Jul 21, 2013 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Community Pool

The Community Pool is for those of you looking for input, whether on post ideas, writing, blog design and layout, or anything else. If you have a post, page, or idea you want to bounce off someone, leave a comment. Your fellow bloggers can then click through and offer input either on your site, or in the comments here (feel free to indicate which you’d prefer).

Read on for the ground rules and to leave a comment . . .

  • You’ll get the best feedback if you can be as specific as possible about what you’d like people to respond to or where you’re struggling.
  • Please keep all comments civil and constructive. We’re here to help and support one another, not to beat anyone down.
  • If you haven’t looked at our Commenting Guidelines in a while, now might be a good time.
  • To keep from losing your place in the comment thread while you visit others’ blogs, right-click on a link to open it in a new tab or window.
  • No running on the deck.

Photo by t_a_i_s.

Show Comments

306 Comments

Comments are closed.

Close Comments

Comments

    1. The orange text (blog title) on a blue background is really tough on the eyes. I’d suggest changing one or the other.

      Also, you’re using way more than 15 tags per post. When you have more than 15 (tags plus categories), your posts don’t appear in the WordPress Reader and you miss out on a lot of viewers.

      Like

    1. I like your blog already. I suffer from anxiety and depression myself. I think you have a lot to offer the blogging world.

      Keep writing!

      Like

      1. Hi Ms. Roberts! Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comments and follow. I will definitely go over to your blog now and do the same. Maybe we can “guest blog” on each others site…

        Like

  4. Is WP cracking down on mature sites? I had one for 3 years–not a link farm or anything like that–pretty well regarded, and suddenly it went down. Has anyone heard anything like this? My site was marked as mature. I love the service and I’d like to stick with it, but I don’t know what’s going on, because I didn’t receive any explanation. Has anyone heard?

    Like

  5. Hi I could really use more peoples advice about my blog as you can see from my early posts I am struggling helplessly! So any more advice on anything from what to blog about to what my blog layout looks like would be much loved

    Like

    1. First of all, I like the simplicity of your blog. But you need to pay attention to grammar. I noticed in the first blog post that you had a missing period. People get turned off when they read an entry that has grammatical errors.

      Keep writing!!!

      Like

  6. I’ve always wanted to blog professionally/for a business but I can’t seem to get my foot in the door. Can anyone tell me some good advice? If anyone can give me some good criticism on my writing style, grammar, or help me edit something out/in on anything on the blog (could be a post or the web design itself) that would be awesome. I appreciate any help. Thanks.

    http://heatherdroberts.com/

    Like

    1. I really love your blog! You have done some amazing things with the theme. It is so visually appealing. Your poetry is lovely but my only criticism would be that in relation to the articles the headlines don’t lead me into the article, I have no idea what they are about which doesn’t give me a strong pull to click in and read.

      Like

      1. Ah. Well noted. I tend to only use one word as a poem title because I don’t want to leave the reader any clues about it until they click on the link. But I think over what you said maybe I can come up with something better than one word! Thanks!

        Like

      3. I don’t think I was clear with my comment above, I really like the simple poetry titles, I’m not a poet but it seems suitable and appropriate for poetry. My suggestions was in regards to your posts below the slider (the articles) those were the posts that I was suggesting I would be more inclined to click in with a clearer direction of what they entailed. 🙂
        And thanks for the blog feedback as well.

        Like

      2. BTW, people usually ask politely for feedback on their blog, but I do have some things to say about it.

        1. I don’t know it is about. I am kind of confused. Maybe a tagline will help?
        2. You have several grammatical errors in your posts. It is always a good idea to use correct English grammar.
        3. Overall, I like the pictures/photos. I do hope that the Photo Challenge pictures are from you. If not, it is always a good idea to include the source.
        4. On your “So-Called “Underprivileged” post, I am confused. I don’t know a lot about Indian government. You may have to clarify it for the reader.

