Aug 31, 2015 / Community Pool

Community Pool

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

Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/63057306@N04/5734415538">Beachfront Solutions</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(CC BY-SA 2.0)</a>

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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    1. Wow! I really loved your post. I could add to the subject matter about many other factors but I ramble. I’ll be reading the other posts to see what your old theme was. Thanks for posting–I am looking forward to reading your other loud thoughts!

      Like

    2. I like your about ‘blurb’ and seeing it on the home page and the clean look of the blog, which I think works very well to support the text heavy content. I especially enjoyed your piece about coming home to Chennai because I just wrote a piece about visiting home and the conflicting emotions. Lovely prose.

      Liked by 1 person

    5. I really like your blog. The ‘Piece Of Paper’ post was interesting. When my husband & I got married our state had something called a Covenant Marriage. It is much more difficult to get out of. Anyway… I enjoyed browsing your website

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Cheers, all! I’m Leisel from Skill Up Skillet, a weekly updated geek and game themed food blog. If you appreciate gaming, cooking, sarcasm, or any combination thereof… probably we’ll be best internet friends. Actually, I’m surprised I have such a large non-gamer following. Anyway, today’s order of business: I am gearing up for this Thursday’s Birthday Extravaganza post. It just so happens that this year my birthday occurs on the same day as my normal post-day, so I’m making a Portal Cake for the occasion. Yes, THAT cake. And you can help! No cooking required. Interested?
    For my first birthday post I’ll be doing a Q&A sesh and I’d love for YOU to submit your questions. Ask me anything: gaming, baking, cooking, personal (within reason, come on), whatever. Ask me things in the comments section of the following link. Also, there’s a Minions Trifle recipe. Who doesn’t love minions?: http://skillupskillet.com/2015/08/27/minions-trifle-is-not-to-be-trifled-with/
    Can’t wait to interact with people, because you’re all online and not asking me for tech support! (If you are, unplug it and plug it back in. See you in the comments!)

    Liked by 6 people

  3. Hello people of Community Pool!
    I totally had something to ask for feedback on this week, but now the time has come I seem to have forgotten what I was going to write. Don’t you hate it when that happens?
    So in the absence of anything specific, why not just visit my blog and give me general feedback on how I can improve it?
    Thanks in advance!

    Liked by 4 people

    2. Uh… uh… uh… hm. It looks like you left off your trademark Read More tag from this morning’s post. That’s it, really. Otherwise, I think it looks fantastic (even though it looks god-awful on my work computer. Terrible screen resolution is terrible.) Your blog kinda makes my day.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. And your comments make mine. 🙂 And actually I’m sure your food would if I lived anywhere near you. But sadly I will just have to admire the visual splendour or your creations and imagine what they taste like…
        I will fix the ‘read more’ thing though – I find it adds a little mystery to the whole affair…

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Danke! If you’re ever in my area I promise to feed you. And have a very awkward conversation with the boyfriend about why I’m inviting a foreign bloke (and Mrs. Proclaims, I’m sure; leaving the Mrs. out would be rude) over for dinner. Ah, the wonders of the internet age. Cheers!

        Like

    3. Great post James, I totally share your annoyance with this type of unthinking behaviour. I sometimes wish I had a loudhailer on my person for those situations where people block your path, or shout into their phones like they are the only humans on the planet who matter.

      Chuckled at your ‘about’ page too, you’re about to get another follower… Keep up the good work.

      Liked by 1 person

      2. Lol. My alternative solution would be to get a parrot and train it to utter specific insults to suit the situations – ‘Out the way dickhead’ or ‘Keep it down ya noisy fecker’, which would be quickly followed up with feigned embarrassment and apologies to avoid a smack in the mouth…

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Nice Blog.
      I just have a question, when i reached your blog before i checked any posts i could see all you posts. There’s a share button below each, however the icons aren’t visible. Maybe you should check it out.
      Also, maybe the image size can be reduced, use plixir its amazing. Slow loading site it is
      Cheers!

      Like

    1. I think it’s a lovely start so far. You’ll definitely want to add a little something to keep your readers’ interest; I’d recommend adding widgets and connecting to social media to get you started. Play around with what your theme has to offer.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank youu. Yes, I’ll definitely add up widgets and links. I’m just thinking of adding a few more posts first, and then I’ll try to make the page as attractive as possible 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Hey Anushka

      Welcome to the blogsphere. And all the best!!
      I went through your blog and as I’ve said we share the love for books.So keep posting. Looking forward to more 🙂

      Have a great day!!
      ~Arcane Owl

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Hi everyone. What does “sexy” mean to you? Is there a difference between sexuality and sensuality? In art, what comes across as sexual/sensual to you? I discuss this and more in my latest post. Would love it if you read it and shared your thoughts!

