Much of what I have go say probably has been spoken about already, but this is my 2 cents.

[quote=@Gendarme][list][*]How do I do a proper collaboration post?
[*]How do I portray ships, buildings, and inanimate objects in general through writing without sounding boring?
[*]What is the right amount of detail in most posts? Are there any exceptions?
[*]I intend to head to an Advanced role-play at some point, but I would like to increase my skill beforehand. Do you have any general writing tips?
[*]What early signs are there that a role-play will have longevity and not die out quickly? How can I help keep a role-play alive and fun as a poster?
[/list][/quote]

A good collabs should be written in real time with someone on a site like Google Docs or TitanPad. This allows you to chat with the other individual and write in a fluid mix. Doing so in PMs can often come across very back and forth with a heavy emphasis on one character at a time. The final result just ends up being choppy most of the time.

	If you want to describe something, think about how you would explain it to someone that wouldn't mind visiting the place or seeing that object. Descriptive words are your friend in speech, but on some parts maybe over exaggerate. You want to incite imagination and creativity.
	I had the pleasure recently of reading a rather boring post about a character's morning. It felt like a chore and they were describing things that had nothing to really do with the scene or objects that didn't need a description.

	For advanced... be descriptive, learn proper English, understand your tenses (past, present, and future) and just enjoy yourself.
	Descriptive text is the difference between, [I]"the wooden door opened"[/i] and, [I]"the old, oak door groaned as it opened, stretching the cobwebs to their limits before snapping the strands"[/I]. By adding a little more you have described an action and scene.
	Proper English is key to allowing others to understand your text. I started using semicolons (;) more often as I learned that they can help in the right situation when you don't want extra conjunctions (and, but, if, etc) [I]"Heavy snow continues to fall at the airport; consequently, all flights have been grounded.[/I]
	Tenses are rarely talked about but using the right tense can change the feel of a particular section. Want suspense? Use a present tense. I wont go Amy more into this, but read up a bit and you'll see how a good scene is conducted by the timeframe it is presented in.

	Finally for a long lasting roleplay... this is always hard. What I look for is what is motivating the characters. If you have a roleplay where the player feels that there is a goal to aim for, then they will place more effort into staying committed. Because of this I'm not a huge fan on create your own adventure as it's relying on the players and honestly... some players can't create their own story lines.
	The storyline/motive doesn't have to be much. Pokemon is about being the ultimate Pokemon champion and yet it's been a huge success, and then you have minecraft which is just a giant sandbox. Looking at these two you can see that one has even a small goal, but its something to work with. Take a look at some roleplays and you'd be surprised how many have built an amazing world but have little motivation for the characters in what to do in said world.
	Now there is plenty more as to what can keep a roleplay afloat when it comes to players and dropouts and so much more, but the main thing any GM should do is ensure that he or she keeps the players coming back for more.