Mar 28, 2015 / Community Pool

Community Pool

The place for feedback, advice, 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?

The Community Pool is for peer feedback and advice. Looking for more specific information? Check out some of these resources:

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:

  • 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!
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    2. Absolutely gorgeous photographs! I was stunned to read in one of your posts that you take them on your phone. It just goes to show you that it’s not the fancy equipment that makes a good photographer. I look forward to seeing more from you in the future.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much and the honest truth is I am using a Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini which was a hand me down from my father but it works perfectly fine. I am only 16 so I can’t exactly just go out and buy a camera as they are quite expensive and I don’t have the money for it so I just make do.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I have dabbled a bit in photography (I’m not as good at it as you are!) and I haven’t ever had money for expensive camera equipment either. I used to use an old film camera (having to constantly pay to get the film developed only to have like a few of the pictures turn out good was a pain). Then my mom lent me her digital camera for a while (it wasn’t a very good camera, but so much better than my old one.) Now, I take pictures with my iPhone camera. It does its job. Anyway, it’s always inspiring for me to see people doing amazing things with the tools at their disposal.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I’m not a photographer so cannot give much useful feedback, but I like how you mix the minute details of your every-day with the eye of your lens. The word ‘delicate’ comes to mind. Blessings.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Hello everyone!

    My blog is a couple weeks old now but I still need all the help I can get! It started as a literary analysis blog, but it’s basically just me talking about books and being…well, me. Suggestions are welcome. I especially wonder if my posts are too lengthy/rambling.

    In addition to receiving feedback, I am also interested in following more blogs that have to do with books, writing, etc. Particularly if you talk about classic books, (and especially Les Miserables, I’m not obsessed but…okay maybe I am).

    Have a lovely day!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Having just finished the Great Gatsby I enjoyed your analysis of it very much especially the post about Nick Carraway. And if you are looking for blogs that have to do with books I am writing a novel, myself. I will warn you that it is a Science Fiction novel targeted for audiences similar to “Divergent” and “The 5th Wave” and about as far away from a classic as it gets. Great job on your blog!

      Like

      1. Thank you! I followed your blog and plan on reading the chapters you have up as soon as I get a chance.

        It’s not immediately obvious when you look at my blog, but I absolutely adore science fiction. Two of my favourite shows are Doctor Who and Star Trek, and I have sustained a near-unhealthy Star Wars obsession from the time I was like 4 years old. I’m very excited to read your writing.

        Thanks again, and have a lovely day!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I enjoyed your comparison of the translations of ‘Les Miserables’ (my all-time favorite, too) but maybe next time you can give clear examples of what differed between the texts, like reading the same paragraph from each. You said the Rose translation conveyed the meaning better but left out some direct translations. What is an example and how does it compare with the older translation. Anyway, nice blog and many blessings!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Hey guys! Figured I’d stop by and check out some of the blogs on here (I find the best ones this way:)) Personally, I write about addiction and recovery, abuse of all kinds and healing, daily life, and just about anything else that comes to mind. I would love some feedback on my recent posts (really any of them) so please come check some of my stuff out and I’ll return the favor if you let me know you did! 🙂 thank you!

    http://www.misfitspirit.wordpress.com

    Liked by 5 people

      1. I value honesty above all else in this world so I definitely agree there. And thank you for the “bare your soul” comment. That is EXACTLY what I’m aiming to do, even when it isn’t easy. Thank you for reading!!

        Like

      2. I got to read a few of yours and I love them! You have this quipped, funny way of writing. I feel like I can read it in the tone of voice you wrote it in lol. Loved the exercise and feminism ones!!!

        Like

  4. Hey all!

    I just recently started a skateboarding blog. I like writing, so I decided to join the two! If you like skateboarding, you should take a look at my blog, if you do so, leaving a comment would be greatly appreciated. And I will also return the favor 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

      1. Yes I would definitely check out your blog Natalie, thanks a lot for the suggestions, I will definitely consider 🙂

        Weird thing, I did have a picture of someone skating on the top of my blog, and I didn’t find out that it wasn’t there until you just said so.

