Feb 6, 2017 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Where bloggers come for friendly 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 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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  1. Hi Everyone!

    My latest post is about my self-doubt while getting close to my med-school graduation. I’d love your feedback, as always. My main concern is with being relatable. The post is totally about my own experience but I’m wondering if the post allows you to kind of go through it with me. Any other feedback you might have is also totally welcomed. I’ll do my best to also read through as many of your posts as I can. Thank you!

    Maybe you are actually something special.

    Liked by 16 people

    3. Hi James! Your concern is with being relatable… Well, I’m not in med school (or any school for that matter) but you did a great job in expressing your feelings- anxiety, self-doubt, etc. which I think we all feel from time to time. It’s the way you’ve written your story that made it interesting enough for me to anticipate with you the looming exam results. 😁 I look forward for more, keep writing!

      Liked by 2 people

    4. Thanks for sharing James!!

      I DID feel like I was on the journey with you 🙂 You do take the reader along, and your writing is very relatable.

      I think you have captured something very important here and you have captured it well. When we start to succeed at something, sometimes our inner voices go the wrong way and tell us we can’t. It’s our fear. But we can always choose to love ourselves instead of choosing fear. Believe in you – you got this !!!

      🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    6. Nicely written and completely relatable. I’ve had conversations with several friends about this very issue. We all feel like frauds. The thing is, they are all amazing and at the top of their respective fields. (I have long thought that I am the only fraud among them.) What we’ve determined is: the people who feel that way are always the best at what they do because they are the people who never consider themselves “done.” They will therefore always seek to improve. The downside is that the feeling never completely goes away – though I think it lessens when there are not people with clipboards staring at you. 🙂
      Very best of luck to you! (Though, I’ve a feeling you won’t need it.)

      Liked by 2 people

    7. Hi James totally relatable! I work in a medical environment and imposter syndrome is my biggest source of anxiety some times even the smallest decisions can bring it out ! Glad you shared, keep on keeping on and good luck with your exams to come 👍

      Liked by 2 people

    10. James, well done! The imposter syndrome is entirely relatable and you’ve captured the weird internal dialogue well. Your ability for self reflection will no doubt help make you an excellent doctor. (Also, love the look of your blog).

      Liked by 2 people

  4. Hey fellow bloggers! Hope you had a good weekend!
    I write motivational posts about how to become better bloggers and authors, offering helpful tips along the way. And, of course, I write about my own endeavors from time to time.

    Please consider stopping by and reading my most recent post here: https://thegoldenlands.wordpress.com/

    Let me know what you think, all feedback is welcome! If there’s anything I can do in return, just say so!
    Cheers!
    Dominic

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Really enjoyed your post on consistency. I totally agree – you need to work at something regularly to improve 🙂

      I like your site! Thanks for sharing. The pictures you use are quite interesting and pull the reader in. The layout is well organized and easy to follow.

      I look forward to reading more.

      🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Hey! Glad you liked it and took something away from it. Consistency us hard to practice, I struggle with it a lot. I write posts like that for myself just as much as for you guys!
        Thanks for the follow! Cheers!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I agree with your point on Consistency. For those, like me, who tend to be spikey in energy, a backup plan is good. Mine is to create as many draft posts as possible when my energy is high. I either schedule those to go out over a period of several weeks/months or leave them in draft mode for later use. That way, when energy is low, I still appear to be consistent 🙂 . https://gracelead.co

      Liked by 1 person

      1. That’s actually really interestinb because that’s what I do too! I write a lot of posts at one time in order to appear consistent. It works!
        Thanks for stopping by!

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I like your blog particularly the photos. The Consistency post is a good reminder to write regularly. I try to go for no more than two days without writing… which reminds me!

      Liked by 2 people

  5. Howdy!

    When I was younger I wanted to be one of the cool kids – something I’m sure a lot of people can relate to. By wanting to be that cool kid, by trying to BE that cool kid, I practically cast myself out of potential coolness by not being myself.
    I realise now that if you want to be someone who is considered ‘cool’, it’s not really about what fashion label shoes they are wearing, but really about their confidence and personality.

    So, here is my take on what kind of characteristics it takes for somebody to be ‘cool’:

    https://thisstuffisgolden.com/how-to-be-cool

    Would love to hear your thoughts!

    And if anybody wishes to guest post for me, feel free to get in contact here:

    https://thisstuffisgolden.com/talk-to-me

    Thanks in advance!

    Love, Lauren x

    Liked by 13 people

    2. Your post on how to be cool is very well written. It is laid out nicely, easy to follow, and your writing is very open and honest.

      Your site is very nice. It is quite bright and inviting.

