New GM Looking for Advice

[Astroblaze]

I launched my first roleplay on Iwaku back near the end of July and in a month it's only gotten a couple potential players who still have yet to post characters. What am I doing wrong? Is it that I've never run a roleplay on Iwaku before? Is it that the roleplay started on social media? Is it my level of detail? Is my language too complex? On the flip side, are things phrased badly? Or are always-open sandbox roleplays just less intriguing to potential players than player-limited plotted roleplays and I just need to give it time to get off the ground? I really love the concept I have going -- I don't want to see it die before I can even start it. What are some things I could do (or not do) to attract more activity? Also any general advice about modding that any of you more experienced GMs can give me is great.

 

[The Mood is Write]

It could be that you've done nothing wrong. It's not uncommon for roleplays to die out, and it can be through no fault of anyone.

When it does, my best advice is to try again. Look over the information you offered and trim it down if at any time during your reading of it you get bored doing so. Utilize a hook to draw people in, like a short and dramatic scene that will lead into the action of the RP. Try dividing your information into more, shorter paragraphs that may be easier to read for players who have vision issues. Also, read back your sentences in reverse order to find typos, fudges, or spots of confusion.

Utilize our advertising banners to draw in more players, and try going to our media shops for graphics that will help make your thread pop, though try to avoid anything super large. It's shallow, but looks can help to draw people in and get them interested.

Your goal to get more people is to grab them quick, and then they'll start to actually read. The more people do that, the more people may join. Your next goal is to keep people there. Keep the OOC chatter alive and interesting, and don't be afraid to remind people (though don't nag!) about what they owe. Keep it not only respectful, but friendly, and people may be happier to help you out and keep things up! Keeping up the chatter and hype will also help form friendships OOC, which are very important towards your players wanting to keep going and wanting to solve any issues that arise.0

Keep in mind, I only did a cursory glance of your link, and these are only generalized tips based on my experiences and what I've heard spoken about in a general sense. Hopefully something here will help!