When navigating the rocky shoals of comment etiquette, even the most grizzled WordPress veteran may find him or herself adrift. Commenting rules are, by and large, unwritten. This makes them no less real. The unwary commenter risks breaking one of these rules and getting a bloggy smack upside the head so hard their kids will be born dizzy.
Fear not! Miss Peg-o-Leg is here to guide you in the gentle art and exacting science of the effective comment. Read these Frequently Asked Questions. Memorize them. Live by them.
- I really don’t know the blogger. Wouldn’t it be too bold to comment? Not at all! If they didn’t want you to view their wares, they would have their setting on “private”.
WordPress is like community theater. Hard-working actors donate their blood, sweat and almost every evening after work, and for what? They get paid diddly-squat. All they want is a chance to create art and, perhaps, a moment of glory. A thoughtful comment is like applause at the end of a performance. Don’t begrudge them that. Tomorrow they must put away dreams of greatness and go back to their humdrum lives as accountants, shopkeepers and recent high school graduates yearning to be on Glee.
- I left a comment on a blog and the blogger didn’t come over to visit my blog. Does that mean she is a rude, self-involved witch? Not necessarily. Be patient. Blog reciprocity is like dating. It’s a process of getting to know one another – to see if you’re a good fit. You wouldn’t expect a new “friend” to come up to your place to see your “etchings” on a first date, would you?
- Can I include a link to my own blog in my comment? This is tricky. If you did a post on a closely related subject, then yes. If you want to advertise “I get you low, low price on Via$ra and Ciali$, for sure!” then no.
A variation on this is the practice of visiting the blog of the newly Freshly Pressed for the sole purpose of leaving a comment link to drive traffic to your blog. This is considered tackier than wearing white after Labor Day.
- I want to tell everyone all about how Angelina Jolie is really an alien who comes to my house in the middle of the night to eat all the raisins in my pantry. If you are being funny, please proceed. If you believe this to be true, you should reconsider before you hit “submit”. The goal is to remain a welcome guest, as opposed to being on the receiving end of a restraining order. Try to rein in these impulses and take your meds. Also, those raisins may stay fresh longer in the refrigerator.
- I disagree with/don’t like what the blogger had to say. It’s perfectly fine to disagree – just be respectful. If the blogger is laying down some particularly nasty carpet-bombing on a topic that you hold dear, it may be best to sneak away quietly without comment. Miss Peg-o-Leg agrees with your mother on this point: “If you can’t think of anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
- Can I let it all hang out in my comment? Nowhere is the commandment “thou shall know thy bloggy host” more important than here. If your host works in obscenities as an artist works in oils, you can drop the f-bomb with impunity. If you are visiting what is clearly a family-friendly blog, however, then ix-nay on the bomb-fay. Obscenity that is neither funny, clever nor advances the dialogue is rarely appreciated, unless you’re visiting a blog that celebrates crude AND stupid. In that case…carry on.
- If someone leaves a comment, do I have to respond to it? Experts are split on the duty owed here. One school of thought holds that if someone takes the time to read and come up with a reasonably thoughtful or funny comment, they deserve the courtesy of a reply. If Miss Peg-o-Leg crafts a witty comment and gets no response on a blog she is visiting for the first time, there is seldom a return visit.
Many bloggers scale their response to the amount of work evident in the original comment. A casually dropped “lol” or smiley face will not require a dissertation in reply.
Another school of thought says, “What, am I supposed to be chained to this computer? I can’t reply to every comment. For God’s sake – I’ve got a life!” This response is especially tempting during the comment ballyhoo that surrounds being Freshly Pressed. Miss Peg-o-Leg suggests the lucky FP host just hunker down with a supply of Power Bars (chocolate/peanut butter is her personal favorite.) She also recommends one of those hats with the beer cozies attached on both sides and straws that extend down to the mouth.
On a personal note, Miss Peg-o-Leg makes it her practice to respond to all comments. However, Miss Peg-o-Leg strives to be above average in all things.
- Can I just hit the “like” button? The “like” button is a perfectly acceptable response. This is the equivalent of leaving a calling card with the butler when you drop in and the host is not at home. It shows you cared enough to stop by.
The “like” response is especially effective if the post is a simple picture, or a quote-of-the-day sort of offering. You can also use it if you’re swamped with “real” life that day or you just can’t think of anything worth saying. Even Miss Peg-o-Leg has, on occasion, gone to the Clever Comment Well and found it dry.
If you exclusively hit “like” without ever commenting, however, your host may get the impression you are parking out on the street, slouched down in the front seat hiding behind a Star Magazine, just waiting until they leave the house so you can drop off your card without having to talk to them.
- What is the Comment Hijack? Is it ok if I do this? The comment hijack involves jumping into someone else’s comment stream. This may be as subtle as expressing your own thoughts on the topic, or as bold as a total takeover; turning the plane around, as it were, hence the name hijack. This type of comment banter is a favorite of the more advanced practitioners of the noble art. Always remember you are a guest on someone else’s blog: make sure your host knows they are welcome to join in the fun.