      Thanks for sharing !!

      🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      2. Well I see you’ve got some book recommendations on there, which is definitely up my alley. But if you don’t want the same thing repeated, let me know how you feel about creative writing. I’d love to have guests post on my blog as well. Perhaps I should email you separately haha 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Hi folks,

    I’m currently looking for some collaborators on my film/TV (and hopefully in the future gaming/books) site. I haven’t been posting much content lately as I don’t have the time, but if you’re interested in any of that kinda stuff and fancy helping me write some awesome content, take a look and let me know. I’d love to chat through some ideas!

    Of course, any other feedback is also welcome.

    http://www.lightsoverhead.com

    Best,
    Eddy

    Liked by 5 people

  7. Hello Community Pool
    James from James Proclaims here.
    If my blog doesn’t make you laugh then you probably don’t have the same sense of humour as me. Which is fine, but you probably shouldn’t read my stuff – you’re not going to like it.
    But on the off-chance you do share my sense of humour then you should definitely visit my blog. Maybe give today’s post a miss though. It’s not my best.

    Liked by 4 people

  8. Hiya Guys!

    Ha! After sunken too deep in the pool last week, I made an effort to float today! Anw I like making short stories for the last couple days, mind coming and telling me what do you think about it?

    Oh and if you have any idea what I should write next, I’d be happy to listen!

    Thanks and see you! 🙂

    https://yfns.wordpress.com

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I don’t know if it fits your style, but I would love to hear a story about a trip on the bus or the subway, like those fast love connections you feel for five minutes. It’s something I think you can take and make something light and amazing !

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Oooooh, that fleeting, love-at-first sight thingy. That little moment of courage where you reach out. Yesssss that is definitely interesting, I can already picture some of it. Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll be sure to put the link to your site as the one giving me the suggestion if I do make it. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Hi Bloggers… I have a question about readership stats – Does anyone take the time to track post-views in comparison to number of followers? Not many followers seem to be reading my blog, maybe 15%. Most of my views come from “marketing” my blog on Facebook, Community Pool, etc. I’d love to know if other bloggers see similar statistics. I know that I read a much higher percentage of what shows up in my reader.

    Caffeine, the drug I love: https://jefftcann.com/2017/02/03/caffeinated/

    Liked by 4 people

    2. Another thing to consider is that many of your “followers” may not even have an active blog currently. Once a month, I attempt to visit the site of each person who follows me. I’ve discovered that at least 20% of them no longer have accessible sites. https://gracelead.co

      Liked by 4 people

    3. Jeff,

      I haven’t specifically looked at the stats…but I suspect that only a small percentage of people following my blog read it on a regularly basis.

      I too share my posts in other places, like Facebook, and get some traction there.

      I am ‘following’ you – I checked to be sure – but I don’t recall seeing your posts pop up in my email recently. I will take a look.

      🙂

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I have pretty limited interest in technical specifics. It’s possible that I haven’t done what I need to do to get posts to automatically email upon a follow. Of the people I follow, some do (yours) and some don’t. I do have a specific place to sign up for emails, but only a couple of people have used that.

        Liked by 1 person

    5. Hi Jeff. I’ve actually been thinking about this lately. I have very few followers on wordpress, but I was wondering if that really matters much as I get views from sharing links to Facebook and from people clicking through from my website.

      Liked by 2 people

    6. Beyond everyone’s replies above, one other thing to consider is that many people read the blogs they follow via email, in which case their views won’t be part of your site stats. It’s people who use WordPress.com mainly as a way to find and consume posts, but who don’t often — or ever, for that matter — visit the Reader or their own sites, if they have one.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I love personal blogs because I find them more relatable. I write my blog from a personal perspective but write it anonymously to protect some people close to me.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Sometimes I feel as though I’m intruding into other peoples life when I read a personal blog. Should I offer words of comfort or advice to someone I don’t know? But then from a writers point of view, I guess thats the beauty of writing a blog as there are things that you might not even tell those closest to you, yet you can do it in the virtual world.

      Liked by 2 people

    3. I prefer personal blogs, in fact that is probably 90% of what i seek out (although had until recently mostly stepped away from blogging at all).

      I don’t seek them to support others per se, I seek them because I am person whose imagination like to try to envision scenarios and so when I read a post I try and picture the surroundings etc as if I was there myself .

      For example in your post I tried to imagine driving along that highway seeing those billboards, even though Ive never been to that area I tried to imagine the car, the interior, the people, was music on, the weather, the trees etc all of that, personal posts allow me to do this better.

