As someone who came into the game with the same feelings as you a few months ago, I can tell you what worked for me.

Don't be afraid to tag. Someone people will give you short threads, some people will thread for weeks with you. It's hit or miss, but you won't find out until you do it. A lot of players are back-tag friendly, too, so don't worry about that either. (A CR meme goes up around the same time as apps, as well. That helps to give you an idea of what people are looking for, too)

It is admittedly a little scary, but believe me, just going for it and doing what you think may be fun could end up surprising you.

As for the game itself, the pace varies depending on mod and player plots. If you want to find out what's going on, read the world info like other anons have suggested, but go back and read a few posts as well, just to get an idea of what the game's mindframe IC-wise is. Logs or network posts.

Ignore the anon that says we don't like newbies - if you want to app, then app. Newbies are great because they breathe new life into the game, and you never know what'll happen with each new wave of you guys.

I hope this helps a little, and good luck if you app!