MotherReader

Better late than never with the prizes for the Comment Challenge. I used the random number generator to pick winners from the select group who had made one hundred comment or over and a participant prize from everyone who signed out to complete the challenge. From the first group, our winner is Beth from Library Chicken. Winning our participant prize is Madigan from Madigan Reads. Our surprise batch of books will be heading their way, as soon as Lee Wind and I coordinate such minor details like addresses. (Ladies, feel free to contact me at MotherReader AT gmail DOT com with your address.)

Thanks to all who participated. I hope that it helped you feel more comfortable with commenting and that you found some new blogging friends along the way. I know I did!

With twenty-one days of commenting awareness under our belts, we have reached the end of the Comment Challenge. With the morning off work, I have only five comments to go to reach the one hundred mark, so I'm feeling good. In other years the daily routine was most helpful, but this time I found myself reading and commenting in blocks of time. It may have a lot to do with when I was keeping Teen company as she worked through her endless amounts of homework. Either way it got me more connected to blogging and responding, and that's what I love most about doing this Comment Challenge.

My takeaway is the idea that there are two types of comments. In one we offer a connection to the topic, adding opinions and contributing to the dialogue. In the other we offer a connection to the writer, adding support and contributing to a community feeling. I think our hesitation comes often from our fear of not doing the first adequately, when in truth any comment is adequate in the second because it lets the writer feel heard. Okay maybe not any comment, if it say advertises products of dubious nature. But still, I'd like to worry less about what I'm saying when much of the value in commenting is saying anything.

Thanks to all of you who have commented here this week. I didn't respond individually, but I was especially grateful for your comments on my daughter's video of Crazy Dreams. The song itself has been so meaningful to me as a crossover from my theatre kid world to the community of writers: "Hello, you wild magnolias just waiting to bloom, there's a little bit of all that inside of me and you." Of course, I love her performance and I know how well she sells those words, so I appreciate knowing it was heard in the world.

Okay, so back to the bigger picture of Comment Challenge 2013. By the end of the day, please comment with your totals, experience, etc so that Lee Wind and I can give out some prizes. Don't worry if you didn't meet the one hundred goal, or even your own goal. We would like to know who was along for the ride and how you found the journey. Thanks for playing!

Why aren't people commenting on my blog? It's a common complaint, a question for the blogging ages. There are big picture answers that highlight content, engagement and connection. But today I want to focus on some concrete things I noticed as I am making my way through the Comment Challenge participants.

1. The commenting process is difficult. At this point, most bloggers are using some sort of filter that keeps spambots out. But I've noticed that some commenting systems are harder than others. For instance, I have no problem with the ones that want a Google ID, but I shy away if a Facebook login is requested. And I'm not even sure what Disqus is. A lot of this isn't in your control, but might be worth knowing.

2. The content isn't updated. I'm one to talk with my pathetic January posting schedule, but fresh content does matter. As I've been visiting blogs during the Comment Challenge, I comment on the post that drew my attention most - and if I didn't have much to choose from then sometimes I didn't comment.

3. The content isn't varied. Maybe you are focused on branding your reviewer/illustrator/writer blog, but give yourself a little room to play in the bigger world of KidLit/YA literature. Throw in something personal, book recommendations, movie tie-ins, Kidlitosphere news - just something different from your norm to engage more people.

4. The post doesn't invite comments. Personally, I've struggled with asking questions at the end of a post, and generally avoided it myself for fear of leaving it dangling out there, unanswered. But what I'm thinking of is posts that give little to latch onto. Okay, an example is posting illustrations alone. Other than "Lovely," what have you given me to say?" But add to that posting where the idea came from, what you struggled to capture... whatever went into it that gives me a way to relate.

5. The blog is continuous self-promotion. Obviously, your blog will have some self-promotion for your achievements, but if that's all your posts are about then you are not inviting engagement. You're not even inviting return visits.

What have you noticed on your commenting travels? How are doing on your commenting goals?

So how's the Comment Challenge going? Struggling for something to say? Well, maybe recognizing some common commenting barriers will help:

You’re setting the bar too high.
If you need a reality check, read the comments on any YouTube video or Yahoo article. These people don’t spend time concerned with whether their comment is “witty” or “insightful” or “makes sense.” Seriously, you are in the top ten percent of commenters merely by paying minimal attention to basic spelling and verb/noun agreement.