      As an aside to that, some observations is I may. I found the post quite long, the beginning had me gripped but I wandered off a little as I progressed through, also the scene you describe at the beginning is in the US but you use the term Mum rather than Mom, are you originally from the UK?

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks for your response, Moi. I really appreciate it.
        I’m generally descriptive in my writing and actually cut a lot of my blogs back to keep them readable.
        At what point do you think a blog should be categorized ‘Longread’?

        Liked by 1 person

      2. You’re welcome. Baring in mind I was reading your post on an iPad (I am not sure yet how it would scale on a PC) I would say if you have to scroll more that twice the full length of the screen then that would be a long post. But then I guess it is also down to where you read them, for me I was at work inbetween tasks and generally am used to more bite sized posts. Whereas at home with no work distractions I can concentrate more (if that makes sense?)

        I think I got about 50% of the way through your post before I thought to myself, ‘wow this is long I wonder how much longer it is”

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Hey there! Came on here for some critique on my new color scheme. It’s white, purple, and black. Also on the content. I am posting a poem a day and I also post other random stuff. Here are some posts:

    https://ramblingkori.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/campus-bookstore/

    https://ramblingkori.wordpress.com/2017/02/02/33365/

    https://ramblingkori.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/25365/

    Any other feedback that you want to give, please go ahead. I will try to go through the comments and read as many posts. Happy Blogging!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Hi everyone,

    My latest post (1300 words) is about the act of brutal “ragging” in Sri Lankan universities. I’ve drawn parallels between this and a study in psychology. I would like to know if, in your eyes, I’ve been able to articulate this comparison clearly enough.

    I’d also like to know tif there are any similarities with your local universities from different parts of the world 🙂

    https://thamara.blog/2017/02/05/what-does-a-prison-and-a-university-have-in-common/

    Liked by 2 people

      4. I wish that were true, but lets just say I’m trying to make the most of situations and working them to my advantage. Not working yet, but I’m trying….:-) Good to see you here however, truly.

        Liked by 1 person

  20. Ever-so-good Monday to you, all of you bloggers and blog followers out there! I have just published some new posts today, including the return of the story serial event, “A Girl Named Cinderella”; I have also published other new posts yesterday, too, and check out all of the other posts of the past few weeks, all at my ever-so-colorful blog, #KALEIDOSCOPE, at http://www.j2w7.wordpress.com!(P.S.-I wish that ALL of you bloggers and blog followers out there could each be my Valentines, since Valentine’s Day is coming up soon…)-JW

    Liked by 3 people

  21. Hi all, it’s been a good week for my blog this week. I’ve written a post on my music of the month series, as well as the gaming piece analysing the ‘rage quit’. I’d love for you to read it and for you to let me know what you want me to read of yours. Thanks. Matt.X

    Liked by 3 people

  22. Hey guys..
    As you all know Valentine’s Day is near, I wrote a poem on love.. Hope you all read and enjoy..

    I Love You..

    And you singles out there, don’t worry your life partner is also there living his/her life and going to be there for you when time is right..

    Liked by 6 people

  23. My latest post is about being overwhelmed, particularly if you are working towards social justice and have multiple marginalized identities. Check it out and let me know your thoughts. https://notesfromanaspiringhumanitarian.com/overwhelmed/

    Additionally, for folks out there who involve themselves in social justice work, what are some methods you use to take care of yourself? How do you know when it’s time for you to take a break?

    Liked by 5 people

    2. You have a very nice way of writing. Even though what you were saying was quite generic, I felt like I am reading these things for the first time. You know exactly where to add gifs and quotes. Loved it 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

  26. Howdy all!

    I’ve never written a “news-worthy” post before, but I find myself caught up in the political corruption scandal here in Romania. As an American citizen, living in Bucharest, I’m trying to make sense of all the dramatic political events taking place both here and in the states.

    Would love any feedback (especially comments on the post!) you have on the quality, readability, and convincability (extra points for making up a word btw).

    http://www.almostunsalvageable.com/protesting-corruption-bucharest/

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Hi Gabe – just read (and liked) your post! I really enjoyed the story you told, taking us through the timeline of events and your own personal reflections. I had vaguely heard about the protests via North American news, but this helped me really piece together a fuller story. I also loved the connection you made between real-world politics and House of Cards, and your own dilemma on whether to join in on the protest. If you find these kind of issues interesting, I would encourage you to keep doing politically-related posts from time to time!

      On your specific requests: I would say both quality and readability were very high. I’m not sure how to evaluate “convince ability”- I believe your version of the events, but were you looking to convince us of a larger point? If so, perhaps some sort of concluding section on a particular take-away or action you’d like us to take would help.

      Again, great job! Looking forward to more posts 🙂

      Liked by 4 people