sickkittens,
In amongst all that is "the formula" to create a basic free site that breaks no rules and is therefore listable eveywhere.... the hard bit in my mind is then making the site 'individual' and 'saleable'.
Start with a basic template 3-4 pages, 2-3 banners per, 10 pics per gall... and then tweak from there... If you then stay within the rules .. only submitting is the painful bit.
DD