Nov 16, 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?

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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).

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    1. A really interesting viewpoint that the backlash against Muslims is an intended outcome for the terrorists. I can’t say I read a lot about politics, so my knowledge is only of what I see on the news, but it does sicken me that people are already saying it is the immigrants’ fault. Many of those to blame were born in or have resided in the countries attacked for some time. But I agree, people need to look for the good in the world and help each other, or divided we fall.

      Liked by 3 people

  2. Aloha lovelies,

    I’ve been posting some kinda sensible kinda funny things recently, in hope that some wonderful publication or website on this planet will hire me to write for them!

    Do you guys think I’m on the right lines here?

    http://thisstuffisgolden.com/

    I would forever appreciate your comments. Very much trying to make my dream job a reality.

    Also if you know of any publications or websites that you think my writing would suit, do holla! That would be super handy.

    Thank you muchly.

    And as always – I’ll do yours if you do mine

    Thank you!

    Lauren

    Liked by 12 people

    4. I like your article about personal branding on the internet. It’s easy to forget that we are being watched. I also got a laugh out of trying to pee from different angles in ‘Weird things you do in a new relationship.’ Thanks for sharing, I wish you the best.

      Like

    5. I liked your recent article regarding caring disclosure while we are on the internet branding ourselves. It’s easy to forget that we are being watched. I also got a laugh out of the visual I pictured while considering peeing from different angles in order to placate loved ones. Thanks for sharing and good luck in your endeavor!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. G’morning! Leisel from geeky food blog Skill Up Skillet here with some exciting news: I’ve reorganized! I’ve switched up my top menu and added a new page to the blog. Before I had options to search recipes by skill level but the setup was apparently confusing for many readers. This has now been condensed into the Search By Skill dropdown box.

    Additionally, there is a new page that I’m super proud of: More Geek Eats! It’s a new directory listing my favorite geeky food blogs, because why settle for just one? The art on this one took a good bit of time, let me know what you think? Do the new page and fresh menu look good? Would you change anything? (Please don’t tell me to re-draw the Sonic Screwdriver; I’ll probably cry)

    New page: http://skillupskillet.com/more-geek-eats/

    Also, if you enjoy World of Warcraft I have a new chili recipe I’m sure you’ll recognize. Cheers!

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Great idea for a foodie directory – did you do the artwork yourself? It’s very good (I used to have the Mario mushrooms all over my classroom with times tables on, never seen kids get so excited about a number!) Your overall blog looks different and improved since the last time I visited, I like the layout. I tend to view everyone in the Reader which is a shame because then I don’t get to see all the extra stuff or funky layouts on people’s sites. I just shouldn’t be so lazy!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. For shame! Visiting the actual blog tends to be a better experience than using the Reader. Yes, all of the art (minus backgrounds and in-game images) are entirely hand-drawn by me in MS Paint. I actually made a few other tweaks throughout the blog but they’re mostly minor in comparison (icon sharing options, adding a picture of myself to the About page, a few wording tweaks, etc.). Thanks for the feedback! ❤

        Liked by 1 person

      2. You’re welcome. I tend to read most blogs on my phone so it’s a lot easier than going back and forth from emails etc. I shall make sure I check in on people more often!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Love it! Your artwork is always super cute. I’m a sucker for blogrolls; we’ve gotta stick together, amiright? Also, I just noticed that you have a Valiant Hearts recipe, and I about died.

      Liked by 2 people

  4. Hello everyone! I’ve been cooking up a ‘classical’ cake this week if you’d like to have a slice. 🙂

    Also, advance notice that next Monday is the Monday Munchie’s Tea Party – a meet and greet for people to leave links, whether foodie related or not, we just ask that you keep it clean! Everyone’s welcome.

    A slice of Tchaikovsky!