A variation on this is the comment hijack on the blog of someone whom YOU DO NOT KNOW. This game is fraught with danger; a thrill ride that is not for the faint of heart. It is like juggling chainsaws. If you pull it off, it’s an amazing feat to witness. However, the amateur may end up cutting off a vital organ. Both chainsaw juggling and extreme comment hijacking are activities best left to the experts.
Bloggers should consider commenters as guests in their home, and make them feel welcome. Commenters should remember they are guests, and always wipe their feet before entering. That way they won’t track dog crap in on the rug.
In the end, as with all etiquette, comment etiquette comes down to good manners. Miss Peg-o-Leg says,
“Treat others as you wish to be treated and you will rarely go wrong.”
Bon Commentito!
Peg-o-Leg's Ramblings 
I like this. I will re-blog it so that a lot of new friends understand what to do. It should make it easier for them. Good post, thanks
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I found your comment languishing in my spam folder- sorry about that. Feel free to reblog, and thank you for stopping by!
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It is now two days later and Pegoleg has over 140 comments on this post, yet has NOT been Freshly Pressed.
I’m getting a weird sense that Word Press is not about words anymore. Very sad considering all the talent out here. The visuals compliment the written word, they don’t become the word. Just my humble opinion.
You rock, Peg. You deserve better. Keep those fabulously tuned words coming!
There are many of us who appreciate the product of your quirky mind, cleverly displayed through the well crafted word.
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You may be a bit prejudiced, dear sister, but thanks so much for all your support. You’re a doll!
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Reblogged this on Sarchasm2 and commented:
Good post that helps me and other newbie bloggers on wordpress or any forum for that matter
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Peg,
I loved this!! I have a visual of juggling chainsaws while engaging in repartee with a close friend during a link-hijacking: fraught with peril, but remarkably rewarding IF one includes the host blogger as well.
The “leave a calling card by hitting the like button” maneuver is one of my favorites. I do not excel in short, witty bon mots, so very often, I leave my gravatar and keep running around the neighborhood.
And you know what else? You took a difficult topic and made it interesting and fun. Other bloggers have taken this exact issue on and actually scared me from ever commenting on their blogs again. Seriously. Your post above had the opposite effect, and it made me laugh. So good on you and thank you for making my gray, rainy Monday morning a little brighter.
El
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Thanks El. And thanks for leaving the perfect example of the perfect comment!
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Excellent guidelines and I’m relieved to know why my raisin supply has suddenly dwindled.
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You just knew she couldn’t be of this earth. She’s got the phone number of the mother ship tatooed on her arm!
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Like Button.
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Good comment!
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Great post, love the analogy of the person parked outside. I touched on a couple of points in a post ages ago, but I won’t link to it 🙂 I would never anyway but the fact mine wasn’t funny helps, unlike this!
My comments were hijacked once but owing to the time difference I missed all the fun.
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That can be a problem, Joe. It’s sad when you come late to the party, enthusiastically blowing your party horn and tossing confetti, just to find out the other revelers have already gone home.
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Outstanding post PoL! You have such a talent for this type of post and are right on target with your advice. Miss Peg-o-Leg’s final comment re: the golden rule sums it all up perfectly. Love your metaphors!!
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So true, Carol. The Golden Rule is appropriate to just about anything in life, isn’t it?
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You know how much I love your posts, Erma Bombeck, I mean Peg!
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You always know the shorted route to my heart is through my vanity. Good call!
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Fabulous post. Good to have some guidelines. Without any, one might step on toes but I’m from the school of treating others as you would like to be treated. Thank YOU.
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That’s always good advice in any part of life, isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by!
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Where is that “Brilliant” button, again?
I especially love the part about the “Commentazzi” – those vultures who swoop down and leave their droppings on every mother-loving-Freshly Pressed post to drive up their own site visits. I mean, who is possibly interested (and allegedly intrigured) by every single travelogue, recipe and overprocessed photography blog offered up? Oops, guess I should have kept that un-nice comment to myself, huh?
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No, it’s perfectly acceptable to make un-nice comments that aren’t directed at Miss Peg-o-Leg (or any other blogger specifically). Love the Commentazzi moniker and am adopting it now.
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That’s okay, I “adopted” the moniker from another blogger…If ever I am Freshly Pressed I shall be mighty choosy about which comments I moderate, believe you me…
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And never make the mistake of allowing unapproved comments.Lesson learned. I’d say about 99.99% of comments on an FP are only for self-promotion.
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I love when someone I “know” is Freshly Pressed…especially my funny and profound (profane?)bloggy buddies. But then, when I go to leave a comment, I think “do they think I’m just trying to drum up business for my own blog?” Of course I am!!!
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Of course not! But when I go to a FP buddy’s blog I make sure to leave an extra-familiar-we’ve-been-friends-for-simply-AGES-because-I-have-such-good-taste-and-was-sitting-at-the-cool-kids-table-long-before-this-FP-ballyhoo kind of comment so everyone knows I’m not a peggy-come-lately. I’m so ashamed.
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I never want to promote my blog. I don’t want anyone to read it ever. Nothing to see there! I only post so I won’t have to tell my husband about it.
