Host a conversation with friends

Make the invitation real

Give people a chance to opt out before the first question. Participation should not depend on explaining why someone would rather listen. Avoid making personal disclosure a condition of belonging to the group.

Choose Friends / Groups and use one screen. Find a place where people can hear each other without competing with a loud television or several side conversations. In the adult beta, include adults who have agreed to play.

Choose how turns will work

You can go around the group or let someone volunteer to begin. If you use a circle, make ‘pass’ part of the routine from the start. The first person can model a short answer so the question does not feel like a performance.

After someone speaks, leave a little room before moving on. A quieter person may want time to find their words, but do not interpret silence as a request to be questioned. Invite once, then accept their choice.

Ask for stories without demanding them

Everyday examples can give a conversation texture. A favourite place, a small habit or an unexpectedly good afternoon can tell you something interesting without requiring anyone to reveal a secret.

If a story becomes personal, do not make it the group’s entertainment. Avoid a chain of follow-up questions from several people at once. The person speaking decides which details stay theirs.

Agree not to record answers or share someone else’s story afterwards without permission. Copying a BTW question link shares the question, not an answer or the identity of the person who answered it.

Host the ending as carefully as the beginning

After a level, check whether the group wants more. Do not move deeper just because one enthusiastic player is ready. You can stay with light questions, choose a short session or finish.

If someone looks uncomfortable, offer a general break without announcing an interpretation of their feelings. ‘Let’s pause here’ can be enough. Nobody needs a public explanation.

End while there is still room for another conversation on another day. The group has not failed if you only play one question; you have simply chosen the length that suited this gathering.