Nov 28, 2016 / Community Pool

Community Pool

The place for feedback, advice, and blogging camaraderie.

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 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.

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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    2. Nicely written, clean look to your page, I’d say it looks good. The only thing I can think of though is either adding the ‘Recent Posts’ widget to your sidebar and a tag cloud, so people can find your older posts easier.

      Liked by 8 people

      2. It is all a learning process obviously, and opinions differ, but I do find (at least on my blog) that people double back and look at older posts so its just a way to make it easier for them.

        Liked by 2 people

    4. hello good people!! looking for followers to give feedback about my post. I started this web few weeks ago! yesterday I published a new post about Astronauts!
      so it would be great if you kindly give it a view and leave a comment!
      if you don’t want to follow its ok. But I just need your opinions…
      Thank U Happy blogging 🙂

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Hello, I hope you’ll enjoy yourself blogging and get to meet several people.

        One thing that I can tell you right away is that it’s tiring/annoying to try to read text on an image background. Some parts of your text is unreadable unless highlighted. Try a solid color box under the text and make sure there’s sufficient contrast.

        Also, it’s a beginner’s mistake, but you posted your message here as a reply to my comment. You have to create a new comment. It’s not that it bothers me, but when I look for new blogs to discover here in the community pool, I usually overlook the replies so… your message might go unnoticed by most people who come here.

        Happy blogging!

        Liked by 4 people

  2. Hi. I recently started a 300 word fortnightly story group. We could still do with a few more members though, so if you might be interested, please drop me a line via the contact page on my blog, To Cut a Short Story Short, and I’ll be happy to send details. If you’d just like to subscribe to the stories (with the option of possibly contributing in the future) then please do likewise (they are sent out by e-mail).
.
    In the meantime, I just updated and published a clickable index to all the flash fiction stories on my blog. I’m thinking of including descriptions in the index for each story such as SF, romance, horror etc. Or should I just leave it as it is? What do you think? Also, I’d be grateful for feedback if you find any difficulties in using it.

    https://simonjwood.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/3590/

    Liked by 12 people

      2. I agree with liz C.:)) and im glad you’ve decided to branch out and except others into your short story group, its a grand idea that has potential

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Hi Simon,

      I think the index is already good as it is. Simple and organized, with the essential information.

      Personally, I prefer it if the link I click opens a new tab (so I get to keep the original list and not have to go back to it for another link). But that’s just me.

      ❤

      Liked by 5 people

      3. I agree with Liz C. about the link open a new tab, this will be so much better! And the index is great and add a description could bring more attention to the stories and lead people to read what they like, this will improve the index for sure, but it is already very good and I loved you blog!

        Liked by 6 people

      4. Hi Phelipe,

        Sorry, I only just saw your comment. For some reason I didn’t get any notification about it.

        It seems some people object to links opening in new tabs, but I agree with you and Liz – it’s better from a list, then you keep your place in it. I looked into it and there is a check box ‘open link in new window/tab’ when you create the link.

        I just did it for A Controlling Interest and Luck of the Devil and it works nicely! Interestingly, if I click Luck of the Devil on the sidebar under recent posts it DOESN’T open in a new window, which is probably good, as you can still see the recent posts list.

        So I’ll have to go through every link now, incorporating that!

        Also, yes, I think I might add a subject category/categories to the index. I went through them all working out what category they were, supernatural, horror, animal etc. It was a very interesting exercise as I never write to any plan. I found there were about 25 ‘horror-type’ stories so just posted 20 excerpts from them in a new post, So Many Ways to Die (based on the surprising number of ways people in my stories met their end!)

        https://simonjwood.wordpress.com/2016/11/29/so-many-ways-to-die-excerpts/

        Thanks for your kind comments about the blog and I e-mailed you details of the story group earlier, as requested.

        Liked by 3 people

      5. Well, I’ve updated all the links to open in a new tab (it didn’t take as long as I’d expected) and I think it’s much better! I realise now that it’s only each specific link it affects – other links to the same story remain unaffected. Also, it makes checking the links a whole lot easier too. Thanks again for the suggestion!

        Liked by 1 person

      6. Cool. It’s great that you took the time to do that. It might be easier now for readers to go through the list and keep the list while opening separate posts. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      7. Actually, someone looked at my blog a couple of hours ago and looked at about 13 stories. That is REALLY unusual so, although that might be a coincidence, it could well be down to your suggestion. 🙂

        Like

      8. Haha! We may never know… but it’s really very efficient. Personally, when I visit a post and see a list, I tend to click the links leading to other tabs and then check them one at a time. It depends how much time I have at the moment, but it’s just really a more convenient way to go through someone’s blog posts.

        Like

      9. Yes, that’s a good idea, I’ve never done it that way but can see your point.

        I’ve done three posts which were each 20 little excerpts from stories on my blog so (as I link to them on all new posts) I will convert all the links in those too now. 🙂

        Like

    1. I grew up cutting our family Christmas tree down at a local farm. We would go around Halloween and tag it, then go back in December and cut it. I now despise fake trees. Cute post!

