One thing to remember is that for every [ * ] code you need a closing code [/ * ] but remember NO SPACES and no asterisks either. Be sure to use the correct code with no extra words or characters. Whatever you want to be in red, quoted, linked, etc needs to be in between the opening [ * ] and the closing [/* ]. If you are doing something like bold and color, you need the brackets to be in order. In other words like this but without spaces.
[b ][color=red ]this is where you want the text[/color ][/b ] notice how the bold brackets enclose both of the color brackets? So it would look like this without the spaces:
this is where you want the text