Here's the problem I have. I like to make meaty posts, ones with a lot of perspective from both myself and my character. Sure, the character is a fictional entity summed up in a few paragraphs of words, it's just a creation, but the fact she doesn't exist doesn't make her any less real. I have to imagine how someone that isn't me might react to a particular situation that I haven't been in with countless factors to throw into the mix. Every person reacts differently, even two people whos actions reflect the same thing do it for different reasons, I need to think of what would be going on inside her head and then think about how it would influence her actions, of her thoughts which ones would she express, suppress, or simply hide from the others? Is she hiding it from a particular person or is pride obscuring her path, and if it is pride what exactly is it she's so proud of that would lead her to act this way?
I take my time, not only because I spend a lot of time thinking about it (I'm sure you all do, too) but because I have less time than most to dedicate to these things. I work a LOT and I work really hard, sometimes I want to come home and die on the couch with a big fat bowl of ice cream to keep me company while the world burns. I even do entire 13 hour shifts in one day, which will of course leave me with no time at all. Alternatively, when I do have time, my true passion in life is cooking, so I'm coming up with recipes, trying to develop my own versions of popular dishes, trying new techniques, trying new types of food altogether. When I want to bake pie it's not the pie I want, it's the process of making it I want. Didn't turn out right? Make another one and don't give two shits about who eats it, I'm having fun building enjoyable and delicious food from pale white powder and boring fruit. How can I make this boring unflavored chicken breast into something fantastic? Here's a thought, let's see if this works and try it out, then spend the next 3 weeks altering it and perfecting it into a glorious and magnificent succulent chicken breast worthy of a 5 star restaurant.
Essentially, roleplay takes a seat on the back burner while I work to enhance my skills in the profession I want to take. Because of this, the time I have to think about my characters situation dwindles into the distance. From there, people post 1-3 times a day, each post giving me even more to think about and respond to since every action in the immediate vicinity impacts the area I'm in as well, but the volume of time I have to think about it remains the same small space of time I have to sit down at the computer. And even then, I'm running my own roleplay which is 8 months going and still only 3 posts a week on average, but it is mine and I am the GM which means it takes priority for my roleplay time. If they need a post and we need a post, it's common sense that as a GM I will pick mine as a priority since this one can move on without me and the other cannot.
It's like giving me a shot glass of rum and expecting me to finish a bottle, but when I get halfway through the bottle another one is dropped in front of me and I'm told I have to finish that as well. A roleplay can only go as fast as its slowest member or the slowest members will end up falling out of it.
I don't think the RP is too fast at all. In fact, this one has been moving incredibly slow compared to damn near every other forum roleplay I've ever been in. At least one post per day (from everyone, or almost everyone) is not asking too much. Slowing it down more than that is going to make you lose members. Just from experience, I know if I check 2-3 times a day throughout the day and there still hasn't been a reply I'm going to lose interest real quick.
Not trying to be a jerk, but you said this was your first RP so I'm just trying to point you in the right direction. :)
Compared to my ancient history of roleplays this one is the second fastest I've ever been in. The fastest ever being one I promptly dropped because their refusal to allow me just a smidge of time to respond left my character, an originally charismatic drunk, to become a silent spectator spouting one liners from the top of a horse because they'd carry on in the events without a care that I was there, and it's left a terrible flavor in my mouth. And uh...Who was it that said this was their first? Not quite sure who this is directed at >_<
