So today I’m continuing with Tips & Hints for Blogging (you can read Part 1 here – if you care).  And I will repeat  . . . these items can, in no way, be considered expert advice.  It’s just a collection of stuff that bugs me.  But if it bugs me, it likely bugs others, so you should know about it.

Also keep in mind that I don’t use Blogger/Blogspot.  I self-host on WordPress (and I love WordPress for those that were wondering), so I’m somewhat unfamiliar with the way Blogger blogs work.  But that being said . . . here’s the next 4 things that bug me.  Fix them and you’ll likely attract more readers.

Let’s start where we left off;

5)  Please strip your blog of blinking, flashing, fancy things.  They are akin to covering your Cadillac with hideous bumper stickers.  No one can appreciate the fine blog Cadillac you’re driving around in because they’re too distracted by all the bling.  We don’t stop by your blog to see bling.  We stop by to read something that in some way, entertains, educates or bring us together.  Buttons from your favourites sites or photos that you love?  No problem.  Just keep them displayed together and organized in a visually pleasing manner.  Please.

6)  If you list your blogroll/favourite sites on your home page, and you have sites on it that indicate a Bloggers last post was, oh I don’t know, 6 months ago or more, it might be time to remove it.  It’s likely that person isn’t blogging anymore.  And you look silly for recommending them as one of your “favourites”.  I know it’s hard to keep up with these things.  It’s a boring and mundane task.  But I also think it’s worth it.

7)  The “comment will be visible after approval” thing fools us into thinking we’re the first commenter, then tricks us into thinking “hey – where did my comment go!?” before we notice that darn auto message.  SO annoying.  I think I would rather have word verification.  And I hate word verification.  But it just might be the lesser of the two evils.  I do understand that there are mean commenters out there that you might be trying to intercept.  So I realize that this is a hard one.  But I’m just saying – I, as the writer of this blog -  hate “comment will be visible after approval”.  Do with that what you will.

8)  You simply can NOT have a paragraph that’s over 3″ long.  In fact, I would suggest that 2″ be the limit.  I’m presently lobbying to have a law put into place that says so, because long paragraphs are just ridiculous.  And boring.  You MUST find a way to break them up.  At all costs.

Okay.  That’s all.  I’ve said my peace.  And again I ask you;

What do YOU think?  Am I bang on or totally off base?  Did I miss one of YOUR pet peeves?