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I believe we first met during a blog hijack concerning GG’s caption contest, did we not, oh Darlineator?
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Yeah! I believe so. GG’s caption contest hijack. Oh…it was such an innocent time then. Ah, yes, I remember it fondly. You were the cool woman who won all of his contests (I think my first vote was for your entry about a star trek convention) and I knew nothing of you aside from the fact that you apparently like to sit on a freaky sheep kiddie ride at a playground in the woods. And look how far we’ve come since then! Mr. Skittles truly brought us together didn’t he, the poor lil’ buggah. What magical times we’ve had, Pegoliciousness!
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I also remember those days fondly. Back when I would actually WIN that damn contest. I see this week was another pathetic bridesmaid affair for me. Now I’ll sulk and not enter for a couple of weeks. But nobody will notice my boycott, so, yeah.
How is dear Mr. Skittles? I haven’t heard about or from him in ages.
You wouldn’t believe how many hours it took to get that spontaneous picture of me spontaneously having all kinds of good fun on a kiddie lamb ride at the playground. Totally unplanned.
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This is my GG caption contest strategy that I have employed since Day One: Enter every single time. No matter how unfunny I’m feeling or how embarassed I may feel if I end up misspelling (sp?) something or not looking cool. You’d be surprised at how often I don’t look even remotely cool, Peg. Oh? No, you’re not surprised at all? And losing? Ha! That’s what I do best! It builds character! Fuels that fire in my belly, gets me all worked up so the next time I will unleash an even more crazy caption entry. Just to get a few measly laughs. Maybe a chuckle…I’ll even take a smirk. I can picture Paul, sitting there, sifting through the entries and scratching his head when he gets to mine. Maybe he chuckles silently. Either way, it’s okay. Cuz you can’t get a good woman down. I will keep fighting the good fight. You should too, Peg. Do it, for me. Enter again. Mr. Skittles would want that. I have no idea where he is, he skipped town again as soon as the FP thing died down.
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He was always such a fame-whore.
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– exactly why I stopped reading Freshly Pressed, or if I do, mostly ignore FP comments. Nothing will be learned there.
Hm, Peg-o-Leg – any chance my weekend post on how to ‘improve’ word press comments with italics, bold print and color influenced you taking on the ettiquette angle? which is good to get out there, btw
And hey, Darla – I noticed your post on Munches “The Scream” got FP’d – on the same day I wrote mine and posted the same pic. Different angle, but you got all the glory. Mine, once again, sadly ignored by the WordPress Gods 😦
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No, I had this done and ready to go 2 weeks ago, simmering until I came up with the right picture to go with. It does seem like lots of us are taking on the topic of comments lately, though, and your suggestions are spot on!
I noticed several posts on The Scream, and several on Maurice Sendak dying. Blogging on hot topics kind of increases the competition, doesn’t it? That’s why I stick to obscure topics like my own belly button lint. 😉
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Must be the collective conciousness at work.
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OMG – a flame whore! Made ME chortle. Glad I came back to continue the saga of Miss Peglander’s etiquette post. Such fun!
What does it take to get FPd these days? Thought you nailed it with Mom’s tribute, and then you top yourself with THIS ditty.
I am impressed and your biggest fam-fan 🙂
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Darlopolis’ pet monkey goes wherever the popularity winds take him.
Thanks so much, Miss Guitar. I’m afraid the FP gods are busy with travel photos most of the time nowadays. Le sigh.
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Dearest Peg,
Thank you so much for the insight into the often murky waters of blogging comments.
I have been attempting to muddle my way through it for the past year with no direction..Until now..Yes, now I feel I have been empowered with a wisdom, that only sages possess, and I will continue forward with a new vigor and vision..Thanks wholly to you and your amazing guidance.
signed,
poemsandponderings.wordpress.com. @poemsandponderings.wordpress.com. Please stop by my blog anytime here at,,, poemsandpond….
Ps. Is self-promotional redundancy bad? Ahhhhh, well okay then, thanks a lot.. (lol?)
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LOL indeed. Miss Peg-o-Leg is glad to assist those who can laugh at themselves.
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That ability has provided(is providing) me with an endless amount of material.
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Ooops, meant Fame whore. Hanging head low…couldn’t reply where I wanted to.
So much to learn.
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I can’t find this comment on the post, just on my all-powerful dashboard (the nerve center of this blog, kind of like in the Wizard of Oz, that curtained area the wizard was hiding behind, twirling the dials).
Weird.
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Brilliant! Funny! Loved post here, very good content! Enjoyed very much so! Subject matter is good!
Please visit me at:
miraclemama.wordpress.com
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Is it at all possible that you were on the receiving end of such comments during your recent Freshly Pressed comment blizzard?
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never! People only commented because they loved my post and truly wanted to congratulate me! (sorry, I think I doubled my medication by accident this morning)
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I’ve always been intrigued by the ‘like’ button. I wonder, is someone really liking this post? or did they skim it? Or not read it at all but just wanted to leave a mark behind to let the blogger know they are stalking them? And how many ‘like’s does one need to leave before they can jump in enter the person’s house? what if they forget to wipe the dog crap off their feet? How do you get them to clean up their mess and restock the fridge with beer? These are the things I ponder.
