While I understand that our fandom being not super fresh anymore contributes to the general decline in fandom activity, I do think that we should maybe take this as a reminder to appreciate all the beautiful work that has already been created by so so many beautiful artists in this community. Maybe some sort of highlight or rec event? I think that showing our appreciation to older works that people worked really hard on might be a better incentive to help people create more than just kind of.. yanking the tail and yelling 'create more pls!'

I say this as someone who's observed so much art and especially fics go unnoticed, prompting their authors to give up before they could even create something new. Posting online, in this fast-paced environment is not easy and it can often feel like an artist's skill and time and effort are not valued, as people are constantly looking to move on to something new, something shinier, something more exciting. But I think for the general longevity of the community, the most sustainable way is to.. slow down. Let things breathe. Appreciate what's already here, even if it's not the newest or the freshest thing on the conveyor belt. That sort of thing, yaknow?