dramionecommentfest

Want to tell an author that you like their work, but stuck on what to say? Maybe this can help!

Before we jump in, any comment from a “I loved this” to a keysmash will make an author’s day. There is no obligation to leave a comment at all, but know that whatever nice thing you say will carry weight with an fic author. You do not have to follow any format. 

I’m putting this together because people have said they get stuck on what to say when they want to leave a positive comment on a fic. So feel free to consult this when you’re not sure what to say. 

Anatomy

The anatomy of a meaty comment can be broken down into a few building blocks:

Telling the author you liked the fic 

Complimenting an aspect of the story 

Pulling a line from the story and talking about it 

Talking about how the story made you feel 

Ending line 

So an example could be:

I wish I could leave another kudos on this! I especially liked your characterization of Ginny - she’s spunky and hilarious, and her comments about Hermione’s love life cracked me up. This line in particular made me actually snort out loud: “insert line you liked here.” This one shot was so fluffy, it’s going to make me smile for this of the day. Thanks for writing and sharing with us! 

Cheat Sheet 

Going a step further, here are some examples of things that fit within each building block:

Tell them you liked it 

This kicks off the comment - it could end here and that would be fine!

I wish I could leave another kudos 

This was lovely! 

OMG this was so good!!!

I wish I could read this story again for the first time

This was so well done

Hi, I love this! 

From the example above: “I wish I could leave another kudos on this!”

Compliment an aspect of the story 

Adding this shows what you liked the best. This essentially boils down to: “I really like how you did [x thing].” [X thing] could be any of the following:

Characterization of a character: [x character] was so on point, reading your [x character] was basically like reading the canon character you captured them so well, each character was so well-defined, you built out [x character] and gave them so much more depth, [x character] was hilarious/sweet/terrifying

Character development: I enjoyed [x character’s] journey, I love how [x character] grew in [y] way, I never imagined how [x character] would react in [y] situation before 

Pacing of the story: this was so quick and engaging, I loved the pacing here, this slower pace helped underline the emotional turmoil [x character] was going through 

Description of a place/scene: you described [x location] so well that it was basically like being there, your descriptions are like poetry, I appreciate the way you set up a scene, I could see [x location] perfectly in my mind’s eye

Nonverbal cues that set the scene: the little things you add to help highlight the emotions like [x character] biting their lip when they are nervous really build the story, I enjoyed the nervous ticks you gave [x character], the details of their first kiss showcased the emotion they both poured into it 

Dialogue between characters: the dialogue was captivating/emotional/real/raw, I love the banter between these two characters, I thought [x character] had the best lines, the interactions were perfect  

Small details that pulled the story together: I appreciate how you wove [x] into the story, the little clues in the background were a great hint for the reveal

Writing quality: this was so well written, the writing was gorgeous/haunting/poetic, this was executed perfectly 

From the example above: “I especially liked your characterization of Ginny - she’s spunky and hilarious, and her comments about Hermione’s love life cracked me up.”

Pull a line from the story and talk about it 

By pulling something specific you can dissect further and showcase your own reaction to the material. You just copy a favorite/funny/meaningful line and explain why you liked it or how it made you feel. You can do this with multiple lines if you’d like, don’t be afraid to mix in simple reactions “omg” with more in-depth examples. Here are some examples:

This line made me laugh/smile/cry/cringe/squeal/scream/snort/want to vomit

I nearly jumped out of my seat/cried/jumped for joy when I read this line

Her line here was especially powerful given the extra backstory you gave her

I could totally see [x character] a saying that

You nailed his voice

The comedic timing of this line was perfect

From the example above: “This line in particular made me actually snort out loud: ‘insert line you liked here.’” 

Talk about how the story made you feel 

This fic melted my heart 

I’m still crying, that was so haunting 

I feel like I need to go take a cold shower now 

The angst here killed me 

This fluffy fic made my day better 

From the example above: “This one shot was so fluffy, it’s going to make me smile for this of the day.”

