Mar 3, 2013 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Community Pool

The Community Pool is for those of you looking for input, whether on post ideas, writing, blog design and layout, or anything else. If you have a post, page, or idea you want to bounce off someone, leave a comment. Your fellow bloggers can then click through and offer input either on your site, or in the comments here (feel free to indicate which you’d prefer).

Read on for the ground rules and to leave a comment . . .

  • You’ll get the best feedback if you can be as specific as possible about what you’d like people to respond to or where you’re struggling.
  • Please keep all comments civil and constructive. We’re here to help and support one another, not to beat anyone down.
  • If you haven’t looked at our Commenting Guidelines in a while, now might be a good time.
  • 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.
  • No running on the deck.

Photo by t_a_i_s.

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  1. I am so glad that this is posted again. We need a reminder that there is ground rules on “comments” section. My personal note on this is “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” This is what we teach the children. So we better be a good example especially on Cyber bullying.

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    1. An excellent reference to leadership of our ‘off-spring’ “Children learn what they live; only to live what they learnt” … I thank you! (y) 🙂

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      1. lucky for you. It’s not just bullies but as well as off remarks. I have to delete it and notify the blogger that it’s unacceptable.

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      2. Sometimes I think depending on the mood of the viewer what seems to a nasty or bullying comment may just be a critique of a post I know I have to apologise when I have been in mood i have mistook helpful crit as being not so nice so thats why i always try and remember a 🙂 and a lol if it needs it and not to read posts while tired or moody lol 😀

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    1. I read both of these and really enjoyed them, I didn’t think that they were offensive at all. You made some very good points and you made them clearly. I’m now following your blog, I look forward to reading more of your posts.

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      1. So do I. I think the reason that a lot of political posts don’t get freshly pressed is that the WordPress editors are worried about the blog’s writer attracting hate.

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      2. I think political posts are ok, but they have to grab my attention, most of the time they come across as rants and I don’t come to WP for rants, most of the time I just get disinterested in them and move on.

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    3. I think your ‘Homosexuality and May-December’ relationships post was quite interesting and informative, and you present interesting arguments. I can’t see how people would find it offensive. But as I only arrived on Earth today I’m afraid I can’t comment on the other post as I’m not aware of the topic in question.

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      1. If you’re not aware of the topic in question, count yourself lucky and just avoid it. Thanks for your remark on my other post! 🙂

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    4. No I don’t think either are offensive – they’re just your opinions and it’s your blog so it’s fine that you write them – I do think the one about THAT song could come across as slightly…aggressive, but if anyone was really offended I’m sure they would have commented.

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      1. Thanks for reading! I know one was aggressive; that’s why I’ve decided to do a monthly post of things that irritate me from now on so I’m less angry when writing. Thanks again for commenting!

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    6. I’ve read both of them, the ‘We Saw Your…’ picture didn’t come up on mine. I preferred the ‘Homosexuality…’ post more, but I couldn’t tell you why. I also had to re-read them because as you’d said one was ranting, I automatically started reading them in an angry way. Now although I didn’t get offended by that, I didn’t enjoy reading them as much as when I read them as much as when I read them the second time, in a different mindset. Does that make any sense whatsoever?

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      1. That makes sense. I want people to feel happy or amused while reading my posts, not angry, so my posts from now on will be less angry. Thanks for alerting me about the picture. I’ve fixed it! 🙂

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  3. I’m bored and with nothing to do this morning, so I’m sitting here ready and willing to provide constructive criticism! Let’s have at it! 😉

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  4. Thanks for the positive feedback from last week’s pool post! I enjoyed the input…

    Now, if it was negative comment, would I enjoyed it also? 😉

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    1. Six minutes might seem like a long time; however, as long as the video is moving foward and has points of interest, I beleive it will not seem that long to a viewer. I watched the fiber art video and the length seemed comfortable to me.

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    2. Initially,I thought six minutes is really long to hold a viewer’s attention on the internet, but a quick search of video blogs posted on YouTube shows that length is not out of the ordinary. I guess I’ve watched web-episodes of programs that have been 20+ minutes long, so I think that length is very workable.

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    3. When I chose a YouTube I prefer the length below 5 minutes. I did watch the video and the “musing” has so many topics. I did get lost following it. For example, the material is from Peru about knitting and it ended in felting. Felting might be a subject by itself. I must admit my attention span is short and I prefer 500 words or less.

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      1. Good to know and thank you for sharing this as that is a normal reaction. YouTube used to encourage a ten minute video and now they actually encourage it to be a little longer yet. I have actually shortened ours to less than five although it has been due to subject matter in the more recent videos. I do not count my words when I do a blog. Perhaps I should start.