      Liked by 4 people

    2. really enjoyed your post 🙂 and have to admit that You know good photography… 🙂
      It would be great if you come to my page to have look on my silly posts and leave a comment for feedback 🙂 I am kinda new in this blogging world 😉
      Thank You

      Liked by 2 people

    5. Hi Curly Girl –
      I noticed that some of your sentences are a bit awkward and there are some grammatical errors. It’s = it + is. Its = possessive. Try to keep your sentences shorter. Sorry- I’m an ESL teacher, so grammar is my thing.
      I enjoyed your post and your pictures are interesting. It might be better to divide such a detail rich visit into several posts or use a few less photos. Maybe focus in on the details with your photos? My favorite was of the locks!
      Since you are interested in art history – it might be good to include a few details about the particular features of the architecture you visited.
      Prague looks overwhelming – but in a good way.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Thank you, your feedback is very useful! I know I still have to work on the grammar, probably should read it a bit more. Dividing it is a good idea! Thank you for all the tips!

        Liked by 1 person

      1. Hi Tricia. You write about a very interesting topic. I’ll make sure to check it out in a while. It’s so important to know about the life beyond. 🙂

        Thanks for dropping by my blog.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Chrissey I think you blog is great and loved the spinach dip recipe (with back story) you have an easy to read writing style so I would keep going with your short stories and there is plenty of interesting media and style scattered throughout. Enjoyed it 👌❤️️

      Liked by 5 people

    2. Love your blog Jeff and followed because I’m about to give up drinking again. I have given it up a couple of times once for a year and so I relate to every single thing you said in your post. I’m also taking up running again and I’m a writer so..I look forward to reading along with your stories 👌💫

      Liked by 4 people

    3. I read that post and it engaged me to keep on reading others. Mostly I had to wonder – why did this guy quit? What was the catalyst? Does he take meds for any of his illnesses?
      Having quit cigarettes a million years ago – I could relate to the difficulties of not drinking at times when the habit is so ingrained. Definitely a tough decision – esp. where social anxiety is an issue. I’m totally guilty of feeling less inclined to hang out with non-drinkers. But good on ya for placing that monkey firmly on the ground.
      I didn’t find your posts whiney or preachy.
      Glad that running is a positive outlet. Having taken up running in my late 30’s – I don’t think grunting or barfing is particularly outlandish behavior. All the more reason to keep to the trails where you can kick some dirt or leaves over it and keep on going!
      Pura Vida!

      Liked by 3 people

  13. I’m new to this and i’m looking to get my feet of the ground. I would like to write to help others deal with any personal problems that they may be going through so they don’t feel alone. I have two posts so far and any feedback would be greatly appreciated 🙂

    The Rut

    Liked by 10 people

    3. Somehow your number bullets don’t line up. I’d also go with a larger font. I’m a visual person – so I’d suggest adding some photos to break up your long paragraphs – or at least break up the paragraphs. Maybe play around with the different graphic features. Have you taken any of the Blogging University courses?

      Liked by 2 people

    4. Followed! I think this will be a great blog for me, I like your writing style and am intrigued for more posts!

      Like

    2. Hi shruti, I loved the theme of your blog and your take on things is pretty interesting. I am a potterhead myself and I thing real-life (read “muggle”) obscurials is a nice thought. Keep up the good work!

      Liked by 3 people

  23. Hello everyone! This week has been eventful,blogging wise.I achieved 700 followers ,a dream for me and managed to muster up courage to publish a poem again,one that I personally have loved a lot and am hence slightly nervous about sharing here. I would love feedback and suggestions on how to make my blog,posts and the communication process much much better.For any help,you need only ask.Thank you!

    Question.

    Liked by 9 people

  25. Never Have I Ever – http://wp.me/p7r8il-wQ

    Hi bloggers! I just wrote a poem (sort of) about a terrible incident I had with a friend recently. I’d love if you guys checked it out and tell me how it is!
    I write short stories and poems! Please do leave feedback and feel free to stalk, follow and like!
    Thank you 🙂

    Liked by 5 people

  26. Hello everyone!!

    I’ve been writing for a few months now and it’s been a really good experience. I write flash fictions and articles and i write them with all my heart.
    So, do check it out and let me know how you feel about my write-ups.
    http://www.shuvigautam.wordpress.com

    Also, my new story has recently been published in an e magazine.
    http://www.guwahatian.guwahaticity.in
    This is the link… You’ll find my story in the tales of mind section. It’s called Threads Of Love.

    Thank you.

    Liked by 5 people

  30. Hey friend!
    My latest poem,a conversation a pregnant woman has with her ‘yet to be born’ child,living in a country like Syria during these unfortunate times,is very close to my heart and I would absolutely love and appreciate any kind of feedback on it.
    Thanks for reading this comment and have a splendid week ahead!
    https://aksmithoo.wordpress.com/

    Liked by 6 people