    Liked by 6 people

    2. Congratulations, you have used the correct whiskey in your fruitcake! (Yes, I’m serious) So homemade fruitcakes practically never die either, eh? I thought it was just the crap store-bought ones.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Haha, we have a varied selection but that is a favourite of S – he’s much more partial to a bourbon than a malt.
        And yes, I think they could survive a nuclear apocalypse – the amount of alcohol must help! They even found one tucked away on the Space Station a while ago. So apocalypse / mass migration of the earth / trekking in the wilderness – pack a fruitcake!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Hiya!

      I love all of the photos on your blog and have followed you! 🙂 I love the layout, it all looks really clean and fresh if that makes sense! Hope you are having a lovely day 🙂
      Grace

      Liked by 2 people

    3. Absolutely stunning! I love your pictures and the layout. It’s very clean and elegant. Easy to navigate around. Your posts are very beautiful. I just gave you a follow 🙂 Keep up the great work, my friend!

      Liked by 1 person

    6. Even I love photography but what you have showcased is something different from what I’ve perceived up till now… I’ll surely join you 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Love your blog and all of your beautiful poems! I’ve followed you (by email, I couldn’t find how to follow through WordPress but that’s probably my own fault sorry!).

      Hope you are having a lovely day,
      Grace x

      Liked by 1 person

      2. Thank you. I am particularly bad about not catering to special dietary needs. >_< Occasionally I've been able to make things that probably won't kill my diabetic coworker. It's usually a pretty big achievement.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. The Daily Prompts resumed yesterday morning. After the deadly attacks in France and Lebanon late last week, it felt tone deaf to continue with these as if nothing had happened.

      Like

    2. Hi there! Yes, all working – those chocolate giraffes are very cute! I love the skyline banner at the top of your site and everything is well laid out, with the categories making it easier to navigate. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    4. Love the layout, design, formatting, all that good stuff. It’s a good day when I don’t have much to say on this front. =P
      The slideshow is working on my crap work computer, so it will work anywhere.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Really appreciate your feedback! Aha glad my slideshow’s working as it’s been giving me a headache all weekend.

        Btw awesome blog!! Love your recipes 🙂 Keep up the awesome work!

        Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks a bunch!! Hoped you enjoyed your trip to Toronto and if you do come back again, don’t hesitate to message me and I’ll surely give you recommendations! 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

      1. Aha very interesting post; slideshows can be a hit and miss depending on the situation. But seems like in your case, it was not planned out very well; hopefully the rest of the reception was enjoyable!! Appreciate the drop by! 🙂

        Like

  11. Hello Swimmers!
    Its me, Megan over at The MomHood. I just wanted to send out a reminder that Prompt Stomp is new this week with “Overcoming Adversity” https://themomhood.wordpress.com/2015/11/14/prompt-stomp-week-7/ Talking about overcoming struggle and misfortune with the help of others. Prompt runs until Saturday, so there is plenty of time to get an entry in. I hope to see you there!!!
    Also, The Hood is doing a giveaway! A photo Giveaway to be precise. Come on over and take a look and maybe you could be the winner of 5 awesome photos, in print and sent right to you! https://themomhood.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/5×7-photo-giveaway/

    Hope all of you are having a lovely Monday. Have a positive, creative and totally awesome week! 🙂
    Cheers!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Interesting. Perhaps a small note for consistency, the ingredient list uses both 1/2 and x.5. I would recommend picking one or the other– personally I’d go for the 1/2 to fit with your other measurements.

      Like

    2. Tanushree: Your layout is wonderful, I enjoy the categories for quick finds. The pictures and your recipes are clear, and easy to follow. Pssst…something involving gingerbread I’d love to see!

      Liked by 2 people

    4. I loved it! It looks super delicious haha. I really enjoyed all of your pictures and recipes. I think you’re doing a wonderful job. I also took a look at your About page and I enjoyed it. You seem to be a very creative and artistic person. I would just like to encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I loved it! I enjoyed reading through your posts and all your pictures. Keep up the great work! The only thing I’d suggest is if you made categories of the places you’ve been. Eventually, some posts will be lost at the bottom of all the other future posts. If you categorized them, people would be able to see where exactly you went and even visit old travel posts. I wish you the best of luck 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  18. Hello swimmers…
    Welcome to my blog OPEN SHACKLES at http://www.salorocks.wordpress.com
    This is a blog where you will see life through my eyes. To give a more clear image of life through my eyes I use different mediums like short words,different mediums of paints and of course poems. But without your view about this blog my journey would be incomplete. So waiting for you response…

    Liked by 2 people

    2. I’ve found an easy way is the tags….I noticed when I began to add tabs to my posts, the views went up.

      Like

      1. Thank you! To be honest, I didn’t think it was a real thing. I thought it was pretty obvious as part of the whole “what attracts people” idea. Always nice to learn something new!

