Cat's Out of the Bag-My Blogging Pet Peeves 2016!

Most of the time I try to keep this site positive, progressive and Zen-like.
In fact, I take pride in it.
I want you to think of P & P as that cozy “spot” you can retreat to for comfort, support, inspiration, edification…and the occasional warm-fuzzy feeling.
But, every now and then, (as a blogger who’s part of the larger blogging community), I encounter things that irritate me like shampoo residue in my eye.

And I have a sneaking suspicion that these things get under your skin too.
(If we’re being honest here).
So for the purpose of enlightenment and improvement, I’m sharing my blogging and writing pet-peeves today, as a “Public Service Message.”

Yes, my friends, I’m “going there.”
Though my mom always told me growing up, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

So...in the spirit of not necessarily being "negative", but attempting to make the blogging experience a little more enjoyable and enriching for us all, here's my small part.

By the way…If any of you are guilty of these listed things, let's not lose love over it. Send me a quick message to help me by explaining why, if possible. Or sound off (nicely) in the comments section. Deal?

MY BLOGGING PET PEEVES IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER…

1. Sporadic and Inconsistent Posts--- Hate it. Sure, it's your Blog and your discretion. But, in my mind, the whole reason for having an "online journal" is to have people to read your stuff. And to come back to read more stuff. True? So be conscious and courteous of this fact by either designating and communicating your posting frequency, or sending a message to inform your blog visitors if you are taking an extended hiatus.
It shows good form.
And while we’re on this page, If you state on your site, or in your BIO on other sites, that you post once a week, please note that that means once every 7 days. Not every 10-12 days... or whenever the mood hits you. Just sayin’ . J

2. Not Leaving or Responding to Comments--- Have a heart. Nobody wants to have a one-way conversation. Would you? :-) Even if it's brief, it still counts. On really tough days, a simple “hello” or “good job” in the comments section goes a long way. On a similar note, the same consideration should be given to commenters: show courtesy for their time by addressing their questions, concerns, or feedback.  Hello? Anybody home?

3. Not Taking the Time to Proof and Edit for Typos, grammar and or spelling in published work--- We all make mistakes. That's a given. Nobody's perfect. (Not to mention, I’m in need of new reading glasses). But, I have routinely read a few folks who time and time again compromise the quality of their content by overlooking this important step. Labor over your work so readers won't have to.

4. Copycats/Plagiarism---Have we not learned anything from the Melania Trump fiasco? It's not unusual to be inspired by something we've read on another site. It happens. And there's nothing unethical about piggybacking off of good ideas, but don't steal them! There's a big difference. If you get an idea for something that pretty much totally came from another blogger's site, why not give him or her recognition? It won't cost you nothin'! Are you with me here? :-)

How much can you safely “borrow” from others?
Learm more about the Fair Use Doctrine here:
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/four-factors/

5. "Blog Snobs"---These folks only leave comments on sites with high visibility, celebrity bloggers, or those likely to give a good deal of "link juice". Share the love with others who provide quality content, and who are trying to reach greater heights too!



KITTY NO-NO

6. Insanity Profanity!---I’m no prude. Every now and then I think that “colorful language” can spice up your content like hot peppers in a pot of Collard Greens! But word to the wise: four-letter words should not pepper every paragraph. Hell!
When this is the case, it actually detracts from your overall message and may cause readers to mistakenly conclude that you have a very limited vocabulary. If you must cuss when you fuss, do so sparingly. Thank you. J

7. The “I Won’t Comment on your blog, unless you comment on mine” mentality---Really? What are we, back in grade school? You’re better than that. J

8. Angry Rants with no real value---We’ve all come across them. Rants that are extremely rude, vindictive, personal, and meaningless to most of us in the reading audience. It’s like watching a train wreck. Don’t get me wrong. I dig a good rant! Especially when it addresses issues that have some common appeal or significance: like having a bad boss, a spouse who forgets to put the toilet seat down, politicians and their sometimes ridiculous platforms, rude editors, or poor customer service. But, in my humble opinion, it should have a point. Some type of take-away value for your readership. And please be brief.  Humor also is appreciated. Here’s one I wrote that most writers can relate to. See if you agree:
http://south85journal.com/2015/10/writing-like-motherhood-is-a-thankless-job/

9. Sites with annoying pop-ups and intrusive Ads---Sometimes it takes a while for readers to be convinced to commit to actually following a blogger on the regular. It certainly does for me.
Give visitors the time to navigate your site, read your content, check out your style, and determine if your offerings address their needs, before deciding if they want to sign-up for future updates or become a member of your “tribe“. It can be really annoying when in a matter of seconds, a pop-up appears from out of nowhere, multiple times, urging you to sign up or purchase something. “Good things come to those that wait.” J

10. Long posts for the sake of length---There’s no doubt about it. Sometimes size matters. And long posts are reported to have various benefits. According to studies conducted, posts that consist of around 1500 words and up receive more social media shares, increase time spent on your site, and are favored by the “Google Gods.” Still, they shouldn't rival "War & Peace."

Read more related interesting facts here: 
http://dotbuzz.com/how-long-should-your-blog-post-be/

If not approached correctly, for me, they’re more of a bore than a benefit. Tread carefully.

Well folks, that's it. That's all.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to vent. Please feel free to add your two
cents. :-)
Consider this as "Free Speech" Friday.
Agree or disagree?

　

Image Credit: Kitty No-No Linda O.
Cat w/Wine, Bandit--Randy R.