Jan 12, 2015 / Community Pool

Community Pool

The place for advice, feedback, and friendly blogging chatter.

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.
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  • 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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    1. I found it very simple, intuitive, and enjoyable. All good things in my book. I also really liked your most recent post. Nice writing there. Keep it up! I’m still learning the ropes, but can’t think of anything you should change.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Nice to hear someone preaching the university route, I’m a History third year at Bath Spa myself. I’d say you’re doing pretty well on the blogging front, just keep writing. Three times a week is fine if you think you can keep up with it. I’ve been at this four years now and my blogging schedule is still completely up the wazoo, but that’s uni scheduling partly. If you need to take time off don’t beat yourself up about it, but if you do find yourself writing loads make sure to tuck a few away in a file so that if you do need to focus on assignments you can throw up a few pre-written pieces and keep a regular schedule. Regular schedules do tend to help build your audience quicker.
      Best of luck.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for the moisturising tip, not really a beauty blog sort of girl normally but your post was really useful and well informed. The one about cold feet was also interesting since my own feet are currently freezing.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the blog, hope some of my tips will work for you! Please keep me updated 🙂

        Like

    2. I read the article on Black soap. Your post is so convincing, you were very effective at targeting the concerns and desires of your audience, and you sound very informed on the subject. My only criticism is that it sounds too good to be true when you say, ” it is safe to use on the most sensitive skin (even newborns)!” Being a recent mother I would like to know effective ways to take care of my baby (especially with the harmless baby acne), but you haven’t cited any sources, and I would be reluctant to try something new on my baby without knowing if this claim is credible.

      Like

      1. Thank you for reading the post. You are correct, I will be sure to make amends on my post as I can’t guarantee that it is really 100%. Your baby might be allergic to some of the ingredients, especially if you’re having issues with baby acne. I’d recommend buying an unscented black soap and double check the ingredients, maybe your pediatrician can take a closer look at it. I wish you all the best!

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I love your blog so much, I couldn’t not follow. I especially took my time reading ‘Up for a Drink?’ and this is my perspective on it:
      I admire your courage to use elements in your writing that add zest to it, like your word choices (ex. ‘believe you me’ and ‘let me enlighten you further’). In some places you got a little too ambitious (ex. channelizing should actually be channeling), but I’m such a Grammar Nazi, I’m sure others don’t get so easily sidetracked from the content of your story as I do.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. You’ve got a really nice writing style. Can’t say I agree with you on the marriage front, though my boyfriend and I are living together before marriage and we’re focusing on getting a house and all that jazz first, but you certainly have an interesting point. I look forward to reading more.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Quick question about the glossary – you reckon it’d be better to dedicate a separate page to one (one like the “About” page), or is there a nice widget there I could use?
        Much obliged for the tip 🙂

        Like

      2. I’m not sure about a widget, but maybe a small glossary at the start of each post, nothing too big, just to help out any technophobes who stumble across it. But really, what is an engine supposed to be in this context. I need to know this now.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. You’ve got an open, friendly writing style. I’ll admit I’m not really into New Age ideas, researching Anthroposphy for a summer uni module still has my brain in knots, but you writing from what I’ve seen seems fresh and engaging. Keep going the way you are would be my advice. You’ve got a decent layout, and some clear organisation, for a new blogger I’d say you are ahead of the curb so far.

      Liked by 1 person

      3. I love your site!! So many works to choose from 🙂 I think your Scribbles From Life is my fave ~ I personally love writing that I feel I can relate to. Reading about the humilities in life we all go through sometimes make it more bearable 😉

        Like

      4. Thank you very much. I know what you mean as well, it’s always comforting to know that you’re not uniquely awful at something, that something just happens to be uniquely awful to most people who come across it.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I do not like to smoke cigars, I don’t get the point of it. Every time my friends offer me one I always say no. But I like they way you introduce it in your blog and I am intrigued.

      Let’s see if you can sway me to smoke my first cigar, you’ve got yourself a follow!

      Like

    3. Very well written introduction. I agree with your view that there is a cigar for everyone. Many people just aren’t able to find a good one on their own and/or aren’t willing to allocate an adequate budget for the search.
      It would be great to upgrade your blog with a fitting theme to make it stand out more.

      Like

    3. Let me first of all say that as I was laying in bed reading your post about rescuing worms I started laughing so hard I woke my boyfriend up; he did not get the humor in plucking the slimy beings of the sidewalk. Secondly, you have a fantastically quirky and unapologetic writing style that is addictive to read. I look forward to your future posts!

      Liked by 1 person

  22. I put out this survey for readers/followers of my blog because I am curious to receive more feedback (positive and negative): https://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2015/01/09/what-do-you-expect-from-2015/ I’d like to interact more with my readers and build a stronger bond, especially as I am about to travel the world and I might bump into some of my readers. But sadly, I don’t really hear much. – How are your readers interacting with you?