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    4. Kristen, it’s not letting me reply to your reply to my reply, so I will answer here and hopefully you will see it.

      I don’t know enough about v-blogging to know if WordPress is the right platform for you. If I’m looking for video (which I am never looking for, except for music videos, so take my opinion for what it is worth!) I would look on YouTube, and there are, of course, lots of folks who have had a measure of success with “shows” on YouTube. But if you’re writing content along with your videos, I think a WordPress blog would be the place to be, wouldn’t it?

      It’s a struggle getting followers and views here on WordPress. For whatever reason, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of activity from outside the WP community, and there’s lots of competition for readers eyeballs inside of WordPress. If you’re not seeing the sort of activity you think you our to be seeing, I’d take a look at YouTube.

      Anyway, just my two cents. HTH

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    5. The TED videos hook into interesting topics in short videos with all kinds of people from every walk of life. Your idea to document people’s passions in a short video is similar. 6 minutes is not too long. Just long enough for someone to have their interests stimulated.

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    6. The comments so far were very insightful, Kristin. I also don’t think 6 minutes is too long once you keep the audience’s attention. To that end, always put yourself in your viewer’s shoes by aking (and answering) “What’s in it for me?” Your “Musing aloud” post really captured that. Although it had a lot going on, it let us know what you were doing and why; if we read between the lines, it also let’s us know that your journey will let us grow along with you. In comparison, the post featuring Jenny was a little flat by comparison, yet very informative! So fnding a balance between production value and content may benefit you the most. Finally, although sites like YouTube readily spring to mind for video based work, WordPress can work well if you tie your efforts in with promotion on other social sites (facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, for example). Having a clear image of what you want to accomplish and how you measure whether or not you’ve achieved your goal will help. Monitor your results over a reasonable period of time and see what interest you generate. Adjust as needed along the way. Yet, be prepared to explore other avenues of exposure (like YouTube) if your results aren’t meeting your needs.

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    1. I have to admit that the photo at the top put me off a little, and usually I wouldn’t have read anything after that. But skimming through the blogs I found them to be interesting and engaging – they aren’t too lengthy either. 🙂

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    1. I see you have the “top pages/posts” mentioned on your sidebar, but brand new readers (like me, this morning) might also appreciate a “about me” or “about this blog” page to give us an overview when we stop by for the first time.

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      2. Once I am attracted to a post on a ‘new’ blog, the next thing I read is always the ‘About me’ page. I also did not think it was very important when I first started blogging, but it is! So spend some time on it – it could get you a lot of followers!

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      4. Thank you Jackie, I’ll get right on it. The odd thing is that I can find the About me tab when I log in through my phone, but it just vanishes on the laptop. Weird!

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    2. Hi: I will focus on the theme. I am a right handed person, so I want the side bar on the right for ease of navigation. Also, I read from left to right. You might want to move the Archieves higher. Take a look at my post to give you an idea what I mean. I am not luring you to read my post just have a look on the theme.

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      1. I’m going to be the first to admit that I didn’t write anything in my about me page, do you think that I should maybe take another look at this? I didn’t think anybody ever read them!

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  8. Hi everyone! I’d love feedback on my writing style. I’m a high school student trying to establish a focus for my blog, and meanwhile, I’m writing to relate and to express my feelings. Feedback about ANYTHING would be very much appreciated!

    I just redesigned my blog a few weeks ago thanks to some constructive criticism from another community pool session about visual appearance, and that was very helpful 🙂

    Thanks everyone!

    – Catherine, at Never Stationary

    neverstationary.wordpress.com

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    1. Ehem: I went to check your site and the first thing I noticed is the word “need”. Unfortunately, when I read an article about “10 things or 5 things we need to know”, I move on… This is just me. Otherwise, the layout is very attractive. You’ve got talent!

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  9. I usually think carefully before commenting on someone’s blog. Sometimes it is difficult to tell how the blogger will accept the comments that may not agree with their views. Facebook’s “like” button is what comes to my mind. In Facebook, we are allowed to like or agree, but we are not allowed to dislike or disagree with a comment or statement. If a blogger requests the opinions of others at the Community Pool page, I believe they should be open to those opinions. A commenter shouldn’t say that I like something to preserve the feelings of the blogger; of course, all opinions should be stated in a non-confronting, constructive fashion; saying, “I hate [this subject] so I can’t like your blog,” is not going to help the blogger cure a weakness. Be honest in a constructive fashion.

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    1. Hi Sha’, on the like button of WordPress, how do we remove the counter as to how many bloggers have like it. I prefer to have no numbers on my site.

