sites aren’t declining per se, i just think ones that don’t take off are getting shuttered quicker.

itching to try and run a site again...

Debating on making a site on my book series I never ended up writing.

Yes! Scrolling down to a 'recent posts' area and seeing so many people posting on the same day. I think it's a strange, looping cycle. People who are looking for that big, active, diamond in the rough community aren't as willing to take chances on brand new sites, and so they won't ever build to be the big communities that are being searched for.

Obviously it's not something really feasible, since I'm pretty sure we all have different tastes when it comes to writing, but I wonder what would happen if everyone here linked up and promised to join the same site at once...

On the big sites/active sites thing... I agree with the above that a lot of people just aren't willing to take the chance. I've noticed that even when people post like... Interest checks and whatever. People that say that they're interested don't show up more than half the time.

Part of it could definitely be timing— I know I'm someone that comments on interest checks, but I also know that I might not be able to handle more than one site at a time. Which is unfortunate, I really do like some of the interest check concepts, but I might not necessarily be able to commit to it at the time.

At the end of the day, we're all just looking for a place to write. Maybe there might not be as many active forums as there used to be (I'm really thinking of how many choices I had circa 2017— I wish I branched out more back then when I had more time and energy to write a lot), but I'd say that there's merit in creating small, tight knit communities as well.

I honestly prefer smaller communities to larger ones (this includes both character count and member count) but it does get disheartening when they don't get enough activity to sustain more than a few months after opening.

writing wanted ads... hard

I want to join another site but my anxiety won't let me.

^{Anxiety is a huge bully, if you have a friend you trust! You should join with them, I find that helps a lot with anxiety. Good luck to you!}

It’s rough out there ngl. I’m putting my whole heart and soul into something that I’m scared will flop. When you don’t have a built in group or rp friends, it’s taking a huge chance to make a site. Even to join one tbh. And there is a dearth of sites to choose from. I spent months looking before I caved and started building mine bc I wasn’t feeling the vibe or the content of current sites. It’s nothing personal at all, it’s just that I don’t want to join a site and end up that awkward island by himself in the corner.

So I feel the anxiety angle and the dissatisfaction with the current choices. All we can do is keep creating and hope something sticks!