Oct 23, 2017 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Where WordPress bloggers support each other with feedback and advice.

Have you just published a new post and are dying for some feedback? Are you redesigning 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).

Looking for more information about custom domains, advanced design options, and other enhancements for your blog? Find the WordPress.com plan that’s right for you.

Are you a new blogger looking to share your very first post? We have a special forum for bloggers just like you in our weekly First Friday posts.

To help us make the Community Pool a productive space for discussion, here are some tips and guidelines 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!
  • 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, as well as for not starting numerous threads in a single Pool.
  • 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. Also note that including multiple links in your comment might automatically put it in the moderation queue, which will delay its publication.
  • Please keep all comments civil and constructive. The idea is to have fun — it’s a pool, after all!
  • 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.
  • If you haven’t looked at our Commenting Guidelines in a while, now might be a good time.
  • No running on the deck.

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  1. Happy Monday amazing bloggers!

    Today in My Instruction Manual, I write about how traumatic events can be a catalyst for positive change.

    https://myinstructionmanual.com/2017/10/23/traumatic-events/

    The post is partly based on an interview I did last night for the soon-to-be launched My Instruction Manual podcast. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback here and on the post itself.

    Looking forward to reading your posts too!

    Keith

    Liked by 34 people

    1. This is such a powerful post. You don’t really see how much you’ve wasted your life until you come close to losing it. I look forward to listening to the podcast.

      Liked by 11 people

    3. Hi Keith, this was a very impactful read. As someone who lived through a natural disaster in Thailand in ’04, I can relate to much of what you reference in this post. I was in my late teens at the time, and though the experience was incredibly traumatizing in many ways, it definitely was a catalyst for change, and ultimately put me on course for a more positive and fulfilling life. I look forward to listening to the podcast and will check out some of the recommended reads you outlined, as well!

      Liked by 8 people

    4. Keith, what an inspiring post! The reminder of how precious every second is is sometimes all it takes! Thank you for this!

      Liked by 4 people

    5. Happy monday to you too
      Traumatic experiences are not the end of the world and that’s why you scaled through such.
      You survived such experience for a purpose which you have to look inwards to spring up.

      Liked by 4 people

    8. Great post Keith. Love the look of your space, and the blog-you-podcast format you’re developing. I’ve had similar ideas myself. I’m new, so I’m learning from the vets. I’d love any and all feedback on my blog.

      Liked by 1 person

    9. Thanks for your heartfelt words. With the recent (Oct 2015) passing of my 20year old son Jacob I made a promise to myself that I live out the rest of my life in ways that would make him proud. As his life was coming to an end he taught us to cherish everyday you’ve been blessed with and live each days as if it’s your last. With Jacob’s guiding love from afar he is teaching us to smile again – see miracles in life everyday.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I really should commend you for your post and the step you are taken at the moment. You sure know how to make emotional event look interesting, and am glad I read that post. Thanks for sharing; I pray you find favor as you go on with you decisions.

        Sorry about your dad and your son. Wish you the very best. Bye!🙏

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Happy Monday everyone,
    I recently wrote a post about the most annoying/frustrating Adobe Illustrator functions and I thought I’d ask this questions here. What do you find most frustrating about blogging? I am probably one of the only computer illiterate 25 year olds on the planet so I would definitely say the basic coding involved with customizing your blog is so annoying. I still haven’t changed my website title or the size of my blog post titles because I cannot figure out how to.
    https://kelciemakespatterns.com/category/blog/

    Liked by 15 people

    1. I think the most frustrating thing for me has been trying to find the right balance between quality and quantity. At first I was trying to post several times per week and I was sometimes “mailing in” my posts to try to get them up frequently. I was also re-blogging which was frustrating for some of my readers. Now I’m posting less frequently but trying to make sure each post provides quality and value for readers.

      Liked by 8 people

      1. I had that same problem when I started my blog. I used to post two times a week on Monday and Friday and all of the Friday blog posts had a similar theme. I think I always knew that the Friday blog posts were horrible and I eventually had to decide the same thing about quantity and quality and stop posting on Fridays altogether.

        Liked by 6 people

    2. My goodness, I am currently enrolled in a graphic design course that involves learning Adobe Illustrator so I can totally relate!

      Circling back to the question you raised here, the “challenging” thing I find about blogging at the moment is posting regularly. As Keith mentioned above, I too am keen on posting nothing but what I feel is the best I can do. So, finding the right balance between frequent and good posts is what I’m aiming to achieve.

