I have kept and organized FATE groups that kept going for 5-6 hours. There are sometimes 10+ lost souls all partyless trying to do FATEs.

I start of by of course looking for a party, I ask 2-3 times, if I get no reply within the first minute. I start assembling my own FATE party.

I have a macro /shout LFM Fate Party Farm. I spam it every 30 seconds, or before and then after a FATE. This way I get a full party within 1 minute sometimes, it takes over 5 minutes. Sometimes people leave within a few minutes, other times they play for hours.

A party GREATLY increases the XP you get, often times the FATE mob XP can be 2x+ the XP of the actual FATE. Later on tougher FATEs after 40+ require some coordination especially when there are no other parties, and you 6-8 man party has to do it. You mean great healers, fellow tanks, DPS.

This way you make GREAT friends. I personally don't like FATEs much as actual content, but be party of the community, and you will be rewarded.