on a blog entry the teaser break is automatic, unless you insert a manual break, which looks like this: When you insert a manual break it seems to disable the teaser break (as of this version of the software). For example, if I were to post 1200 words and put in a manual break at 1000 word count I would end up showing 1000 words on the front page. So the best use, IMHO, of a manual break (as long as we're putting everyone on the front page) is to shorten the approx 600 character break, or lengthen it slightly, if you don't care for the visual effect of the automatic one.

After you enter your text into the text entry box (and there is only one in blog entry) you can see how the break will occur after you press the preview button. Your monitor will then display both the shortened version as it will appear on the front page, and the entire post as it will appear, one on top of the other. You can play the break by inserting a manual one and previewing mutliple times if the automatic one is just not tolerable. Also, the automatic break behaves differently depending on the type of "post new words" you choose, sometimes the manual break doesn't function at all (example: recipe) and I don't believe a blockquote will break in the middle based on word count or at least mine don't.

:::whew:: ok, i'll be quiet now!

all posts automatically break after 600 characters. (a paragraph or two). this allows there to be many posts on the front page. however some people are putting manual breaks in their posts way below 600 characters. this means that they get 4, 5, or more paragraphs on the front page. which diminishes the exposure of other posts.

laura and i have been going in where we can and fixing these posts so that they break after 600 characters the way they are supposed to.

basically, what we're asking is don't put a manual break in a post after the first 600 characters (about 2 paragraphs.) feel free to put a manual break in before then, if you feel you don't need the whole two paragraphs of the front page. but please don't put manual breaks in after the first couple of paragraphs.

mostly i think this happens when people crosspost from other sites, and they cut and paste their post. other sites allow much longer length before the break because nothing goes on the front page but the words of a select few.

since we are trying to value everyone's voices equally, and not get into the personality cult elitism of other sites, we have everything post to the front page. so everyone gets a couple of paragraphs of front page exposure, instead of just 2 people having full front page exposure.

devious,

if you don't have a delete option, you can edit your comment and simply replace the text with something like "deleted and reposted..."

-artemisia