Aug 17, 2014 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Don’t forget the sunscreen: it’s time for this week’s Community Pool!

Have you just published a new post and are dying for some feedback? Did you recently start your blog and could use some layout or design advice from your more seasoned peers?

Tap into the wisdom of The Daily Post blogging community and leave your question here in the comments. Others can then click through and offer input either on your site, or in the comments here (feel free to indicate which you’d prefer).

To help us make the Community Pool a productive space for discussion, here are some tips you might find useful:

TIP: 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.

  • While you’re not required to, we encourage everyone who requests feedback to also reply to at least one or two other bloggers who need some help. Spread the love!
  • The Community Pool comments section can get quite big — and starting duplicate threads doesn’t help. Thanks for not posting the same question more than once!
  • If you’re looking for quality feedback, be as specific as you can. Questions about a particular post tend to draw more comments than ones about entire blogs. Questions about specific design elements are more likely to be answered than ones asking for general layout advice.
  • We discourage leaving links without a more substantive message or question. These are often overlooked by other bloggers, and we frequently remove them to make the comment reading experience smoother.
  • Please keep all comments civil and constructive. The idea is to have fun — it’s a pool, after all!
  • If you haven’t looked at our Commenting Guidelines in a while, now might be a good time.
  • No running on the deck.

Photo by Brian Cantoni.

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    3. Hi Suzie – I agree with Fernanda and notesfromthebathroom floor – you captured the tragedy of everyone whose life is torn or destroyed by suicide. I hope a lot of people find help in your post.

      I suppose, if I was going to add a thought, it would be that when you implore people considering suicide to tell someone, it would be good to encourage everyone to listen without brushing the idea of suicide away as ‘silly’ or ‘attention seeking’ or ‘selfish.’ It’s one of those subjects that we don’t know how to talk about, so it’s easy for frogs to jump out of our mouths.

      If somebody has trusted you enough to lay their soul bare in that way, it’s one of those – ‘you have two ears and one mouth for a reason’ situations.

      Have you heard of Suicide-Safer London? Here’s their website http://www.suicidesaferlondon.org.uk/ I’m not part of their organisation, but they seem to have good information.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I think the act of listening rather than immediately offering advice is a skill that lots of us need to improve on – its easy (and human nature) to want to jump in there and help, but far more difficult to simply sit back and listen to what someone has to say… Thanks so much for your comment and for the link too – really appreciated!

        Liked by 3 people

    4. Great post Suzie!! I too, was really affected by the death of RW. Thanks for writing this perspective as well. We sometimes don’t realise all those around us who are suffering. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    5. OMG, let me just say Suzie you are a great blogger. I wish I could blog as good as you. I’m amazed with your blogging skills, I literally think u r a great writer. Thanks for inspiring me

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Blogs about personal life are my favorite. I love getting to know people through their thoughts. You’re from another culture so that’s so much more interesting. I love it!

      Liked by 1 person

      4. I think your voice is very honest and clear. You communicate your thoughts on family and having a good moral compass very succinctly. I might suggest seeing if you can tie in your personal thoughts to the wider issues a bit more, eg exploring the ups and downs of working in the service industry or a bit of a brief history of marriage in different cultures. But maybe you just wanna keep it personal. Great work anyway.
        I’ve made a blog about my experiences starting out as a singer songwriter and my thoughts about mental illness and why anti immigrant political parties don’t make sense. If you (or anyone ) has any thoughts positive or negative would love to hear em. Be brutally honest, go on 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I love the narrow theme, but you may want to consider some custom design to add some color. It is very stark. Also, with everything narrow and centered, your photos may be better centered in the posts. As for the writing, I like it 😀 Loved the beginning part about Heath Ledger. I never got to do that either.

      Liked by 1 person

      2. Thanks heaps Laura 🙂 As a student who has limited spare cash, the custom design probably isn’t an option for me at the moment (sad face) but I will definitely be looking into this as soon as it becomes viable! Do you know of any of the themes that perhaps would be better suited to my blog, and perhaps create a nicer site?

