I know this struggle quite well, and it is real. I think almost every hard-working guild leader eventually hits an exasperated "Why do I even bother?" point, although it can manifest in a number of complex ways.
It's good that you're looking for a solution, though. I've hit a similar hurdle to the one you're describing, and have tried several trial-and-error things to inspire those around me to jump in both feet first. Maybe one of these things will work for you, although I can't say that all of these suggestions have made me terribly popular all of the time, haha.
- The hype starts with you. If you want people to feel legit excited about what you're throwing out there, I think it's important to be both informative and positive/excited about what's on the horizon. If you're passionate about your story and really believe it'll be a blast for everyone involved, make this known.
- Set aside a designated time for some "real talk." Scheduling a guild meeting has almost always been met with a positive reception for me. It's a great time to sit down with your players and talk about your up-and-coming plans in an organized fashion. It can also be used to solicit some great feedback on what players think about your ideas, or what sort of hooks they'd like to see in the guild's plot. I tend to just throw everyone in a Skype room for conducting my own meetings, since it creates a neat log for posting onto our guild site after the fact. (I also find typing/text to be a lot more laid back and relaxing than voice chat.)
- Create a minimum activity requirement. This may not be the most popular thing, but it's the only way I know to prune off those who are just using your LS/guild as a token membership card without any real drive toward participating in your community. Lay out your minimal activity expectations in a clear format, and then follow through with the subsequent removal if those conditions aren't met. People may be upset if they are removed, but if your guidelines are posted publicly and in a prominent place on your website, then it's kind of the individual's responsibility to adhere to them from there. Of course, if a major RL event happens that's beyond their control, I'm always happy to let them right back in as though they never left. Overall, my activity guidelines are very lenient, but I think they do an okay job of pruning the people who just don't have any interest in participating. It's honestly better to have a smaller and more focused group than a huge and scattered one.
- Nurture the most strongest babby birds. If you notice a member of your guild acting in an ideal way, reward them a little! It doesn't have to be a bribe or anything tangible. It can even be offering them an interesting role in the plot you're managing, or a public comment like "Hey, that was cool, man!" Then again, it could be a bribe, if you put it to good effect. For example, part of my guild's concept is that people can write "Dreams" that other characters can ICly experience. If a person leaves a positive comment on one of these writings, they're entered into a monthly raffle that offers some really boss character art should they win. (One of my officers runs this amenity, and she's lovely for it.)
- Everyone loves a log. If you plan to run a plot, definitely make sure you have a posted record of "the story thusfar" so that everyone can consider themselves reasonably informed before jumping in. (Tiny Edit: written IC summaries are way better received than just posting a straight up RP log clump.) Bonus points if you offer open avenues for engaging in said plot, such as a list of roles that can be filled or other hooks that anyone can sign up for.
You may already be doing some or all of these things, but these are what has helped my own group grow into what it is today.
It's good that you're looking for a solution, though. I've hit a similar hurdle to the one you're describing, and have tried several trial-and-error things to inspire those around me to jump in both feet first. Maybe one of these things will work for you, although I can't say that all of these suggestions have made me terribly popular all of the time, haha.
- The hype starts with you. If you want people to feel legit excited about what you're throwing out there, I think it's important to be both informative and positive/excited about what's on the horizon. If you're passionate about your story and really believe it'll be a blast for everyone involved, make this known.
- Set aside a designated time for some "real talk." Scheduling a guild meeting has almost always been met with a positive reception for me. It's a great time to sit down with your players and talk about your up-and-coming plans in an organized fashion. It can also be used to solicit some great feedback on what players think about your ideas, or what sort of hooks they'd like to see in the guild's plot. I tend to just throw everyone in a Skype room for conducting my own meetings, since it creates a neat log for posting onto our guild site after the fact. (I also find typing/text to be a lot more laid back and relaxing than voice chat.)
- Create a minimum activity requirement. This may not be the most popular thing, but it's the only way I know to prune off those who are just using your LS/guild as a token membership card without any real drive toward participating in your community. Lay out your minimal activity expectations in a clear format, and then follow through with the subsequent removal if those conditions aren't met. People may be upset if they are removed, but if your guidelines are posted publicly and in a prominent place on your website, then it's kind of the individual's responsibility to adhere to them from there. Of course, if a major RL event happens that's beyond their control, I'm always happy to let them right back in as though they never left. Overall, my activity guidelines are very lenient, but I think they do an okay job of pruning the people who just don't have any interest in participating. It's honestly better to have a smaller and more focused group than a huge and scattered one.
- Nurture the most strongest babby birds. If you notice a member of your guild acting in an ideal way, reward them a little! It doesn't have to be a bribe or anything tangible. It can even be offering them an interesting role in the plot you're managing, or a public comment like "Hey, that was cool, man!" Then again, it could be a bribe, if you put it to good effect. For example, part of my guild's concept is that people can write "Dreams" that other characters can ICly experience. If a person leaves a positive comment on one of these writings, they're entered into a monthly raffle that offers some really boss character art should they win. (One of my officers runs this amenity, and she's lovely for it.)
- Everyone loves a log. If you plan to run a plot, definitely make sure you have a posted record of "the story thusfar" so that everyone can consider themselves reasonably informed before jumping in. (Tiny Edit: written IC summaries are way better received than just posting a straight up RP log clump.) Bonus points if you offer open avenues for engaging in said plot, such as a list of roles that can be filled or other hooks that anyone can sign up for.
You may already be doing some or all of these things, but these are what has helped my own group grow into what it is today.