      Liked by 8 people

      1. I am hoping that will just come with time. I made the mistake of starting out my blog too ambitious with how many times I posted a week and it really affected the quality of my posts but hopefully we can both find a balance.

        Liked by 4 people

      3. This is my current plight as well! I’m trying to post more regularly, but in order to do this, I really have to let go my often debilitating fixation with writing perfectly. We just need to do the best that we can and realize that our ideas are worth sharing with someone. Keep up the good work! I love following your blog. 🙂

        Liked by 5 people

    4. I liked the article although I am only annoyed by Tab/Tab-F. However, I feel you could probably makes this a series because there’s soooo many annoying things about Adobe programs.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Ya, after I finished writing this I thought of another one which probably just happens to me but is equally annoying. Nearly once and sometimes twice a day Adobe Illustrator decides that I no longer want to work in CMYK but instead grayscale and I cannot figure out for the life of me why it changes. It must be something I am doing like there is a keyboard shortcut I don’t know about that I might be pressing but it’s very annoying.

        Liked by 3 people

      2. Hmm… That hasn’t happened to me yet, so I don’t know what’s up with that… Maybe you important media in grayscale that somehow changed the document settings..?

        Liked by 2 people

      1. I feel the same way. I’ve had a semi painless time learning Illustrator but Photoshop is so annoying. I don’t know if it is because I learned Illustrator first and am so used to it but I find it so hard to work in Photoshop.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Hey everyone! My latest post is kind of a personal reflection on one day of my life. It wasn’t a particularly special day, per se—but it started and ended with beautiful pink skies, and this led me to think about my life and what I am grateful for. You can check out my post here: https://sherinaspeaks.com/2017/10/20/it-started-with-a-sunrise/

    I’d love to hear your thoughts and, as always, I’m excited to read some great blog posts from you all! 🙂

    Liked by 20 people

    1. Beautiful post, and so true. It’s so easy to get caught up with all of life’s movements that it’s easy to lose track of what really matters. Congratulations to you for taking time to slow down and enjoy!

      Liked by 5 people

    2. It’s amazing both, how fast time goes by and how easily we get caught up with life. A beautiful reminder of the need to take a moment and cherish the little things in life!

      Liked by 3 people

      2. Nice post, you’re talented! I’m not posting currently as I am doing a blog tour (which needs more people) but if you want to check it out…I’m not stopping you 😊

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Dear Blog-Friends,

    I hope you’re well. I’d like to share this post with you today. It’s a short essay and a collection of photographs on the National Theatre in London.

    Prince Charles was appalled by the architecture; he said it was like building a ‘nuclear power station’ in the centre of London. I think that it’s thoughtful and beautiful – it’s all about perspective I guess…

    The National Theatre

    I’d love to hear your impressions of this brutalist icon! Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog! x

    Liked by 15 people

    2. That last shot, especially, is great–really nice light. Always love your posts. I’m not naturally drawn to the brutalist style (a lot of it near me in Washington, D.C.) but I can understand its beauty–with your explanation of form. Thanks!

      Liked by 3 people

    1. Wow!! This is amazing I think we have similar writing styles. The intensity is perfect and the realization at the end is perfect. Keep up the great writing! Your passion shows

      Liked by 5 people

  9. Hey guys! This week I wrote a small something addressing my views and opinions on society today. Have a look: https://aestheticgraphy.wordpress.com/2017/10/23/society/

    My blog doesn’t fit into a particular criteria like “writing” or “photography”. Its an all in one blog, including haiku’s/weekly motivation/quotes/travel/photography and basically my life on a blog. I hope you enjoy reading!

    Do leave links to your blog as I’d like to check it out!

    Have a great week ahead.
    Riya

    Liked by 17 people

    4. Nicely written.
      Your blog page is so much like mine. About random topics and thoughts in the head, but eloquently put.
      Feel free to browse through my page and share your thoughts on anything that interests you.

      Liked by 3 people

  10. Hey everyone! Hope you had a splendid weekend!! 😃

    So I run a daily British English based creative writing blog. Mostly I dabble in flash fiction and poetry. I’ve been doing in for several months now and have quite the variety under my belt for those who are interested. If you’d like a guided tour, please let me know!

    On Saturday, my personal favorite piece went up. I’ll provide the link below.

    https://britwitblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/ruddy/

    Hope you have a great Monday and rest of your week! I look forward to finding new blogs, too. Cheers!! 💫

    Liked by 14 people

  11. Happy Manhood Monday all!

    To celebrate my 15th post in this series, check out: “”Make the most out of defeat.” (2 min read time).

