I want to personally thank each and every one of you who have left comments on this blog. In fact many of you probably received an e-mail from me when you first started commenting. I promise I hand-typed each one.
Here are some general and helpful tips for all of you who comment regularly or sporadically. Enthusiastically or meloncholy.
And for those who haven’t commented yet think of this as a great big invitation.
These aren’t the “Rules of Comment-Field-Ville” on Shawn’s blog. These are simply tips and hints at becoming a better commentor. Random Comments from the peanut gallery will still be appreciated and smiled upon.
1. Think of your comment like a mini-resume - When you post your comment your name goes along with it. If you have a site you usually link it, thus giving people who read your comment an ability to follow up on you; so don’t forget that your comment is like a short little representation of yourself. Put some personality and character and integrity into your comment. Make it zippy, make it funny, make it good. Make it you.
2. Try to keep on topic - Myself and other bloggers often ask questions in our article(s) to motivate visitors to leave comments. The purpose of the comments is to discuss the content itself. Make sure your comment stays on topic. If you have something personal to say that’s off subject then that’s where #3 comes in…
3. Comments are not emails - I don’t mind if posts get off topic as the comments progress but if you have something to say or a question to ask that’s outside of the conversation going on then feel free to drop me a line and email me instead…
4. Make your message understandable for the readers - Those who read your comments can’t see the smile on your face, the tear in your eye, or whatever. Remember that simple punctuation marks, (i.e. quotes and semi-colons) can change the entire outcome of your message. Feel free to use emoticons and additional information to help convey the feelings and energy behind your comment.
5. Give something - The best commentors are knowledgeable, friendly and enjoy engaging in the interaction between comments on a weblog. Great commenters don’t comment just to add words, but to make the content better.
6. Courtesy - Comments are conversations. Just like real life; be courteous. Make sure you’re not stepping on someone’s toes just to get your point across. Say please and thank-you. Be friendly and fun.
7. Grammar - Try your best to be polite and write an easily readable comment.
8. Have Fun - No need to feel uptight about comments. Just be yourself. It’s not like what you say is out there for the whole world to read…oh wait.
What tips or hints do you have for being a good commentor? Why do you comment? What is one of your pet-peeves about commenting?
Ruth said:
tips or hints? None, I’m still learning
You left some good tips and hints though.. why do you comment? I want the chipotle thing 
No, kidding.. I want to be able to leave my thoughts and read the thoughts of others..whether they are funny, silly, serious or whatever. pet-peeves?? I’m sorry..what are pet-peeves?? now..sounds pretty silly this question huh? but english is not (yet) my language!
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Shawn said:
@Ruth - I comment because I enjoy the interaction, it’s all a part of blogging. And a pet peeve is something that bugs you… you can’t be too new to english if you know what Chipotle is.
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 2:51 pm
The other Andy said:
I comment because it’s fun interacting with other people. I don’t think I have any commenting pet peeves, if I do I don’t know about them.
I also don’t think I have any good tips or hints.
I’ve never really thought about comment etiquette.
Well as I was typing this I thought of some pet peeves:
1)I don’t like when people leave comments in all caps
2)When people completely forget the rules of punctuation just because they’re typing something on the internet and not writing a paper.
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 7:22 pm
maggie said:
When I comment, I comment for the purpose of conversation and to make myself known to the blogger. There are so many people out in cyperspace reading other peoples’ blogs, and they never say a word, not one word. If I feel I can add to the conversation or feel I have some relationship with the blogger, I will comment.
I agree with Andy in that I do not like it when people don’t use any punctuation. All caps are another thing that bother me- on the internet, or on paper. I also dislike mystery commenters-those who never sign their name or log in.
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 8:34 pm
maggie said:
By the way…thanks for the helpful hints.
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Anna said:
Hey Shawn, would you mind picking up an onion while at the store today? Thanks
Just kidding.
I must say, though, one of my favorite commentors is Hollie Carney because she always has some ‘tude coming out in the comments.
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 9:11 pm
Ronni said:
I just hate when people become brown nosers like saying how good of a drummer said blogger is. I mean that is just blatent brown nosing.
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Shawn said:
@Other Andy - Dude, rule number two should be on my list! That is an excellent point. ” LOL, BTW I 4got to tell u that u r kool. Well, gtg.”
@Maggie - We call them “lurkers”. People who read blogs but never say anything. If you’re consistently reading someone’s blog and enjoying the content, say ‘hi’, say ‘thanks’ say ‘this was helpful’ or ‘you’re a piece of big fat balogne’.
@Ronni - I don’t know what you’re talking about…I have no problem with blatant brown nosing.
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 9:41 pm
Ronni said:
*wipes up sarcasm*
lol
Posted on November 13, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Ruth said:
ok..well to answer the pet-peeves questions..i don’t like it when people make others look stupid. at least their comment…that means i agree with you: stay friendly, especially because you don’t know each other and/or probably never will. It’s so crazy to end up almost eating each other while you don’t know each other.
Posted on November 14, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Ruth said:
oh and shawn..when it comes to food I almost always know what people are talking about!
Posted on November 14, 2006 at 12:38 pm
Jo said:
Anna— I agree! Hollie is a marvelous “commentor”. She is a quick one in the wit department.
As for me…. I like to comment on blogs like I do in real life conversation. If I have something I feel will add to the flow or a different side, or if I just can’t control myself, I’ll speak up! (or in this case: type) However, if I feel all has been said or I don’t feel I have an appropriate or educated response, then I refrain.
