@Zombie: I know exactly what you mean, I've experienced this a few times, one of them being with a pack I had run myself ._.
I'd come along late one night and think my pack was busy Rping, but they end up just standing there >.>' I told them they didn't need me to RP D8 Eventually the message started sinking in and it go better, but sheesh x.x
Later on when I've been in different packs, I tried Rping with others when the leaders weren't on but most of the time my suggestions were ignored until the leaders came on >.> That became a problem with the pack I'm in currently, but soon enough it got taken cared of and it's not a problem anymore haha. It's different for forum Rps, though, as Kyu said. Not everyone is on at the same time and people post mostly when they're just able to, which can range from a few times a day till once every two/other day. Which can be both good and bad, good cause it gives you plenty of time and not worry so much with activity, but bad for those who like fast-past RPs and have little patience.
@Tanglemask: If you mean me, no, you're not copying xD
Not all Rps can be 100% unique, there have been plenty where characters have powers or special abilities. Just with mine I limited on what those could be, and would only allow it if the RPers made them creative and unique as possible haha.
On your comment toward Hawkwing, I definitely know what you mean with the posts, and hence why I like literate best. Actually I was kind of having a similar problem today >.<
I make my posts rather long and give things the others can take to work with, but sometimes I come across someone who doesn't return the favor. Even though we're all mostly literate, sometimes I only have two posts to lead off of and I try typing up more that the other could probably use but it ends up being the same and they end up losing muse no matter what I do, and vise versa :/
It gets irritating sometimes when it happens more than once.
As for plots, that's exactly what I try to do. I hate having something focused on one character, I usually make plots for everyone to work with and we can start roleplaying, and I even help along with making connections or reasons behind actions and such. But (I think I've mentioned this before) the main issue I have with this is when no one really cooperates or offers assistance. It's like they always expect the host/hostess to do things for them, and because of that the plot could end up revolving one or two character(s) only. Only the creators know their characters more than anyone, so they have to type their actions for them on what they want to do, not stand idly by and watch >.<
Then everyone except maybe a few start losing muse, as you have said yourself. Then I feel bad/irritated, cause unlike some I've actually worked on trying to get them involved, but if they don't do some of the work themselves then there's not much that could be done ._. Not that I'm saying that's what happened with you, of course haha.