May 16, 2016 / 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? 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 free, self-guided courses to help you get started with your blog (or revive a dormant one)? Check out our current offerings at Blogging U.

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!
  • 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!
  • 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.

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.

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    6. I visited today, and realized I’d visited before. I love the name of your blog, and that’s why it caught my eye again. I see you’re still keeping it real. And your site visitors love reading you. That alone says, have confidence in your talent to be heard. You don’t really need me to pat you on the back when you have a hand. Go for it. Well deserved!

      Liked by 2 people

    7. That was really good! I am totally going through my mid 20’s right now and I related to everything you wrote. Really well done.

      Liked by 2 people

    8. God I love your writing! And holy crap you are so popular! WOW congrats I guess?

      Anyway, I have always been meaning to ask, how come most of the times you are like the first person to comment over here!?

      Liked by 2 people

    9. Hey! I just stepped into the Blog world today for the first time today! I clicked on the Community Pool and saw your post, so checked it out. Loved it! Your post made me excited to write, but also excited to get on here and read! I followed you, so can’t wait to see what else you have! I enjoy your perspective after reading through several of your blogs.

      Like

  2. Happy Monday everyone!! My name is Mark and I am a new author that has been amazed by the support that I have received through WordPress. The words of encouragement and feedback that I have had from fellow writers has been both passionate and motivating. I have just released my debut psychological thriller, A Hole in Serenity which is now available as an ebook through various online retailers. If you can spread the word and stop by for a chat it would be great to hear from you! Take care and I hope to hear from you soon, Mark.
    http://www.markdraycott.com

    Liked by 12 people

  4. Hey!
    I wrote a new type of blog post the other day. It’s aimed at book lovers and word lovers, or people who just generally love quotes about love and life! If you can take a look that would be awesome: https://thisstuffisgolden.com/2016/05/12/quotes-taken-from-looking-for-alaska/
    I also made a POLL for your opinions about what stuff I should continue to write, as part of an idea to get myself my dream writing job! https://thisstuffisgolden.com/2016/05/10/call-for-help/
    Any other comments about my blog in general would be fab!
    Cheers!
    http://thisstuffisgolden.com/blog

    Like

  5. Hey there,

    It’d be great if you could all check my site out and let me know what you think. I’m still tweaking it all the time (notice the shiny new url!) and trying to write more interesting content. I find writing opinion articles more rewarding than just film reviews – hopefully that comes across.

    As ever, if you fancy following and sharing it around, that would be cracking!

    https://lightsoverhead.com/

    All the best,
    Eddy

    Liked by 12 people

    2. The personalized logo looks great and the theme really goes well with your content. I really admire how much you’ve accomplished; it’s definitely inspiring.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Thanks Sarah, I never expected it to be inspiring but that’s really great to hear!

        I followed your blog immediately. Really like the content (I love history) and feel I’m likely to learn a thing or two. Good job.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. This is quite nice. Your site looks very organized, clean, and professional. Visually, everything you’re doing works quite well.

      I agree with your sentiment about doing opinion articles. Personally, I can only read so many reviews before they all start to sound the same. I’d much rather read someone’s unique take on a genre or theme or whatever else.

      Keep it up. You’re doing a good job.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks, I’m really glad to hear it’s working as I’ve been trying to find the right aesthetic formula for a while. I suspected as much about reviews as well. I do miss the days of seeing virtually everything in the cinema and writing about it, but it becomes difficult to continue producing fresh content when it’s essentially the same thing over and over.

        Thanks for stopping by!

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Don’t get me wrong, I think your reviews work. I just mean from a personal standpoint when I seek out a blog it does tend to be for more op-ed type things than straight reviews. Could be that other people feel the opposite. I am just some guy, after all.

        Liked by 1 person

    4. I have read a post on your blog before about horror movies and loved it – I find your page interesting, engaging and informative! Keep it up and feel free to check out mine! 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Thanks Steph! Really nice to hear (and glad you enjoy 80s movies as much as me).

        I enjoyed your page very much as well. The new title actually peaked my curiosity before I read your ‘What’s in a name?’ post. As Calvin Candie would say, you had my curiosity – now you have my attention. Keep it up!

        Liked by 1 person

    6. Great piece! However since you are writing about movies and showbiz, maybe using a little bit more images can help out. Especially when you are making a point of comparing a movie to a game.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Outreach is so important! I’ve been commenting on others’ posts to spark discussion. I have a niche blog (baby and character names) and while I always appreciate “likes,” I want people to engage with my material. Unfortunately I have been unable to generate much discussion through my posts.
      Thanks for sharing!

