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101 Comment Starters

I began working on this last summer. Like many veteran fanfiction authors, I lament the decline in commenting that I’ve seen in my fandom, the Tolkien fandom. I’m also a humanities teacher, so I spend a good part of my day teaching young people how to write, and one lesson I’ve learned the hard way is that each type of writing involves unique skills that have to be learned. And commenting is a unique form of writing and one that comes with added stresses around social expectations and public performance. My research on the Tolkien fanfic community confirms this: Many people want to comment, but they simply don’t know what to say.

As a teacher of writing, I often use  sentence starters or mentor sentences. The writer uses these to jumpstart their thinking and writing, until they become comfortable enough to begin working independently. “101 Comment Starters” is built around this research-based strategy of teaching writing.

Some of the comment starters are simple enough that they can be merely copied and pasted. Others require filling in some blanks or providing some elaboration. In some cases, a because can be dropped if the reader isn’t comfortable providing that level of elaboration yet. In other cases, a more experienced commenter can add the because and elaborate more on their comment.

They also differ in their level of praise. They range from simple statements of how the author made the reader feel to compliments around an aspect of the author’s writing or their work in general. I’ve tried to limit words like really, very, and so as much as possible, except when it made the comment feel wooden. You’re welcome, of course, to add those words in if you feel they more accurately help capture how a story impacted you.

If you’re just starting to comment, please keep in mind that the vast majority of authors will love to hear from you! They don’t care how long or elaborate your comment is. They don’t care if your English is perfect or if you’re a little awkward. They just want to know that you’re reading and enjoying their work.

Finally, please feel free to reblog and share and add your own comment starters!

ETA: I’m officially declaring these in the public domain. If you want to use them in something, while I won’t turn down credit, don’t let the inability to give me credit for them to stand in your way. Share them, make stuff with them, whatever you want to get the comments flowing!

101 Comment Starters

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Chapters: 2/50 Fandom: The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Hobbit - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Bifur & Bofur & Bombur (Tolkien), Bofur (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s), Bofur & Thorin's Company Characters: Bofur (Tolkien), Bifur (Tolkien), Bombur (Tolkien), Thorin's Company, Original Elf Character(s), Original Dwarf Character(s) Additional Tags: Dwarf Culture & Customs, Dwarves, Elf Culture & Customs, Dwarf/Elf Relationship(s), Bofur is a Sweetheart, Demisexuality, Awesome Bombur, Unmarried Bombur, Bifur Is a Sweetheart, Sad Bofur, Asexuality Spectrum, Pining, Brotherly Love, Star-crossed, Action/Adventure, Romance Summary:

I didn't set out to start any trouble. I just wanted a fresh start, a third chance, and perhaps to enjoy a refreshing ale or four on a sun-drenched balcony along the way.

How was I to know she would walk by and set everything all topsy-turvy?

One hundred years later and here I am in the halls of waiting, having to explain myself.

If what we've done is so wrong, then why do I feel no regrets? I know one thing for certain: I'm not leaving here without her.

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Experimental brownies; didn’t have any eggs so I used bananas & a little olive oil instead. Looks like they’re going to be especially fudgy. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtymARVgYIK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=cpo0mrae69jn

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Unofficial bed tester #rvshow (at Chicago RV Show) https://www.instagram.com/p/Btt-le-ASWJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=cdp6mrgju1q7

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Lookout Dog: keeping us safe from the little old lady and her sausage-shaped terrier from down the street. #dogsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BtTll7hgxzz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xoe4kc3zu5yc

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View for the next 36 hours or so... #polarvortex https://www.instagram.com/p/BtPxLkLAkKp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=119bszktdhypv

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Squishy face. 😆 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs0rryTATfi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=536afqy0m9gh

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Uhh, no. #popsugartwinning #twinningfail https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsrg6cQgneo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hhszv9ri4cbf

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Mr. Suave. (at Mount Prospect Public Library) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsmaJDZgmHS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=jq9eyq77z600

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All flashlights should play music. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsHfuh6A0-N/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15b8wdx0xpydw

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Impromptu NYE performance #latergram #library #toddlersofinstagram #abc (at Mount Prospect Public Library) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsGzOmzglVq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xg6wi2a33qma

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We made it 3.5 hours at the zoo; he’s a fan of snakes. #reptiles #toddlersofinstagram (at Brookfield Zoo) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsBt4JJgjhl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=49veuqs09qry

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Thomas and Percy adopted a baby train. #thomasthetrain https://www.instagram.com/p/Br_oCa2A-W_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=49anonds89l8

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Watching the snow fall. https://www.instagram.com/p/Br_IuabgG2k/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=158szz1tcxjyp

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You’re in my seat, dog. https://www.instagram.com/p/Br3AhpgAnCc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=14ftt5su71i20

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Contemplative Dog https://www.instagram.com/p/Br2-1lIgBsb/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=lp5gtw80q2zt

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Huxley approves of the new rug. https://www.instagram.com/p/Br2-V4yglZm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=iv7gz37yo9t2