When messaging a stranger, DO NOT just greet them. ALWAYS include an indication of what you want to talk to them about!
Messages with an unclear intent can easily make for an awkward or anxious situation, especially if one/both of you can't reply right away. They make it hard for busy people to prioritise, since they don't know if your message is work or casual. For these reasons, some people just ignore greeting-only messages.
Everyone's better off if you state your intent :D
Examples:
Bad: "Hi!"
Good: "Hi! Are you open for art commissions?"
Talking/asking about prior work doesn't count since it doesn't state your intentions.
Bad: "Hello! I saw your work on [project]."
Good: "Hello! I saw your work on [project] and wanted to know how you achieved [cool thing]."
Even if you just want to become friends and have no specific desire, you should start by introducing a topic of conversation. You're the one reaching out, it's your job to get the conversation going xP
benign vicinity hinkypunks
eishiya
Bernie
krys!!!!! 