Feb 9, 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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    12. Catchy name, nicely laid out. I like that you break your material into readable chunks instead of long running prose. It makes the longer articles feel clean and manageable. You are a very talented writer.

      Liked by 2 people

    1. This is a fun and engaging piece! I had a laugh over the cat, and I can relate to the childless part and wondering if it is grounds for expulsion from certain places. I have only experienced IKEA online to date, and I may keep it that way now!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I loved this! Witty and all-too-recognisable (IKEA does something to me that means I can’t leave until I’ve spent £150 on coat hangers and candles. Every time.) You’ve got a new follower. 🙂

        Liked by 3 people

    9. Great Post Mara! I gotta admit I do like the style of Ikea, though I am conscious and openly admit that their quality is indeed not the greatest. Loved your unique way of adding humor! Following you. (:

      Liked by 2 people

  3. On my blog, I summarize and comment on 4 chapters of the Bible a day:

    religioustexts.wordpress.com
    Are my summaries clear and easy to understand? Are they too long, or too short? Are the commentaries interesting? Feel free to give feedback on anything.

    Christians, atheists, Muslims, and everyone else are all welcome! The blog doesn’t promote or attack Christianity, or for that matter, any religious belief.

    Liked by 4 people

    2. Hi – you write very clearly and it’s easy to follow your argument. If I were going to suggest anything it would be to set out the questions/answers to Theodotus with question marks or something to make the answers clearer. Italics? I’m thinking as I write, and I don’t know what’s available to you on your theme. It’s the one part that wasn’t clear to me.

      I would think about dividing the post up into at least 2 parts – the first and the second century? Or 3 parts – with the Gnostics and Proto-Orthodox in another post? You could write something like a cliffhanger – in the sense of asking a question that you’ll answer in the next post. Without knowing at the beginning how detailed your post is going to be, it’s easy to run out of steam with its present length. Which is a shame because your story is thought-provoking, and you tell it well.

      As you say, it’s clear that you’re writing objectively and that you’re not proselytizing. Good luck with your blog.
      Best wishes
      Elaine

      Liked by 1 person

    4. Thanks to everyone for their comments, especially Singbetterenglish! If anyone else has comments, whether positive or negative, feel free to let me know.

      Like

    4. The photos are lovely! I love how rich the colours are in them. Maybe you could write a little about where/why you took them? Not a criticism; I’m just a nosy person who likes to read the stories behind pictures.

      Liked by 4 people

    7. Your pictures are stunning! The only thing I would possibly add is more information regarding where the pictures were taken and your inspiration for taking them. But really great work!

      Liked by 2 people

    8. I’d suggest playing around with a few themes. 🙂 Your current theme is better for showing off large bodies of text. Your photos are lovely – they would benefit from a theme that showcases them more appropriately. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Love this, it’s so creative and intriguing. I enjoyed reading through some of your stuff and I found it rather engaging. Also, good job with the cover picture of your stories, it looks very cool and original.

      Like

    1. What a painful post… You capture the emotions very effectively. The post is also a good length — I don’t prefer long forms, and this is the ideal length for a casual read 🙂 Good job!

      Liked by 2 people

    2. I already follow your blog & love it! I read this piece this morning, and I think it is one that most of us can relate to. You capture the pain of a one-sided relationship poignantly here. Well done! Karen

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I’m glad you enjoyed it! It’s funny because I never intentionally write to make it sound like poetry it’s when I read it back that I notice that it does sort of rhyme!
        Anyway thank you for your comment! I love your site! It’s very informative! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    4. I loved this post! I commented on the actual post but I forgot to say that this is something I find myself saying a lot to people. I don’t know why being happy and being nice make people think you’re a doormat.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. If you will my good blogger community friends, check out my blog! I’ve added a lot of new interesting posts! whatiliketodobysteve.wordpress.com

    I will be glad to look at your blog and give you suggestions or compliments!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Just started my new blog, UnpopularPolitics. I just posted a piece on the controversial Keystone Pipeline, check it out and argue or agree!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Kudos to you for being willing to debate political issues. ( I find my health better and stress levels lower when I avoid online debates of this sort!)

      I might offer a few suggestions as you are starting out- Your header reads UnpopularPo on the first line and litics on the second line. You may want to fix that unless it was your intention. Also, to gain readers interested in politics or the specific subject (i.e. Keystone Pipeline) try adding a category and a few tags to each post. That way they will show up in the Reader when someone searches for those topics. Consider adding an About page to give the reader a brief idea of who you are and what you want to accomplish. Best of luck and happy blogging!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Extremely useful information and I am working on every bit of it as we speak. Appreciate it very much!

        Like

    2. Interesting subject matter, well-written and easy to read. Agree with your point of view on the pipeline if not so much on the Guardian being an impartial news resource 😛 Keep it up, interested to hear what else you have to say 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    1. It actually sounds like sound advice. I admit that the language is a bit too difficult for me, especially when one is not acquainted with the jargon of the field, but it certainly makes sense. I’m glad you shared 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I really enjoyed both your post, and the article you linked it to. I am an avid creator of to-do lists, however now I feel compelled to try scheduling my time. Thanks for these great resources!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I just had an AHA moment after I read that article esp the part about knowing how much time something takes. Some chores take forever and some projects need “warming up” time. I am more realistic with my time right now and I love that.

        Like

  11. Hi everyone! I would love some feedback on my latest post on my expat blog about being a Brit in the US. Does it work? Does it come across as funny as it is meant to?