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All good fodder for a follow-up post on these vital topics. Thanks for the suggestion.
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I seriously loved this post, Peg. Made me laugh and snort and I thank you for that this fine dreary rainy morning…
P.S. please visit: miraclemama.wordpress.com
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If you visit my blog http://k8edid.wordpress.com I’ll leave you with more than the “like” button to “like”. Promise.
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Darla, for that kind of blantant self-promotion to work, you have to include an actual LINK to your blog. Ask Katy for some help with that, hmmm?
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This is why I suck at technology. I’m surprised I was even capable of leaving you a comment.
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Not only did you leave it, but it was embedded right where it ought to be – mad skills, there.
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Ok I do not have a blog. I just suscribe, follower and comment to a bunch of great writers etc. Eclectic bunch.. Because I am not (yet) part of the crowd any special rules for me???? I really want to learn before I jump in.. Thank ya’ll from Alabama….PS hope my in box gets full of Help 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by! Just do as you’re doing. You’re smart to test the waters, read to determine what you like and leave comments as you are moved – that’s the best way to learn, have fun and meet people.
As far as the inbox, I figured out how to turn off that demon feature so NONE of my visitors will be comment spammed. You’re welcome.
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I hesitate to comment now that I know you are such an expert in the protocol. But I do have another question you might address in your next series (should there be a next series–I know that was presumptuous and I probably broke a rule):
What should a commenter do if she hits the send button then realizes there is something in the comment that she wants to change/correct/delete for fear that it will reveal her true identity in the Federal Witness Protection Program?
Thanks so much!
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Lorna, great questions. I see a regular feature here. Perhaps the WordPRess gods would like to sponsor me? For $$$? A blogger can dream.
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You are above average in so many things and ways. That’s why I come back. As always, I have enjoyed the conversation and I thank you kindly for all the ways you engage. A visit from you is always like a friendly knock at the door or a call that is thankfully not from a solicitor.
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Why, Georgette, what a lovely thing to say! Now I feel really bad about the court summons I came to deliver…
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Oh dear…a court summons is pretty excruciating. Thank you for the heads up. I better not answer the door today.
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Absolutely brilliant. Well done.
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Now THAT’s a great comment.
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This is all so true. Peg-O, you are the Oracle of Blogging. And I learned that raisins might be best preserved in the fridge – a fact I find ironic, since,if I leave my grapes in there too long, they become raisins. There is no end to what I learn on this here blog.
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That is very profound. Grapes become raisin-like, but not to the point of yummy sweetness, only to the point of wrinkly grossness.
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I enjoyed your post, and I especially enjoyed the comments although I confess I did not read all of them which brings me to my comment: If you leave a comment be sure you read the post first! This is my pet peeve; it’s almost as bad as the liker-leaver. I leave likes when I have nothing to say; in fact that is my new rule for posting and commenting, if you don’t have anything to say don’t say it because let’s face it life is too short for blah, blah, blah.
Having said that, when a blogger does have something to say, please read it before you comment. It’s embarrassing for the commenter when the blogger has to gently redirect a completely off topic comment like “Hey great job running that race,” by explaining this was a post about Aunt Lulu needing a heart transplant or my dog Skippy dying on the track.
I’m way behind on my blog reading (busy week on the other side of the monitor), but will be reading and liking several more of your posts in the next few minutes. Don’t worry, I won’t be leaving the blah, blah, blah (I think I left enough of that here).
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Have no fear – your blah, blah is worth 10-times some comments.
I hate to admit when I first started on WordPRess I did that; was in a big rush, skimmed the beginning of a FP post I thought was funny, left a witty comment and skipped on. I went back a couple of days later and found out it was heartfelt and serious and I looked like a total, insensitive jerk with my comment. Valuable lesson learned, there.
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Dear Miss Leg: Here’s my dilemma. I worry that if I answer each and every comment I will look like I am just trying to boost my own comment count. I try to respond to about 1 in 3. Am I being terribly rude or wonderfully modest?
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Excellent question. I wouldn’t worry about your motivation for responding – if the spirit moves you to respond to a comment, go for it! I remind myself how I feel when I float a golden bubble of a comment and it ends up deflated, lying unloved in the bloggy gutter.
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Well I was just going to click on the Like button but then realised you wouldn’t know that I appreciate your sitting down and writing all the etiquette rules for us. Thank you. I do answer all comments as I think of them as a person leaving a message on the phone. I wouldn’t just ignore them then. 🙂
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That’s a good way to look at it. Although I do understand that sometimes people just can’t get to it – too many demands on their time.
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I love that – “when I float a golden bubble of a comment and it ends up deflated, lying unloved in the bloggy gutter.”
Good tips for the uninitiated AND those who ought to stop hounding the FPd people for blatant self promotion.
To reply, go to MY blog, er, wait, umm, I don’t have one 😦 Some day??? Smooches 🙂
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I must admit I usually DON’T check out the FP because I follow too many blogs now and I’m afraid I’ll get hooked on a new one. There aren’t enough hours in the day!
I have a feeling this summer will witness the launch of your own blog – you can do it! Smooches back atcha, sis.