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      1. Hi, Seeker. The like button is controlled in the dashboard under Settings, then Sharing. As I see it, it can only be turned on or off. I did not notice a place where the count can be removed.

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    1. You write about your life, your emotions, your children, your work, your life, your thoughts. I found myself fascinated with everyday topics and your responses. Thankyou for the openness of your blog.

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    1. I think all blogs benefit from having a focus. I think it helps with writing, so one is not overwhelmed by all possible topics, but it also defines us for the readers, who come to know what to expect.

      So I would consider narrowing the number of topics you’re writing about. I wasn’t able to find the archives to your blog easily on your site (you may consider making those accessible from your home page) but in the recent posts section I saw some posts that looked like memoir and another that was about cooking. Your “About” seemed to focus on your artwork, and personally, I found that interesting, and would enjoy reading posts about the stories behind your art.

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    2. My blog covers a lot of ground too, so I totally get what you’re doing. I think that a lack of focus does make it more difficult to build a “market,” but that’s not really what I’m after anyway. I think it’s cool! I like the design too.

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  12. Would like some feedback on my site. I deal with multiple issues and write a little fiction too. Don’t know if I’ve got too many different ideas, making it less cohesive than it could be. Maybe read my About page to see what im trying to convey. Thanks!

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  13. My blog started just a few months ago as a place for me to sort of blow smoke. Stories that I’ve shared about myself and my family were initially meant to amuse just my friends and me, but I’d like to hear what strangers think since I’ve enjoyed reading blogs about other people.

    I already know that I’m a dipsh#t and I’m not a “writer”, so that’s noted up front.

    And apparently, I don’t know how to link to my blog in this reply box…

    http://www.donofalltrades.com

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    2. Donofalltrades,
      Take advantage of the Support page that WP offers. You can find it by clicking your help button in the admin page. It has tutorials and information on gravatar and zemanta (ping suggestions) and more. I like the ease of your blog and the family feel too. The one thing I noticed is that you linked the top of your post to the Daily Post page in huge letters. It takes away from your post as others will click on it. Move it to the end of your post.
      Best,
      Eliz

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    1. I would suggest a maybe combination of both, like “This is how to eat healthier….and here is a recipe to show you how you can do this.”

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      1. That is a great idea!! I have been thinking about taking a recipe and then altering it to make it more nutritionally sound!! I hope you follow my blog so you can get the info you are looking for!

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    3. I left a couple suggestions on your blog regarding content; however, I would like to mention that I could not find a link that would take me specifically to nutritional articles. I seen the topic links, but did not understand what the content would be about simply by reading the topics.

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      1. Thanks for the tip!! I’ll make sure I get those in a good category. For this month, I will have the tag “National Nutrition Month!” so I hope that helps a little bit!

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    4. Hey, liked your blog so gave it a follow – a bit of both really – tips probably more as I always look at recipes, drool over the photos but never get round to making it.

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  15. Good morning from Sydney everyone,

    My blog is less than two months old http://feelingnomad.com/and at this stage, I would really like to start getting more contributions from other bloggers sharing their travel impressions. What could I do appeal more people? I really want it to become a source of discussion and information sharing for people who are, in general, restless about staying in a single place and restless about many of the things happening in this world.
    Anyone has any suggestions?
    Thanks so much,
    Teresa

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    2. I think this blog is a great idea. I have a few editorial suggestions for you. Try varying the length of your posts. Throw in a photo essay only. Personalize some of the posts with stories about people more, maybe. I’ve found with my own blog that if I vary the formats, I get more readership. Good luck, from a fellow nomad

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      1. Sheilah Bright and MikeyB185, much appreciated, I will definitely work on your suggestions… Main problem, as always, lack of time, but I will personalise it more and vary the format. Thanks for taking the time to visit and put some thought into it. Teresa

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    2. Okay, I found it by selecting your name, but I always click the gravatar 1st and a link from there to your blog would be useful!

      I thought your content was well written. The style looks basic and functional. I am seeing it from my iPhone so it might be slightly different from a computer. I would add a background and use a better photo in your header and in your posts.

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    3. The basic design is good and easy to use. I found to articles that I would read easily. The one thing that I did not like is the image in the headline. Something about a set of eyes staring as I’m trying to read the article troubles my focus.

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  17. I have a question about pingback etiquette. I usually approve any requests I receive but don’t know how to send them to posters I like. Also, should requests I approve be followed by one from me? I don’t want to ignore anyone just because I am new at this!