        Like

      3. 1. for a tagline – I am still thinking about it !! cant find something suitable.
        2. I will try to improve it. thank you for pointing it out !
        3. The photos are all mine since the blog is mine. No plagiarism.
        4. Should I edit it right away or should i keep it as it is ?
        would try to explain in later articles if I write on this topic or any relating topics .

        Thank you very much for your help. Appreciate it a lot. 🙂

        Like

      4. A good tagline gives a generalization about the blog. It gives a reader an idea what to expect. Maybe you can include something about yourself in that. For example: “One Indian Man Writes His Story” or maybe “An Indian Perspective” OR “From India, With Love.” I noticed that your blog focuses on your ethnicity. So I am sorry if I offend. You can use them if you like.

        You should edit your blog now. Grammatical errors are a big turn off. I don’t think you have to explain yourself in later posts. Just fix the ones you have now and try to write better in the future.

        Like

    1. Normally, commenters here urge people to have blog titles and taglines that explain their blog content. Because your blog posts are so random, your uninformative title and tagline are actually quite informative.

      I will say that you definitely need to start adding tags to your posts if you want more traffic. (I’ve also never seen so many comments and likes on a blog with no tags.)

      And strangely, the harsh unadorned black/white scheme with few pictures works for your blog.

      Of the many people who attempt the “random, no rules” blog concept, few if any will do it as well as you.

      Like

      1. Tag tag tag! Got it! Thanks for your feedback; I really appreciate it! I’m still trying to find my theme but I think I getting closer…. I can feel it….. I’m on the cusp of a breakthrough….

        Like

    2. I enjoy the simplicity of your blog. I think not having a lot going on is working for you because you have so many different kinds of posts.

      Like

      1. Thanks for the feedback! I enjoy minimalism when it comes to design and I felt that I did not want too much going on around my writing’ my hope is that the writing is enough to capture attention! (Too biog a hope? I hope not! Haha!)

        Like

    1. Well, first off you need to get rid of the apostrophe in “Tales” in your tagline. And “soak” is misspelled in your “a little about me” widget.

      But to answer your question, no I don’t think your style is clunky. Some extra proofreading might help, though.

      Like

    1. That looks great (for the most part).

      The only issue I see is your header menu. You’re likely to have visitors who won’t be able to read that text.

      My background image completely obscures my header menu, so I’m not someone who thinks a header menu is necessary. However, I would suggest adding widgets to your sidebar that provide links to the pages in your header.

      Or you can (maybe) change the text color of your header menu. It might mess up the aesthetics of your header image, but it’s something else you could try if you don’t want to have redundant links on your home page.

      Like

    1. For a personal blog, I like it very much. I don’t think I would change anything. I like the unique title and the way you write. When I read a post, I feel like I can get to know you more. Very lovely.

      Like

      1. Thank you so much for your feedback! My goal really is to bring people into my world for a bit and share my experience. I so appreciate that you took the time to read through what I’ve written!

        Like

      3. I’m looking through your now and I love your writing style! I love the post entitled “The Future Me” and the idea of sending your future self an email. I might have to put some thought into this concept for a future post of my own. Thanks for the inspiration!

        Like

  11. Reblogged this on religionofislam1.com and commented:
    When you beg and beg a person they start to dislike you and even get annoyed by you. But in the side of Allah its really the opposite. Allah loves those who beg and beg and nag him a lot. So make dua anytime and beg Allah for anything you need. Because there is nothing more honorable to Allah then making Dua to him. (‘:

    Like

    1. There’s not a whole lot of improvement to be suggested.

      My only issue is the header. I like the graphic, but the header leaves a ton of empty white space at the top. To improve it, I’d move the graphic (including tagline) to the center. Then, I’d match the green background color and round off the upper-left and upper-right corners. The basic look would be of your image underneath the arch of a bridge… although the top of the arch would be cut off. That would clear away some of the white space without destroying the simplicity I think you’re going for.