Posted on November 14, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Mrs. I said:
Now that I know there are rules, I’m too stressed to comment! (Only kidding…..I think!) Have a great day!
Posted on November 14, 2006 at 4:35 pm
Tien said:
Hi, Thanks for the comment about the “lurkers”. That was helpful. Now I know what I am. After thinking about it…what’s wrong with being a “lurker”? You’re a big fat piece of bologne!
Hahaha, J.K. I really enjoy your blog, especially the ones on a focused life.
By the way, in my book, bologne is a compliment, it’s tasty and delightful!
Posted on November 14, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Shawn said:
@Tien - Lurker is a pretty ugly word hu? How about closet reader? Anyway, thanks for saying ‘hi’, and I’m glad you like balogne. How about head cheese or olive loaf?
Posted on November 14, 2006 at 7:47 pm
Jen McArthur said:
I think that everyone should read your little commenting outline before they are able to get a blog - seriously! Although, I do find it fun sometimes to leave really random things on blog comments just to irk people. Maybe that is because I enjoy sarcasm, though… and I am friends with Andy and I think that would irk him if I did it to him, so yea.
Excellent post.
Posted on November 14, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Scott Howard said:
I totally agree with you about “blogspot elitism”. When I first started blogging about 6 months ago, I found so many blogs that I wanted to comment on and just could not simply because I didn’t have a blogspot blog. I am too stubborn to get on at this point. I will not use someone else domain. I won’t, I won’t I won’t I won’t. Hey, Shawn. I really enjoyed this post, never been to your blog before but I saw your “Reader Tip” on Pro BLogger and thought I would check it out. L8tr
Posted on November 15, 2006 at 6:21 am
Brittany Powers said:
OK so I am a lurker. I love to read what people say but I just never know what to say myself. So here is a comment. Am I still considered a lurker?
Posted on November 15, 2006 at 11:27 am
Burrito ChriS said:
Ruth…english is not yet my language either…and I’ve lived in America all me life!
Posted on November 15, 2006 at 11:39 am
Yuri said:
Hey Shawn,
What happens if you make the 750th comment?? Wow, would you just buy yourself that thing in foil?
Posted on November 15, 2006 at 8:20 pm
Shawn said:
If I make the 750th comment then I’m taking myself out. Boo ya!
But don’t worry, I won’t. Right now there’s still a little ways to go. You don’t know who’s gonna get it…
Posted on November 15, 2006 at 9:10 pm
Justin said:
@Shawn:
I’m happy to see my initial Guide to weblog commenting was taken on by another individual. Enjoyed your ‘regulations’ per se for your viewers. Seems as though they’re loosely obeying your requests.
What are the consequinces for violating such aforementioned policy? Curious to see who gets regulated, why and how
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Shawn said:
@ Justin - Your post was a huge inspiration for me to write something here.
I obviously modified it for my readership, but I got many good ideas from you. Lorelle (at least I think it was her) has posted some hepful tips too that I stole from.
I’ve had very few comments that I thought were poor enough they needed deletion, but that’s what happened: they got deleted.
Thanks for your comment.
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 8:36 pm
the other sarah said:
Do you really think it’s “blogger elitism” when you have to be registered to comment? ‘Cause I don’t know anybody who actually likes Blogger so much that they want to force others to use it. In my experience, usually the people with “registered users only” settings on their comments are just a little wet behind the ears, blogging-wise. Maybe they just don’t even realize that non-Blogger users can’t comment. Or they don’t know how to fix it. Or I could be totally wrong and maybe there’s a strong pro-Blogger group that is really just a little snobbish toward you Wordpress-ers. But that would be pretty silly.
Posted on November 17, 2006 at 2:31 am
the other sarah said:
I leave comments for different reasons, depending on the blog/post. Sometimes I comment because I feel like I have something to add to the conversation. Other times I just want to express solidarity with what the author said. And sometimes I comment simply to let the blogger know that I am reading (typically on blogs that I read regularly, but don’t necessarily comment on for the other reasons listed, or on blogs that have very, very few comments overall). Even if the reason I decide to comment is just to let the writer know that I’m reading, I still try to keep the comment on-topic and somewhat constructive/informative/interesting.
I have a comment blog where I can post comments that I’ve posted on other blogs. That allows me to keep an archive of my comments to others, in case in the future I want to refer back to something I’ve said on someone else’s post. Also, if I have a lot to say, and it’s really too much to unload in someone’s comment section, I can just post my comment on the comment blog, then post a condensed version with a link to the whole comment. Having all this on a separate blog means that I don’t have to explain all the background behind the comments like I would if I just posted it on my regular blog.
You pretty much covered the “being a good commentor” advice. Don’t know that I can add much to that.
Pet-peeves: Complete disregard for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. I’m not going to go and edit comments just to correct a simple error, but readable comments require at least some thought given to proper form.
I’m torn about my second pet-peeve…If reading someone else’s post, I don’t like reading a long list of comments that all say the same thing. Blah, blah, blah - no creative input. BUT, on my own blog, I don’t mind the less creative repetition. I guess I just like comments on my blog, period! (Probably because I don’t usually get a lot of them…)
SOoooo….now this comment is probably long enough that I should have just posted it on the comment blog…but here it is, I’m posting it anyway. Is that a pet peeve for someone out there?
Posted on November 17, 2006 at 2:50 am
Shawn said:
@ Sarah -
I don’t think it’s true ‘blogger elitism’ either. I just called it that to be goofy. I think it is set up that way because they are wet behind the ears.
Posted on November 17, 2006 at 5:43 pm
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