Say something relevant to the post itself. Come up with a comment more interesting than “I agree” or “Me too”. It’s not that tough to stretch out a thought beyond two words. Why do you agree with the post? What was your own experience? Most blog comments are on the short side. Find a bit more to say and make yours longer to stand out. A longer comment also gives the feeling you are interested in the post and the blogger and able to string together ideas yourself. Others are more likely to click on the link to your blog if you seem to be someone who can write and write well.

A blog post looking for advice or answers is a great time to get noticed. If you know of a resource, have an opinion, or experience that would help leave that in comments. Give a link to the resource if it is online, even if it is your own site. However, if it is your own site make that clear. That way the blog owner and readers will know you aren’t just spamming your URL, it’s posted for a valid reason.

On the other side of giving information, ask a question yourself. What would you like to know more about? What detail or information might have been left out of the post? Think of a real question, not fluff just to leave a comment.

Be supportive and uplifting and sincere. Everyone is glad to have a comment that spreads good cheer and brightens their day. You can’t smile at others through your comment but you can send a smile in text. If you can’t be uplifting don’t be a wet blanket and do not be obnoxious. That should not even need to be said.

Write with personality, passion and humour. Don’t leave a bland comment that could have been written by half a million other bloggers. Come up with something uniquely you. Maybe a different turn of phrase. How about a funny anecdote. Maybe part of a quote relevant to the post if you really just don’t have a personality of your own. (But I know you do!)

Don’t post a comment at all if you really have nothing to say or if you are posting just to create controversy. A flame war may get you traffic and it will get you noticed but is that really how you want to be known? Besides, that kind of attention is short lived. No one really wants to watch a flame war except the two people in the middle who can’t seem to let go.

Last of all, proofread your comments before you click to post them. Spelling errors are one thing but typos just look clutzy. You can try to avoid them or just not bother and give the impression that you don’t care. Also, don’t leave a comment that is a solid block of text. It is easier to read a long comment if it is broken up into individual thoughts/ ideas.

Happy commenting. Let me know if you have other great commenting ideas.

Meanwhile consider using CoComment. Your comments from other blogs are posted to your own blog in a widget. Nice way to show that you actually do make comments and give links to the blogs you read. Although it is too late for the 31 Day Comment Challenge which utilizes CoComment too.

You can join up IComLeavWe for July, join before the 21st.

IComLeavWe - International Comment Leaving Week Blogging is a conversation and comments are honoured and encouraged. I like to say that comments are the new hug–a way of saying hello, giving comfort, leaving congratulations.

I used to have a recipe for buttermilk pancakes that were made the night before. It was from my Aunt Emma in Kelowna, BC. But I don't know where it ended up, too much moving around. So tonight I am looking for something like it I can make and add blueberries too.

Overnight Refrigerator Pancakes

• 1 T. active dry yeast
• 1/4 c. warm water
• 4 c. all purpose flour (we prefer Prairie Gold) (it's whole grain)
• 2T. baking powder
• 2T. baking soda
• 1t. salt
• 1T. honey
• 4c. buttermilk
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 c. veg. oil

Directions

1. Combine yeast and water in small bowl
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3. Mix eggs, oil, buttermilk, and honey in seperate bowl.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry, add yeast mixture, stir till moistened.
5. Let batter set in fridge for at least 8 hours before using.
6. Batter will keep in fridge for up to one week.
7. Preheat griddle to 350.
8. Cook pancakes till they bubble on one side then flip.
9. I like to add chopped nuts to the batter and serve with chopped fresh fruit and pure maple syrup.

This one (below) sounds more like my old recipe. But everything was put together the night before.

OVERNIGHT PANCAKES

NIGHT BEFORE:

• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 c. buttermilk

NEXT MORNING:

1 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. hot water

Mix all ingredients in first list and let stand at room temperature overnight. Next morning, add remaining ingredients and cook on greased griddle.

One thing I do know about drawing a comic is that it can't be too detailed if you hope to get them out there on a regular basis. Maybe it's different for those who aren't hand drawing each one.

Just pucker up and blow… if you want to go with some kind of spray paint doodle. I don’t think the paint tastes that great so I just stick to a semi-ordinary pen and blank, white paper. I scan my doodles then plaster them to my personal blog. The odd thing is that people like them. Thank you to those who have sent kind and encouraging comments.

Claire and I began Doodle Week this year. I think I came up with the plan but I know it would not have gotten as far as it did without Claire. She doodles too.

I draw my stick figure grrls in pen and ink. I use a small photo scanner to turn them digital. Then I use software to turn them the right way around, resize them and erase smudges and little lines I regret. Claire uses software to create her doodles. Her doodles are very different from mine in appearance. You can also draw your doodle or use some other art skills such as collage and take a digital photo of your creation. I’ve learned to make sure I don’t get my own shadow or any other in the way when I take the digital photo. Also, if you scan your drawing, place a sheet of unblemished white paper behind it. Makes it come out sharper.

Claire and I have different styles for creating our digital images but the really odd thing is how we both have some kind of queen/ diva of the world feeling. I think drawing something for your blog does that. When are you taking more of a risk than drawing something for your blog, to publish out there in the big, wide, digital world? Typing a journal entry is not the same. Your letters are perfectly formed and spaced. It’s only when your hand is unsupported by your keyboard that you realize just how imperfect and down right skillful you really are. Let’s just say each one is very original.

There are some resources and groups for bloggers who want to get into this more creative aspect with their own blogs. I wrote a post to the EntreCard blog about this and will carry over the links from that post. (I’m lazy that way).

Flickr Groups:

• Journal Junk
• Drawing Journal
• Visual Journals
• Drawing Diary
• Hand Drawn Type
• Handwritten Blogs
• Doodlegang

Join us for Doodle Week, July 14th – 20th.

One thing I have learned to watch for when I look at free web scripts, gadgets, widgets and such for adding to my blog are hitchhikers. Before you paste the code into your HTML paste it into Notepad first. Read the code. Do you see a link to a third party URL? A site not your own or the one you are using the code from.

Some of the sites offering freebies are also making a buck by using your blog to spam another site. Watch for it. You can remove that part of the code or just choose not to use the script, find something else.

Why does it matter? Well, not a big deal, but do you really want someone else using your blog to make money for themselves? Whether your blog is completely spam/ ad free or not, do you want people getting away with piggy backing on your work?