diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index 7b18a2ff..0c3b19ba 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -52,47 +52,31 @@ class RegisterForm(CustomForm):
 class RatingForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.Review
-        fields = ['rating']
+        fields = ['user', 'book', 'content', 'rating', 'privacy']
 
 
 class ReviewForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.Review
-        fields = ['name', 'content']
-        help_texts = {f: None for f in fields}
-        labels = {
-            'name': 'Title',
-            'content': 'Review',
-        }
+        fields = ['user', 'book', 'name', 'content', 'rating', 'privacy']
 
 
 class CommentForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.Comment
-        fields = ['content']
-        help_texts = {f: None for f in fields}
-        labels = {
-            'content': 'Comment',
-        }
+        fields = ['user', 'book', 'content', 'privacy']
 
 
 class QuotationForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.Quotation
-        fields = ['quote', 'content']
-        help_texts = {f: None for f in fields}
-        labels = {
-            'quote': 'Quote',
-            'content': 'Comment',
-        }
+        fields = ['user', 'book', 'quote', 'content', 'privacy']
 
 
 class ReplyForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.Status
-        fields = ['content']
-        help_texts = {f: None for f in fields}
-        labels = {'content': 'Comment'}
+        fields = ['user', 'content', 'reply_parent', 'privacy']
 
 
 class EditUserForm(CustomForm):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/outgoing.py b/bookwyrm/outgoing.py
index 118f90fe..bcdf7170 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/outgoing.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/outgoing.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import requests
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
 from bookwyrm import models
 from bookwyrm.broadcast import broadcast
-from bookwyrm.status import create_status
 from bookwyrm.status import create_tag, create_notification
 from bookwyrm.status import create_generated_note
 from bookwyrm.status import delete_status
@@ -214,12 +213,21 @@ def handle_status(user, form):
     ''' generic handler for statuses '''
     status = form.save()
 
+    # notify reply parent or (TODO) tagged users
+    if status.reply_parent and status.reply_parent.user.local:
+        create_notification(
+            status.reply_parent.user,
+            'REPLY',
+            related_user=user,
+            related_status=status
+        )
+
     broadcast(user, status.to_create_activity(user), software='bookwyrm')
 
     # re-format the activity for non-bookwyrm servers
-    remote_activity = status.to_create_activity(user, pure=True)
-
-    broadcast(user, remote_activity, software='other')
+    if hasattr(status, 'pure_activity_serializer'):
+        remote_activity = status.to_create_activity(user, pure=True)
+        broadcast(user, remote_activity, software='other')
 
 
 def handle_tag(user, book, name):
@@ -238,21 +246,6 @@ def handle_untag(user, book, name):
     broadcast(user, tag_activity)
 
 
-def handle_reply(user, review, content):
-    ''' respond to a review or status '''
-    # validated and saves the comment in the database so it has an id
-    reply = create_status(user, content, reply_parent=review)
-    if reply.reply_parent:
-        create_notification(
-            reply.reply_parent.user,
-            'REPLY',
-            related_user=user,
-            related_status=reply,
-        )
-
-    broadcast(user, reply.to_create_activity(user))
-
-
 def handle_favorite(user, status):
     ''' a user likes a status '''
     try:
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status.html
index 88558df9..28eded97 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status.html
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
             <form class="toggle-content hidden tab-option-{{ book.id }}" name="review" action="/review/" method="post" id="tab-review-{{ book.id }}">
                 {% csrf_token %}
                 <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="privacy" value="public">
                 <div class="control">
                     <label class="label" for="id_name_{{ book.id }}_review">Title:</label>
                     <input type="text" name="name" maxlength="255" class="input" required="" id="id_name_{{ book.id }}_review" placeholder="My review of '{{ book.title }}'">
@@ -51,6 +53,9 @@
             <form class="toggle-content hidden tab-option-{{ book.id }}" name="comment" action="/comment/" method="post" id="tab-comment-{{ book.id }}">
                 {% csrf_token %}
                 <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="privacy" value="public">
                 <div class="control">
                     <label class="label" for="id_content_{{ book.id }}_comment">Comment:</label>
                     <textarea name="content" class="textarea" id="id_content_{{ book.id }}_comment" placeholder="Some thoughts on '{{ book.title }}'"></textarea>
@@ -64,6 +69,9 @@
             <form class="toggle-content hidden tab-option-{{ book.id }}" name="quotation" action="/quotate/" method="post" id="tab-quotation-{{ book.id }}">
                 {% csrf_token %}
                 <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
+                <input type="hidden" name="privacy" value="public">
                 <div class="control">
                     <label class="label" for="id_quote_{{ book.id }}_quote">Quote:</label>
                     <textarea name="quote" class="textarea" required="" id="id_quote_{{ book.id }}_quote" placeholder="An except from '{{ book.title }}'"></textarea>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/interaction.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/interaction.html
index 8680df8d..27bbbf8b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/interaction.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/interaction.html
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
     <form name="reply" action="/reply" method="post" onsubmit="return reply(event)">
         <div class="field is-grouped">
         {% csrf_token %}
-        <input type="hidden" name="parent" value="{{ activity.id }}">
+        <input type="hidden" name="reply_parent" value="{{ activity.id }}">
+        <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
+        <input type="hidden" name="privacy" value="public">
         <textarea name="content" placeholder="Leave a comment..." id="id_content_{{ activity.id }}" required="true"></textarea>
         <button class="button" type="submit">
             <span class="icon icon-comment">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index e8a3b1fc..f82c97c0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -320,14 +320,21 @@ def comment(request):
     return handle_status(request, form)
 
 
+@login_required
+def reply(request):
+    ''' respond to a book review '''
+    form = forms.ReplyForm(request.POST)
+    return handle_status(request, form)
+
+
 def handle_status(request, form):
-    ''' all the review/comment/quote etc functions are the same '''
+    ''' all the "create a status" functions are the same '''
     book_id = request.POST.get('book')
     if not form.is_valid():
-        return redirect('/book/%s' % book_id)
+        return redirect(request.headers.get('Referer', '/'))
 
     outgoing.handle_status(request.user, form)
-    return redirect('/book/%s' % book_id)
+    return redirect(request.headers.get('Referer', '/'))
 
 
 @login_required
@@ -353,19 +360,6 @@ def untag(request):
     return redirect('/book/%s' % book_id)
 
 
-@login_required
-def reply(request):
-    ''' respond to a book review '''
-    form = forms.ReplyForm(request.POST)
-    # this is a bit of a formality, the form is just one text field
-    if not form.is_valid():
-        return redirect('/')
-    parent_id = request.POST['parent']
-    parent = models.Status.objects.get(id=parent_id)
-    outgoing.handle_reply(request.user, parent, form.data['content'])
-    return redirect('/')
-
-
 @login_required
 def favorite(request, status_id):
     ''' like a status '''