1.) Follow people.
2.) Engage in other people's posts.
3.) Use hashtags. They don't demote posts here.
4.) Browse hashtags.
5.) Post more often! (PostyBirb is a great tool for posting art to multiple sites)
Seeing so many people claim "Mastodon is dead" when they only come here like only once a month, to post art, then hop off. And not engage at all. Or use hashtags.
You gotta follow people, engage with the community, follow feeds, etc.!
@SleepyChi also follow people who get boosted by people you are following (I usually see what else they are posting/that they are a real human but countless accounts I now follow I discovered from boosts by other accounts I follow.
And then also when accounts boost my content / reply to it I have found many other people I now follow.
For furs new to the fandom and going to their first con:
Parties and drinking do happen at cons. But do not feel like you HAVE to participate in drinking/partying to fit in, or to "be a furry"! You can say no!
Seen so many young furs get blackout drunk at cons; just know you're not required to!
@philpem Probably. I finally found a group I'm comfortable with, who respects my boundaries and don't push things or guilt trip. I went through the worst to get to the best.
The biggest way to reconsider a friendship with me is having someone around who guilt trips or tries to manipulate me, nope not happening, bye. lol. Dropped someone who did exactly that. I don't tolerate it.
@SleepyChi Good for you! (I really mean that, not a lot of people I know managed to find a good crowd)
I went through the worst and found that the best people - shunned me. Ended up being lovebombed by even worse bad-people. Sold my fursuits, buyer hurt me and my last remaining friends.
Since I left, I've had non-stop abuse and harassment from a bunch of the locals, while the rest look on and laugh.
My boyfriend's still a furry. I'm trying to get him into something more friendly and accepting.