        Like

      3. There are tons of great themes that are free and allow for headers or such things that will give more color and dynamics. Your best bet would probably be to spend a bit of time trying them out, seeing which you like. The theme I use is free, though I did purchase the custom upgrade.

        Liked by 3 people

    2. I think that everything looks nice. The only thing I would suggest is, if you have a Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you should make a widget for each one of them and insert it on your blog. It would personalize your blog and make the viewers feel like they can connect with you more. Great work though!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I don’t have IG or twitter, and the only facebook account I have is my personal one. I wouldn’t mind people from the blog accessing my account, it’s just that I don’t particularly want my facebook friends to see the blog :/ thanks though!

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I liked the theme, I am starting my 1st blog as well, just a tip that I know will help. Share your thoughts things that you would like to read to help you get better in whatever field is personal to you, people like to follow you in your journey.. You don’t know how many more people is going through that as well that you could help. Follow your dreams and do what you love 🙂
      Visit me and give me your feedback as well 😀
      https://fernandaschoice.com

      Liked by 1 person

    4. Hi Darcy. Welcome to the blogosphere. Thought your site was simple, but from your writing it seemed to fit your “voice”. Some more pictures would be nice (maybe the 11 yr old self contrasted with the now) but everyone’s comfort level is different

      Liked by 2 people

    5. I like the theme but maybe a bit of colour to fill all the white space either side. Or perhaps incorporate some handy widgets.
      Your writing style is great. Very fluid and reads well. I am not a huge fan of flashy gifs but that’s just me.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thankyou! I guess I come from a bit of a tumblr-facebook background with a bit of buzzfeed (don’t hate me) thrown in, so I’m used to seeing gifs everywhere, but I will definitely keep that in mind 🙂 Please forgive me if this is a total dunce of a question, but I actually don’t know how to add images on the sides… Would you care to enlighten me? Hahaha thanks 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    6. I really enjoyed reading your blog. You had great use of colloquial language and I felt like I was able to relate to you and understand you as a person.

      Liked by 1 person

    7. One thing i do is a monthly journal update just to update my followers on different things going on in my life. It lets them know what has been my recent inspiration behind my poetry and also creates a chance to interact on a more personal level. Hope this helps 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    8. I like the content but I personally find the theme a bit sparse and the font a little small. I also agree with the person that says centre your images, but in general these are small things, content is king really and your writing is fluid and easy to read.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thankyou! I am currently in the process of trying to find a (free) theme that I don’t find tacky and is a bit more interesting, but I will definitely centre those images. Do you think that the subject is appropriate – or perhaps interesting is a better word – and do you have any topic/post tips?

        Like

      2. When looking at the themes you can preview them so it shows you what it looks like with your own content. I change my theme every now and then enjoy hunting through the previews. You can also customise some of the themes (even free ones as mine is free) and add header images etc.

        When you say appropriate subject do you mean on that specific post or your blog title overall? Either way though I think both are good, better than mine lol, I lack inspiration on subjects.

        As for topics that is a difficult thing to call, I personally have been suffering from a lack of inspiration lately as well as self doubt on what I do post about so I may not be the best person to give advice on this, and it all depends on where you want to take your blog, if it is more a life kind of blog then post on memories, wishes, thoughts, interests, passions and/or use the people you follow in order to get inspiration for posts.

        Like

      1. Thanks for the comment. I actually tried the 7 ms workout. I was surprised it actually made me feel tired since I consider myself fit. It was very useful and I will incorporate it in my routine. Thanks.