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Wait… there is… such a thing as… etiquette?! On the interwebs?
*face turning very red*
Oh, F-Bomb!
🙂
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Ix-nay, ix-nay!
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As always, Peg-O-Landers, your guidelines provide much needed civility to a land fraught with rude, crude and lude.
Now, what are your thoughts on Reblogging?
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I consider it flattering, as long as the reblogger gives credit. I think you have to approve that ahead of time, though. Peg-o-Landers…has a nice ring to it. Trotting off to have my hair done in a big, sideswept bouffant.
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I didn’t know what to think when WordPress added that “Reblog” button to the menu bar. Not that I’m all that precious about my work, but it made filching way too easy.
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Gotta admit, I never noticed it there. Does your whole post then show up on the Reblogger’s blog? I’ll need to check this out.
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I think it’s just the first part of a post with a link back to the original site. I did this when you had the green jacket writer’s challenge.
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Thos are some fat cats relly fat cats.Who cats are these.
Cause I don,t want won at all.Cause there agly and fat jist like
a Hippow Potoms.Sin,to u.It is to me. (Someone wrote this in response to one of my blogs. I’ve been waiting to use it somewhere. You win.)
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What are the odds that someone would write a post about ungrammatical felines and hippopotami so you COULD use that comment? Sin, right back at u.
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Perfect post, Miss Peg! I especially like your thoughts on responding to comments– the idea of responding to a simple “lol” with a dissertation brought a smile to my face.
I used to believe that responding to every comment left on one’s blog was a cheap way to inflate the number of overall comments on a post, but now I believe that replying is just good manners. It lets people know that you appreciate their input and enhances what I love the best about blogging– the sense of community! Nobody enjoys hanging around people who only talk about themselves and don’t listen to what anybody else has to say. By replying to a comment, the conversation can continue– soon, we’ll all be holding virtual hands and singing Kumbaya. What’s not to love?
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I typed up a long, thoughtful reply to this and when I hit “post”, the whole screen disappeared. So for round 2, let me just say…Someone’s happy, Lord…Kumbaya!
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Dana, I’d like to chime in and say something about the comment count thing. I also thought this at first, but I’ve made it a personal policy to respond to every comment on my blog. Only because I feel it welcomes them in…kinda like handing a guest a hot beverage and asking them if they’d like to sit a spell and chit chat. I figure if they’ve taken a few minutes out of their busy day to knock on my door, I may as well answer the door and say “hi”.
But I also completely understand if a blogger doesn’t answer every comment. There isn’t enough time in the day sometimes. What with the blogging, and writing and reading and liking others’ posts…it’s extremely time consuming.
Ok, Peg– I see you’re at 130 something comments now. Maybe you can hit 200? Why hasn’t this post been Freshly Pressed yet?
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Amen, sister! What ever happened to honoring the “Word” in WordPress????????
As pretty as the photos and recipes are, I am looking for well written content, along with some artwork to further the dialogue.
What has happened to WordPress in honoring Words well crafted???
I have to wonder.
In any event, keep up the great work, Pegoleg 🙂
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I’ve heard a number of people grumbling about this, but I guess WordPress knows their audience. With over 1 million subscribers, it stands to reason that many of them are more viewers than readers.
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Good analogy, Darla. Opening the door when somebody knocks is the polite/human thing to do. It’s only the super popular bloggers that get to invite everyone to their party but not necessarily say hello to everyone who shows up. Oh, what a hard life those mystical Super Popular Bloggers must have!
And yes– why hasn’t this post been FP’d yet? This post is on a need to know basis, and EVERY BLOGGER ON THE INTERNET needs to know this! 🙂
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I agree with Darla – great analogy. I don’t usually visit the super bloggers. I realize they probably CAN’T comment all the time, but that’s half the fun of this whole business. I don’t usually go where I don’t feel engaged, and the comment process is what fosters that warm and fuzzy feeling of engagement.
Or else it exposes how truly needy for validation I am. It’s one of those things.
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PS: Interesting viewpoint! Nice writing! Please visit my blog at: http://zonapellucida.wordpress.com
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Can you fix my rss feed issues or get me a good price on Ciali$?
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No, but I can recommend a great site for increasing traffic to your blog, and I have special SEO tricks for you to learn as well!
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Great! I’m sure I really need some special SEO tricks. Whatever those are.
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Thanks for the tips. At least I didn’t just hit the “like” button. Always a joy to read your posts!!
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A “like” is always appreciated, but I can’t get to know you unless you comment. Thanks for stopping by!
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Thanks for keeping/setting us straight, Pegoleg. It is always a pleasure to visit your blog, and have you as a guest who neatly wipes feet before entering. 🙂
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I should probably take my shoes off, but that’s a cultural difference, don’t you think?
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You’ve written a far more sensible guide to commenting than any I’ve seen thus far. How do you feel about the commenter who soils the experience for everyone by attacking all the other commenters? I experienced this on some blogs and subsequently departed because the blog owner tolerated that sort of thing. Sometimes I think we do have to behave like hall monitors.