Ending line 

If you’re not sure how to wrap up, try:

Thanks for writing this!

I wish there was more, this was delightful

What a refreshing take, thanks for sharing with us!

Such a great read, I loved it!

Now I want to read more 

I love this fic!!!

This was beautiful <3

Going to go read more of your work now, bye! (only use this if you plan to)

Bookmarking to read again! (only use this if you plan to) 

From the example above: “Thanks for writing and sharing with us!” 

Wrap Up 

You don’t have to use all of these at once, of course. Just take whatever building blocks work for you and build a comment from there. 

And if you want to level up, feel free to talk about how this touched you personally. One of the nicest comments I ever got was how a fic of mine helped them while they were struggling during COVID and that made themselves tea and sat down to enjoy each update. They didn’t need to tell me that, but it made me cry that something I wrote provided that kind of moment for someone. 

Instead of sharing my comments let me just bring attention to the stories and writers!

[wet] by @thesuperjane

A little oneshot that takes place deep below ground as our duo search for a lost shrine. Beautiful words and beautiful depictions of our lovebirds. And there’s a lot of moments leaving us wanting more 😉

three questions by @houseofpercypotter

A sweet little thing that keeps you snickering the whole read all about the three questions you shouldn’t typically ask someone outright. Also a realistic and brazen version of Draco.

Glowing Embers by @o0sarena0o

A ritual/pureblood culture oneshot that truly feels like you’re reading something much bigger. You get a glimpse of Samhain through the eyes of Hermione and her complete oblivion at the hints Draco has been dropping.

Catch Me Always by @lilhawkeye3

A set of drabbles and oneshots based on prompts! I’ve only read the first one so far, but was a lovely read nonetheless. A nice, crisp style of writing, so come see what’s been hidden in this gem.

Finished reading all of my assigned stories for @dramionecommentfest

This one was such a great read - it included tattoo artist cool girl Hermione with her own tattoos, tattooed redeemed!Draco with a praise kink, oh and did I mention chemistry in the tattoo chair? 😏💚

It inspired this little manip!

Highly recommend 5/5 💚💚💚💚💚!!

Read it!! Skin Deep by cnova @eccentricallyfabulous

This fic was a series of one shots in non-chronological order that formed a really beautiful story! Some moments include Draco and Hermione post-Hogwarts, before the final battle, in 6th year after Dumbledore’s death, Draco in the aftermath of Hermione’s torture at his home, and more. @lilhawkeye3 did a wonderful job of weaving the moments together with tenderness, laughter, angst, and fluff.

Ok but stream of consciousness comments are my new jam now! AmyPC left me such a blessing with this review on Glowing Embers, I’m still smiling from ear to ear 😁💚😁. It’s just so full of joy! I also appreciate your concrit about what was unclear to you! It’s a great help for my future stories. Thank you so much for making my day! 🥰

I personally just got internet and steady phone service back yesterday, so I can get to reading and leaving you lovelies some kind words soon, but just know that if I get to your story late, it is because I’m putting the safety of my family first for the time being since there’s still a lot happening here. I know there’s still plenty of time left before comments are due, but I honestly just don’t know what to expect anymore after the week we just had. I’ve seen some stuff y’all 😅

Dramione Comment Fest 💚

@dramionecommentfest

Moments by @notamugglemiss

This story gives us a snippet of real life moments for parents!Dramione, that many often can relate to!! 💚

The author has an amazing ability to paint a big picture within a short story!!

Recommend 5/5 💚💚💚💚💚!!

@dramionecommentfest is truely a gem! 

I’ve been working on the format of my stories for YEARS! And especially  this comment from @beautyberrywrites makes my heart soar! This tells me I’ve succeeded (at least at some level) to do what I was aiming for: To tell a little and still so much, to make the reader FEEL the story, and to create an unique format I can be known for as a writer. 

A huge thank you for organizing this fest! And also for everyone who paricipated!