Time costs money. Unless it is a famous project that can help promote the work of the artist/programmer, no one will accept to work for free or without any guarantee that they will receive payment. Most people already have their own personal projects to work on their free time, why would they work hundreds of hours on someone else's project without getting anything in return for it?
agreed? like lancelotdulak said...essentially, have a good story? people can work for a cut of the pie...personally, i owuldn't give any single artist, programmer, pateron, advertiser, hoster, or anything else more than 10% of anything...i'm sure u can find other reasons as to why u should keep your money too, like electricity to power your computer, internet fees just to access the internet, pen and paper to write down your ideas when inspiration hits, blah blah blah....
anyhow, in order to set yourself apart from others is to create a different story...god knows Japan and it's anime culture is full of alternate-world crap, and harems, and superheroes, and blah blah blah....yet, it still works regardless how generic the topic is...all because of story