        Like

    2. hey Mary, if you’re talking about the Tutoring Blog? then contentwise it looks really good but visually it could use a bit of work to make it a little more interesting or appealing – there are a lot of words – is it possible to add in a picture with every post that adds to what you’re saying – also if you have the option of a picture in your header as well just to break up all the words – i know it is an educational blog but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it more visually appealing which will help attract more people.

      Also your About page is empty so i would fill that straight away – just a short bio of you and what the page is about as that is usually the first place i go and visit on a page. If you make that interesting and exciting it may encourage more people to stick around longer.

      Good work though – just some small visual tweaks and it can jump forwards… hope this helps

      love brett fish

      Like

  6. Love this format — great place for community discussions. Would love feedback on our blog: pathswewalk.com

    All the best.

    Liked by 4 people

    2. Love the look of your blog and the first post that i read. Was going to say take out the disclaimer at the beginning but with that particular post it shows your vulnerability so i think you can leave it in but i encourage you with future posts to just write and let the audience decide if they like it or not – don’t invite them not to right at the beginning – just be you and those who appreciate it will stay and those who don’t won;t and that’s what blogging is – but your writing is great so jump to that more quickly and just be.

      Strength and love especially in your commitment to follow God – check out brettfish.co.za if you get a chance…

      love brett fish

      Like

    1. If you go to your profile, you can edit which blog the username takes you to. Might be something you’d like to do, because if you comment on people’s posts and stuff you want them to be able to check out your blog without having to link every time. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    2. hey there – great looking sight and even before i take a read of your poetry i will jump in and suggest some spacing just because the look of a long poem can be super daunting but a couple of line breaks and my eyes go ooooooh and i am more enticed… but having said that let me go read…

      [time passes]

      Great stuff and i would definitely go for the line breaks – i think Ambitions felt like the best of the three i read but they are all quite well write – you clearly pour a lot of yourself into your work – one thing i would challenge you with as a different type of writing challenge is to write a poem that doesn’t rhyme cos while you do the rhyme thing really well i think it might even hold you back sometimes and make little moments seem forced and i’d love to hear your voice doing some free word association or run on line just letting your poetry run wild and free [you know, like a wolf] so not sure if you’ve tried that before but i would dig to see it.

      Otherwise keep on, some great stuff. One other small thing is the grey font on the right is really hard to read on the background you have so maybe look at changing that if you can…

      All the best
      love brett fish

      Liked by 1 person

      1. thank you! I agree with your line spacing… I shall do that! You’re not the first to suggest me writing a poem that doesn’t rhyme, and I’m looking into it, and yes, I am looking into changing that background. Thank you for the support and the advice! XD- WOLFCALLS

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Home

    There are many stories out on the streets
    and these stories are made of moments
    and these stories are visually seen
    in a scene of juxtaposition,
    in a certain quality of light,
    in a sense of place,
    in mundane patterns….
    in one swoop they could all be forgotten
    this is what I do
    see the interest that was never seen
    until I capture them
    and share it with you

    Liked by 4 people

  13. I’ve noticed many times when I try to comment on a post, that the comment is “awaiting moderation.” Why do so many opt to censor comments? Is there a lot of spamming activity I don’t know about? I have found truly thought-provoking comments on my posts and don’t know why people wouldn’t want to be open to that kind of dialog. Any thoughts on this?

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’ve got mine set so that I have to approve comments. I just want to make sure that I read it first just in case it’s something that might offend my other readers. I think it’s just a matter of having control over what appears on one’s blog.

      I’ve never not approved a comment.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. My blog is by no means popular or anything, but a few times a week I’ll find some spam in my box. But bloggers aren’t spamming and like QuirkyVictorian said, essentially every comment is approved and the control is nice, so do what you feel comfortable with!

