If someone describes their character as dark and brooding then that's usually sign they haven't put any thought into the character beyond "dark" and "brooding" If it's intead "I have a reserved character with a checkered past" that can look the same, but it has actual depth

50. RPGs are not about telling a story or doing character work or winning, they're about having fun. If you are not having fun, that's a problem that needs to be fixed.

49. Dark and Brooding characters are not cool player characters.

48. You don't need to stick to your original plan. If a player suggests something that will work, yeah, cool, you got it. You sometimes don't even NEED a plan.

47. with 46, Unless you're playing a Meat Grinder style campaign, talk to your players about what happens if the character dies, and consider have Resurrection be available (but maybe not convenient)

46. Don't try to kill your players, but strive to have that possibility on the table

45. Sometimes the player won't realize something that they do will have much larger consequences. It may be worth it to say something like "This will alter the trajectory of your character/the campaign/etc. Are you sure you wish to proceed?" even when the character may not have context to know this.

44. If you're going to do a kink game, whatever it is should play into player empowerment, not be a punishment

43. If you need more time, describe the door to the next room in an unusally large amount of detail