You’re over-thinking it.
We hear about social media and networking in terms of helping our writing/blogs/careers and start worrying about how comments figure in the process. Look, no one is getting a book deal from a comment. It's about connecting, engaging and getting out there. Relax.

You’re reading blog posts like articles.
This is understandable, because they are articles, but they are also conversations. A comment isn’t crafting a letter to the editor. It’s closer to your response after listening to someone excitedly tell you about this great novel they just read. You wouldn't walk away from that, right? What would you say? Okay, now say that but in a comment.

Now the comment section is yours for progress reports, lessons learned, and commenting insights so far. Don't forget that you can lend support to your fellow participants who you'll find listed at the Comment Challenge sign-up. Go to it!

I mean, other than us all being winners for participating, connecting, and learning during the Comment Challenge. I had fully intended to share the winning names selected from both those who reached one hundred comments and those that didn't. But as it turns out, I'm not going to because Lee Wind did it better... and he is the one providing the prize packages. So head over there for your Comment Challenge 2012 winners, and tune in next year to do it all again!

Thanks to all for being part of it and to Lee for keeping me ever inspired!

Why aren't people commenting on my blog? It's a common complaint, a question for the blogging ages. There are big picture answers that highlight content, engagement and connection. But today I want to focus on some concrete things I noticed as I was making my way through the Comment Challenge participants.

1. The commenting process is difficult. At this point, most bloggers are using some sort of filter that keeps spambots out. But I've noticed that some commenting systems are harder than others. For instance, I have no problem with the ones that want a Google ID, but I shy away if a Facebook login is requested. And I'm not even sure what Disqus is. A lot of this isn't in your control, but might be worth knowing.

2. The content isn't updated. I'm one to talk after my pathetic January posting schedule, but fresh content does matter. As I visited blogs during the Comment Challenge, I commented on the post that drew my attention most - and if I didn't have much to choose from then sometimes I didn't comment. There it is.

3. The content isn't varied enough. Maybe you are focused on branding your reviewer/illustrator/writer blog, but give yourself a little room to play in the bigger world of KidLit/YA literature. Throw in something personal, book recommendations, movie tie-ins, Kidlitosphere news - just something different from your norm to engage more people.

4. The post doesn't invite comments. I've struggled with asking questions at the end of a post, and generally avoided it myself for fear of leaving it dangling out there, unanswered. But what I'm thinking of is posts that give little to latch onto. Okay, an example is posting illustrations alone. Other than "Lovely," what have you given me to say?" But add to that posting where the idea came from, what you struggled to capture... whatever went into it that gives me a way to relate.

5. The blog is continuous self-promotion. Obviously, your blog will have some self-promotion for your achievements, but if that's all your posts are about then you are not inviting engagement. You're not even inviting return visits.


I'll be back soon with winners from the Comment Challenge. I apologize for the delay, but with SCWBI's conference, coordinating with Lee at the conference, and fighting a bad cold it just didn't happen. Soon.

You made it! As you finish up with your blog reading today, please check in here or with Lee Wind with your totals. We have fun prizes, so leave us your final stats even if you didn’t make it to five comments a day. We’ll be picking winners from among the 100 Comment Club and also winners from everyone who participated — which requires at the very least signing up and then signing out in today's comments.

I hope that the Comment Challenge has helped you connect to the community, find new blogs to read, and increased your comfort with commenting. This year with so many of the SCBWI folks participating, I found myself exposed to new ideas in writing and illustration that gave me a jump start on my own goals, so I thank you. My own comments aren't finished today as I'm making my way through the last blogs on the sign-up list (which were the first blogs, since I started in the middle). During the month, I made some great discoveries of new-to-me blogs and the commenting here has me feeling charged up for a new year of blogging. While the Comment Challenge has finished, I know that it's really just the beginning.

I am really loving the Commment Challenge this year because it is getting me paying attention to the blogging world around me. As I make my way through the list of participants - I started in the middle if you're wondering - I'm discovering new-to-me blogs and fresh ideas on writing. Perhaps I've erred some in not focusing on my own blogging content, but there's something to be said for taking a step back and reflecting.

