diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 016d420..94565d6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,18 @@ This version makes quite a few changes from [the original](https://github.com/Je
 ## Install/usage guide
 An installation and usage guide is available [here](https://cloud.lynnesbian.space/s/jozbRi69t4TpD95). It's primarily targeted at Linux, but it should be possible on BSD, macOS, etc. I've also put some effort into providing steps for Windows, but I can't make any guarantees as to its effectiveness.
 
+## Configuration
+Configuring mstdn-ebooks is accomplished by editing `config.json`.
+
+| Setting | Default | Meaning |
+|--------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| site | https://botsin.space | The instance your bot will log in to and post from. |
+| cw | null | The content warning (aka subject) mstdn-ebooks will apply to non-error posts. |
+| instance_blacklist | ["bofa.lol", "witches.town"] | If your bot is following someone from a blacklisted instance, it will skip over them and not download their posts. This is useful for ensuring that mstdn-ebooks doesn't download posts from dead instances, without you having to unfollow the user(s) from them. |
+| learn_from_cw | false |  If true, mstdn-ebooks will learn from CW'd posts. |
+| mention_handling | 1 |  0: Never use mentions. 1: Only generate fake mentions in the middle of posts, never at the start. 2: Use mentions as normal (old behaviour). |
+
+
 ## Original README
 hey look it's an ebooks bot
 
diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
index e62fce2..82bd508 100644
--- a/config.json
+++ b/config.json
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@
     "lang": "en",
 	"site": "https://botsin.space",
 	"cw": null,
-	"learn_from_cw": false
+	"learn_from_cw": false,
+	"mention_handling": 1
 }
diff --git a/functions.py b/functions.py
index 4363341..f99f152 100755
--- a/functions.py
+++ b/functions.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def make_sentence(output):
 	else:
 		toots = c.execute("SELECT content FROM `toots` WHERE cw = 0 ORDER BY RANDOM() LIMIT 10000").fetchall()
 	toots_str = ""
-	for toot in toots:
+	for toot in toots: # TODO: find a more efficient way to do this
 		toots_str += "\n{}".format(toot[0])
 	model = nlt_fixed(toots_str)
 	toots_str = None
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ def make_sentence(output):
 		sentence = model.make_short_sentence(500, tries=10000)
 		tries = tries + 1
 
-	sentence = re.sub("^(?:@\u202B[^ ]* )*", "", sentence) #remove leading pings (don't say "@bob blah blah" but still say "blah @bob blah")
+	# optionally remove mentions
+	if cfg['mention_handling'] == 1:
+		sentence = re.sub(r"^\S*@\u200B\S*\s?", "")
+	elif cfg['mention_handling'] == 0:
+		sentence = re.sub(r"\S*@\u200B\S*\s?", "")
 
 	output.send(sentence)