    Liked by 2 people

      1. I hope I will keep it exciting indeed. 🙂

        This lack of interaction is the most depressing part about blogging. When you see that your blog gets 1000 views a day, but only 5 people click “like” and maybe one leaves a comment.

        Like

      2. Yeah, that sounds pretty dull. I’m trying to comment when Iike a post, to show my support. About the travels, let me know if you need any advice for Cuba or Morocco. Those were my latest destinations, and I didn’t find them in your travel list. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Oh, I am actually thinking of going to Morocco in February. I am interested in both old cities and in nature. I’d love to do some hiking in the mountains. And then I am also very interested in political and social issues, so I would like to go to Western Sahara and to the Spanish enclaves.

        To Cuba I will go when I will spend a year or so in the Caribbean. I don’t know yet when that will be.

        Like

    2. I really admire your travel adventure as i myself hope to travel one day. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures.

      As for my readers I am new to blogging so I do not see much interaction have such low number of followers, only some liker here and there.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. My blog is less than a year old, so I don’t have that many readers yet. There isn’t all that much interaction to be honest, but when it happens, it’s mostly via Twitter. Sometimes I receive nice emails, too 🙂
      I have disabled the comments, because moderating them is too much of an effort and leaving them unguarded is a no-go for me.

      Like

      1. I don’t get the point of blogs that don’t allow comments. That’s more like running a TV channel or the Washington Post (and even they allow comments, I think).

        I very rarely have to delete a comment for racism, anti-semitism or personal hatred. It happens maybe three times a year.

        Like

  23. Hello ..
    I’m wondering why my Reader lists my posts but next to my gravatar it says, “No Name”. What happened to my blog name?
    Thanks …

    Also, if I might add another question …

    My blog has a wonderful theme called YOKO. It’s nice to be able to read my blog on my other devices as they look perfect. But …

    Does the sidebar seem to be too close to my posts information?
    Thanks ..
    Isadora

    http://insidethemindofisadora.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello,
      I just checked, and your site title — which would populate that area with your blog’s name — is unspecified. You can easily correct that by going to Settings > General in your dashboard.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Hi folks!

    I would love some feedback on my blog in general and on my “about” page in particular. Also, as I’m a bit all over the place theme wise, any advice on what direction to take my blogging in would be very very helpful: if anything comes to mind as you scroll through, please let me know! xx

    Liked by 3 people

    2. I think the theme really suits your blog. Have you considered merging your about page with your first blog post. Together they both gave me more of an insight into who you are and what you are about. I think adding more to your about page is important as your blog grows, I am still in the process of doing this myself. Best wishes with your blog, it’s fun, friend and spirited. https://vlbw.wordpress.com

      Like

  26. How do you know who your readers will be? is it best to stalk prospective archetypes and leave pieces of paper underneath their cup? I’m serious.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Bliley!! That’s akin to force feeding! I like it…swim little squid! Swim…busy night I have ahead of me

        Like

    1. I would link to youtube versions of each song, so that the reader can listen more easily!
      I especially like your choice of song for December, and the story that goes with it. Sounds like something I’d do, drunk or sober..

      I also love the fez Christmas tree -genius!

      Like

    2. I agree that you should link to the songs so readers can listen to them, but other than that this is a GREAT idea. I might…have to borrow it.

      Like

      2. It might just be a matter of tweaking the contrast a bit, I think there’s a way to adjust you colors slightly, though I’m not familiar with the theme your using. I also started to read from the wrong place by mistake as the text to the right of the photo was at the top. Minor stuff really.I actually dig color combos that aren’t black and white though that seems to be the trend these days, clean and inviting.

        Like

    1. Your post was very insightful. You aren’t jealous because you recognize that what other people want isn’t what you want and there’s nothing wrong with that. I wish more people would evaluate what they actually want vs what they are told they should want. Sorry if the wording is confusing there. Happy blogging!

      Liked by 2 people

  30. Hey everyone! My blog is called Life Blog and I write about tv, movies, and life and general. I’m looking to connect and interact with more bloggers on wordpress. I prefer individuals that blog about similar topics, but the invitation is open to all! If your interested leave me a comment or check out my blog here: patsnack24.wordpress.com

    I look forward to meeting some great new people!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Really enjoyed your different types of posts! I love reading about different films etc, so I enjoyed your straight forward and fun approach of writing. Definitely one to follow!

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I really love your Secret Saturdays posts. It’s refreshing to read something so honest and introspective. Your movie reviews are fantastic too. My blog’s not nearly as diverse as yours, but I do write a bit of fiction. If you’re interested here is the link: patsnack24.wordpress.com 🙂

      Liked by 1 person