simming
noun
Writing a story together with a crew of other writers, one post at a time, by email or on a forum. Most sims are set in Star Trek, though not all.
Also called play-by-email (PBEM) or play-by-post.
How it works
- Join a crew. You apply to a group and create a character who serves on one of its ships or stations.
- Read the story so far. The crew's posts arrive by email or appear on a forum, each one a short scene.
- Write your part. When it suits you, you write the next scene for your character and send it to the crew.
Featured group
StarBase 118
A Star Trek writing group with several ship crews, each writing its own ongoing story by email.
- Format
- Setting
- Star Trek
- Founded
- 1994
- Last checked
- November 3, 2026
simming.club is run by StarBase 118 members.
Guides
- What is simming?
The hobby in plain terms, where it came from, and the words people use.
- How a sim works
A week in a sim, how much time it takes, and what an exchange looks like.
- Writing your first post
From joining a crew to sending your first scene, step by step.
- Play-by-email explained
How PBEM groups use a mailing list to tell one story together.
- Simming compared with other roleplay
Play-by-post next to Discord roleplay, tabletop games and AI chat.
- Writing with a crew
Simming as a year-round writing habit, for writers looking for a NaNoWriMo alternative.
Ready to look for a crew? See the list of groups.