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Ah, I see. I can understand how you’re feeling. I blog about anime and teen relationships, with a little bit of Christianity here and there. It took me a REALLY long time to start gaining that anime audience, which was my primary target. The only advice I can offer is to keep plugging away! Try some different things now and then, and I’m sure you’ll start to find some bloggers that will appreciate and engage in what you write about!

        Liked by 3 people

      2. Yeah, I realized that for a baby names blog I needed to add a parenting tag if I wanted to reach my target audience. I did however (beforehand) gain an audience of writers, which is the other big group that would be interested. Truly one can never overestimate the power of tagging!

        Liked by 3 people

    2. I not only read your article, but I looked through briefly at your artwork (I’ve not got time right now to read all the volumes!), but it’s always really inspiring to see a fellow manga-artist building up characters through pictures as well as words.
      Rock on.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Thank you!! Glad to hear you say that. The artwork technically isn’t mine though. Credit for the story goes to me, but credit for the artwork goes to my sister.
        Thanks again for checking my blog out!

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I love it. It’s light and fun and an entertaining read. Your posts are short enough to read without losing steam, but are engaging enough to keep people reading. I just selected a post from the archives at random and was really pleased with the read!

      Liked by 4 people

    2. Colin’s revenge had me laughing my ass off lol. I’ve been bought cactuses 5, yes FIVE times in my life because “there so easy to take care of. You can’t kill it unless you overwater it.” Needless to say, I killed all five. From not watering them. Ever.

      Liked by 3 people

    1. Hi Sykes,

      From a fellow author I wish you well with the book launch. Can’t find fault in the blog post you mentioned. Love the theme of your site, well laid out text and images and very easy to navigate.

      Good job.

      Aidan

      Liked by 4 people

    1. Hi Callatina,

      I enjoyed your post. Then again, you should have the hang of things by this stage. Looks like you’re a veteran, with your posts dating back to 2006! There is one graphic however that doesn’t load properly – The expat women link – you might want to check that out.

      Best of luck,
      Aidan

      Liked by 4 people

    1. Hi there. When writing a persuasive essay of any kind, especially one that uses so many facts, it’s always good to course your work. Sources make your claims more believable and they help fortify your argument.

      Liked by 4 people

    1. I love the name of your blog!! Sestina is a type of a poem right? I recently wrote a tritina, shorter form of sestina , the impolite night! I think you will like it ! Check it out!

      Liked by 6 people

    1. I’m trying to find a blog a week that I like – this week was easy. You were my 1st try. Following now, but do you have any favorite pieces that you feel must be read? I like to read what the author considers her best work.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. 🙂
        As far as recommendations, I always enjoy my fashion photoshoots (the latest is the one titled April Snow Showers), but also my Random Photography posts have been well received I’d say.
        Hope you have a great evening!
        ~A.R.

        Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank you, I’m really glad you liked it! It took me a while to settle on a layout, so it’s good to know I picked a nice one. Hope you’re having a lovely day too!

        Liked by 3 people

    2. Hey! Your posts are nice !! I think you should add more widgets and maybe experiment with themes!! The thing about widgets is it takes readers to where you want them to be! Also increase your view count! Cheers!

      Liked by 4 people

  18. Hi everybody. I have been writing a blog for around 4 months now, and it has always been a big dream of mine to be a blogger. I have made so many amazing friends here, and now have over 300 followers. Which is carzy to me. I love the positive vibe you get from blogging, and I would love to keep improving my blog. You can see my blog here…https://missteryblog.wordpress.com/
    I hope you are having a great day!

    Liked by 8 people

  20. Hey all! I am not asking for any specific advice, but please do give me a checkout at perfectionhasapriceblog.com it is I think 2 months old now, so I think i have the hang of it now….but i still always welcome feedback and/or criticism. – things i should add or change, things you like, things i should get rid of….etc etc….and if you like what you see or are reading, then don’t shy away from following!!!! Have a great Monday and thanks in advance! 🙂

    Liked by 6 people

  23. Hello,
    I am Mukthi raja from India! Grettings to you !
    So i have been blogging since September i think and i have managed to upload around 15 posts only. I have not been able to put up new posts because i only put up proper creative writing posts, you know poems and short stories. I have tried to put up something every week but i have been running out of topics. Do you think i should shift to post general everyday stuff which not exactly creative writing? Or should i post random but good pieces?
    Take a look at it and let me know? Thank you!
    All criticism is appriciated.

    Welcome

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Hi! have you tried the Blogging U courses? They were a great help on my newbie days. IMO I’d prefer good thought out pieces rather than general pieces. Makes you stand out and have a unique ‘voice’.

