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Abstract

the same article, each with a link, is abuse.</li></ul><p id="6b64">There are probably many other examples.</p><h1 id="e1f2">How to request “No-Links”</h1><p id="3b3f">Authors, don’t assume your readers are mind readers or have the same view of the world you do. <b>Explicitly state at the bottom that you don’t want links in comments.</b></p><p id="3f9e" type="7">You can edit existing articles and add that statement at any time.</p><p id="4972">Then if someone puts in a link anyway, behave charitably instead of like a bully. Block the comment, not the reader. You may block an ardent fan.</p><p id="c568">I suggest adding a statement at the end of the post, like a disclaimer on financial articles, using one of these forms:</p><h2 id="32c8">Example #1</h2><h1 id="36a0">“No-Links” request</h1><p id="3cb3"><i>Comments are appreciated, but please <b>do not include links</b> to your posts. Comments containing links will be blocked.</i></p><h2 id="e1fb">Example #2</h2><h1 id="bae5">“No-Links” request</h1><p id="4ccc" type="7">Do not include links to your posts. Comments containing links will be blocked.</p><blockquote id="1c9b"><p>The photo at the top shows how they appear to the reader. Be sure to include the title line.</p></blockquote><h1 id="d048">Conclusion</h1><p id="0b86">An author always has the right to block a comment they deem inappropriate, whether it’s due to language, invalid links, or any other reason. It’s a power that should be used sparingly.</p><p id="b688">I like Medium because people are civil to each other in their articles and comments, unlike our local online newspaper.</p><h1 id="9ee4">References</h1><div id="ec35" class="link-block"> <a href="https://writingcooperative.com/the-medium-dictionary-a37b25e83eb2"> <div> <div> <h2>The Medium Dictionary</h2> <div><h3>undefined</h3></div> <div><p>undefined</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*gNZXVhhAV6dL2isY8Lq3gg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="a4a1"><a href="https://readmedium.com/5b1a95ddb0d0?source=post_page-----4ee11a102025--------------------------------">Joe</a></p><ul><li><i>Every comment, clap, highlight, or follow is a form of self-promotion which can be used responsibly or abused.</i></li><li><i>This dictionary contains terms for such responsible uses and abuses.</i></li><li><i>I suggest that the <b>“No Links” request</b> term be added to the dictionary.</i></li></ul><h1 id="d7f9">Other articles about comments</h1><div id="a906" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/are-links-in-comments-unprofessional-3b37b22c5b1c"> <div> <div> <h2>Are Links in Comments Unprofessional?</h2>

Options

<div><h3>I was blocked for including my supporting story link and would appreciate reader views.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*dehVu8qRhtiYQODwd-CLcw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><ul><li><i>Original article requesting feedback about including personal story links in comments.</i></li><li>About 40% of the responders are Illumination writers.</li></ul><div id="5d49" class="link-block"> <a href="https://billmyers-85482.medium.com/treat-your-comments-on-medium-with-respect-b918f7ad0ccc"> <div> <div> <h2>Treat Your Comments on Medium with Respect</h2> <div><h3>Your comments may be as important to you as your articles</h3></div> <div><p>billmyers-85482.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*NngEFHc-26eXprVoCeNSgg.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><ul><li><b>Mar 2019. </b><i>Describes method of including personal links. No comments saying it should not be done.</i></li></ul><div id="8b1d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://billmyers-85482.medium.com/highlights-comments-and-claps-oh-my-how-to-use-them-wisely-ccff0452884c"> <div> <div> <h2>Highlights, Comments and Claps - Oh My! How to Use Them Wisely</h2> <div><h3>What you do with them, and any new follower notifications, increases their value</h3></div> <div><p>billmyers-85482.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*MtJaOkr3HS0FGXIlg9husA.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><ul><li><b>Oct 2019. </b><i>Describes method of including personal links. No comments saying it should not be done.</i></li></ul><h1 id="1af3">Other articles in the same category</h1><div id="eb63" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/writing-table-of-contents-toc-95074309a128"> <div> <div> <h2>Writing — Table of Contents (TOC)</h2> <div><h3>A brief synopsis & links to my stories about my methods of writing, publishing, and content on Medium and other…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*eqp5IcJciFcBWIExa3jaEg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Writing

Reader Results: Adding A Link to a Comment Can Be Professionally Courteous

When the link is relevant, explained, not antagonistic/contradictory, positioned properly, and not explicitly banned by the article

Synopsis

An author accused me of unprofessional self-promotion when I included a link to my story supporting her point and blocked me from reading her stories. She then posted an article about my actions which I could not respond to.

I wrote an article asking readers if and when links in comments were appropriate.

Here are the results and a proposal for a more formalized method for

How readers can include personal story links in comments
How authors can request links not be included.

Results

A large majority, 91%, did not mind links or liked to see them as long as the link pointed to that author’s Medium story and the linked story was related to the comment’s parent post, not some other comment or something else totally unrelated.

A link to someone’s website is entirely unacceptable.

Also, to remain civil, links should not be used as a form of debate. For example, an anti-abortion link on a pro-abortion article.

Then, they should be structured in a professional and consistent manner to avoid misunderstandings.

Structure of the comment

My boss once said, “What is obvious to you is usually not obvious to anybody else.”

Check at the end of the article for a “No-Links” request
Put the link at the end of the comment so it doesn’t interrupt the text flow
Precede the link with one sentence explaining how it’s connected to the post — why it is included. It may not be obvious to the author.
Use the “Friend” link so non-members reading the comment can follow it without using one of their free reads

What’s abuse?

Anything not relevant to the article or blatantly self-promotional. Here are some examples:

Your website, web page, or one of your non-Medium posts if they do not support the story
Your “About Me” post, even if something in it is relevant
An article antagonistic to the article or author
An article where the reason for the link is not clear to an ordinary reader, even with the explanatory sentence in the comment
Any link without an explanatory sentence
One link per article. More than one link in a comment or multiple comments on the same article, each with a link, is abuse.

There are probably many other examples.

How to request “No-Links”

Authors, don’t assume your readers are mind readers or have the same view of the world you do. Explicitly state at the bottom that you don’t want links in comments.

You can edit existing articles and add that statement at any time.

Then if someone puts in a link anyway, behave charitably instead of like a bully. Block the comment, not the reader. You may block an ardent fan.

I suggest adding a statement at the end of the post, like a disclaimer on financial articles, using one of these forms:

Example #1

“No-Links” request

Comments are appreciated, but please do not include links to your posts. Comments containing links will be blocked.

Example #2

“No-Links” request

Do not include links to your posts. Comments containing links will be blocked.

The photo at the top shows how they appear to the reader. Be sure to include the title line.

Conclusion

An author always has the right to block a comment they deem inappropriate, whether it’s due to language, invalid links, or any other reason. It’s a power that should be used sparingly.

I like Medium because people are civil to each other in their articles and comments, unlike our local online newspaper.

References

The Medium Dictionary

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Joe

Every comment, clap, highlight, or follow is a form of self-promotion which can be used responsibly or abused.
This dictionary contains terms for such responsible uses and abuses.
I suggest that the “No Links” request term be added to the dictionary.