Oct 27, 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.

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      1. Thank you for your reminder Timethief – I think what I was actually trying to find out was whether people had done so and how successful it was. Do you have any examples on your blog?

        Best wishes Linda

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    1. Can’t pretend to be a design expert, but I do have a postgraduate degree in editing.
      Your title must be “lose”, not “loose”.

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    3. I’m an artist, so I’d recommend making your blog more visually interesting. A nice header image and a nice profile/gravatar image would really help the look of your blog. Both should be interesting and relevant to the theme of your blog. They should also coordinate with each other and the color scheme of your blog. Eye-catchy is okay, just keep it professional looking. Ask/hire someone artistic for specific ideas if you are not sure what to use.

      Some blog themes allow you to change the background color into an image – you don’t necessarily need to do that since the blue symbolizes water, but if you do keep it simple and don’t let it distract from the text.

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    1. Layout is good, visually attractive (I love your theme and colour scheme! 😀 ) I’m really enjoying reading it, I think it’s a really appealing blog 😀 Sorry about the lack of suggestions haha

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      1. Haha…Thank you so much. Its only a lack of suggestion but a bundle of compliments. Thank you for taking time to go through my blog 🙂
        Now I’m off to check out your blog ! 😀
        P.S sorry for replying this late, I’ve been really busy with my studies.

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  11. I am just starting out with my blog. For privacy the privacy of my husband mostly (as a lot of stories involve him) I have chosen to use fake names or no names in my posts. This is also why, as of right now, I have chosen not to share my blog on my facebook because family and friends would then know who the stories are about. My question is what are some other ways to get my blog noticed, and for people to start following?

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  13. I am the epitome of the blogger “newbie”. I have been doing intense reading about becoming a self published author and everything says you have to create your own blog…so here I am! I have so many wonderful visions about publishing my books, but man, what a process. I am really excited about it but can certainly use all the help I can get. I take constructive criticism very well, so, please, bring it on!

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    1. May I suggest you read Catherine Ryan Howard’s wonderful book ‘The Sane Person’s Guide to Self-publishing’? She also blogs as ‘Catherine, Caffeinated’.
      all the best

      Carol

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    1. Your post flowed very nicely and included great insight while presenting it in a humorous fashion. Well done!

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    1. I’m liking this too, but I can’t put my finger on why….apart from the fact that it’s nicely written, intriguing, lyrical. Sorry not to be more specific or more helpful.

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  23. I am new to blogging as well. My goal with my blog is to become a better writer, but also to get some awareness and information out there. I have not finished building my blog yet so I already know it has some work. However I did make my first post the other day called ‘180 Degrees’ just to get something down. I think it is a little bit rambly (yes, I made that word up) but I would like some feedback.
    jq1317.wordpress.com

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  24. Every day photographers post their photos in photo groups but it is impossible to look at all of them.
    My idea is that each blogger who is interested in photography periodically submits photos he selected in a post with numbers and a question “What is your favorite photo?”
    It will motivate people and prevent good photos from being missed by WP community.
    Today I made such a post and ask everybody to respond to it.

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      4. Hi! Thank you very much for noticing and taking the time to look at it and comment! It’s actually the photography that made me start writing… 😉
        Thanks for your positive feedback! (Of course now I’m curious about your favorite ;-))

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  25. Thanks for the venue Daily Post!

    Like many who have commented before me I’m new to this blog thing and would love some feedback. I’m a photographer who wants to share their journey as well as photos!

    I’m looking in keeping to a very neat, ‘fine quality’ look in all my endeavors and websites, if anybody know of anything I can do that I have missed please let me know!

    http://siriusphotoart.wordpress.com/

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    1. To me I use wordpress as a writing blog. In regard to photography, I choose for more photography designed sites with more a site feel and add a blog there. This can be wordpress of course. It’s a design matter to me

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    1. Hi Jill, in my case it is partly filled by daily experience, but mostly ideas that pop up in my mind or heart. Small emotions and observations already give me so much input 😉 (hope this helps?)

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    2. Hi JIll
      I agree, daily experience is the best inspiration. Do you jot small things down when you think of them, creating short paragraphs that could develop into blogposts? Even if they don’t, just gettin things down leads to more and better writing.

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    3. The best inspirations could be found in true stories you see everyday and interests you. What interests you will probably interest others, not necessarily a lot of people, but those who have things in common with you. At the end of the day all bloggers are looking for those who can feel what the hell they are talking about and why did they write their blog. You can simply find inspiration in people’s faces around you in your collage, work, street, bus, underground, etc…
      Finally what’s most important is that your subject should say something. Don’t create a blog that’s like a narration of your daily life. These blogs are disgusting. Try to transfer your experiences to others. Let them benefit from what you have been through.

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    4. Things I see, things I hear – things that make me blow my top or want to share the pleasure…responses to blogs I enjoy – blogging is so much like a good conversation.

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      1. Thank you for your responses. I agree that daily experiences and people are the best inspiration. Sometimes we have to find the balance betweens sharing and privacy.

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  28. Self hosted vs. wordpress.com. I am confused and know just enough to be dangerous. I am in love with my wordpress.com site. I love how easy it is. I love the dashboard and understand it, etc. But. I’m ready to make my blog do things that I don’t think it can do on wordpress.com. What are the advantages/disadvantages to moving my blog to my own site and self-hosting. I don’t want to leave wordpress…just host it on the site I own. Does that make sense? Does the dashboard stay with it? Help. Clearly I need some guidance here. Thanks for any help you can offer. My site is http://www.mommyverbs.com
    Thanks!
    Sharon

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  29. What an awesome idea this is! I will definitely look through the comment list to see if I can contribute to someone. In the meantime for me I have just two favors to ask:
    1) as a freshman in writing I would be delighted by any feedback on my blog. Especially in my aim as a non-native English writer to find out if I am able to communicate the sentiment to you guys but at the same leave enough space for selfinterpretation.
    2) any advise on getting more exposure, communities, etc. is more than welcome.
    Thanks!!

    Like