This is very anecdotal, but for me, I have been a consistent rper for a few years. I do about 500-1000 tags a month across memes, psls, and a private game, usually for one character, sometimes two. Mostly longer tags with occasional text spam if I have a full day to mess around with rp. I can't tag every day but I manage at least 5 days a week.
However, I can't take on more threads. Over the time RPing I have already made some really strong friendships with really talented writers, I have canonmates and deeply developed crosscanon CR that I'm really invested in, and I want to be welcoming to the occasional new blood in the private game so I reserve a couple slots on my dance card for them. I don't want to have less time and attention for my long-term rp pals, so I don't really post top-levels on bakerstreet, I don't use EMP or roll call memes, I don't tag out, etc. I know how many threads I can handle a month because I know I won't magically double my tag pace so my existing threads/friends/ships will lose out. I'm satisfied, so I don't chase new shinies, and I don't feel the need to make promises I won't keep.
On the other hand, I know plenty of people who get their RP dopamine from people-pleasing behaviours like promising canonmates, taking on threads they don't really want to play or don't have time for, or attention-seeking behaviour like tossing dozens of blank top levels at memes or fishing on EMP every month - they don't really want to rp, they just want to be wanted.
I have a friend I have known for years who comes into my plurk memes to talk about an old psl ship, and I know it's because she likes chatting nostalgically with me - I also know I'm more likely to get her to stream an episode of a new netflix show with me than to actually tag our thread back, but she's my friend and if she wants to still feel like she's part of the hobby we shared by participating in my rp plurks as well as my irl ones that's no skin off my nose. sometimes in amateur theatre you get regulars who can't commit to learning a big part this season but they'll still show up to rehearsals to understudy and maybe make some tea. or the guys who are always a little too busy or sick to make dnd but still ask about the game and draw art of everyone's characters. hobbies form a community that is sometimes so valuable to a person they want to stay even if they don't have the capacity or passion for the hobby itself.
I know these are just my experiences but I hope by having a better understanding of what roadblocks might be coming from the other side allows you to work out better ways to find your own threads!
Re: RP WOES
However, I can't take on more threads. Over the time RPing I have already made some really strong friendships with really talented writers, I have canonmates and deeply developed crosscanon CR that I'm really invested in, and I want to be welcoming to the occasional new blood in the private game so I reserve a couple slots on my dance card for them. I don't want to have less time and attention for my long-term rp pals, so I don't really post top-levels on bakerstreet, I don't use EMP or roll call memes, I don't tag out, etc. I know how many threads I can handle a month because I know I won't magically double my tag pace so my existing threads/friends/ships will lose out. I'm satisfied, so I don't chase new shinies, and I don't feel the need to make promises I won't keep.
On the other hand, I know plenty of people who get their RP dopamine from people-pleasing behaviours like promising canonmates, taking on threads they don't really want to play or don't have time for, or attention-seeking behaviour like tossing dozens of blank top levels at memes or fishing on EMP every month - they don't really want to rp, they just want to be wanted.
I have a friend I have known for years who comes into my plurk memes to talk about an old psl ship, and I know it's because she likes chatting nostalgically with me - I also know I'm more likely to get her to stream an episode of a new netflix show with me than to actually tag our thread back, but she's my friend and if she wants to still feel like she's part of the hobby we shared by participating in my rp plurks as well as my irl ones that's no skin off my nose. sometimes in amateur theatre you get regulars who can't commit to learning a big part this season but they'll still show up to rehearsals to understudy and maybe make some tea. or the guys who are always a little too busy or sick to make dnd but still ask about the game and draw art of everyone's characters. hobbies form a community that is sometimes so valuable to a person they want to stay even if they don't have the capacity or passion for the hobby itself.
I know these are just my experiences but I hope by having a better understanding of what roadblocks might be coming from the other side allows you to work out better ways to find your own threads!