celebrate Others Without Keeping Score

When someone in your community wins an award, you have a choice. You can calculate whether they “deserved it more” than you, or you can just say congrats and actually mean it.

Real talk: I used to be terrible at this. Someone would win and I’d immediately start the mental gymnastics. What changed for me was realizing that every moment spent in that headspace was making me a worse creator and a worse community member. Screw that!

Plus, people can sense resentment. When you throw subtle shade about “real creators” versus “marketing machines,” people notice. That energy pushes people away from your content and damages relationships you’ve worked to build.

Awards Follow Trends, Not Always Quality

Here’s something that might make you feel better: awards often follow trends more than they recognize quality. What’s popular this year might not be what’s innovative, helpful, or lasting. Sometimes the most important work happens quietly, behind the scenes, building foundations that others will build upon years later.

Your goal shouldn’t be to chase what’s trendy enough to win awards. Your job is to do work that matters to you and serves your community.

Define Your Own Success

Here’s what I want you to do right now: define success for yourself, independent of any awards committee.

Maybe success is that email from a player saying your work helped them feel confident at their first session. Maybe it’s the GM who tells you your adventure module saved their weekly game. Maybe it’s the simple joy of creating something you’re proud of, regardless of who notices.

When you define your own metrics for success, awards become nice bonuses instead of validation you desperately need.

The Long Game

Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. The TTRPG community remembers creators who consistently show up, support others, and do good work over time. Awards come and go, but the impact you have on someone’s gaming table (and actual life!) lasts.

The creators who stay bitter about awards stagnate, constantly looking backward instead of forward. The ones who celebrate others and focus on their craft? They keep growing, keep improving, keep finding new ways to serve their communities.

Your community needs you creating, not seething. They need your unique perspective, your particular skills, your way of solving problems that no one else can solve quite the same way.

If you’re reading this feeling overlooked and frustrated, I see you. Your feelings are valid, and your work matters even if it’s not getting the recognition you think it deserves right now.

But don’t let that frustration turn into bitterness that poisons your relationship with creating. Keep creating. Keep improving. Keep serving your community. And next time someone in your community wins something? Congratulate them and mean it. Their success doesn’t diminish yours.

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