Dec 29, 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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  2. I recently decided to make life a little easier and type my daily journal passages instead of writing. I’m currently majoring in journalism so I try to make my writing as interesting as I can. If you’re intrigued, take a look!

    I just started yesterday.

    December 28th, 2013

    Like

  3. Looking for online business ideas based on the following
    Brain storming
    Small business creation
    Military
    PD
    Web based
    Medical
    Stock trading
    Classic cars

    I have experience with all the above but any help on how to piece them together and how to get started would be welcome

    Like

    1. How about reading the support pages and then add some content and maybe you will look like your serious and get the help. At the moment you look like a spammer or troll.

      Like

  5. Morning fellow bloggers, could anyone suggest creative tips on how to design my page in order to attract more viewers and which will visually support the text ie: Font, attention grabbing colours etc

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  6. It’s that time of the year when fortune-tellers, crystal-ball-gazers, geomancers, astrologers, soothsayers occupy unlimited time and space in limitless cosmic and mass consciousness; that is to say, it is that time of the day when narrow streets and white-tiled malls abound with lucky charms, crystals, gold horses or frogs, i Ching, runes, round fruits and firecrackers, with vendors making a killing and a fortune selling serendipity and destiny.
    (i wrote about #2014Predictions at

    2014 Predictions #2014Predictions

    and i hope the topic is universal enough for the world-wide audience. Happy 2014!)

    Like

  9. I recently started blogging, I would love for people to take a look and tell me what they think?

    Feedback on any aspect would be greatly appreciated!

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    1. Hey Jonathan, I like your blog, you sound like you have a lot going on in your life, so I’m sure your blog will be interesting to lots of people. I am a Swifty too, (Swift is my surname!!).

      Like

  13. I want to write about my experiences I have had with men, especially while I was in the military. I think it would be good for me to spill all the dirty details I have locked away in my head. Would this be a good blog to start or no? Would anyone read it or would I be talking to myself?

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    1. In my personal opinion, you shouldn’t be writing a blog worrying about whether or not people read it. It should be about you wanting to put your thoughts and ideas out there for yourself and/or helping others. Just my two cents anyway

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    2. Hello! Ok so two things, like the others have said… writing should never be based off of the judgement of others and secondly– I think that writing about something particularly controversial can definitely be cathartic and useful to others. If it is in fact, controversial. Talking about men usually is 😉 I think you should give it a go, but my only shread of advice is to deliver your posts delicately meaning- dont be that woman that simply bashes men with big adjectives and a point to prove. Construct your posts with dignity and a true “life experience” approach. Make sure your posts are well thought out and as always fluent. Good luck!!! 😀

      Like

  17. Hey, I’ve recently started blogging here and I’d love to know if the layout I’m using is clear and easy to read! My blog is mostly about photography and bicycle touring, so if you’re interested I’d like to hear your opinion!

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      1. Thanx! ^__^ Tomorrow, to celebrate the new year, I’ll get a new wide angle lens, so hopefully I’ll manage to get even better shots xD
        And if one day I become famous, a pajama-interview will be your exclusive! xD

        Like

      2. Sounds like a deal. I’ll take you up on that. (-;
        You should get some nice shots of the New Years Eve fireworks tonight – that’d be a good way to celebrate your buying the new lens.

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      3. That would be perfect, but I’ve recently moved to Taiwan and most people here don’t even celebrate the “western” new year, they wait until the Chinese new year to go crazy for a week or more! I’ll enjoy a quite sunrise at the beach tomorrow, IF the weather will help.

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      4. Oh yeah, some friends of mine are Taiwanese. They told me about it. But their New Years is a biiiiiig deal; it’s something to really look forward to.
        I got a fetish for sunrise/sunset pictures. I took a couple of them when I was in Florida. Sunsets there are gorgeous!

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      1. Thank you Julie!
        I plan on doing some videos and small tutorials next year (well, from the next week), because many friends told me that the final result is cool, but being able to see the different post processing steps may be even more interesting. I’ll see what I can do xD

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    4. Hey there! I like it! Sometimes Im put off by a ‘busy blog” but I really like yours. I do love that theme, I was going to use it at one point- the colors are eye catching. I really like your photos and I think your blog is interesting! Keep up the good work 🙂

      Oh and I gave you a follow!

      -Anastasia

      Like

  18. I am new to wordpress blogging and would really like to suggest to wordpress to stop charging for custom domain name mapping, Blogger offers it for free

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    1. I like the typewriter on your cover photo. You might wanna add an “About”- and a “Contact”- page.
      Oh and one more thing: In your first entry, you say that you don’t like social media. But if you wanna become a successful blogger, you will learn that Facebook, Twitter etc. are actually your friends. (-:

      Like

      2. Yay! I just checked it out. (-: Is there any way to place the “About”- button in the beginning of the page? Because I had to scroll down in order to find it. It’s kinda hidden, which is unfortunate because people might overlook it.