      Liked by 4 people

    2. Hi! I sometimes have a hard time figuring out what to write, but then I look around me and find that the mundane stuff that surrounds me is actually full of stories. I enjoy the challenge of turning something ‘boring’ into something full of life. I don’t always enjoy the challenge though…but when I get caught in I don’t know what to write I go off and tend to my yard or take a walk or something to completely get my mind off of even thinking about writing. Then I notice that I seem to have a ton of ideas…and no pen or paper. It’s a revolving door. But worth it. I’ll take a look at your blog. Thanks for the invite!

      Liked by 6 people

      2. Hi Mukthi! After I spoke with you and read some more of the comments I received my own ‘writing prompt’ from the Write.Blog.Connect blog here on wordpress. The Author of “The Woman on the Painted Horse”, Angela Christina Archer heads that blog up. Anyhoo, back to the prompt. My prompt was “A warm cup of tea” and here is what I wrote from that: prompt:https://larinnachandler.wordpress.com/2016/05/18/a-cup-of-warm-tea/

        Never stop reading as you have read, and never let a writing prompt pass you by. For this one, I had no idea what to write, but I just sat quietly and let it come to me. In fact when I started talking about the old woman, I never knew it would turn into a love story that would span 65 years! I was just going to have an old lonely woman, but I just kept writing and this short story is the outcome!

        This is such a great question and there are so many awesome answers and helpful insights. I’m really glad I saw this post, and I can look back on it as well to help myself when I need to. Have a super day.

        Like

    3. Why don’t you try one word challenge put forth by WordPress? Lot’s of fellow bloggers are into it. Will give enough juice to write about!

      Liked by 3 people

    4. One should never compromise with quality! If you think, inspiration is not falling by, read work of other writers and poets and I’m sure you’ll find some inspiration! Reading is an indispensable part of writing. Stick to this rule and never hesitate to go back to school. God bless

      Liked by 5 people

  25. Hey guys, i guess the community post does not need to worry about the numbers.. How many reading the post, how many liking, how many commenting.. I just see the number increasing in seconds… Great effort Community Pool…. Cheers to blogging!!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. It’s certainly an interesting perspective. It seems that people who came from a more old-fashioned upbringing were taught to remain silent unless they have something very important to say. People raised in a more modern upbringing are much freer with their speech. It is logical to look back to find reasons for this.

      Liked by 5 people

  27. Hi everyone! I am new to blogging and would love some honest input and constructive criticism. I’ve posted 3 blogs so far. Anyone that’s willing to take a look would be greatly appreciated! My page is roadtoharmony.com
    Thank you in advance. I hope everyone has a productive yet smooth Monday.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. I’d say you are off to a good start! Your content looks great and engaging. As you go along, I would suggest inserting the Read More tab on your posts, which from your home page will cut the length of time it takes to scroll to the bottom and it also ensures that people who really want to read your post will see the entire thing.

      Liked by 4 people

    2. I think you’re doing great!! Love the writing. The one and only thing I will point out is that maybe if you have a big long paragraph you might be able to break it up into a few paragraphs so it will be easier for people to read. But I can’t really think of anything else right now. 🙂 Good job! I really like it!

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Thank you. I’ve gotten that input from
        someone else as well. So I know it’s an area I really should work on and pay attention to. When I start writing I tend to just go. Then the paragraphs become the afterthought. I will definitely watch that in the future.

        Liked by 4 people

      2. Oh, it’s very understandable! A lot of us writers struggle with that. Just during a subject change or a different thought is where it can be broken up. Because a big paragraph is needed every now and again as long as it’s one thought 🙂 Can’t wait to see more posts from you in the future!

        Liked by 4 people

      4. Well, look at it this way, the fact that when you write it kinda just pours from you, like you said, shows the pure passion that you use in your writing! Never let that go 🙂 And aw shucks! No problem! Thank you for the follow, too!

        Liked by 4 people

    3. I loved your page. Your background picture and short bio look fantastic together and your posts are engaging and heart felt. You’re very good, especially for someone who’s newer to this! Much love!

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Hello friends, I run a photography blog that show’s off the images I take. I often post on here to get a chance to have fresh eyes look over my work and let me know what they think.

    I shoot on both film and digital, please take a look, let me know what you like, don’t like…hey even what you hate.

    Here’s two post’s from today, I post pretty regularly on similar subjects, landscape and street mostly;

    Berlin On Film – Part Five

    Street Photography – Olympus OM-D EM-5; 36

    Take a look and let me know.

    Thanks

    Liked by 6 people

      1. Hi thanks for your lovely comments, I appreciate them. If you’d like to see those kind of things they are in there somewhere, I shoot a lot of landscape images as well as street photography and the blog’s been going for a year and a half nearly so there’s something like that somewhere.

        Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank you very much. I thought I was lucky living in a country like Wales with so much beautiful scenery and landscape but after looking at your blog I think I am wrong, you’re truly blessed to live in such a beautiful country.

        Liked by 1 person