Sep 4, 2017 / Community Pool

Community Pool

Where WordPress bloggers support each other with feedback and advice.

The Community Pool will be closed for maintenance next week (September 11) — we’ll see you again the following Monday (September 18)!

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 more information about custom domains, advanced design options, and other enhancements for your blog? Find the WordPress.com plan that’s right for you.

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.

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.

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.

Show Comments

1,044 Comments

Comments are closed.

Close Comments

Comments

  1. The Star Blogger Award voting will be held later this week (Thursday), so today I wanted to put focus back on my motivational post:

    http://howtoaddict.com/theres-hole-soul-cant-fill-motivation

    With regular schedule these posts seem to be getting great response. I have been thinking about how I can expand on that and provide even more to readers. What often comes to mind is to maybe take questions on motivation and answer them. But that takes willing audience. Plus, I would need to expand on why I am the right person to answer motivational questions… not sure if I can tell people something like: ‘check my About page, then come back’.

    Curious to hear what you, fellow bloggers, think. So, please let me know – how would you expand on this motivational series of mine? Or, do you have any question on it that I can answer here?

    Liked by 24 people

    3. Hi Doc! I like the idea of taking questions. It’s a bit like a “motivational advice column.” You could take an individuals question and answer it, but ensure you’re expanding it to cover more universal themes.
      I also think, to your point on whether you are the right person to answer the question, you might consider adding personal anecdotes on how you’ve overcome a similar or related issue, or know someone who has. I always find that examples help to ground the discussion. We humans LOVE storytelling, and personal examples (or examples from out in the world that you’ve read about) can be powerful ways to share a message.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. I find it hard to allow myself to write about my own personal struggles. At least directly – I’ve always felt like I would be whining. And I hate whining.

        We’ll see, I guess. I definitely understand how I could connect better with my audience if I wrote about my own sufferings. Just not sure I’m in the right mindset to write that kind of blog posts.

        Thanks for your feedback Angela – you got me thinking.

        Liked by 4 people

      3. One way to go at it indirectly would be to find examples of public figures who you admire who might have gone through something similar.
        I totally get it, though. I don’t share personal stories unless I’ve reached a place of detachment from them. They are true stories about me and my life, but I don’t feel protective of them anymore. There are some stories I’m not ready to share. Maybe I’ll never be ready to share them. So, you’re certainly not alone in that.
        I think of it like loaning a friend a book. If I’ve already read the book and I know how it ends, I’m happy to give it away and maybe not ever get it back. But, if I’m afraid they’ll wreck it, or keep it, then I know I can’t loan them that particular book. It’s the same with my personal stories.
        Now I’m rambling… 🙂

        Liked by 4 people

      4. Public figures and their struggles… that’s great one. Because in essence – all our struggles have already been experienced by someone else. Plus, blog post is likely way more engaging and visible when it’s about celebrity then about me.

        I’ll think about it and definitely give it a try in some form. I’ve actually been thinking about something similar – I wanted to write “I hate Tai Lopez” post for last 2 months.

        It’s still a question of how to write it in a way that’s not “gossip piece”. But I think I can pull it off.

        And please – if this is you rambling – keep doing it ;). Can’t imagine how productive you are when brainstorming if this is rambling 😉

        Liked by 4 people

      1. FAQ is pretty good idea – maybe I can touch upon stuff that people often mention but never follow up. Like workout – how I got myself to exercise every other other day. Or how I got from couch potato to running 3 miles in 25 minutes.

        What I honestly struggle with is how to present it in a way that doesn’t come across as bragging. If you have idea on how I could solve this – I’m all ears (or eyes… since I’ll be reading it I guess ;).

        Liked by 2 people

    3. I loved your blog. It is certainly beautiful! However, I would enable comments on each of your blog posts, so that your followers (or anyone else) can communicate with you.
      You definitely will receive a follow from me!

      Liked by 7 people

      1. I am so bad with the technical side of things. I didn’t even know that you couldn’t post comments on all of my posts so thank you for letting me know.

        Like

    6. I liked your post! When I went to school back in 2001 for Graphic Design, we learned on a vector program called Macromedia FreeHand. I much preferred it to Illustrator, as I found it simpler to use. It’s now obsolete, and I’m no longer in the work force, but I still have a copy from way back when that I use for myself when the occasion arises.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I have also found that Illustrator glitches a lot for me or I have to press things multiple times to get them to work. I do like Illustrator though. It just takes some getting used to.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Such a fantastic post and great to hear how you have positively spun some negative remarks. Blogging can be tricky because we put our heart and soul into our blog and throw it out there for critique – and some people can give critique in a positive way and some people just criticise without offering any constructive feedback. For the record – I think your blog is looking fantastic.