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      3. Done ! 😀 But the downside is that I might have to change my header. When the page is displayed like it currently is, the header enlarges and distorts itself.

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      4. I see. That’s a shame, cause I really like your template. It’s simple… casual…. But I also had to change my template a couple of times. My first template, for example, didn’t allow me to put the link to my Facebook Fanpage right on the top of the page. People had to scroll down in order to find it, which was really contraproductive…

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      5. So I used my not-so-great photo editing skills, and managed to resize it, enabling me to keep my header. I’m so happy! 😀 I checked out your template too, and really like it as well. The lined page background gives it a really easy-going feel.

        Like

  21. Hello everyone. I am a novice blogger by any measure and am looking for some feedback on my blog. I have tried to be consistent in my blogging …atleast once a week (hopelessly inadequate compared to the tons of daily posts, I know). However I am learning the ropes using the daily post weekly photo challenge and hoping to improve with each post….. I love photography and carry my cam around wherever I can. Here’s the link to my blog http://lenzexperiments.wordpress.com/

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    1. Since photography is closely related to journalism, I love checking out photoblogs. Your work is stunning; I especially liked the picture of the duck. Looking forward to more photos!
      Oh, and I’d appreciate it if you check out my photographs and let me know what you think about them.

      Have a good one!

      Like

      2. Just visited your blog dear …really cool shots! Loved the Pensacola Beach shot and the sunset shot at Tallahassee…And just skimmed through Stefan’s ‘guest’ post….still smiling 🙂 Plan to checkout more stuff specially the photographs as I go along.

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      4. I REALLY like your blog. I can imagine some awesome stuff coming from your point of view. Keep up with the photo challenges. The one thing I have learned here on WordPress is that it might be hard work to gather a following but when you interact (as we are now) it is SO worth it. I like the layout of your blog as well, very crisp and clean. One thing that helps me is to use tags and categories with each of my posts– people go searching for certain things and this will help you there. Good luck!!

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  24. Hi folks, I’m new here. I’ll be posting spooky short stories and news of story sales and the search for an agent/publisher for my first novel. I’m Irish and I write supernatural thrillers.

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    1. I just checked out your blog and I really like it. However, I think you should add a “Home”-button next to the “About”-button. This would make it easier to navigate through your page.
      Otherwise, nice work.

      Like

      1. Thank you! I have added a “Home”-button on my page now. I really appreciate you subliminally helping me through the process. And you have some great articles, I particularly like the Facebook article.

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    1. I also try to write my blog in a witty tone. Feel free to check it out. I just skimmed through your recent posts and love your anecdotes. They’re everyday observations (such as the one in Waffle House) but your humorous tone makes them really entertaining.

      Like

    2. Oh my! I love your first post, I was already giggling just a few lines in. Its funny, even though my blog is written in a more serious nature, I had a humor blog for a while and your writing is similar to what that was. We share a similar wit, I like that 😀 I definitely gave you a follow and Im going to enjoy this coffee and laugh that was definitely needed today. Advice: Give some attention to your sidebar- there are tons of great widgets in the dashboard. A way to follow you on twitter or facebook is great to gather a larger audience! If you dont have a facebook page dedicated to your blog consider it, it has helped me greatly! Thanks for the laugh- keep up the good work!

      -Anastasia, worksbyanastasia.wordpress.com

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      1. Hey Anastasia, thanks for the kind comment. I am glad you got a chuckle out of my essays; that is what they are there for. 🙂

        Also, great advice about the widgets. I’ll be paying more attention to promoting my blog as time goes on. It is good to know what works and what doesn’t.

        Thanks again, be seeing ya.

        Like

  27. Ok, this is either weird or I’m stupid. I can see the number of comments on here going up, but I can’t see the new comments! There’s a previous page for older comments but nothing going forward. Am I doing something wrong?

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    1. You commented on your own “About”-page and wrote your bio into your comment. I’d suggest you copy and paste the text into the “About”-page itself. Otherwise, your readers might oversee it.

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    1. I like it how you write a little bit about everything. However, if you want to build up a readership audience it might be better to focus on one single matter. Dreaming would be a possible subject, since it’s both narrow and broad at the same time. (And it comes up in your username)

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      1. That’s an interesting thought! I have been planning to do that but never came round it..but I think my next post will definitely be the one! Thanks so much for taking the time to go through my blog..much appreciated! 🙂

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    1. I have a short attention span. Thus, I really liked it how you didn’t use that much text. But if you wrote a longer post, you split it up into several paragraphs and added headlines. That’s a good way to keep the reader interested. Also, I enjoyed looking at your photos.
      All in all, nice work! Keep it up.

      Like

      1. Thank you! I appreciate the feedback and I’m glad you enjoyed it! I also have a short attention span so I was partially thinking of myself as I was splitting up the longer post 😉

        Like