The commenting has been coming easy and keeping up the numbers has not been the challenge so much as making the time to do some concentrated blog reading. Along with tracking my comments, I've been keeping some notes about things I'm finding at different blogs. Carrie Pearson had a great post on responding to writing critiques. I was stunned by the work involved in an international list of reading/literacy charities at Playing by the Book and inspired by the 12 x 12 in '12 Picture Book Challenge that I learned about from Lori Degman and Stacy Jensen, and the writing excuses post at Pen and Ink may just be enough to get me to sign up for that challenge. If so, I'll have to thank Teaching Authors for getting me unstuck and On My Mind for giving me some story starters.

Oh, and there is so much more! I hope you've been enjoying your Comment Challenge experience. Let us know how it's going at the Official Comment Challenge Check-In with Lee Wind!

But not with me, with Papa Lee! Head over and share how the Comment Challenge is working out for you. After a slow start, I've found it surprisingly easy to get back into the grove of commenting. It does take a little more of my online time, but I feel more connected to what I am reading. And to whom I'm reading, because I'm making sure to explore new-to-me blogs. I'll have to talk more about that later. Right now I am on track with my five-a-day comments and loving it.

Check in with Lee Wind to share your stories and to tell that nice guy a big Happy Birthday!

Before you embark on Comment Challenge 2012 - twenty-one days of community-building through comments - let's knock out some common barriers:

You’re setting the bar too high. If you need a reality check, read the comments on any YouTube video or Yahoo article. These people don’t spend time concerned with whether their comment is “witty” or “insightful” or “makes sense.” Seriously, you are in the top ten percent of commenters merely by paying minimal attention to basic spelling and verb/noun agreement.

You’re over-thinking it. We hear about social media and networking in terms of helping our writing/blogs/careers and start worrying about how comments figure in the process. Look, no one is getting a book deal from a comment. It's about connecting, engaging and getting out there. Relax.

You’re reading blog posts like articles. This is understandable, because they are articles, but they are also conversations. A comment isn’t crafting a letter to the editor. It’s closer to your response after listening to someone excitedly tell you about this great novel they just read. You wouldn't walk away from that, right? What would you say? Okay, now say that but in a comment.

So with that and the FAQs in mind, let's get started.

After making sure that I included all the people who signed out in the links or comments, I picked a few winners. But before I announce those, I’ll add a final word about comments. While I was checking in with participants, I found this wonderful post at Jumping the Candlestick about the anxiety of commenting. It’s funny because it’s true:

1. Read an interesting blog post.
   
2. Think to self, “That was an interesting blog post!”
   
3. Think to self, “I should comment on that interesting blog post.”
   
4. Click on “Comment” button. Wait a microsecond for the comment box to open.
   
5. Stare at blank comment box for 5 seconds.
   
6. Think to self, “So. Well. What to say.”
   
7. Stare at blank comment box for 10 seconds.
   
8. Think to self, “Good blog commenters say insightful things. Say something insightful!”
   
9. Stare at blank comment box for 30 seconds.
   
10. Start typing something that aims for “insightful.” Type two or three sentences. Add a fourth for good measure.
    
11. Reread insightful blog comment. Momentarily think, “What an insightful comment!”
    
12. Reread insightful blog comment. Realize it’s not insightful. Realize it’s inane.
    
13. Backspace to delete two of the four sentences

And it goes on for seventy-six brilliant steps, at the end asking for advice on what to do differently. I added a comment that followed my train of thought in writing it to show my own process. The post also helped me define three issues that serve as commenting barriers for many people, but especially book people.

1. You’re setting the bar too high. If you need a reality check, read the comments on any YouTube video or Yahoo article. These people don’t spend time concerned with whether their comment is “witty” or “insightful” or “makes sense.” Seriously, you are in the top ten percent of commenters merely by paying minimal attention to basic spelling and verb/noun agreement.
   
   
2. You’re over-thinking your comments. We know this social media stuff, but can make the wrong leaps to how comments help in the process. It’s not like someone will read your witty, insightful comment and give you a book deal. It’s more like being at a book event and you’re talking to this woman about how much you like zombies, and she asks what you do, and you say you write picture books, and she says that she was at this session earlier where the editor was talking about the sad lack of zombie picture books. Score! And all this from your witty, insightful comment “Great necklace! I love zombie jewelry too!”
   