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To tell the truth, I usually avoid political blogs – people seem to drop all their courtesy at the door. And you’re right – it’s up to the host to be the hall monitor. What a great visual that creates!
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“Like”
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Peg — wonderful and witty, as ever! I echo BigSheepCommunications clever comment near the top of the list …. off to add raisins to my shopping list … thanks for all the smiles!
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Thanks, Paula. How’s everything in Paradise? Good call on the raisins. They’re so high in iron and fiber – if you can keep Angelina Jolie away from your stash.
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Post of the Day–May 15, 2012
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Well, Mr. Faulkner, aren’t you just the sweetest thing?
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Oh, I love that Southren–the right way to say it–accent. Tell me more, honey child. HF
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^^ Thanks Harper for sharing this… LOVE it! I will be sharing the link on my Tales from the Motherland Facebook page. These are just gems Pegoleg! Love the rhythm of the writing and eh clever stye. Made my morning oh so charming. 😉
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Thank you so much! This is a SPLENdid example of the welcome comment 😉
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My pleasure! I was a tad worried about getting it right, but my mama taught me well, when it comes to manners. 🙂 I’ve put your link on the FB page. Have a wonderful day!
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Ok, so I write a post. Someone comments. I reply (thinking how wonderful it was that someone commented). They reply to my comment. I reply to their reply to my comment (thinking, “wow, this person is my new best friend”. They reply to my reply to their reply to my reply to their reply to my post. I reply to their reply to my reply to their reply to my reply to their reply to my post (thinking, aaaaghhh is that the time???) and so on. So, my question is:
Within the rules of Excrutiatingly Correct Commet Etiquette, when can you stop and go walk the dog?
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When said canine commences the Desperate Dance of Imminent Accident. Then you can post your reply to the nth power when you get back home! Might want to hit the bathroom before sitting back down at the computer, though.
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Peg, Eileen is one of mine. Can’t you tell! HF
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Hey, I was crafting my reply to her comment while you were replying at the same time. Her comment may have been an eerie foretelling of the future! (getting chills)
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I’m not quiting! I’m commenting every time you do! I know the rules now, too! Don’t you love how I use !!!! at the end of every sentence! HF
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I think that would be what they call a “pressing contest”. (ba dum, dum. Take my wife, please. I’ll be here all week. Be sure to try the veal, and tip your waitress.)
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Brilliant! Blogging is like partaking in community theater. What a great corelation (sp), Peg. I also like the fact that you used the word fraught.
I admit – I ignore phone calls, and I have pretended not to be home when there is a knock at the door. I may leave a comment for someone, but they need not feel obligated to respond.
I’m on the fence about visiting everyone that visits you. It reminds me of arranged marriages. (Ha!)
Excellent post, Peg.
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Thanks Lenore. I saw a community theater production a couple of weeks ago and it struck me there are a lot of similarities in the two avocations.
Arranged marriages – ha! I bet your dad got LOTS of goats in exchange for you!
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I wasn’t aware of the blog hijack as a social ill. I don’t know that I’ve done it, but I may have to write a blanket apology for that and for sometimes not getting around to visiting commenters or replying. I’ve been meaning to visit you, for example, for some time.
I like this: Bloggers should consider commenters as guests in their home, and make them feel welcome. Commenters should remember they are guests, and always wipe their feet before entering. Despite many attempts, I haven’t been able to say that in a light-hearted, humorous way. Usually it’s not a problem, but occasionally commenters get a little more . . . friendly . . . than makes me comfortable.
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No, no, Hippie, the comment hijack is a GOOD thing. I’m just saying that it can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Likewise and ditto on the good intentions for visiting and commenting. I spent HOURS on a comment on your blog but I think it blew up. I’ll check back later to see if it reappears somehow.
I rarely have commenters who are too friendly, but that could be because they know that I’m a middle-aged, school-marm type, so that doesn’t inspire familiarity.
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I’ve seen the picture of you in that sparkly dress and those spiky heels, missy. So don’t be pulling the “school marm” card on us…
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Miss Peg-o-Leg I am in awe of your wonderful charm and wit. Thank you for educating the masses on social discourse on the cyber-waves, myseelf included. Forever indebted, Charlene
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Miss Peg-o-Leg is always eager to educate the masses on social discourse. That has a really, really nice ring to it.
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Thank you for an excellent post. Have a terrific day. 🙂 Renee
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Why thank you. Right back at you! It’s a lovely, sunny spring day here in central Illinois, so that always helps make the day terrific.
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It is quite hot here in Beautifiul British Columbia. We did have quite a wet start to Spring so am loving the sunshine.
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I’m relatively new to the blogging world and I must say I enjoyed this little refresher course. Harper Faulkner recommended this post to his band of readers. …wait just a darn minute, you don’t suppose he wasn’t trying to tell us something, do you? : )
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No criticism intended, I’m sure! He just likes his readers so much, he wants to broaden their bloggy horizons. Or he’s a lazy so-and-so who wants to skate out of posting anything worthwhile himself today.
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Haha! I think it’s the latter!