    Of Sensuality

    Thanks!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. Hello! If you’ve got a few minutes to spare, I wouldn’t mind other peoples’ take on my post frequency and length.
    My blog is all genuine entries from my 1990s teenage diaries and I add a new post most days. Do you think that’s too often? Do you prefer to read regular short(ish) posts or less frequent longer posts?
    Thanks!
    Tess x

    Liked by 4 people

    2. I love this idea. So entertaining, and full of spirit! Following!
      As far as frequency goes, I think it’s fine. But unless you have a huge stockpile of diaries from your childhood, I though think you might run out of material fairly quick. But I think it should be up to you. If you love to get them up right away, then go for it! If you want more regularity, then experiment with a schedule. It’s all about balance, I think.
      But I love what you do! Don’t stop!

      Like

      1. Ah, thank you. What a lovely response! I actually do have a massive stockpile of diaries. I started keeping one at 12 in 1995 (writing almost every day) and never stopped! Teendom obviously didn’t last forever but my university and 20s diaries are equally cringe-worthy so I’ve got plenty to go yet 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    3. The Blog Idea is fantastic, great read.
      The frequency and length are fine. It all depends on how you write, if you can keep the reader hooked till the very end and i read whole posts.
      Great Going then

      Like

      1. This is a great post because it clearly articulates your point of view. I read YA because as a teacher I want to know what the kids are reading- ha. While I hadn’t thought about the cheesy opposite attracts angle, I have wondered why so many YA novels are so dystopian and what this says about the cultural zeitgeist. I enjoyed your writing style and will be checking back to see what other books you wrote about. Solid rant!

        Like

      3. Yes- English and social studies. Classics like Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, books by Jane Austen, Of Mice and Men, 1984, Farhenheit 451, Huckleberry Finn, Catcher in the Rye, Great Gatsby. But, I have definitely also had students read Hunger Games, John Green books, Uglies, Maze Runner and other new YA fiction. I think it’s important to meet students where they are at and allow for choice. At the same time it’s important to expose students to common cultural texts and push them out of their comfort zone.

        Are there books you think should be taught? Thanks!

        Like

      4. I really like your teaching philosophy. The classics you’ve mentioned are the typical books we learn at my high school. Other titles we study are A Tale of Two Cities, The Handmaid’s Tale, Lord of the Flies, and Shakespeare plays. Also, I think a novel study on A Clockwork Orange would be fantastic, if taught correctly (we wouldn’t want teens to think ultra violence is justified).

        Like

    1. I want to go to the Crayola Experience! Looks cool. Also enjoyed the previous post about an archiving conference (I think!). It was ‘insider’ to appeal to your topic, but I also got a big kick out of all the Librarian-centered romances. Appreciate also that you are writing about many topics that are specialized, but the writing style is friendly, approachable and funny. Enjoyable blog!

      Like

  14. Hey everyone! I just bought my domain and I now own Newishwife.com! I would really appreciate any feedback you guys have for me, whether it be layout, format, topics, anything really! Let me know what you think!

    ♥Allie
    http://www.newishwife.com

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Nice site. Congrats on getting your own domain. I couldn’t get very far into your posts because I read the one about being allergic to Maybelline eyeliner and had leave the desk to go “gaaaaaaaahhh!!!!!!!!!” then make sure my make up collection hadn’t expired or anything. But I’ll be going back!

      Like

      1. Haha thanks! I probably should have thrown up a warning for that PSA. But, I learned my lesson and will NOT be buying cheap eyeliner anymore! lol thanks for the read! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  15. Hey everyone!

    I’m always working towards improving my writing and it never gets easier. Each time I write, I feel the wave of vulnerability like it’s the first time I’ve ever built up the courage to share my thoughts with anyone.

    My latest post is a creative nonfiction story about growing up and nostalgia. I took a trip to San Francisco and tried to write about it like it’s a chapter from a book. I’d love some feedback on the readability of it. Does it hold your attention? Are you left feeling satisfied but still wanting more? Are there passages or sections that should be improved/reworked/deleted? I always appreciate feedback that doesn’t come from my mom, who always says, “oh honey, I’m so proud of you.”

    Don’t forget about your dreams – My weekend in San Francisco.

    Of course, I’d love to check out your blogs, too.

    Thank you all so much,
    James

    Like

      1. Thank you! I very much appreciate that you took the time to read through it and write a comment. I can’t help but feel partially responsible for someone nicking your tea water! Thanks again!

        Like

    2. I think you definitely achieved the “chapter from a book” effect. I forgot a couple of times I was reading a blog post!
      At first I was discouraged by the length, but at the end I was happy for it. I was able to picture everything you were relaying which made it more personable in a way. I’ll definitely be reading more of your posts!

      Liked by 1 person

  16. HI everyone, I have been posting more personal pieces , including the most recent. I think it is a kind of departure from my usual content and would appreciate feedback. Also…I’m looking to change my blog name. I chose “seoul searching”- I think first- but alas a more commercial, popular blog uses it now. How do you go about finding a new blog name?! THANKS

    Like

  17. Hello everyone! MomHood here.
    I worked really hard over the weekend with Meeting an greeting some fellow bloggers. Needless to say I have hit some all time highs with my fairly new blog. I have been up and running for about 2 months and hit my 100th follower over the weekend. (I’m overly excited) and posted my 100th post today.
    For all you community poolers and beyond, this post is for you! Without learning all of the great things I have learned through the Community Pool, The MomHood wouldn’t exist.