      Liked by 5 people

      2. Thanks so much for the kind words! I guess what I’ve learned is that even when people aren’t constructive, there’s often a kernel of truth in there. And even when they are constructive, we don’t have to accept everything they say as an accurate critique.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Very true! Feedback is an important thing to learn to give and receive – sounds like you’ve got it sorted!

        Like

    2. Seems I missed a lot last week – didn’t browse comments at all actually. As for critique that was sent your way:

      1) Is obviously wrong – it is there as a crutch for negative feedback
      2) Again wrong, reblogging is your personal preference
      3) This is up to you and moderators to decide, not random person on the Internet

      I think you handled it great – provide constructive response and proceed the best you can. You turned it into another blog post on your site that’ll likely be well visited – so it’s definitely win for you 😉

      Liked by 6 people

      1. This was actually from two weeks ago. I was on a family vacation last week so didn’t have time for the Community Pool. Thanks for your note Doc — I appreciate it. (By the way, it looks like the community pool is closed next week! We’ll have to find a different way to connect).

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Hi Kevin. I’m sorry to hear about your negative experience. I’ve had some disagreements in my comments before but nothing so blatantly stated. I usually have wonderful feedback and interaction here, too. I think that’s part of being in a community. However, you handled the criticism well and I give you props. Thanks for sharing and keeping on blogging! 😃💫

      Liked by 6 people

    4. Good afternoon and thank you for sharing your post. I do agree that it is disheartening to get negative feedback. But as long as you are enjoying writing your blog and you are happy with the content then that’s what matters.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Thanks for the note! I agree mostly. But for me, blogging is more than journaling. I’m not doing it just for me – I’m also doing it to connect with others. As long as I have some people who like what I write, I’m happy!

        Liked by 1 person

    7. I think that the way you choose to promote your blog is up to you and the direction that you want to go with it. I cannot agree with the commenters statements because it seems that he/she isn’t really intending on being constructive although it may appear that way. It seems more to me that it’s coming from a place of frustration and it’s hard to judge the merit of the claims being made. Keep doing what you’re doing everyone may not appreciate it but

      Liked by 2 people

      3. My thoughts exactly! Creative works aren’t always appreciated the moment they’re created, but whether or not the true value is realized immediately doesn’t take from it’s worth as a whole.

        Like

    9. Kudos to you for taking this feedback to heart and analyzing it in a thoughtful way. The other blogger was right–you know you’re really connecting with people when you get both positive and negative feedback. Keep on truckin’!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Appreciate your note Rebecca! I’m sure it’s true that the more successful something gets the more criticism it gets. So here’s to a future for both of us with a lot more criticism!! By the way, love the keep on truckin’ … feels very rust belt. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    11. Aahhh what a critique from that person. I would have collapsed it was me. But, hey, keep your head high. I only noticed you from this forum a couple weeks ago, and I have liked your posts. You handled the situation so well.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks so much Michelle. I sort of did collapse for a few hours actually. Thankfully I was able to put things in perspective and pick myself up. By the way, do you have a blog? It’s not linked from your profile.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I do have a blog. Can I leave a link here on this thread? Btw, I will try link it on my profile. Thank you!

        Like

      1. Thank you Simon, I just changed the font color to a darker color. I hope it will appear better on your screen as well as others. I wanted it to be different than the other text but didn’t think about how light the color was.

        Liked by 4 people

      3. Great advice! I’m torn on the LinkedIn idea for me, personally. I have a freelance writing biz (working for universities, mostly) for which I have a site with a blog–and I share that with my LinkedIn contacts. However, I haven’t shared my creative WordPress blog with my LinkedIn contacts, worried that they’ll be confused–or worse, worry that my creative writing/reading/blogging will hamper my work on their university projects. Hmmm. Will be reading your post over again to see if your advice might work for me. Love your site–I’m following. Maybe you’d check out my latest post: https://rustbeltgirlblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/02/what-kind-of-place-is-this/

        Liked by 3 people

      4. That’s an interesting dilemma. I’m not sure, but I have found the community very supportive. Good luck. I’m sure you will figure it out. Maybe send out a post asking your contacts for advice on this?

        Liked by 1 person

    8. Thanks for sharing Kaylee Marie! 😊

      I might have to look into sharing my blog via Pinterest too! I was just worried about managing it across too many forums. Does anyone else have any tips for this?