I have to hand it to him, he does have good taste and never leads us astray. Your post was quite enjoyable. Love your style : )
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Thanks a lot, ladies! Geeze. No good deed goes unpunished. HF
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Well, phooey!!! Now you tell me these things. Hopefully, if I follow these items, the powers that be will stop production of the “Unlike” button they were crafting for my readers.
Thanks for the tips, and I’ve now moved my raisins to the fridge. We’ll just see about that freshness promise Miss Peg-O.
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Wouldn’t that be just horrible, Barb? Except when I want to use it on somebody else’s blog for a good reason. 😉
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Thank you! This was very insightful and interesting. I really enjoyed it. Thank you! Here is a blog post I wrote on a similar subject: http://childhoodrelived.com/2012/03/26/yentl-400-words-or-less/
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HA Angie! Hilarious.
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Blatant, shameless self-promotion! I like it. In fact, I do so much of that, that is one of my most frequently used tags.
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I hope it wasn’t apparent that I left that other comment without reading the entire post. Now that I have, I can say it was seriously a perfect blend of humor and wisdom. I would only add that I’d like Miss Peg to address replies to replies. Do you have to always reply to replies? I often do but not always as I fear that the person will then feel they need to reply to my reply to their reply to my reply. At some point I just want to wipe the dog crap onto the rug and be done with it but not before Angelina Jolie eats the raisins from my fridge and records it for the CIA.
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Hmmm. That is a thorny etiquette issue. Most comment hijacks die a natural death on their own – they just run out of steam. When the replier comes back with a gem, however, then checks back all day for the return banter that never comes, they may be left feeling like they tried to high-five a cool kid in the hallway, and he ignored them. Left hanging in midair- not nice.
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I woul never leave you hanging in mid air, Peg! 😉
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Egad, there a lot of comments here. I hope they all followed the rules. This was a fine post, and I am happy to report that although I became distracted from my interest in it after it first came up on my WP reader, a fellow blogger featured it in his own blog and thus I was reminded of my original intention to read it. Worth the wait.
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Howdy, stranger! Yes, all my commenters provide sterling examples of the art. Thanks for stopping by however you ended up here.
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Thanks for writing this! I’ve been at the blogging thing for 9 months now and it still helps to hear someone else’s thoughts on the commenting process. Plus, it was funny, as usual.
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Thanks so much! There was some serious hiding in among the goofy.
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Funny, funny! I can only hope to respond to 100 + comments one day. If only for finally having a good reason to go out and buy myself one of those beer cozie hats!
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The 100+ comment day is on the horizon. In the meantime, is any wardrobe really complete without one of those hats?
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So glad you wrote this – I agree with every single guideline! “You wouldn’t expect a new ‘friend’ to come up to your place to see your “etchings” on a first date, would you?” Ha! Preach!
I try to respond to every comment, too, but you’re right it’s not really necessary when someone just says, “LOL.” I also feel guilty when I just ‘like’ something, but yes, the well can run dry!
I think the ‘guest in your house’ concept is the PERFECT comparison. 🙂
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Thanks, Jules. I thought I was the ONLY one who had a problem with the Klever Komment well running dry. Nice to hear it strikes even the best of bloggers sometimes.
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Hi Jules. I visited you today. I swear it wasn’t pressure from Peg’s post. And, Byronic had nothing to do with it, either. I went because I wanted to go. I am subscribing because I wanted to subscribe. I am not being forced into this relationship. This is not an arranged marriage. Promise.
Um. Can I get a cookie for being nice?
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Lenore! I just saw that – that makes my day! Thank you so much. I trust you did not succumb to any type of peer pressure, however, I am out of cookies. Will vodka do? (I don’t share it with just anyone. Ask Peg.)
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I’m honored, Jules. Something tells me your willingness to share the good stuff is due to your pressured immune system. I won’t take advantage of you in this state. I’ll wait until you feel better. If the offer stands, I’d like a glass – no ice.
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Yeah — suppressed immune system, not pressured. K. Thanks.
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What’s needed to mark this auspicious occasion (why, o why, doesn’t WP invent spell-check for comments? I’m LOST without it!) is a Chocolate Chip Cookie Vodka. Does that exist Jules? If not, it should.
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I think it does, Peg! We need to get Thoughtsy from Thoughts Appear to weigh in, though. She owns every flavor of vodka ever made. Including Cotton Candy.
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140 comments on a blog that isn’t even FP’d? Yes, I’d call that above average. Instead of a FAQ post, how about an online tutorial for the clever/witty challenged among us?
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That’s a great idea, if only I had a clue about videos, if I looked good on camera, if I wouldn’t start snorting at my own funny right in the middle of it….
On second thought, maybe not such a great idea.
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I love this piece. So. Much. So not only have I left my calling card, but I’m telling you that I really do think you are fabulous. Such great information presented in such a witty way. Why, you’re like the Miss Manners of the Blogosphere! 😉
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I always loved Miss Manners. She has the most delightful expression of composure mixed with just a hint of “smells like somebody stuck a pile of poo under my nostrils”. Wouldn’t you love to tell everybody what they’re doing wrong? Oh wait – that’s a teacher’s job. ;0
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Dang! Sounds like you’re on to me.
