• Avoid "message" MiSTings: In my opinion, some of the least funny MiSTings have been those that have tried to spread a message beyond the work being MiSTed. The most common form of this is taking religious whacko's material and turning it into an "anti-Christianity" in general MiSTing. I've also seen this as "This sexuality sucks" or "This political party sucks". They not only tend to be unfunny, but you also offend half of your target audience from the get-go. Stick to MiSTing the actual work and/or author.

• Avoid using MiSTings as a flame medium: Another phenomenon that makes for less than funny MiSTings is using the MiSTings as thin veil for outright flaming. Very few of the passive observers appreciate flamewars.

• Respect the author: Especially with first-time MiSTed authors, it can be very easy to offend the author. Certain MiSTing authors have used the term "commentary & criticism" to describe MiSTings, and this could be a good code word for both deciding which riffs to use, and for gaining author permission in the first place.

• Make MiSTings more than "this sucks": Be creative! Over repetition and a lack of creativity can kill a MiSTing.

• Do some research: If possible, watch the show, and read MiSTings before attempting your own, to get a handle on the characters and the skill of MiSTing.

• Get "beta readers" for your first time: Correcting minor spelling, grammar and format problems can make a MiSTing 100% better.

• Find a way to have fun: That's what this is all about. If you have fun, the readers will too. Joel, Mike and the Bots may be in a mad science experiment, but you're not. 

With the cancellation of the show, and the loss of a strong centralized MiSTing authority such as Web Site No. 9, the community really isn't what it used to be, but nothing is stopping you from making your own.