   
3. You’re reading blog posts like articles. This is understandable, because they are articles, but they are also conversations. A comment isn’t crafting a letter to the editor. It’s closer to your response after listening to someone excitedly tell you about this great novel they just read. After they finish talking, would you simply walk away? No, you’d say something like, “I’ll have to find that book, especially because I love zombie romance stories,” and you wouldn’t worry that you weren’t adding enough value to the conversation. Other times you’d have more to say. Who knows? You might even be witty and insightful about it. But it’s not a requirement.

Anyway, I hope these three weeks helped you form a new habit, gave you needed practice, or made you think about commenting in the blogging community. Now, prizes:

From the 100+ Comment Club, the winner is...

• Amy of The Poem Farm, who will receive the 2011 Girls Rock YA Collection of The Running Dream, by Wendelin Van Draanen; Daughter of Xanadu, by Dori Jones Yang; and Timeless, by Alexandra Monir. Books provided by Random House, sent by me.

From the finishers of the Comment Challenge, I selected three winners:

• Katie of Secrets & Sharing Soda, who wins Life, Liberty, and Pursuit, by Susan Quinn — donated and signed by the author.
• Deb of Annie and Aunt, who wins Hot Issues, Cool Choices: Facing Bullies, Peer Pressure, Popularity, and Put-Downs, by Sandy Humphrey — donated and signed by the author.
• Sherry of Semicolon, who wins Herbert’s Wormhole, by Peter Nelson and Rohitash Rao — donated and sent by Lee Wind.

Thanks to all those who participated in Comment Challenge 2011, with extra super-special thanks to Lee for being the Wind beneath my wings.

Don’t you love this graphic done by our very own Lee Wind? So much work, and yet I can’t remember to put up the Finish Line post because we had a “snow day” here. And I use quotes because to my untrained eye it appears to be raining.

But back to business! The winner of last week’s Comment Challenge Check-In prize was Pen and Ink, who will receive a copy of Badd, by Tim Tharp. Lee and I have some fun prizes for winners today, so please check in with your final stats, even if you didn’t make it to five comments a day. We’ll be picking three winners from among the 100 Comment Club and also winners from everyone who participated — which requires at the very least signing up and then signing out at today’s Finish Line Mr Linky. Leave your totals in the comments.

We hope that the Comment Challenge has given you practice and inspiration to make commenting easier and a better part of your blog reading. But why comment? Because we live in a society where the question “How are you?” doesn’t require a real answer. Where front lawns are empty of people even in the summer. Where we may know more about Bristol Palin than a blogger we’ve followed during the same two years. Because we’re searching for ever more ways to connect — with blogs, Facebook, and Twitter — and yet it often feels like we’re shouting into the wind. We can be so busy trying to connect, that we fail to take the opportunities to connect that are right in front of us. Simply by saying, sometimes, to someone, “I hear you. I’m here.”

How’s it going? Head over and tell Lee. He’s sharing last week’s prize winner, and will pick a new winner from today’s Comment Challenge Check-In to receive a 2011 KidLit/YA book.

Here I’m going to respond to questions from my own comments:

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?

There are two parts to my concept of reading with intent to comment. The first part is the mental commitment. I’ve already decided that I’m going to read actively, not passively, and that’s a big step right there. Now, I don’t decide that for every single post I read. In fact, I’ve become more discriminating about the posts I read. Everyone’s choices will be different here based on taste and interest, but as examples I don’t read In My Mailbox or Library Loot memes, or posts about upcoming books. I don’t read posts about fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi teen books, and since that genre has taken over Young Adult literature, I’m skimming a lot of YA blogs these days for books I would like. There are exceptions, always exceptions, but I’ve already narrowed my selection of posts I’ll be reading with an active participation.

Step two. When I read I turn a mental ear towards my own internal dialogue, noting my reactions and thoughts. When I get to the comments, I pretty much know what I want to say, but just have to take an extra two minutes to shape the words. Sometimes I have no real internal reaction or it’s just meh. Because yeah, there’s still a difference between “Hmm. That’s interesting,” and “Wow! That’s interesting!” Then I don’t comment, and I move on. The intent to comment doesn’t mean that I’ll comment on every single post I read, but that I’ve selected the post to read actively and that I’ll pay attention to my own thoughts with an idea to share them.