        Like

    3. Hi! I am a frustrated writer ended up being an engineer. @.@ I hope you can follow me and give me tips about writing since the blog ( a very personal blog) that I just recently started is the very first step I took to become a writer. Thank you! 🙂

      Like

    2. I liked the theme, I am starting my 1st blog as well, just a tip that I know will help. Share your thoughts things that you would like to read to help you get better in whatever field is personal to you, people like to follow you in your journey.. You don’t know how many more people is going through that as well that you could help. Follow your dreams and do what you love 🙂
      Visit me and give me your feedback as well 😀
      https://fernandaschoice.com

      Liked by 1 person

  12. My blog is four month old and its about my journey about how I quit smoking after 35 years. Lately it became more about the subject “addiction” in general. I would like to see more traffic on my blog, especially from smokers, because somehow its not very well known that there is support available when you want to quit smoking (online support). I am using this to get the word out (sorry) although I love peoples input, positive and negative -both…it makes me grow as a person -and hopefully my blog will grow too 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Well written! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
      Yes! I would definitely read more if you wrote a sequel/made it longer. 🙂

      Like

  14. hey guys (-: My blog’s all about prose and poetry! Would love to hear your thoughts on my work – do comment on my respective posts on my blog and not in this thread! Thanks and I’ll not hesitate to help you out as well (:

    blancosirena.wordpress.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. hey guys (-: My blog’s all about prose and poetry! Would love to hear your thoughts in my work – do comment on my respective posts on my blog and not in this thread! Thanks so much and I’ll not hesitate to help you out as well! (:

      http://blancosirena.wordpress.com

      Like

    1. dont personally like horror hahaha too scared most of the movie.. will follow, my husband will enjoy it!! he is always looking into reviews for horror movies nd stuff!!

      Like

  18. Suzie inspired me to ask fellow bloggers a series of questions to better get to know those I write to/with on a daily basis. Stop by, have a look, answer some (10) questions and feel free to post your own. It’s an awesome way to get to know each other better!! Many thanks to Suzie81speaks for such a genius idea!!
    ~Kate

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I like the layout of your blog! And I’m sorry about your last post…. I’ll be praying for your friend, whatever difficulty he may be going through.

      Also, I like what you wrote in your profile information: “I would LOVE an intellectual conversation!” May I ask what about?

      rachsthoughts.wordpress.com

      Like

      1. My best friend is my boyfriend whose son drowned 5 years ago. Today would have been his son’s birthday. However, I can’t post about it, because my ex husband actually mocked the death of his son. I can’t take a risk that should I post specific details, they may comment on it and he might see it. If he knew things were said, he would lose it. He’d snap. So, as much as I want to vent my frustration, and seek advice as to how I can help him through the grieving process, I can’t. I thank you for your prayers, sincerely.

        As far as intelligent conversations go, whatever’s on your mind. I love meeting new people, as each individual is their own novel. Each person has stories to tell and I love learning them. I’m an introvert, and can only handle small amounts of socialization. It’s much easier to do behind a computer screen. So… Hi! I’m Kate. Nice to meet you.

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Misha,

      I like the design of your blog, graphics and layout. A suggestion perhaps would be to break your recent post about Face Creams into paragraphs. As one block of text it can be easy to lose your place when reading.

      Best of luck!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks so much for the feedback, I can see what you mean.. I will be sure to do that, thanks again and good luck too!

        Like

    2. Hey! I like your blog, but I like how you keep your blog posts short even better. 😉 Personally, I don’t mind reading other peoples’ blogs, but I don’t necessarily want to sit down and read a book on each blog. I want to be able to quickly read through blogs, but also be able to get something out of them. Good luck with your blog. Oh, and I’m following now. 🙂

      rachsthoughts.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I agree with the comment from badger hawks about keeping blog posts on the shorter side – rather than longer. If you want feedback ask for it. Starting here was a good place to go. Ask a question at the end. Also start reading the work of other bloggers and getting to know them. This is a great place to find like-minded bloggers.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Hey there, thank you so much for the feedback, and totally agree about lengthy posts.. so i appreciate what you have said. Thank you for the follow and good luck too, I’ll be sure to follow back : )

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Thank you so much for the feedback, I have taken it on board and totally agree about lengthy posts : ) Thanks again and good luck too, I have also followed back : )

