Mar 13, 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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    7. This is so true. This hit me recently along my journey and Ive been trying to change my ways. I’ve broke up my latest piece into 3 different parts. Much easier to read and helps readers digest the content as opposed to skimming! Great post.

      Liked by 6 people

    8. Thanks so much for this! I was worried my first few posts were too short, but it’s what I am comfortable with posting for the time being. Great tips on structure too!

      Liked by 5 people

    9. I enjoyed your post, but I have to admit I’m in the opposite camp when it comes to length of entries. I more subscribe to Maciej Ceglowski’s tagline over at Idlewords.com: “Brevity is for the Weak”.

      Many, many people have time constraints which preclude them from settling in and digesting a 3000+ word tome all in one sitting, of course. Others may have the time, but their years-long exclusive diet of 144 character Tweets and 5 line FB memes now make reading anything longer than a Yelp review a viscerally painful task. Still others may not enjoy reading lengthy works because they just don’t enjoy reading lengthy works. These groups are all valid audiences who should be catered to, certainly. And fortunately for them there ARE many authors who subscribe to your “shorter is better” tenet.

      However, there is an equally large (I hope) group of readers who actually prefer longer reads. Witness the fact that right here at this very website you can click on the very popular “Longreads” section of WordPress. How many blogs have you read where the author sings the joys of getting lost in a good book for hours at a time? I know I’ve seen that sentiment repeated many times, by many writers. And I can say, as one of their number, that well crafted blog entries of even extreme length are just as joyfully consumed as published books. I would hate not having the option to read them again if everyone adopted the “be brief” mantra.

      I’m a Professional Word Usin’ Guy (a radio announcer), and my professional tendency to run off at the mouth often crosses over to running off at the keyboard (Exhibit A: this reply). But I love it. I love act of spinning tales into stories and stories into epics. Damn the torpedoes, full speed to paragraph 80! I like to think also, although it’s not for me to say, that I’m able to sustain the interest of readers in even my most Brobdingnagian word spills. Breaking up my entries into two, three, or even more installments would ruin the intended flow. For people who enjoy settling in to a good Longform read read over their morning coffee, that’s a real consideration.

      Hmmm. I really did yammer on there, didn’t I? Thanks for indulging me nonetheless.

      We now return you to your regular-length program 🙂

      Liked by 4 people

      1. First, thank you for the comment, I appreciate!

        I understand your point. And I’d like to specify, because it was unclear in my post, that I don’t think that “shorter is better”, though I don’t think “brevity is for the weak” either. There can be genius in any format. I love getting lost in a long book myself (as in 400+ words). I also do enjoy reading a super long blog post from time to time, but like you said, it has to be well crafted and as “to the point” as a shorter post.

        Being a radio announcer, I have no doubt that you do know how to sustain your audience. You’re a professional. I don’t have the pretension to give writing advice to professionals. *You* could teach *me* a lot about sustaining people’s interest, not the other way around.

        But because I write about writing, people – beginners – ask me for advice and sometimes… I just don’t know where to start. My knowledge in education is fairly basic, but I do know better than to point out everything that can be improved at once. And since, when I try to make is as short as I can and point out only one thing, I still end up with a 500 words text… meh. I don’t see myself posting that as a comment to one’s post, lest I insult them or something. So I ended up making a generic “help yourselves” post, and I think I’ll keep that formula for “what didn’t work” about the texts I read, and comment on post only pointing out “what worked”. You never know the thickness of the other person’s skin, and the last thing I want is to discourage someone from writing.

        One last thing! I went on your blog and read a few posts. A priori, they don’t exceed a 1k words… that’s “medium length” for me. I’ve seen 2k and 3k word posts: those are the one I’m most likely to bail on. When they’re awesome, it’s perfect: the fun lasts longer. When they’re clumsy… I never finish them, when I could finish an equally clumsy 500 word text and *comment*. Because that’s what most people want, I think: comments on their post. It’s a notch better than a like. It can even be useful for later.

        So… yeah, that’s what I had in mind when I wrote this.
        Again, thanks a lot for your comment! It makes me see where I wasn’t clear, and what information I should have included. I’m considering editing it one last time.

        Oh dear, talk about long-winded.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Thank you for the considered (and lengthy, woo hoo!) response, it is much appreciated.

        I understand what you’re saying, and for the most part agree. The only points I might contend would be 1. for me personally, receiving comments are not a raison d’être to write. I write for the satisfaction the process itself brings, and would continue writing even if I knew I had no readers, let alone comments. and 2. after decades of doing both, I can’t comfortably say any more that if one is good on the radio one will ipso facto be a good writer. The obvious surface similarities don’t go far below the surface, so I would gladly take writing advice from you or any of the other luminaries around here when it comes to crafting a better post.