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Of course, the absolutely best way to NOT appear like your comment is one of self promotion is to join the conversation several days late – after everyone else has gone home. I like to think I’m fashionably late, but I expect not.
Excellent post, Peg, as usual!
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That’s right, Margie, you choose to come to the party after all the riff-raff has left. Perfectly understandable.
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A very sensible set of guidelines. 🙂 Thank you very much for sharing.
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And thank YOU for sharing. 🙂
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Reblogged this on subtlekate and commented:
If you’ve ever wondered about the minefield of commenting, here is your guide.
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This is a good example of the benefits of the reblog. If In Other Words hadn’t reblogged this, I never would have discovered this gem of a post. Wonderful, original post!
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Thank you! I appreciate you stopping by for a visit.
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If I ived to be a hundred and ninety two I couldn’t come up with a blog post as clever or as entertaining as this one. Well done!!
Mind if I reblog it?
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Why, thank you so much for the kind comment! I would be honored with the reblog.
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Great Post. letting you know I appreciate your blood and sweat and that I am applauding (refer frequently asked question number one) Making me nervous though..I didn’t know it is all so complicated…I like to think of it in simple terms, as you pointed out in FAQ #5 “If you can’t think of anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
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That’s probably the most importang thing – let’s all be nice to one another, shall we? Thanks for stopping by and commenting (by the rules, no less!)
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Such helpful suggestions. Thanks. 🙂
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Thanks for stopping in!
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Really well said!
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Thank you for dropping in for a visit!
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I hate it when someone leaves a “nice post” comment and the whole thing was about the guy’s 107-year-old grandmother being hit by a train, dragged 50 feet, both legs amputated, and she crawled back to fetch them herself because her daughter disowned her and can’t be bothered to help.
By the way, nice post. 🙂
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You’re so right. And aren’t you tired of reading that same, trite story about the grandmother/legs thing everywhere you go? Come on people – let’s get creative!
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Oh gosh, I love your sense of humor. Consider me your newest faithful follower. Still chuckling.
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Thanks so much, Robin. I’m glad to have you join the insanity.
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subtlekate’s reblog brought me here and brought up another comment question for me. Should I comment here or at her site?
I am commenting here to let you know that I really enjoyed your post. Great take on blogging etiquette and I enjoyed the way you write. Look forward to exploring more of your blog!
I’ll comment there to let her know that I appreciated the link. Bit much? Maybe. But it seems odd/rude to ignore the person who showed me the way!:-)
And I’d like to reblog also, if you’re okay with it? Thank you!
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It’s never a bad idea to comment- most bloggers are thrilled to know that somebody read their stuff. Unless you’re a rude jerk who is going to say something mean, and I think I know you better than that. Feel free to reblog, and thanks for stopping by!
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Reblogged this on Stringing Words Together and commented:
I’ve been mulling over a post on blogging manners and such matter for a while now. And today I got to read this funny and incisive post on blog comment etiquette – Peg-o-leg says all that I want to and has done it better than I could have.:-) Enjoy!
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Wow! 175 hits. You go, girl! 🙂
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Yeah, this is my most successful unsuccessful post so far. 🙂
Hey, Deb over at Monster in Your Closet http://deborah-bryan.com/ just announced her sister’s new blog. Seems the blogosphere is trying to send a message specifically to YOU, hmmm?
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So things got crazy for a while and I haven’t come to visit you. Instead I let your posts stack up in my email for a night such as tonight, when I am surfing through the treasures left yet untouched. I was inspired to mention that I love you referring to yourself in the third person (as in “On a personal note, Miss Peg-o-Leg makes it her practice to respond to all comments. However, Miss Peg-o-Leg strives to be above average in all things.”) and then saw the WHOPPING number of comments on here. What, I duck out for 2 weeks and you’re famous? Figures.
*runs away crying*
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Howdy stranger! I hope you’ve been having the good kind of crazy in real life, not the bad kind.
I think the subject of comments just resonates with a lot of people, especially when they’re first starting out on blog world. And you know I just love being considered some kind of etiquette oracle – based on me crowning myself with that title. 🙂
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Nice attempt at being humble but I checked; Your posts are clocking in at 60-100 comments each. You’re famous. SAY IT.
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I completely missed this post. If you don’t mind, I’ve put a link to it in my fixed column, visible for anyone who visits my blog. I’m with everyone else; loads of super comments. I cannot believe this piece was not FP’d.
I too have experienced the awkward missed midair high-five with the popular guy (thoughtful calculated comment, zero response). ‘Cause I’m a little slow, I have done it with some bloggers more than once. Let’s just say, they got bumped down a few notches. I still read, but I won’t always “like” it (if I don’t), but if it’s a really, really good piece, I’ll ONLY “like” it. I have better things to do with my precious time.
I’ve become a bit of a comment “lay-back” these days. Intimidation is my excuse. If a piece really speaks to me, I’ll comment from the heart first, and THEN go back and read the hundreds of comments. If I don’t, my comment may never be, uh, good enough.
I missed this one back in my crazy May days (last weeks of school). I’m so glad you pinged it in this post or I might possible have never seen your most successful unsuccessful post ever.
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