One of the biggest obstacles that we face when we are sitting down to write a sim for our ship within the Starbase 118 Fleet is figuring out a way to really and truly express ourselves. In many ways, we are not just writers; we are artists and architects, building on a story that is given to us with nothing more than a base and certain framework. With the rest of it left open to whomever chooses to add to any given side, it is as if we are painters who have been given a blank canvas. Sure, it has four sides and is ready to receive paint, but what ends up on it will wholly rely on the input that we choose to add.
Each sim you write is its own masterpiece, while it is also a very important aspect of a much larger, much more complex whole. And just what these pieces of art come out to be depends on the voice that you are able to use to express your particular vision to others using only the words that flow through your mind. It can be difficult to find that voice, even for the most accomplished writers, but find it you must. Having the canvas and the paint isn’t enough – you must learn how to put one on the other so that the world no longer sees and empty slate, but the beauty that exists within your own mind.
Make sure that you take the steps that you need to in order to locate your ‘voice’. Check out Leo Babauta’s post on Finding Your Voice and see what kind of new heights you can take your writing to.