Now, what do I think about responding to comments on your own blog and what do I do? Well, I rarely respond to comments in my blog, and then generally, only if it’s a direct question or clarification. I feel that I’ve put my thoughts in the post, and it’s your turn to contribute if you choose. But more important to me is that I want that commenting energy to go outward to the community, not inward to keeping the conversation on my blog. I only have so much time, and suspect that if I were spending it coming up with things to say on every comment on this blog, I wouldn’t also be going out and commenting on other blogs. I get the argument that commenting on your own blog builds dialogue there, but it seems to me that the people who reply to every comment rarely comment other places. I may be wrong, and maybe somebody will tell me so, but that’s my impression.

Just like the original questioner, I put this to all of you for your thoughts as well. But I’ll tell you now that I reserve the right not to spend time defending my opinion in responding to the comments, because I know I feel differently about this than many.

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.

Today begins Comment Challenge 2011. Running through Wednesday, January 26, the goal is to comment on five book blogs a day. Keep track of your numbers, report in on Wednesdays for support, and comment like you mean it for three weeks. At the end, we’ll award prizes at random to bloggers who’ve passed the 100 Comment Mark — along with some random participation prizes at the ending and check-in posts. If you have any questions, check out the FAQs or ask in the comments on that page.

Edited to add: I posted at midnight last night, but now I can add the link to Lee Wind’s Comment Challenge post of amazing and inspiring ideas. So sign up here, and then go there to get motivated and, you know, to comment.

Comment away!

It’s BACK! Based on last year’s success, Lee Wind and I are bringing The Comment Challenge to your January — the perfect time of year to make a new resolution to connect more with your fellow bloggers.

Since it is said that it takes twenty-one days to form a new habit, we’re going to run the Comment Challenge for the next three weeks — starting Thursday, January 6, and running through Wednesday, January 26, 2011. The goal is to comment on at least five book blogs a day. Keep track of your numbers, and report in on Wednesdays with Lee. We’ll tell each other how we’re doing and keep each other fired up. On Wednesday, January 26, I’ll post the final check-in post for the Comment Challenge. A prize package will be involved, drawing from among the bloggers who reach the 100 Comment Mark (five comments a day for twenty-one days with one day free of comment charge). It’s also pretty likely that we’ll award some random door prizes for trying, because why not? I’m including last year’s Frequently Asked Questions to get this party started. Or almost started, since we’ll begin on Thursday.

Where do I sign up?

Sign up at the Thursday, January 6th, post, here at MotherReader. (Note: Direct link will be added on Thursday.)

If I don’t start on that first day, is it too late to start?

No. You can either up your number of comments per day if you want to make the 100 Comment mark, or you can set your own goal and join us for the support and camaraderie.

Five comments a day! How can I do that?

Feel free to set your own goal. Maybe start smaller and build up. Maybe aim for one thoughtful comment and two “I can’t wait to read that!” comments a day. But honestly, it’s easier than it sounds. Think how many comments you leave on Facebook or replies on Twitter. It’s doable.

Does it have to be exactly five daily comments, or can they be averaged?

I will say that it sets the habit better if you make a point to comment every day that you’re reading blogs, but you don’t have to hit exactly five comments every day. Averaging them together is fine.

Do you have to be an KidLit/YA book blogger to participate?

No, all book bloggers are welcome. We’re only pushing the Comment Challenge within the kidlitosphere to boost the energy in our community. I mean, we don’t want the knitting blogs to get the fruits of our commenting labor. The challenge is open it to any book blogger who would like to participate. Especially those who would like to find out more about the wonderful world of KidLit/YA Blogging.

Is there a special tracking system?

Well, mine is a Post-It note. We’re on the honor system here, so track your own comments however you see fit. However, I don’t recommend tattoos. Been there, done that.

What are the prizes?

I’m working on it, but I’m guessing books. If you have something special you’d like to donate — signed books, original art, crafty ventures — send me an email at MotherReader AT gmail DOT com.

Do you have to comment at a hundred different blogs or only blogs that are new to you?

No and no. You can use this as an opportunity to reconnect with the blogs you know. But personally, I find it easier to spread my comments around among lots of blogs because I find I have more to say.

Will there be a list of participants whose blogs I can make a special effort to visit as fellow Comment Challengers?

Yes.

Why isn’t anyone coming back to my blog?

