Dos and Do Nots: What I Have Learned on B/R

Seven months, 20 days, and 12 hours I have been on B/R.  And let me tell you, I have had quite an experience. 

It's been one abundant with negativity, what with my articles not being as "good" as others, at least in the opinions of other writers here on B/R.

I mean who is going to say their article is not as good as mine?  Come on. 

But in my time, there have been good things to do and bad things to do.

Apparently, I am in a place of B/R that takes things the wrong way.  Some times it is warranted for people to react in a bad way, but others not so much.

So I have gathered a list of do's and do nots on B/R

First with the Do Nots

• Do not talk about yourself for more than two sentences.  When talking about yourself, you must be brief. If you say more than that, usually you are in trouble with people.
• Do not write an article about yourself.  It seems as if when you write an article about yourself, people simply don't like it.  They would rather read about sports, not about you.  People will hate on you severely for this.  I beg of you to NOT do it.
• Do not curse at someone when you disagree.  Some people are never going to listen to your opinion.  You can tell them they are wrong until you are blue in the face but nothing will change.  When you curse at them and tell them how much of a loser they are, etc. it is futile.  Do not do it. 
• Do not call someone out in an article.  If calling out someone in an article, you need to make sure you back up what you are saying.   Even if they need a talking to, this is not the forum to bring attention to an individual because B/R is about sports, not the writers.  On the other hand, people may like this person.  And when you call them out, you may get bashed by other people for talking negatively about them.  This rule works for comments too.
• Do not write offensive comments.  Trolling is the new word for it, but some just come on articles to bash a writer.  Or just make fun of someone, some have gone as far as to put a picture of a writer for their profile picture, and mess it up in photoshop, so it looks weird when it is on the Profile Pic.  Kind of low, but most just hate the idea.  Some just need to get a life rather than coming on and commenting that way.  Really what is the point?  All that it will lead to is you getting knocked off the site.  Then, when you come back with another account and do it again, the same thing will happen. Does that really sound interesting to you?  Not to me
• Do not promote other writers.  This is called the Gilligan rule. Promoting other writers may seem good.  It is just not needed. Promote yourself and no one else.  When you promote someone else it raises many questions.  Such as, "is this a writer using multiple accounts to get publicity?"  It makes the writer your promoting look bad, nor does it shed good light on you either.  So it is something to avoid.  Stick with promoting yourself and you'll be fine. Now putting people in your articles to kind of promote them in that way is ok to me, kind of make a story out of it and that is cool. But when you result to saying someone is the best thing since slice bread on every profile, and then do the same in a comment. That is just not needed at all.
• Do not promote your article on an article.  This can be an insult to the writer.  When you come on an article and put a link on it, that is wrong.  You will not earn respect this way.  Eight out of 10 times, people will not read your article.
• Do not use the words "top" and "writer" next to each other when talking about yourself or commenting.  When people see that you are the top ranked writer you have a target.  No matter if they admit it or not, they want to be at the top of the ranks, too.  They may not go around saying it but it's true.  Most can already see that you are ranked number one.  There is no need to tell people over and over again.  When you throw that you are number one in their face, they begin to dislike you.  Believe me, I know from experience.
• Do not talk negatively about writers.  This may seem as if it goes along with offensive comments, but it is separate.  Sometime your analysis of a writer, such as Community Leader position, may feel like an insult to someone. All of B/R wants to be a success and if you say something negative about a writer achieving it, it's upsetting.

Now onto the Dos on B/R

• Do write a series.  When writing, people need to see something out of you to keep coming back to your articles.  When you write a series, people seem to want to read that series all the time.  If they liked even one article in the series, they will keep coming back to see what you have to say next.  It helps you get attention and can even results in Pick of the Day votes which lead to the B/R Article of the Day.
• Do help others.  When helping others on B/R you have the opportunity to get to know them better.  Also you get something out of it.  You get a fan.  This may sound selfish but it is true.  Helping them get better helps you get better because friends rate friends articles.  You may need one vote for an AOTD and they will give it to you.  Also, helping a writer get better as a writer gives you a good feeling so you both win here. 
• Do comment.  People know you from articles you have written but your opinion on a subject is something people like to hear.  It helps when people read your stuff and comment because it helps the article to move up.  Also people will recognize you as a person who knows what he/she is talking about if you comment with a good point(s).  When commenting on other articles, you get attention therefore resulting in the author and others coming to your articles more and more.  So again both parties win here.
• Do promote yourself.  People don't visit all the sections on B/R.  I know it is a shock to you all but it is true.  Sending other writers/readers a link to your article if you think they might find it interesting.  They will see it and that will help get you reads and comments.  Also promote outside of B/R too. 
• Do rate articles.  Rating articles helps other writers.  Also, it moves the article up into the featured article section.  When you do this you help yourself.  Since we are syndicated, people will see this article who have not yet been to B/R.  More people will join. Which means more and more people will see your articles.  Be sure to give out POTD votes by clicking the MY PICKS button right below the article if you feel the article deserves it.
• Do be confident.  Know you will do well and people will respect you.   Okay, saying you're the best may not be a good idea.  But have quiet confidence.  You can tell people you're the best all day but until you write, they will not believe you.  Show how good you are.
• Do be informative.  People love when they learn something while reading an article.  It gives you, the writer, the opportunity to be a professional on a subject and people will believe every word because they had no idea about.  It also gets you popularity, too.
• Do read other articles.  Reading other's article helps support B/R.  You also raise the readership a person gets and you have the opportunity to see something you may not know about.  So, like many things before, you still win here.

These are just a few things I have noticed while on B/R.  I feel that if someone follows these guidelines, they can be a success. 

I feel as if I am an expert on the do not's because I have done some of them while on B/R.  I have also done the do's while here, too.  Which is why I am where I am.

B/R is a great place.  Lets keep it that way by making ourselves look like the best sports writing site on the Internet today, like we all know we are.