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    1. This is my major concern when I joined the Daily Prompt. My etiquette on pingback I ensure that I visited the post, liked it, commented on it and for courtesy reason I ask for permission to use their post as a point of reference. My experience was quite a few bloggers have included the post of other bloggers me included in their response to Daily Prompt hence creating a pingback. 100% of these pingbacks, the blogger have not read my post at all. I used to approve it and say thank you for your pingback until my site became littered with pingbacks.

      I have raised this question to the Administrator of WordPress and somehow resolution is hard to find.

      Your question is not the first. Lets hear from others.

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      1. Seeker and Sha’tashari,
        Your points are well taken, but the pingback is not an ad or a lazy way to comment on a blog. It’s a way to connect with bloggers who have written on similar topics and, hopefully, a way to continue a blog friendship or make new ones. I wrote a post about it and my philosophy has always been to follow up and like and if feasible comment on the pinged blog.
        Sadly, this past month has brought challenges that prevented me from following up, but I’m doing my best to visit others and will ping less so I can catch up.
        Ping backs are not a problem but if we don’t like them, the solution is very simple. Delete them!
        Eliz

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    2. Like Seeker, I used to approve pingbacks to be nice. However, once I started noticing that I was getting pingbacks to other blogs in my comments where the other blog had nothing to do with what I wrote, I started questioning the reasoning for the pingback. Currently, If a pingback left in my comments is for related material, I will approve it. If there is no relationship or if the blogger does this for each post I release, then I will not approve it. I do not mean to offend those that are reading my posts; however, I am not a billboard to be used for free advertisement for other bloggers.

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      2. I do the same…if a pingback is not relavant to my blog …i too do not approve it….i blog because i enjoy doing it….being social on the interwebs is neat…but it doesn’t mean I want my blog clogged with pingbacks..i learned that the hard way doing challenges/ prompts….i stopped approving them when I realized how it works….so i have a couple still on my blog…as i did not want to offend anyone by deleting their pingback,….

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    4. New Frame of Mind, it’s up to you how you wish to respond. Personally, I appreciate ping backs and follow up on them as soon as I’m able. I choose to see it as a friendly gesture.
      Eliz

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      1. Thanks for your advice today, happily the pingbacks I have received are from posts related to mine so I do see them as a compliment. I will be sure to return the favor from now on.

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    5. I too found that my posts that were linked to WP prompts, like the daily prompt was getting inundated with pingbacks from people that just link all the replies from others on the daily prompt so i disable pingbacks on those posts as it overtakes the comments.

      I do however keep pingbacks and would approve relevant ones one my regular posts.

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    6. This is in response to Eliz. Eliz, you are an exception. My experience with you is you read my post and make a comment. Having said that this gives me an idea that you have actually read those pingbacks thus included in your post.

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  18. http://kirstythroughthelookingglass.wordpress.com

    -Part of my college course is to write a blog and I’ve actually found myself getting quite into it, over the past 6 months Kirsty Through The Looking Glass has become my little baby. As much as I get regular feedback from my lecturer, I’d love some feedback from ‘real people’.
    I’m fully aware that February’s blogs are a bit of a disaster(they’re all about love), so I’d advise that you maybe skip back a little further for a better idea of what goes on 🙂 Thankyou, I’d really appreciate this and I’m away to look at some of yours.

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    1. Your blog looks really good. I get the impression you give your honest opinion on everything. Anorexia post is really thought provoking! Following 🙂

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  20. Hello! I started a blog to store my random thoughts/opinions, and I’m just trying to spread the word about it. I’m looking to gain some traffic and connect with other bloggers! Also, be sure to leave me any constructive criticism (I’m far from perfect). Thanks!

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    4. One way to gain traffic and followers is to spend time reading and visiting other blogs. Make some connections with other bloggers who think like yourself and leave comments.

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      1. Yeah, I’ve been trying to find other people who also use short (Twitter-like) posts in their blogs. It’s harder than I thought!

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    5. Hey Scotty,

      I noted that all your posts are tagged as “uncategorised”. However, your posts are about a range of topics e.g. musical tastes, friendship, dorm mates/neighbours etc. You should seriously consider including more informative tags to your posts as this would help them appear in searches that people make on related topics – which would in turn increase your traffic.

      I really like the format of your posts.

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  22. Hi guys, I’m here to share my biggest problem. I don’t know how to start a post! I know my subject and can talk at length about it but I just get a sore head when I try to write an introduction that makes people read on. Does anyone have any useful tips for introducing a subject or start a post. I write a movie blog if anyone wants to have a look and see what I’m talking about. Thanks!!

    Mikeyb185.WordPress.com

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    1. I usually write the rest of the post and either leave the introduction until the end, or just introduce it like I would in a conversation. One of my pet peeves as a blog reader is when introductions seem especially contrived, so I like introductions that are honest: I want to talk about this today!”