    Excerpt: How you’ve failed isn’t the most important thing.
    It is your response to defeat that determines your true greatness. 

    http://wp.me/p876wZ-QP
    Don’t forget to make a comment! Thanks! 🙂

    Liked by 9 people

    2. Your voice is always relatable and inspiring for me. There’s enough level of connection to allow personal reflection, too. You are so brave for sharing. Thank you! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks a lot, and I enjoyed reading yours too. Lucky to say I couldn’t relate to any of them though haha 😀 a lot of your recipes also look really good, although I’m not hugely into cooking, so I may try them out some time!

        Like

      3. So glad you commented because it made me realise that I’d somehow missed following you the previous time I came across your blog, despite intending too. And definitely don’t worry too much about needing to take a break from blogging, I know it can get stressful for most of us at some point. Going to be patiently waiting for new posts 😛

        Like

    4. I like your blog page. Especially the about page, which is what I look for first on any new blog page. Keep writing.
      Feel free to browse through my page and share your thoughts on anything that interests you.

      Liked by 4 people

    1. Cauliflower wings!! The idea that these might be tasty sounds so implausible that i’m gonna have to give them a try! Thanks for sharing

      Liked by 5 people

    5. The layout of your blog is beautiful, I absolutely love it. And the little bit that I’ve read of your writing so far is so nicely written, and so powerful. Of the ones I came across, I especially liked suicide kills. It’s amazing how you’re able to take away from such intense life experiences and turn them into such good writing.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Hello fellow 🏊‍♀️ swimmers 🏊, hoping your week is off to a great start!

    I just wanted to share with you all one of my recent posts: https://paperybox.ca/2017/10/19/whats-in-my-camera-bag

    It’s my first time styling/staging photos for my blog, and would love some feedback. And it’d be interesting to know what kind of photography equipment my fellow bloggers also use on travels and such.

    Enjoy, and I’m looking forward to everyone’s posts! 😃

    Liked by 12 people

    2. That’s a lovely kit bag and some beautiful pieces of gear.
      I bought my Camera from the B&H too. It’s a vast sea of a shop.
      Feel free to browse through my page and share your thoughts on anything that interests you.

      Liked by 3 people

    1. Nice page. Clean layout. Perhaps, tell readers a little more in your about me page!!!
      Feel free to browse through my page and share your thoughts on anything that interests you.

      Like

    2. You have a wonderful blog! As a mom of autistic children, I completely understand what you write about, and you have done a wonderful job of expressing the joys and frustrations that being a parent of autistic kids entails. I will definitely be following your blog!

      Liked by 1 person

  24. I’d love to get some feedback from my Photography Blog. If you have a spare minute, please check it out! If anyone wants me to check their blog out too i’d be happy to do so!

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Loved this!

      I had a peek at your other state park review too. It looks like you love exploring beautiful places! If you ever head North to BC, give me a shout as there are some gooorgeous regional parks up here too!

      Liked by 2 people

      2. Yaaay! I have a feeling you will love it up here too. Although to be honest, the start of walks here can be tough as the trails are often really steep!

        Liked by 2 people

  28. Hi everyone! I have a pop culture blog and this past week I did a spooky post about clowns for Halloween. I would greatly appreciate some feedback. My primary concern is that this post is a little all over the place. Also – a funny concern but a legitimate one – do I use the bold text too much? I use bold text to drive home a point but if I use it too much, does it become distracting? The post is here:

    The Future of Clowns

    If you give me (substantive) feedback, I will gladly check out your blog and/or give feedback. Happy blogging! 🙂

    Liked by 7 people

    1. I enjoyed the read! Definitely not boring, and well written enough that I read the whole thing! 😁 my husband wrote an article over the summer about our new to us vehicle we got at a steal of a deal. I think that if you can make one vehicle work, that’s probably your best option, but if not, buying used, and in your budget, and not having to get a loan would be a good second option. We’re advocates for not spending money if you don’t have it.

      Liked by 3 people

    2. I’m not a car girl, so I may not be your audience. However, I am a writer. A little advice, since you asked: I felt the car details went on a little too long. What I wanted to get to in my reading of this short essay was the crux of this problem for you. It’s more than the fact of not having a second car, right? It’s about security, maybe even reputation. Do you think this might bring you closer to the truly financially insecure who you come into contact with? How has this/will this maybe change your perspective? These are things I wondered as I read. Just my two cents. Best of luck!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. This is a problem of mine. I spend way too much time on the build-up and then rush through what is probably the important part. I thought about your comment in context to what I posted this morning and I see that I did it again. Thanks for that feedback, I’ll try to put it to use.

        Like