    Day of 100

    Here are a few other newer posts from the past week.

    Stalling…But It’s Time

    Memory Lane

    And of course I have done a ton of entries into various Photo Challenges, take a look at those too!
    Thank You all for the awesome feedback and little nudges here and there to keep my confidence up and keep The MomHood going! YOU. ALL. ROCK!
    See you soon!

    Cheers from The Hood
    https://themomhood.wordpress.com/

    Like

  21. Hello I have a question:
    So I originally created my blog for personal purposes and I didn’t tell anyone I knew. Now, many have found out and it’s really holding me back from posting what I like because of drama. I love my blog and the community I have found. Is there anyway I can keep my blog while putting it under a new account and site address so others can’t find me?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. yes, you go to your main page, click where it says my blogs, and click on the one you want to change. you can change the name and URL there.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. The problem I have is people finding my main account. I don’t want to delete the whole account but they can search up my login account name.

        Like

    3. While starting a new account from scratch and migrating your content there is a possibility, I wonder what you think would prevent the same people from finding out once again that it’s your site. If you know specifically how they managed to identify you then it might be easier for you to avoid it in the future.

      That said, doing so would come at the expense of your current followers, unless you can devise a way to notify only some of your readers about your new site.

      I’m not sure these are feasible solutions for you, but two features to remember here are your blog’s privacy settings — you can set it to private, meaning that only people you specifically invite could access it; and you could also publish password-protected posts, meaning that only readers with that password could read them. To read more about these, visit these pages:
      https://wordpress.com/support/settings/privacy-settings/
      https://wordpress.com/support/post-visibility/#password-protect-a-post

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Is there any way to remove a comment or at least edit a comment that you make. I had commented on a fellow blogger’s site and unfortunately realized I had an error in the website I had included. Since there didn’t seem to be a way to edit my comment I had to reply again. Any way to have avoided this?

    http://jenniferpeck23.wordpress.com

    Like

  24. Hello lovely bloggers!

    I’m a teenage girl called Grace from graciellen.wordpress.com, where I blog about baking, beauty, fashion and my faith in God. I’m still relatively new to WordPress so would love some feedback and will be sure to repay the offer!

    Lots of love,
    Graciellen xxx

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I tried taking a look at your site, but I had trouble finding your recent post. You have a lot of content, which is good, but perhaps you could make your page a little less busy by reducing the number of image links available at a given time?

      Otherwise, looks good.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Oh! My recent content is on top as i see “breathe! You are alive.” And the images part, that is a part of theme i choosed i guess which displays image and topic. Though thank you i will check on site again. 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

    3. Pearly, enjoyed your page layout with each story given a unique picture place card. I’m always intrigued about how people come up with such unique concepts.

      I enjoyed the storylines of the few blogs I had a chance to read also.

      Liked by 3 people

  27. Hello, all,
    I’ve recently reached 100 followers and have just written a post about what I’ve learned from blogging so far and what I intend for my site in the future ( http://tinyurl.com/q6zm82v ). Would you mind looking at the post and letting me know what you think of my plans? Of my assessments?

    Thanks very much,
    Alexander

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Just tried to post to your page and it wouldn’t go through likely due to my browser not your site. Congrats on your 100. Best of luck with the future. Looks like you are certainly on the right track. I am starting to get in to linky parties if you want to check that concept out. Seems like a cool way to connect to other bloggers and share your posts.

      Liked by 2 people

  28. Hello everyone! It has been a long time. I have posted a few poems, latest being a short poem I really experimented with. I would love it if you could drop by and review it. I have also added a new section (another experiment) to my site, where you can pen down anything on your mind. Please tell me what you think about to! It is your choice if you wish to be anonymous or not.

    Thank you, and happy Monday!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hey Jenny,

      I love your theme and background. The concept is also great, having support in some way from someone can really do wonders.

      A suggestion for your blog post is that don’t create huge paragraphs. Try to break them in smaller texts, like 4-5 lines.

      Hope this helps.

      PS – Look at the way I wrote this post, in segments. Hope you got the tip. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Your Social widget at the top seems a little out of place. Perhaps consider putting it at the side instead of the top. I would like to see your content being the most important thing that pops up and captures people’s eye!

      Love the theme. It looks happy and bright and fun and makes the viewer want to hang out and stay awhile.

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Hi! Welcome to blogging! I love your background. It’s so fun and positive, which is exactly what you’re trying to achieve, from what I understand. I would suggest adding some pictures in your posts to make them more attractive to readers, and to make an about page so new people can learn about you and/or your blog!
      Happy Blogging!

      Liked by 2 people