      Like

  8. Hey all! Happy Labor Day!

    I blog about how to become better bloggers and writers. I like to empower my fellow bloggers with short inspirational posts. There’s something for everybody.

    Please lemme know what you think of my blog here: https://thegoldenlands.wordpress.com/

    If I can return the favor, let me know!
    Cheers!
    Dom

    Liked by 17 people

      1. Thank you! It’s the worst thing about a food blog – when you’re hungry it’s terrible! Just had dinner myself though so can get back the motivation again!

        Like

    2. Best of luck with your balance of teaching and cultivating the little minds and finding some “me time” for yourself. Thank you for sharing! 😃

      Liked by 2 people

    6. I enjoyed your insightful post. Thank you! And I hope maybe you have one or two inspiring kids this year–either that or some down time, so you can get that inspiration back. Can’t imagine working with kids all day–even my own! So, thank you for that! One design issue on your site–on my laptop screen (which is quite small) the balloons block some of your tagline. If that matters to you.

      Like

  16. Hello everybody, Simon from To Cut a Short Story Short here, with another chance to have a look at an article I published recently on the one year anniversary of my blog. In under two weeks it’s become my most ‘liked’ post to date! It’s entitled ‘One Year of My Blog: 20 Useful Tips!’ and addresses many of the problems faced by beginning bloggers whilst still being of use, I hope, to more experienced users.

    https://simonjwood.wordpress.com/2017/08/22/one-year-of-my-blog-20-useful-tips/

    Liked by 10 people

      1. Thank you for reading and commenting. I find we just never know anymore. Last year we had two tornadoes touch down with no warning, not even the storm system was a warned one. It was an anomaly. I know it gave a lot of us anxiety for awhile when even a small storm approached.

        Liked by 1 person

  20. Hello everyone! I’m Chrissey and I write all about fashion, beauty, life, food and everything in-between on The Unabridged Sass! Here is my newest post, I’d love some feedback, as I did something a little different and shared what I wear to work in a week!

    https://unabridgedsass.com/2017/08/31/what-i-wore-to-work/

    I’d love to hear what you think! Also, I’m looking for some new blogs to discover and read so please share yours!!!

    Chrissey

    Liked by 14 people

  21. Hi everyone! I run a daily blog that’s British words and phrases themed but the examples are original writings of my own!

    I hit some fun milestones this weekend: reached 1,000 visitors AND 5,000 views. Wow! Holy smokes, friends, THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT! ❤️

    So my link this week is for another special milestone. My first continuation mini stories has ended. I suppose one doesn’t have to read the previous stories to get the gift of this one. Here’s the link:
    https://britwitblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/03/chat-up/

    But if one is interested in the entire series, check out my series page and it’s under “Fortnight.”

    Happy swimming, blogging, and Monday! Cheers. 💫

    Liked by 17 people

      1. Thank you so much! I appreciate it and love getting, hearing, and seeing feedback and the blog soar. I appreciate it. ❤️

        Like

    4. Woohoo! Congrats on this huge achievement! Your blog is totally awesome for achieving this.. keep up the good work..!
      And if you can, do check out my blog, I’ll appreciate it. Anyway, enjoy the moment! 😊😁

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh, thank you so much for the lovely words! It’s still a bit mind-boggling to hit all these fantastic milestones. Hopefully you enjoy reading it! 🙂

        Like

    6. Congrats on the milestones! Those numbers seem enormous to me! I’ll continue to dream 😉
      Loving your mini series! Will go back with a cuppa and read some more. Thanks for sharing! Have started following you ☺

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh, thank you so much! Means a lot to me! 😁 Don’t worry; you’ll get it soon enough! I never fancied I would get to them either. I’m blown away by it daily. Chin in! It gets so much better, this blogging thing.
        How sweet! I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you want a guide around the blog. 😃❤️

        Liked by 1 person

  22. Hi all,

    This is my blog and I hope you all would check it out and leave some comments!!!

    https:\\munabanana.wordpress.com

    Have a great week ahead!

    – Munabanana ☺️

    Liked by 11 people

    2. I definitely enjoy your layout and astronomy theme. Fellow space geek here. I was recently given permission to share some wicked pictures of the recent solar eclipse on my blog (taken in Oregon during the totality by someone who knew what he was doing!) I was so excited to share them. They’re truly amazing photos. I will be following along for your space insights alone. Best of luck to you (blogging and IVFing!)

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Really good stuff read them and yes emotions uncensored instant follow would be great if you can read our first post and get some feedback on how we can improve thank you

      Like