Welcome!

My name's Liz and I play LCDR Fiona Starling on the Horatio Nelson. I like to think I'm pretty good at this stuff, so I'll share some of my ostensible wisdom, lol.

1) Know your character. It's much easier to post once you've got a clear idea of who your character is and what they're about. If you really know your character, their reactions and relationships will come easily as you read others' posts. You'll be in the middle of reading a post and suddenly *KNOW* what he'll do. It's a beautiful thing.

2) Avoid SHS. SHS is superhero syndrome. Sometimes your character will be up against a wall and have to pull off something extraordinary and heroic. When that time comes, make certain there's no way you could have another character save you, and there's no way to make someone else look good instead of making yourself look good. It's reciprocal... If you make them look good, they'll make you look good. Try to keep things realistic. If you're playing as a Klingon, and someone starts provoking them and calls them a son of a targ, chances are they'll lose their temper. Don't just ignore the situation if it's inconvenient. Deal with it... If your Betazoid encounters a superpowerful telepath, they're going to get a headache... Just keep checks and balances to your actions, and make sure to keep your crewmates looking good.

3)Check your spelling and grammar. REALLY! I mean it. Reread your post before you send it to the list. Make certain that it is clear and well-written as you can manage, and then check the list for any posts having come through while you were writing. If all's clear and your post is double checked, send it on. A spell and grammar checker's great, but don't forget to check it yourself as well... Spell and grammar checks don't catch everything.

4) Include other characters in your posts. This ties in with #2. Don't worry about making them talk or think or do anything in particular. Just give an opening to that character, and paint them in a favorable light. For instance:

on:
Ens 1 is trapped under a pylon, unable to budge. He screams for help, unable to reach his comm badge. Bravely he calms himself, trying to think clearly. (here's where you can insert some brief character development or "CD"... mention who or what he thinks of while he's waiting for his death or rescue}

Ens 1's eyes grow dim, and he has given up hope. Then he hears a concerned voice cutting through his haze. It's Ens 2! Ens 2 rushes over, helping to move the pylon.

off: Tag, Ens 2.

In that way, you've gotten in action, CD, and worked in another character all in one post. You've made another player happy with your casting their beloved character as the hero, and opened the way for a great friendship.

That's what simming's all about, IMHO.

Hope that helped. If you have any questions about what I said, you can IM or email me. satin_valkyrie@hotmail.com