      Like

    3. As the others have said, I want to make sure nothing offensive — like racist or homophobic statements — appears on my blog. So far people have left very nice compliments and I appreciate that.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Love your blog; it looks really good and is full of great content. Your post on Devon and Cornwall made me homesick (that’s where I’m from). I would suggest making the images in the actual posts larger as they are quite small but other than that it’s great. An ‘About Me’ page would be great to see. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I read a couple of your posts and I really enjoyed them…and I can’t figure out who to “like” them. When I click the button at the bottom of the post an extra box shows up for a second and then disappears and nothing actually happens…. oh well, I did enjoy them 🙂 I followed anyway.

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Many of your posts are all bold, or all italic, or all caps. I think those are hard to read; consider using the more traditional presentation you used on your About page.

      I think your blog would benefit from a photo or graphic across the top (a header).

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Hello everyone! My blog https://sadaptation.wordpress.com/ is about mental health (anxiety, depression, etc) and my aim is to make a safe, friendly space where anyone can chat about how they are doing without fear of being judged. My posts are about my own experience with depression and anxiety, written with the hope that other people who might be feeling the same way will feel slightly less alone in their struggle! I would love some more feedback on content/layout/areas for improvement, and any pro tips you have to offer are greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  20. I just started my blog yesterday and made my first post today. I wasn’t quite sure where to begin, so I just began writing. All feedback is requested and welcome thanks !

    Liked by 3 people

      1. Thanks ! I’m actually still trying to figure out how to add tags to my posts. If you have any advice that would be great! And of course I will.

        Like

      2. For the birthday post, maybe “birthday” and “single mom”/”single parent”? Try to identify the main topics of your post and use those as the tags. Check out what tags other bloggers are using, too! Some use a lot of tags, and others use only a little. You do whichever makes more sense for you 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  21. Hey all! I love this “Community Pool” idea. I’ve been checking out blogs on here all afternoon and I’ve found some really great stuff!

    So, I’m new to this whole blogging thing… My blog doesn’t have a specific direction as of yet. Mostly my own ramblings, but I’d love to get some feedback and suggestions on how to improve!

    https://mykatastrophiclife.wordpress.com/

    Liked by 4 people

    1. What a colourful page you have. Just a suggestion though: perhaps you could condense your page into two or three key messages that are the important ones to you so that the reader is focussed. Otherwise great work!

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Nice design – great use of images! They balance the dark background well. One question – what is the focus of your site? With a name like “David the Survival Blogger” I was expecting survival posts; I was pleasantly surprised to see some Minecraft in there. You may want to change your tagline to something that represents the content of your blog a little better!

      Would you be willing to look at one of my posts?
      https://natalieschriefer.wordpress.com/2016/01/14/need-more-free-time-quit-tv/

      Like

    1. The fact that you have just published a book is so inspiring. I wanted to be an author for a really long time. I read a few of your articles and really enjoyed them (:

      Liked by 1 person

  28. I would really like some feedback and sharing. My blog is mainly about organizing, family life, and reviewing books and sharing fun things I love on the internet. I have a set schedule on what will be posted when with themes, like show reviews on Mondays, book and product reviews on Wednesdays, etc.

    it’s sarcasticsassyskeptic.wordpress.com

    Liked by 2 people

  29. CANNONBALL!! Hey gang! I just started my blog last Wednesday- so I am a TOTAL newb. I decided to do a redesign today, as it was a bit too cluttered. Any feedback on the look and content is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

    Like

      1. OO, you are correct about the bold. Thanks for the feedback. I’m going to look into how best to correct that. As for the title of the site. Check out my first blog. “Just Shave your legs” and (whether you want me to or not) you will understand 🙂

        Like

  30. Hello there!
    My partner and I stumbled upon Minimalism a few months ago, and as a “wanna-be minimalist family”, we’ve been recording our experiences and actions on a blog created for this purpose.
    We’re also very keen on adding value and contributing to other people’s lives.
    I have found that regular and constructive feedback is essential to our path towards growth. So, if you would you be so kind as to provide some feedback on our blog we would appreciate it immensely.

    https://lifetidesblog.wordpress.com/

    Thanks
    Diogo

    Liked by 3 people

      1. Hi Natalie, thanks for the feedback! I glanced through your posts and some really caught my eye. Will definitely read them.

        Like