Where can I find startups offering lower pay + equity roles, and how should I approach them? I will not promote.

I have tried YC, Wellfound, and Work at a Startup, but that didn't work After that, I tried reaching out to startups working in worldbuilding and scriptwriting tools, since I’m most interested in that niche. found their discords and emails and contacted them, but the replies I got were that they didn’t have the money or not looking for anything. I am bit confused. Should I keep reaching out through email or discord, or does that come across as rude? Also, what should I check before approaching a startup so