Make sure that your profile links back to your blog. I’ve often tried to follow comments on my own blog back to the writer only to find that the profile is blocked or leads to an old blog.

Do I have to check in on Wednesdays to participate?


Strictly speaking, no you don’t. To be counted as a participant, you have to sign up for the challenge and you need to sign out on the last day with your totals. However, I highly recommend coming to the check-in posts on Fridays with Lee as it will keep you on the commenting track. Plus, prizes.

Questions? Ask in the... comments.

While I was heading down into Virginia Beach’s first significant snowstorm in twenty years, I left you time to sign in as having finished the Comment Challenge. Last night, I wrote down all the people who wrote on the finish line post here or with Lee Wind, adding a few people who had commented on an earlier post. I numbered the folks who made the 100 Commenter Club, and used Random.org to generate three numbers from that group. After all that, the winner of the prize packages are:

• Abby of Abby (the) Librarian


• Kathy of Inside of a Dog


• Sarah of In Need of Chocolate

Please write me at MotherReader AT gmail DOT com with your address and the prize package you’d most appreciate. An extra prize package was donated from Reading Is Fundamental and I’ve decided to award it to one of the two top commenters: Kelly Polark, who logged in 214 comments! The other big commenter was Kathy Martin, with 223 comments, and who had been randomly selected to win a prize package. Congratulations to all!

I also drew random numbers from the entire group of seventy participants to select winners of prizes just for playing. I’ve tried to make a good match for each, and so...

• Hannah of A Quiet Spot wins a signed copy of Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion sent by the author, Loree Griffin Burns. A great book for homeschool education and projects.


• Camille of Book Moot wins a lovely journal donated by Natalie from Fadeaway Dream to keep track of special days.


• Heather of StorySleuths can start a discussion on older literature vs. new when she receives Heaven to Betsy / Betsy in Spite of Herself, donated by Wendy of Six Boxes of Books.


• Marge of Tiny Tips for Library Fun can get some ideas for storytime projects with What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe? plus an example of my own recycled magazine jewelry.

Winners, please write me at MotherReader AT gmail DOT com with your address so I can get your prizes send your way.

Thanks again to everyone for being part of Comment Challenge 2010. We hope to see you next January, but we also hope that the commenting bug stays with you for the rest of the year. Read. Blog. Comment.

After twenty-one days of commenting, my trusty Post-It note is full. There are hash marks to track my daily comments. There is a series of numbers to one side that represent the blogs from the Comment Challenge Sign-In that I didn’t comment at yet, but intend to go back to. There are circled numbers at the top representing blogs that I need to add to my blog reader or investigate further. There are two days without any comments at all. There are eighteen days with a total of 125 comments marked. There is space for one day — today — left to be added. The hash marks won’t matter, but I’ll do them anyway.

In fact, I’ll continue to keep a Post-It note here on the right side of my laptop and mark my comments, because I found that the reminder helped. It made me push through the inertia of reading passively, to connecting actively. It forced me to drop my insecurities about not writing a comment that reflected breathtaking intelligence and wit, and to focus on leaving simple evidence that I Was Here. It reminded me that my obligation isn’t to foster community only within the confines of my blog, but to go out into that community. Because while my readers are the energy that fuels my blog, I am in turn the energy that feeds another blog — and so it continues.

Our challenge had a set time frame, and today is the day to submit your final tally and/or your experiences with the challenge. If you reached the 100 Comment Mark, be sure to say so, so that you can be entered to win one of our prize packages. If you didn’t make that goal, still sign in to say how you did and how it helped you. Everyone who participated in Comment Challenge 2010 and who signs in here or with Lee will be entered to win door prizes. The winners will be announced on Monday.

But I hope that for most of you, this will just represent the beginning. While having a challenge is fun, the intention is to help form a new habit. Once you start commenting, you find that it is easier than it seemed to be. You start reading blogs with half a thought forming in your mind, one that becomes a full sentence that you can add to the conversation. Because that’s what blog posts are: conversations waiting to happen.

Let me share my gratitude to my friend Lee Wind because his energy, enthusiasm, and commitment fueled this venture. Without him, I would have spent January in a winter malaise, waking only to enter my picture vote and harsh on the name iPad. Lee, you rock.

For today and tomorrow: Sign in below. For always:

Read. Blog. Comment.