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1. Assume everyone who enters your areas has a vivid imagination, and curiosity. Cater to them. Although it is not true, there are enough mudders out there who do appreciate a job well done.

2. "Feelings, you, smells, and sounds"

   I would have to say one of the harder things about building is getting players to feel a certain way without coming out and saying something like, "A feeling of fear overcomes you." The player sitting at their computer very well may not be afraid. A couple of alternatives could be:

   "The acrid smell of fear lingers in the air"
   "An eerie wind rustles softly through the leaves."

   A couple of good rules of thumb for using 'you': never use it to start a room description, never use it more than once in a room, and use it in as few rooms as possible.

   "Finding the balance of using 'you' is tricky. Some muds disallow the personal pronoun 'you' at all, although I think that's a bit extreme."

   Arachne of Oddville

   Some muds have a guideline that states you should not use smells or sounds either, on the basis of a "scry" skill, where players can see where other players or creatures are. I do not agree with this. Smells and sounds are a good way to add depth to the game.

3. Using hidden objects

4. Overcoming writer's block

5. Using ASCII Art

6. Do not get discouraged!

   Yes, there is a lot to learn.
   Take it at whatever pace you can.
   Nobody expects a new builder to instantly whip out the perfect area on his or her first try.