      Like

    1. That Smurf header image may be copyright infringement. If you are making any money from that blog, it’s probably safest for you to change the header image.

      Maybe someone who is more knowledgeable can give you more specific guidance.

      Like

    1. So far so good. Just two thoughts:

      1- To build an audience, you’ll most likely need to post more often than once every two weeks.

      2- You don’t need an “uncategorized” and a “random ramblings” category. One or the other is sufficient because they’re pretty much the same thing. I use the “random” (or uncategorized) category for posts that don’t fit in my other 9 categories. Having all those other categories lets readers just look at food posts or travel posts if that’s all they’re interested in. (Similarly, you could create categories for various teaching areas you write about. And you can/should create those categories as you go instead of trying to predict them now.)

      Like

    1. I must say. I am glad to have read your latest post for I never knew these two films had so much in common. Thank you for the enlightenment. With regard to your latest post, it’s both refreshing and interesting. I myself have enjoyed it. Maybe next time, you can try and reduce the length of your posts as they’re a little lengthy; but still keep the content rich. Overall, it’s a wonderful piece! 🙂

      Like

  18. Hi –
    I would love some feedback on my blog – http://liketheocean.com/
    Have been blogging from 2006 and tried to be consistent (weekly as much as possible) for the past 3 years. Have a focussed subject (photography). Have stand alone pages – adding value to the main blog and linking back …. Even with this , the ave reader count is less than 20 / day !!! What am I missing – any insights greatly appreciated 🙂

    Like

    1. I have a couple of thoughts:

      1- If you want your posts to appear in the reader (which is important for getting viewers), you can only have a combined maximum of 15 tags and categories on your posts. You sometimes exceed 15.

      2- In your header image, it’s hard to read the word “Photography” because it’s so close in color to the background. People who visit your blog by way of a post (rather than the home page) may often have no clue that they’ve reached a photo blog. This could affect how many people explore the site further or come back (or follow).

      Like

      1. That does make sense on both points. Have never thought abt tags and had been using them liberally, was not aware of the restriction in # that make it effective,
        On the heads – it was intentional , wanted the photos to pop up. But I can see how this can impact, Will try to redesign my header.
        really appreciate ur time and thoughts on this !!!

        Like

    1. For starters, never use more than 15 tags and categories combined. When you do, WordPress doesn’t promote your posts in the reader.

      Otherwise, the best way to get it out there is to keep adding posts. It takes time for Google to rank a blog highly and every post is a potential target for a googler to hit.

      Like

  21. I’ve been blogging on and off for the last couple of years. A couple of days ago I decide to create a new blog with no specific aim in hopes that I would be able to keep it up more consistently since I’m not constrained to any singular topic.

    I only have three posts up at the moment, but, I would love some feedback on my writing style and layout. Opinions as to whether or not having an ‘open’ blog is a good idea would be welcomed to.

    Thank you,
    Christina
    http://christinaandme.wordpress.com

    Like

    1. A few thoughts:

      1- With a minimalist theme, you practically need to be using pictures in your posts. Pay attention to the Zemanta tool.

      2- In the same vein, you ought to upload a gravatar image to your profile. When you do, that John Doe icon will be replaced in the upper left corner of your blog. (If you don’t want to use a real picture of yourself, you don’t have to. I use a candelabra and if you check the other commenters you’ll notice a lot of other non-facial images.)

      3- If you ever choose to change your background color or add a background image (which is something I normally recommend), be sure to stick with pale colors and simple patterns that won’t interfere with your text’s readability.

      4- With time, I think you’ll find that your “open” blog won’t be so open. You will trend towards particular topics or ways of expressing yourself and then you can reconceptualize your blog to fit your writing. In other words, what you’re doing is much better than trying to squeeze into a blog concept that doesn’t fit.

