Applications were taking nine days. That is long enough that people found another city before we answered, which helps nobody.
What changed
The form is shorter. We removed the questions that everyone answered the same way and kept the three that actually tell us something: who your character is, what they want, and what they are afraid of.
What we look for
Not writing quality. A short, specific answer beats three paragraphs of backstory nobody will ever reference. We are checking whether your character is a person rather than a build.
Timing
Two days, most of the time. If it has been longer than four, post in the application channel rather than reapplying: a second form puts you at the back of the queue.