        Like

    3. Hi Misha! I really enjoyed the lemon bit! I’m a fellow LL (lemon lover). I will be following you now as well, and hope to pick up some more DIY tips. Blog suggestion: Any tips on an at home Keratin like treatment?? THAT I would love to learn more about! I am brand new to the blogging community as well, and just posted my first. Would love the return feedback – cheers.
      Margot

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi Margot! Thank you so much for the feedback, it means a lot! And thank you for the flow too, Ill be sure to post some exciting DIY and beauty tips.. I will look into a home keratin type treatment and be sure to post about it, sounds interesting! I will scoot over to your blog now and have a look, I’m looking forward to it : )

        Liked by 2 people

  20. Hello, I have started off with a basic free blog site. What kind of investment do most people jump to, and how long does it usually take for people to start responding with feedback to my blogs?
    Thank you! J.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. You can get feedback even if your blog is a free one. All you have to do is reach out to other bloggers and comment on their things, if you’re doing that then you will get comments on your own site as well.

      Liked by 2 people

      2. I agree with this comment, if you take the time to read other blogs and provide meaningful and honest comments. They will also return the kindness. 🙂
        Welcome to the blogging community jay

        Like

    2. Hey jay4dogs. What I’ve seen is that commenting on this Community Pool and reviewing other blogs really helps to boost your blog views/comments/followers. 🙂 Like Horrorvile said, reach out to other bloggers, and they’ll reach out to you! If you review a blog, chances are that blog’s blogger will then look at your blog, especially if you include the link to your blog at the end of your comment. Good luck and God bless!

      rachsthoughts.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

  22. “the bass of your thoughts pounds your cracked mind”

    Hey guys! Recently made a new post. It is a little abstract but I would love to hear your thoughts! Any other criticism on my blog is also much appreciated. Thanks!

    Like

  26. Hi everyone. Hope you enjoy the last evening of these weekend. I have a Christian blog and as part of it I am now analyzing songs and there real meaning. I love writing my blogs, but I hope to get some more reactions and discussion on my blogs. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips how to get people to start discussing, commenting and asking questions.

    Please also let me know your opinion on my ‘behind the music’ blog:

    Behind the music – Sound of silence

    Thanks and God bless!

    Like

    1. I certainly admire the thought and effort. Perhaps words like, in my opinion, it may be the case, it’s my perception, might help you engage people. As with all art, perception is key.

      Like

    2. Interesting post Alex!

      Some tips would include searching for other blogs that match your own genre, regularly commenting and contributing to this forum. Using social media to drive traffic to your site. Using quality key tagwords to make your content more ‘sticky’ with search engines…

      Best of luck!

      Like

    1. So far it’s pretty interesting. I’m definitely wanting to read more. The Ellie character description is quite rich. She seems like she’ll be fun.

      Like

  28. hi everyone!
    this is quite a personal blog, something i’m quite fond of. Any feedback good or bad is welcome.

    movingabouteverywhere.wordpress.com

    Read all you want, and please tell me what more you want. 🙂
    sitara

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Personal blogs are my favorite! I love getting to know people through the things they write. Keep it up!

      Like

    2. Hi Sitara,

      The heading of your site really stands out. Bold and beautiful. I like the length of your posts – bite sized and not too long.

      A suggestion would maybe be to add a couple of tabs, specifically About Me. I know you have some links at the bottom but it would be easier if these were at the top (or at the side) instead of having to scroll down.

      Like

    4. Hi Sitara
      I just visited your blog. I liked what you have written and I love personal blogs . Mine is a personal one too. I would just like to tell you something that I committed myself until some kind bloggers brought it to my notice.I am still correcting it btw . Please reread your posts and use upper case subjective instead of lowercase ( i) .You just be careful with the grammar that’s all . Rest all is fine Sitara.
      Shruti

      Like

    1. Hi. You have two posts and one of them you say belongs to another blogger… What is there that you’d like people to read? 🙂

      Like