      Like

  22. I do a poetry blog and i just started recently. I would love feedback, advise, criticism, etc on content, format and even blog design. Thanks. The link is dwbb.wordpress.com . Thanks

    Like

      1. I like how you choose to write your poems in a very raw, fresh and clean way. I’ve read about three of your poems and have smiled for they are really well written. However, I would suggest adding a little more photos or adding a little more vocabs. This would further elevate your content and make it seem even more amazing.

        With respect to your second qn, getting more followers is indeed an issue for most bloggers as each individual has their different preference for certain writing styles. I’d suggest you to take part in weekly challenges prompted by The Daily Post. Do, however, remember to tag your posts appropriately so that others bloggers out there would know that such an amazing poet exsists! All the best! 🙂

        Like

      2. Thank you so much for the compliments and the advise. I will definitely try that all out! Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog. I really appreciate it. Thanks so much 🙂

        Like

    1. nice work! Can you imagine someday when this generation grows up they will have the best baby books. My parents have a few pictures of me, no video, no thoughts on raising me! Keep it up!

      Like

      1. Thank you for taking the time to look at it! I really appreciate it. I still have so much to figure out – like tagging posts!
        You’re right though, my son’s generation will have their whole lives to look back at Especially in photos. I think I have a picture of him from every day since he was born!

        Like

  24. Hello once again Community Pool!
    If anybody feels like it, I would ask that they take some time to have a look at my blog and give me some feedback.
    (I apologise if I missed any feedback given from the last post, as my internet has been a bit dodgy lately)
    It’s very diverse, so feel free to browse through the different categories and take a look at things. Points on anything that you think works/doesn’t work/needs improving would be fantastic.
    Thanks to everybody that takes the time to reply to these posts, feedback is always very much appreciated!

    -Bradley

    http://thehoaxofadigitallife.wordpress.com/

    Like

  25. Hey there. I started a blog in April. I would love feedback on the posts, but also about how to find followers who will comment and give me feedback. A buddy, as they say. No one in my life enjoys writing so I am wondering around this place looking to educate myself on how to blog, where to try and link…how to find writer’s groups, all of it. I’m looking to expand my online friendship base to help me be a better writer. Aren’t we all? Anyway, not to seem lonely, desperate or needy, but this is my chance to ask. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I love to write. I’ve read a couple books and they have been super helpful. Anyone bored out of their mind who has time to help? 😀 Thanks! ~Audrey

    Like

    1. Well just from this post I can tell you are an excellent writer! I checked out your blog and I like it! However after reading your author page I think you need to focus what your blog is actually about. What are your goals with this blog? Go into more detail with those goals and make them guidelines for your posts. Hope that helps

      Like

    2. I just love your blog! Welcome to the writers world of blogging, I especially love your latest post dealing with the frustrations of twitter. You’re a fresh new writing that i haven’t had the pleasure of reading before! I just simply adore it!

      So needless to say I have followed you, as for any constructive advice, so far i believe you’re doing great (of course I am not an expert on the field of blogging.).

      With that being said I would love it if you could check out my blog, and travel with me down the long road that is the psychotic journey! Let me know what you think and if you believe we’d be good writing buddies! 🙂 Because I could sure use one of those around too!

      The only advice I can give you is to keep writing, keep tagging appropriately and keep up the great work!

      Happy Writing:

      Trisha Ellen (Aka the Psychotic Muse)

      Like

      1. Thank you, Trisha! I enjoyed your blog, too!! I have a lot to learn and appreciate your kind words. I will definately slide over to your blog when I’m here. I love to read and anything called the psychotic journey is worthy of a read!

        Can’t wait!

        Audrey Dawn

        Like

  26. Hey, just dropping my name in the hat. If you could just take a look at the blog here: http://scepticemia.com and come up with some general comments and observations, then it would be great. I shall also return the favor by looking through your blog(s). Cheers. Be kind please?

    Like

  27. Hey, I just started this blog like a few hours ago. I have a few questions like how can I change the words in my header because I said “happy reading” twice ):, I can’t find where I can change it ANYWHERE. Also, can you guys see if my writing is okay or I should write about something more relate able? Thanks!

