USS Galaxy Writer Application
 

 

The first step in the application process is to submit some information about yourself, a sketch of the character you intend to portray, as well as a writing sample. At this point, the character sketch doesn't have to be incredibly polished and specific. In fact, sometimes it's better to avoid getting too specific at this point, because you may find yourself completely reinventing the character if we ask you to write the character in a different department, etc.

To get the ball rolling, please send an email to the USS Galaxy Webmaster with the subject line "USS Galaxy Writer Application", and include all the information that's listed below. To make things easier, you can also copy and paste everything in the box below and use it as a template. And because sometimes things get lost in transit, don't forget to save a copy of your application!

Writer Application Template:

 
Player name:
Your real name, or one you prefer to be called.
Email Address:
We need this to add you to the Galaxy mailing lists, where stories are sent. We cannot process your application without one. Writer email addresses are also listed on our password-protected writer contact list, but are NOT listed anywhere on the site where spambots can get them.
Age:
This simulation is voluntarily rated R. You must be 18 years of age or older to play.
Experience: Please provide us with a brief summary of your PbEM/online RPG experience (how long you've been writing, other sims of which you are a member, etc.). If you are a returning Galaxy writer, or if you've been directed here by an existing Galaxy writer, please note that here.
Online contacts: Any information provided here will be added to our password-protected writer contact list, so other writers can use it to get in touch with you. The writer contact list includes MSN, AIM, ICQ, and Yahoo contacts; feel free to provide as much or as little information as you'd like.
Time Zone: We list this on the writer contact page, so other writers know when to expect to hear from you. Please specify in terms of GMT, not the name of the time zone.
Country of Residence:
For the writer list. We have writers from all over the world, and take pride in advertising that fact.
Character Summary: Give us a brief description of what kind of character you'd portray. What would be their concept? What would you draw on for influences? Tell us a bit about their history, major events in their lives, and about their personality. How will your character react with others?
Character Name: The name of the Player Character you would be writing. No defined Star Trek character names if you don't mind.
Character Species:

Choose a race for your character. A list of defined races can be found in our database. Species listed as Federation Members or Federation Allies/Protectorates are most likely to be members of Starfleet; characters from neutral or hostile species, as well as any original races, are subject to a much more rigorous review. If you intend to play a hybrid character, please make sure there is a reason for it ("because it's cool" does not count) and that it's physically possible within established canon (for instance, a Gorn/Bynar or Klingon/Andorian character would NOT be possible without some serious-- and possibly illegal-- genetic manipulation).

Preferred Department:

 

Choose a position around which you would like to base your writings. Please include three department choices. Your writing sample below will be based on your choices here.

As a general rule, the fewer characters listed in a department, the more likely we are to accept new writers into that department. Check the Manifest to see which departments are lacking writers, or just use the guide below.

The following list shows the current level of demand for new characters in each department:
Command:N/A (new characters do not start out in Command)
Operations: MEDIUM
Medical:HIGH
Tactical:HIGH
Intelligence:HIGH
Security:LOW
Sciences:MEDIUM
Navigation:HIGH
Engineering:MEDIUM
Counseling:MEDIUM
Liaison Corps:MEDIUM
Starfighter Corps: LOW
Marine Corps:LOW
Civilians:MEDIUM

 

On the Job

Please write a post of at least two paragraphs in length about your character on the job. You can write about anything you wish, so long as it's specific to the department you want to join. Possible ideas include, for example, you are an Engineer and you have to repair the fused warp coils in the middle of a battle, you are a Scientist writing a report about a recent experiment, you are a Medical officer who has to deliver news about a terminal illness to a patient, you are a Tactical officer running over an attack plan with your ground forces before a battle, you are a Counselor trying to reach a defensive patient, you are an Ops officer trying to decide from what critical system to take power in order to feed the shields, you are.......etc.

 

An Action Post

Please write a post of at least two paragraphs in length about your character in an action/suspense situation. You can write about anything you wish, as long as the piece has some element of action or suspense. Possible ideas include, for example, an alien race has boarded the Galaxy and you are caught in the crossfire, a band of Hirogen hunters are pursuing you while you are stranded on the surface of a planet, you are hiding in a cave from the Tal'Shiar, you are.... etc.

 

 

A Spare Time Post

Please write a post of at least two paragraphs in length about your character during their spare time. You can write about anything you wish, as long as it is NOT about the holodeck or 10-Forward. This is a creativity test. Possible ideas include, for example, a day at the arboretum, romantically pursuing a lovely young crewman, camping while on shore leave, .... etc.

 

 

A Critical Personal Moment Post

Please write a post of at least two paragraphs in length about a critical moment in your character's past. You can write about anything you wish, as long as the piece is about some moment that your character will remember forever, or affected quite deeply. It can be a positive or negative moment.