        Unless the advice was “shorten it up, pal”, of course 😉

        Thanks again for your thoughtful response. I’ll keep your points in mind as I continue forward 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  2. Hi everyone, with a busy couple of weeks ahead I am currently working on writing a few scheduled posts but you can check these out in the mean time. If you leave any feedback be sure to comment your site as well so I can check it out 🙂

    Reviewing Makeup Products Under $6
    http://kayleemarieblog.com/2017/03/06/reviewing-makeup-products-under-6/

    How to Become Organized
    http://kayleemarieblog.com/2017/02/17/how-to-become-organized/

    Liked by 16 people

      2. You’re very welcome. I’ve dipped my own comment into the pool as well this week, asking for feedback on my ‘long reads’ section. Would you be interested in stopping by and offering an opinion?

        Liked by 2 people

    5. Hey Kaylee, I like your blog, it’s a nice clean cut look. I would recommend for you to add more content to each blog post. You’ve got the skeleton there, but you need more content. For example, on the $6 page, honestly, as a reader, I don’t really want to see a product description of each makeup item. I can find that online when I buy it.

      What would be interesting is to show me how the makeup made you *feel*. This is your blog and YOUR opinion. For example, “I wore this $6 foundation to the gym, and even after working out, it stayed on and looked great! I was able to go right to work after exercising because I wore this foundation. That made me feel like I can handle my busy day! Here are before and after photos of me wearing this product at the gym and after the gym on the way to work.”

      Pictures of you wearing the actual makeup would be very valuable to the reader. Then they know that they can trust you since you actually tried the product.

      Also, I think it would be cool at the end of your posts to show a brief summary of your final recommendations. For example, in the $6 post you mention a lot of brands. It would be cool if you said “Kaylee’s Pick: The best makeup product for under $6 was…” Tell me which one I should be buying!

      Anyway, you’re on your way to a great blog. Write your content for “what will make my reader’s day better” and everything else will fall into place!

      PS: if you’re able to give me any feedback on my site, I’m at http://www.lexirobertson.com 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Bloggers: There’s not much fiction in our world. When you see it, do you read it? If yes, why? I love reading fiction; I’m always in the middle of a novel or a book of short stories, but honestly, blogged fiction strikes me as a complete waste of time to me. I’m not sure why this is.

    Regardless, here’s a (rare) piece of flash fiction from me. It’s sort of creepy, but not much of a stylistic stretch from my normal non-fiction pieces. Would love some feedback. https://jefftcann.com/2017/03/12/tiny-man/

    Liked by 10 people

  8. Hello, I am a new blogger so I just wanted some feedback on first impression of my site and how easy you find it to navigate. Any feedback is welcome 🙂

    Liked by 8 people

      2. I loved the colors you chose, I also though it was extremely easy to navigate around your site. I also liked how I was able to click on the category for those specific types of posts.

        Liked by 3 people

    2. Your blog’s really easy to navigate and your blog posts are wells structures and written. The only thing I’d suggest is adding featured images to break up the main page. Other than that, what I read was really engaging.

      Liked by 1 person

      5. Hi Carol, sorry I am later in writing this than I had hoped. I love the look of your blog, it’s very clean and most of all professional looking. The homepage in particular is very easy to navigate but at the same time full of interesting features. My only suggestion would be to perhaps think about the relative sizes of the images to the writing, I found myself having to zoom in on my browser to find a comfortable reading size for the font, especially for the longer sections of text.

        Liked by 2 people

      6. Hi, thanks for the feedback. If I’m honest I was hoping to get some feedback more on the actual writing but I appreciate you taking the time to offer your opinion. I’ll take a look at the font size and see if there’s something I can do.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. Sorry for the misunderstanding, at the moment I am quite unwell with a mental health problem and find concentrating on lengths of text quite difficult at the moment so I’m probably not the best person to do that. Sorry.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. It’s okay, tennis is not for everyone. I wanted to try writing long articles, and I couldn’t find any other topic that inspired me as much as my redeemed excitement in being a Roger Federer fan.

        However, you might some articles in the blog interesting, I suppose. The remaining ones are shorter and simpler to read. Thanks for dropping by and getting back to me, though. Much appreciated!

        Liked by 1 person

  12. Greetings!

    My blog is a smorgasbord of topics and writing. I blog about my battle with depression, parenting, rant about topics that set me off, share short stories and poems etc…Really you never know what I will come up with next. (I blame the daily prompts for this)
    This past week I wrote about the good and the bad when it comes to being an ‘over-thinker’ -Can you relate? Here is the link: https://theyoncecalledherpumpkin.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/you-say-ruminate-i-say-illuminate/

    and I wrote a poem inspired by International Women’s Day. I hope that you enjoy- especially since I jumped out of the shower to get it out of my head!: https://theyoncecalledherpumpkin.wordpress.com/2017/03/08/sisters-in-spirit-a-poem/

    I would love to continue to connect with you all, hear from you- see what you’re up to… etc…

    Cheers!

    Liked by 13 people

    1. I also write about mental health topics so I’ll have a look at yours. On a first glance I find it amusing we’ve both got the same theme and colour scheme!

