Commenting on Blogspot

Okay if you have a Blogspot blog like I do, you have no idea about this. I sure didn't!

When I first started visiting different blogs and leaving comments, I found it extremely easy to comment on a blogspot blog - well I had one so it was all laid out for me. But that wasn't the case for Wordpress blogs, and I'm not even going into to the ones sponsored by other companies. I got so much junkmail that I have refused to comment on those sites anymore.

At a Wordpress blog, I had to type in all of my data for each new blog as I tried to comment. It was most annoying, but I found that the ones I commented on frequently held my data somehow and only required a small repetition to continue to respond. Not too bad.

As a Blogspot blogger, I kept hearing what a nightmare it was to comment on my site. Especially if they have a CAPTCHA. (Those are the little wavy letters that will prove you're not a robot when you type them in.) I even read in articles of media gurus that they won't even attempt to comment on a site that requires a CAPTCHA. My first thought was, "Gee that's pretty harsh." But as I have now switched over to Wordpress, I have to echo the sentiments.

I have several blogs I follow, where I cannot comment with my Wordpress sign-in. I prefer to use my new blog address. It will have MUCH more to offer than my old site, but the comment box won't allow me to. When I switched over to my Wordpress identity, it just kept saying that my CAPTCHA entry was wrong. Dummy me, I kept trying with each new combination thinking I was sleepier than I thought. Nope, it wasn't me. Finally giving up, I used my blogspot ID and got accepted right away.

The next time I tried, I noted that I could log out of my blogspot ID. Thinking maybe I needed to do that in order to comment with Wordpress I gritted my teeth (can't stand the way google makes me log out of EVERYTHING to switch accounts like google docs!) and logged out, losing my email and calendar temporarily as well.

But that didn't do it. No matter what I tried, I could not leave a comment with my Wordpress ID.

I know I've gotten comments from Wordpress folks on my blogspot. I am SO thankful for their perseverance! I had no idea how difficult it was. Alas I haven't found the correct hoops as yet. Maybe I should return to IE as a browser. Maybe Chrome and Blogspot, and Google in general, are working against the force that is ...

... pressing.

So tell me ... what blogs are easy to comment on and which are difficult? Who knows; maybe it's just me?

News. Reviews. Previews.

This was a happening week on this little blog guy, but I'm nowhere near finished. If you're reading this at marjilaine.blogspot.com, know that I have moved and will continue to move to marjilaine.wordpress.com. There's a little follow button at the top of the screen. You would make my day if you clicked it.

And though the circumstances of this week jolted up and down, I'm satisfied with what I accomplished. In this weekender, you'll get the chance to see:

• Some amazing articles, hand-picked by me. 
• The articles you might have missed from last week.
• My ROW80 writing challenge update.
• The articles you'll get to see this week.

NEWS

I'm still working on this feature, though because some of my favorite blogs, like KeliGwyn.wordpress.com, RachelleGardner.com, and likeachildforJesus.wordpress.com, aren't showing up. I could add SteveLaube.com and others to that list as well. I'll stay with it.

REVIEWS

I was so pleased with the move to my new blog last week. Right away I started getting more visits at Wordpress than I did at Blogger. But then maybe that's because of the content on Monday when I compared Wordpress and Blogger. (A hard contest!) On Tuesday, I filled my docket with some inspiration from Ephesians. Wednesday, I added my ROW80 update to another observation about Wordpress. We're working through things. So on Thursday, I discussed the things I'm learning about myself and how they compare to the characters I set up. An author review with Fay Lamb rounded out the week on Friday.

ROW80

The requirements of some volunteer work I do intensified this week. Unable to write the first half of the week, I kept struggling to get to it the second-half but found myself out of practice. How can I get out of practice in only a few weeks. I mean I never REALLY stop writing, just stop working on the WIP. But then that's the issue. This isn't a non-fiction book that I can write a section at a time. A novel flows without stopping places - making placing a bookmark or putting the story down very difficult. So in taking a break from it, I really need to carve out a great chunk of time to settle back into the story world again. 

Along with a new goal of writing 1000 words every day, I'm toying with breaking my blog into chunks as well. Not many bloggers set up brand new articles every day, but I don't think I'm giving these articles my best effort because I have to churn them out, usually at night, with little time for inspiration or even editing. (I hate finding the mistakes!)

So as much as I'd like to continue with some of the daily plans I have, like my cool A2Z blog hop, (Second time through the alphabet!) I think I need to find a tighter niche for my writing. No big changes yet, but I'm looking for inspiration. I could use prayer for that!

PREVIEWS

Like I said, nothing really changes this week. On Monday, I'll be highlighting the Clash of the Titles winner from this week. Such a great way to get a chewy morsel from a book, like a sample off a cookie tray, to see if it resonates! Tuesday will be my regular A2Z article, but this one is extraordinary. I literally shed tears over it. Definitely a must-see. On Wednesday, I'll share another update and take you along on my journey for a bit. Thursday's offering will likely be linked to Social Media as it is beginning to consume every spare moment. And on Friday, I hope to have a new author interview to share with you.

So what are your plans for this weekend?