105 Ways to Give a Book

Comment Challenge 2011: Check-In

But not here. Here. Now go on by and tell Papa Lee how it’s going. Have you stayed on the commenting track? Has it been easier than expected? Harder? How many comments do you have on your post-it note so far? Any advice to communicate? Reporting in is a helpful way to keep energized during the Comment Challenge — plus we’ll be selecting a random commenter from the check-in post to win a new Young Adult book.

I’ve had a rough time because I’ve been sick with a cold and am finding it hard to concentrate. When I’m sick, I just want to curl up in bed and read. So I had a big beginning day of fifteen comments and a rally last night of ten more. With the comments in between and ones today I’m on target, with an average of five a day.

What I rediscovered is that once I start reading blogs with the intent to comment, I do find something to say. It may not be the most clever or funny or insightful, but I’m there. And sometimes that’s what counts the most.

Now share your experience. Oh, and if you haven’t begun yet, you can still join in: Sign up here.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Feel better! And yes on what you say re: intent to comment. That is exactly what I have found. Plus, I've also stopped the comment worry--"Do I really have anything to say?"--I comment and move along! It's been great, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Feel better, Pam! Hopefully the snow helped by giving you and the girls more time to relax together! I'd tell you how I'm doing, but then that would spoil the comment at Lee's.

Sondy said...

It was great to see you Sunday, Pam! I guess that cold you were starting to get got worse... Spend lots of time curling up reading and get better soon.

It's nice to realize that people like getting comments -- even if the comments don't seem tremendously profound. It's nice to know that people are out there reading. Thanks for doing this!

Chudex's said...

Thanks for information and nice read.

Elizabeth O Dulemba said...

Yes, feel better! And I agree, it's been so nice hearing from people. I'm also getting more in the habit of commenting after I read. Amazing to think I wasn't doing that before! :) e

Vasilly said...

I hope you feel better soon. I'm finding out that it's best if I set a certain amount of time to comment on blogs or else I'll probably stay online all day.

Jennifer Morian Frye said...

I wish I could just do this all day, but am guessing that isn't the best plan. My boss wouldn't like it.

I do hope that you are feeling better soon. Although laying in bed reading sounds divine right now.

Lee Wind, M.Ed. said...

"Papa Lee" cracked me up! MotherReader, I love the idea of reading with "an intent" to comment. It changes how I read, and I think it's a brilliant point. If the expectation is to engage and be engaged in a discussion, that's different than just skimming quickly to get to the next thing on our to-do lists. Okay, off to do some blog commenting!
Namaste and a Hug,
Lee

Kristin McIlhagga said...

I completely agree with Lee, reading with the intent to comment has really helped me read more thoughtfully. Hang in their with the challenge, I didn't do as well as I wanted this week either, not because I'm sick but because I've been trying to finish up a paper from last semester before this semester gets to crazy. (I'm a mom and full time ph.d. student in children's literature.

Sherry said...

Reading with an intent to comment . . . I'll have to think about that. I intend to engage, to read more slowly and thoughtfully, but always to comment? Sometimes I can't even find anything useful to say on my own blog, much less someone else's.

What do you all think about responding to comments left on your blog? Do you always respond, sometimes, almost never?

MotherReader said...

Sherry, I like your question so much, I'm going to use it as the basis for my Wednesday Comment Challenge post - so stay tuned! The short answer is that I rarely respond in my own comments, and then usually with regards to a question. But I'll elaborate and invite discussion on Wed. On the intent to comment thought, it means that I read paying attention to what is going through my head, and I record that in the comments... sometimes. I still don't comment on everything I read, but if it garners a reaction then I say something.

Jessica @vegbooks said...

Hi - I just discovered your blog and I love the idea of the Comment Challenge!