I lurked for more than a year before I got an LJ. And then I only started friending people so I could read their f-locked posts. That kind of got the ball rolling for me.

But I try to remember that there may still be non-LJ lurkers out there. I leave my locked art stuff open for about a week so they can see it without an LJ account and lurkers don't have to friend my LJ. I remember being scared and a little stressed about joining communities and revealing myself when I was a newbie. I used to bookmark journals instead of friending them so I didn't look like a creepy stalker with no friends! Erm. *shifty glance*