      I like the way you write, it is very conversational and it makes you feel like you’re just having a friendly chat rather than dealing with a heavy topic. Will check your poem out later.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Hi! I will certainly stopped by and check your blog out! I love connecting with others who are also advocating for mental health. Our sticking together is what is going to make this world a better place! Thank you so much, I love hearing feedback on my writing style. 🙂 Chat soon! 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

      1. Thanks!Glad you enjoyed it! I left a reply on your comment! Provided my kids continue to give me some peace- I will be off to check out your blog soon! 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  14. Hey all!

    I’m one of a trio of recent grads who are writing a politics/current events blog. We started writing about 9 months ago, and we’ve really enjoyed doing it and have accrued some following, but have had some trouble breaking into the “next level” of readership. I was wondering if you all had any comments on our layout or writing style. Here’s our most recent post

    https://finestbagelsblog.com/2017/03/12/speed-cameras-metal-satans/

    thank you all so much! We appreciate the feedback

    -John

    Liked by 11 people

    1. Time to update your bagel background – no more Capitol scaffolding (;
      But in all actuality, love the idea of blogging as a trio. I think you have a good layout for your content/blog style

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Hahaha good point about the scaffolding. Personally I always liked the scaffolding, I was interning on Capitol Hill at the time and I thought it was incredibly symbolic… The very seat of the American Republic under construction, just like our own system of government, which is ever (if slowly) evolving and changing and being improved.

        Glad you like our layout though! I’ll be sure to visit your blog too

        -John

        Liked by 3 people

  15. Hello creatives,

    I’m giving you some tourist tips in my new post, check it out http://wp.me/p729Ts-sU

    If you have a read of mine, please comment with some tips also for the layout of my blog, I feel like its dark and dull.

    I look forward to hearing from you. And also feel free to follow me on my other social platforms 😉

    Liked by 12 people

    2. Although the site header image is attractive, an image with food or menus might coordinate better with your content. Your image on your posts are a good match. The posts are organized well. I like the way you give a tip and the cost on each place. Since returning visitors will be seeking your latest post, it might be a good idea to put the latest one at the top of the page. In others words, March, then February, then January. https://gracelead.co

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Thank u for the feedback. I need to do more expat lifestyle because that’s what my blog is meant to be expat lifestyle related. So thanks for helping me realise I should really need to put more content on that

        Liked by 2 people

  17. Been a while since I caught up here, but good to be back wishing you all a Happy Monday. This post is not a new one, but part of a fantasy fiction. chapter realease in four parts as a taster to see if the project was worth fleshing out. I’m now looking at revisiting it if feedback suggests it’s worth it. Anyone popping over will be chased down and followed 😊

    Thanks in advance

    https://fictionisfood.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/dragon-stone/#more-1589

    Liked by 7 people

    1. For me, I think it helps build up the text. But they it depends on the context on the post. For poetry, I don’t think it’s a necessity in comparison to a lifestyle blog.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I guess this is my problem… I feel that if I have to “illustrate” a poem it is either not good enough or it’s a mixed media piece

        Liked by 2 people

      1. Is the slider part of a specific wp theme? The fact that wp mobile reader doesn’t respect line breaks doesn’t help much.

        Liked by 3 people

    4. I’ve been blogging for over a year. In my experience, adding featured images to posts tends to increase views. Also, I feel that images help to enhance your​ blog post. Make sure you optimize the images, though. You wouldn’t want your blog to take a lot of time to load. 😊 Just a suggestion!
      I’m heading over to your blog now.

      Liked by 2 people

  19. Hey! Would love some feedback on my blog! I’m an Indian Teen Blogger with a love for photography and writing.
    See ya there 🙂

    Liked by 15 people

  24. Hello people, I am a new blogger started at the dawn of this year. I have been writing short stories mystery, social and small paras. It went well in most cases. Touched love stories just twice and did not get the needed response. I invite you to visit my blog and drop a feedback which might help me improve the love flavour in my blogs.

    The Techno Love

    Liked by 8 people

  29. In honor of this being the week leading into St. Patrick’s Day, today’s Monochrome Mondays is an Irish one. Please let me know what you think. Also, my regular posts are a pairing of my own photographs with music. Something that fits the mood, season, or weather of the photo. I have some new ones I will be sharing in the next week or so. Happy Monday all!

    Monochrome Mondays

    Liked by 7 people

  30. Happy Monday All! I run a Video Game and Geek Blog that touches on binge watching TV shows, nostalgic games and shows, video games tips, tricks and reviews, and fan fictioned battles between 2 different characters like subzero and Mr Freeze! It would mean a lot if you checked out our blog and gave your opinions, I would be happy to return the favor! You can find a lineup of this week’s upcoming posts via the link below!

    https://gamersunitedgg.com/2017/03/12/upcoming-posts/

    Or Read This Week’s Overlooked show here

    https://gamersunitedgg.com/2017/03/13/hidden-treasures-7-unreal/?wref=tp

    Thank you and have a great Monday!
    -Luna 🙂

    Liked by 6 people