        Like

  22. Hello! I recently started a running/marathon training/travel blog, and have a question: how important is having a specific focus of your blog? Does having a narrow, expert focus on a topic make your blog successful, or does it limit your audience tremendously? I always tie my blog posts back to marathon training/running, but how necessary is it to keep the blog focused on those topics, versus including others? I am asking because I feel that there is a narrow group of people that are interested in marathon training/running/travel, and would like to widen my readership. Thank you for your feedback!
    http://www.janerunswild.com

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I think having a focus is important, but it doesn’t need to be restrictively narrow. For example, I travel a lot for soccer, and am currently streamlining my blog towards a focus on the travel I do for soccer. However, my trip to Iceland in a few weeks has zero soccer involved, and I will still write several posts about it. And I will still write about life in D.C. as well.

      I also think there is a large group of people interested in running, and a large group interested in travel, so your blog overlaps with both groups. I may not be interested in running personally, but I still think your blog is interesting!

      Like

  24. Greetings fellow bloggers!

    Hope you have had a week filled with likes, comments and followers galore 😀

    I am in the process of fleshing out the Travel section of my blog. With travels to over 13 countries yet to be documented, I have a LOT of catching up to do.

    https://pen2needle.wordpress.com/2015/11/12/new-york-day-1-part-2/

    What would you change/improve about this post? Less text? Less pictures? What would entice you to stay on and keep reading?

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I think you have really good mix of pictures a text. There is a nice balance. Stick with your current style. Fro mhttps://cultivatingtime.wordpress.com

      Liked by 1 person

      3. You know, I blog for a very little number of people. I have very few followers and my blogs are … rambling. I write some short stories in Engish as well. I don’t know why English comes first – perhaps because I need some distance betweeen my writing and myself. But I have lived in Engllish-speaking countries with my family when I was a child and came back to France only six years ago. (I am 22). I don’t believe much in my short stories and even in my blog. It is interesting and I adopted some discipline, which is good. However, I have no great talent. 🙂

        Like

    1. Hey there! I loved your ‘The Be Thankful Challenge’ and I’m gonna try that for sure… You can join me at my blog 😀 Cheers !

      Liked by 3 people

  29. Happy Monday! We’re nearly to Thanksgiving, so can I get a hallelujurr?
    My name is mckelodeon, and I run Nerd•ily. It’s what I like to call a nerd lifestyle blog. The mission of Nerd•ily is to make each day a little geeky in the hopes of letting go of any fears to be yourself. There are crafts, videos, derpiness, and long reads. Also, there are review! Like this one here: http://nerdilyblog.com/2015/11/16/the-martian-why-ill-never-be-astronaut/
    So if you have the time, please stop by! I’ll be trying to go through the comments here when I get a break during work, so if I don’t respond for a while, then you know 🙂 thanks all!

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Nice layout! Just read about your Geek Girl Brunch! NICE!!!!! I LOVE Sailor Moon. So jealous. Wish we had a Geek Girl Brunch in San Diego >_<. I'm a big anime nerd. Thanks for posting this. Glad you won the raffle!

      Liked by 2 people

    3. I loved your writing style and the persona you have. It is refreshing to see a writer revel in their truth. I will definitely continue to check in and even comment a time or two.

      Be sure to keep in touch if you ever need a guest blogger or editor. It’s kinda my thing.
      My most recent post:
      A Freelance Writers Little Black Book || Building an E-Mail list – http://wp.me/p4xePh-58

      Liked by 3 people