    Snowed Under

    Thanks in advance! I will be looking at other blogs this evening and giving feedback too 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. The sheer amount of snow you have there is scary! Other than that, I very much like your blog in general and your post in particular. The blog has a fun yet clear title; the post is ironic and humorous. Great job 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    3. As a native New Yorker (read: Hater of Boston) and rabid Anglophile, I really enjoyed checking out your blog. This was a fun read and I wholeheartedly agree with you on the Hershey thing.

      Liked by 2 people

    4. In solidarity of dealing with the snow in Boston I offer you a virtual *hug*. I feel you really nailed the relationship with snow as adults. We can still appreciate the beauty and it can be fun, but the cold, and the inconvenience are a wicked pain.

      Liked by 2 people

    5. I completely relate to your snow problem! I live in New Jersey, but last year I went to visit over the winter, and it was undoubtedly the coldest I have ever been. Honestly, unless is summer time I have no intention of going back! Haha

      Liked by 2 people

    1. I love your blog title, it made me smile when I read it. One thing I noticed is that your header image doesn’t really fit with the title, though – I think it’s one of the default images for that theme. Maybe think about uploading a different picture to make your blog more personalized.

      Liked by 1 person

    4. I love your blog title yet on my mobile reader your header appears as “make your life suck” because of the phone screen width. I can relate to your feelings of nostalgia and have followed your blog.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Your Gravatar made me smile. Your post made me smile even more. Personally I’m waiting for the Cosmic Ordering exercise class, where you lie in bed eating Quality Street whilst visualising looking like Shakira (ok, I still wouldn’t look like Shakira after 100 sessions, never mind two, but it hurts less and you don’t have to wear Lycra).
      In the meantime consider me a new follower. Keep up the exercise and the witty posts!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Not sure what information you’re hoping for, but I would perhaps suggest a bit more information on your site… like an ‘About’ page,and depending on what or where your theme allows…some widgets.. like ‘lollow me’ and maybe ‘most recent posts and maybe a tag cloud.. Just some suggestions…. Diane

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Though my cultural background is different from yours and arranged marriages are not a thing where I live, I thoroughly enjoyed your post. It’s insightful and thoughtful, it considers pros and cons of both and is unbiased. Good read!

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I enjoyed this post very much. It seems to me that the media only tend to focus on arranged marriage when a negative story has emerged, we never hear about the other successful, happy marriages! It’s really nice to hear a positive opinion, and very well written, thank you!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thank you so much for reading. I’m so glad to have a unique and happy response from all of you. 🙂 I’m so glad you found it useful.

        Like

    1. I don’t like the idea of job recruiters looking at peoples social media to hire them. Mine does not give the best impression of me. I use it to post funny sayings and such. I thought your post was great and informative.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thank you very much! I don’t either. Some job consultants tell you to “clean up” your facebook. But, someone told me to just make another work account and keep your personal one private, which makes a lot more sense.

        Liked by 2 people

    2. I concur 100%. Informative post, thought provoking questions. Social media presence, and sometimes social media in general makes me paranoid. I especially liked it when you said it’s no longer about “fun”. Now it’s about networking, information, background checking.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hey Ben,
      What a great opinion piece. You persuaded me to sign the petition.
      My only piece of advice might be a little more int erms of an introduction so as to not scare off readers who may not already be familiar with the story.
      H.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Thanks, yes that’s really useful feedback! I’ve been told sometimes I can be a bit quick to get going! 😛 Great that you thought it was worth signing, and thanks very much! 🙂 Ben

        Like

  21. Hey guys!
    If any of you are into crafts, crochet, knitting or sewing I would love your opinion on my new blog. Do you think the focus is good with spotlights on individual projects and the odd tutorial thrown in? What would you like to see more of?

    Home

    All your comments are much appreciated
    Thanks
    H.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Hey there,
    I am not quite the newbie I feel to be but however- I am looking for feedback on my style of photography, my blog’s layout and theme and the style of posting at all…
    I’d really appreciate any comment 😉
    Thanky a lot,
    Mary

    Liked by 2 people

  26. For almost as long as I’m blogging I had trouble with connecting to Daily Prompts and other WordPress challenges. Last week they have informed me that the problem is finally solved and indeed for the first time I’ve been able to link back successfully to Weekly Photo Challenge. This is a test if I will get equally lucky with today’s challenge. Here we go…

    “Go ahead, make my day”

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I was super near Segovia when I did my year abroad, so this was a lovely trip down memory lane. Love your pictures of the aqueduct and it sounds like you had a very similar experience to what I had when I visited! Keep it up, and enjoy your time travelling 🙂

      Ben

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you for your kind feedback, Ben! I really enjoyed exploring Segovia and I’m glad I could take you on a little trip down memory lane 🙂 Thanks for reading!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Love your post. I’ve never been travelling before, but this will give me great ideas. The phorography is fantastic, and I found the little bit of info about why it was built really good. 😄 nicely done.

      Liked by 1 person

  28. While walking last Autumn, I came across this giant mushroom which was at least five times bigger than my own palm. It got two companions but they were a bit smaller than this one was. I was so elated upon seeing them. I find these babies mega cute!

    Scale

    Like

    1. I like the variety in your posts. The layout is also very clean and easy to read/navigate. I’m not sure if you’ve considered adding a bio page to let the reader know more about you and where you are coming from. Additionally, I loved the simplicity of your quote post. I tend to write down great quotes in a notebook…I think you’ve just inspired me to create posts based on quotes as well.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Wow!!! I mean just wow. Beautifully written. This felt like i was sitting in a coffee shop and just listening to you talk. It flowed so well. Wish I could write like you!! Xx
      Seasonal-rose.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

    6. I couldn’t find a comments feature on your blog, so I will write my comment here – I thouroughly enjoyed your post. I believe that a willingness to take new steps will result in incredible adventures and successes.

      Liked by 1 person