    Like

    1. Hello TDAJIMOKO!

      I would be happy to help you out!

      First you need to go to your dashboard (if you’re unsure of how to do this, go to your blog, *making sure you’re signed in* and then look up at the bar hovering above your blog. There is a W and then the name of the blog you’re looking at going from the left. Click the name of your blog a drop down menu will appear and the first option is Dashboard Click that.)

      Once your in your dashboard i want you to look on the left side bar. There are quite a few options there, but don’t be afraid, they’re not going to bite! I promise!

      Way down at the bottom are options listed as:

      *Apparence
      *Users
      *Tools
      *Settings

      Hover your mouse over the appearance option, a menu will pop out of the side and you’ll get a second list of options! I want you to click customize NOT customize design. Don’t be anxious, you’re supposed to see your blog with a funky right side panel that says “customize your blog” Hover over that, and you’ll get three options. Click on ‘Site title’ it will give you the option of changing your blog title and tagline!

      Remember before you leave the screen to click ‘Save’ at the bottom of the sidebar and make sure it says saved before you move on!

      Good luck blogging, and Welcome to the blogging community!

      ~Trisha Ellen, AKA the PsychoticMuse

      Like

      1. Thanks! That really helped. I was getting so frustrated because I thought it was a one and done kind of thing, but I’m glad that I can change the settings and the welcoming read.

        Also, how do I get people to read my blog?

        Like

      2. Well the best method is to find a niche, or topic that you really enjoy, and stick to it (or as close to it as possible) with your blog. Tagging appropriately and under 15 combined tags and categories will help draw readers to your blog as WordPress will promote your post through freshly pressed.

        It may start out slow at first but having consistent posts, that are meaningful and not slap dash at best will go a long way to helping you find readers.

        Another method is to read other blogs, comment on like content, and apply for guest post positions. Blogging is social networking before twitter and facebook– Speaking of, those are great avenues to promote your posts. Sharing on Facebook, and Twitter, Linkdn, or any other social networking site that you’re apart of!~ If the content interests people they will come.

        I personally have been blogging (sporadically to be fair) since december 2012 and I have presently just over twenty followers. My other blog that only becomes live for the month of november for ‘national novel writers month’ has well over 127 followers. of course both blogs are for writing tips and author woes.

        Depending on your blog topic you could have five hundred followers in two weeks, but just remember just because they have followed you this week doesn’t mean that you’ve got them for life. The internet is a fluid place and people in general if they no longer find the humor funny, or the information fresh and new, they scatter like the four winds, and gather at some new shiny bubble like magpies fighting over a hair pin.

        Hope that helps!

        Like

      3. Thanks for the information, it really helped a lot! I was getting SO frustrated because I thought that this was a one and done kind of blog.. But, I am glad to know that it is not.

        Also, do you know how to get people to read my blog? I know it’s not going to turn into a superstar blog over night, but I at least want some people to start reading it and maybe become faithful readers in the end.

        Like

  28. The blog is a hodge podge of style and content. There’re personal stories, recipes attached to stories, essays, opinions and even some bad poems (or Pomes). I’m just looking for more feedback. What do people like and why? What puts them off?

    Main

    Like

  30. Hi! My new blog address is ‘saracommunes.wordpress.org’. Is ‘saracommunes’ something that would turn off readers? Communes is being used as a verb, but not everybody has a positive view of community.

    Like

    1. The connection I make with “communes” is not “community.” It’s “communism.” And 60’s hippies and all that. That carries a strong negative connotation for a lot of people and I think it would turn off the people who would most likely be interested in your blog.

      The name also does not match the Christian focus of your first post. If that’s what your blog will be like, I suggest changing the name to something that will give people a more accurate picture of what they’ll find. Or to something purely artistic with an explanatory tagline. (I notice that you haven’t written your About page yet, so I can’t be 100% sure on this.)

      Like