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      1. Haha yes my introductions tend to be needlessly contrived. I seem to go into movie magazine writing mode and try to be clever. I think your suggestion of writing it like a conversation is great

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    3. Since the first couple sentences are what shows at the title page, those two sentences are the attention-grabbers. “Prepare for madness, lots of blood, bad haircuts, and some very dysfunctional families” could have been your first line, then you could explain. To help inspire catching phrases or titles, you could write the three most important ideas of the post, then rewrite the ideas to the extreme. A phrase like: Koreans celebrate bloodshed, would capture a lot of attention, but it is also risky, some folks might be offended before reading far enough to understand. So, after writing to the extreme, tone it down just enough to avoid misunderstandings.

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      1. Thanks, that’s a fantastic idea. Never thought of it in terms of what the first two lines are. I’ll try to be more attention grabbing!

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    4. MikeyB185,
      Just start by writing the first thing that comes to mind and then keep writing. When you are done, re-read it and move paragraphs around until you feel things work. If you set aside the need for an intro, it will become easier.
      Best,
      Eliz

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    5. I don’t really give it too much thought – it always just comes to me. I read a post where someone suggested you write the post then put the last paragraph at the top, as you normally sum everything up in the last paragraph so it’s likely to draw people in.

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  23. Out of date, irrelevant, confronting and too difficult for many, the Bible seems like a mountain of challenges with no footholds. But the footholds are there if you persist and I find that in the climb it offers incredible perspective, great scope for inspiration and an amazing journey. I try to share my journey creatively with those who are up to the challenge and I would love your thoughts. http://pastorross1.wordpress.com/

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    1. I like that you use pictures, but just a word of advice — in the caption, note where you got it and maybe even the photographer’s name (unless they are your own) because I’ve heard of bloggers getting sued for using pictures without permission.

      Do continue to provide images with your blog posts though, it adds to the “creative journey” idea that you mentioned you wanted to convey

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      1. Thanks, I use my own pictures or free pictures from the Morguefile.com using Paint.net to create the effects I want through a Photoshop technique.

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    1. A little description: CustomAuth, auth n OAuth integration service, is a central platform for one login/single sign-on service. Also provides a secure credentials storage by allowing you to choose a hashing mechanism to secure your credentials. It is currently integrated with LinkedIn and Facebook OAuth 2.0.

      I am looking for suggestions on how I can make this service/site better to gain more visibility.

      Like

  25. Hello,

    I would like a second-opinion on design. I like when a blog is neat and clean and has tons of white space, which is what I tried to achieve on my blog. However, I’m worried that it may impair my ability to network and even freak out some people who are used to two or three columns running parallel to each other where they can see the blogger’s picture, read the bio, see more posts, sign up for email, etc (I still have some of those things but in the bottom footer).

    Is the design inviting enough to make you want to stay? Or is it more on the ‘foreign’ side that makes you want to click away?

    kmoonstone.wordpress.com

    (Thanks to anyone willing to give feedback!)

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    2. I should have been more precise in my comment. I think the page looks great, the reader gets a clean, clear view of the post. I’m all in favor of keeping it neat.

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      1. as soon as I upgrade to custom design, I’ll take care of that. Unfortunately, this is the only size font I can have with this theme for now.

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      2. It would definitely look better without the widgets. If you are worried about getting less traffic, you could add categories to your menu bar at the top.

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    7. I prefer not to swim through the white space. The writing was easy to read, but I felt the blog lacked personality. A color other than white might help, but all the empty space would still distract me.

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    8. Katya1013, I love your clean lines… Funnily, I’ve been thinking of late that it is time to overhaul my blog, unclutter it, and make it spare… So I’m fine with yours.
      Eliz

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    1. I love your header image, its beautiful 🙂 blog posts look interesting and lovely photos, nice 🙂

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  29. Hi everyone! My blog content is book reviews mainly for mysteries/European authors with some side topics. I’ve been blogging for two years on this one topic and would like some feedback specifically if any of the books sound interesting? any comments on voice/style? is it too boring? etc. I can take constructive criticism and would appreciate some honest feedback and thank you in advance!

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    1. MostlyMonochrome,
      You have an impressive collection. The daunting part was figuring out where one set of photos stopped and another post started. Maybe the post titles could be bigger as your photos are quite large. I love landscapes and people but you should follow your heart and choose what’s best in your work. What was your original vision? Revisit it. TY!
      Eliz

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    2. I agree, your photos are too close together and lose their impact. ALso what is happening, why are those people there doing those things? There is no context just a whole lot of images, which doesnt give me much reason to engage. Your shots are quite good BTW and I like your BW treatments

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