New travel blog- all feedback welcome!

[joolsstone]

Hi everyone

I'm quite new here, and to blogging too. I'd love to get some feedback from anyone, but esp. those working / writing in travel on my blog. My loose niche is train travel, but I will branch out to cover other travel and cultural stuff too.

I know I need better pictures and more of them.

Let me know what you think. Link swaps, guest posts all welcome too. :hi:

Thanks
Jools

http:/joolsstone.wordpress.com

[batyler65]

It's a little easier for others if you can create a hotlink to your blog. ;)

I'll add one here so that other reviewers can get to you more easily. http://joolsstone.wordpress.com

I'll go take a look now. :)

[batyler65]

I like your voice and content. I'm not sure about the background choice. It's kind of drab -- when I see it, I tend to think "gritty urban" which doesn't really match up with train travel for me. But that's pure opinion on my part.

I agree with your assessment about photos. More, more, more. :) All in all, I'd say you're off to a good start there.

[joolsstone]

Thanks Batyler

Yes, the theme is just a template one I plucked off wp, there was nothing ideal, but am beginning to tire of it already. I was worried that changing it so soon would look flaky and might also disturb the content that's already on there, but so few people are visiting yet that it prob doesn't matter!

Thanks again for encouragement, for taking the trouble, and pointing out the link issue!

Oh and dumb question I know, but how do I get the url in my signature here please?

Jools

[joolsstone]

Your own blog looks very useful, have just signed up.

Jools

[batyler65]

Thanks Batyler

Yes, the theme is just a template one I plucked off wp, there was nothing ideal, but am beginning to tire of it already. I was worried that changing it so soon would look flaky and might also disturb the content that's already on there, but so few people are visiting yet that it prob doesn't matter!

Thanks again for encouragement, for taking the trouble, and pointing out the link issue!

Oh and dumb question I know, but how do I get the url in my signature here please?

Jools

To get the url in your signature: Click on User CP (top left corner of the menu).

That will take you to the user control panel. Once there, click "Edit signature" in the left-hand menu.

Type whatever text you'd like for your signature, then highlight the text that you want to become your blog link and click the link button in the menu (It's the button beneath the smiley face that looks like the Earth with a chain link under it.)

Enter the URL for your blog in the box that appears, click okay (or whatever the accept button is on the box, I forget). Then scroll down and click "save signature".

Ta-da! All linked up. :)

Thanks for the comment on my blog. I hope you find it helpful.

[Rubay H.]

I like the idea of this blog. I'm a big fan of blogs with a focus, so props there. (I'm following you now and I know that you are the 'train guy'.)
I love pictures!
However, I didn't read any of it! The font was too small for me. Can you make the font bigger or choose a more open font?

[joolsstone]

Hey Rubay thanks, I'll check you out too! :Sun: Yes, I know what you mean about the font. It's one of the drawbacks of the free template I've got. It's odd, if I write up in word and paste it in it imports the formatting fine, see my smoke on the tracks entry, but I haven't found a way of altering it at all in wordpress. But I do like the wordpress dashboard, it's like my virtual notepad now, so quick and easy to jot down a quick post idea. If anyone knows how, please gimme a shout.

Eventually I'll transfer over to the self hosted model I think, which offers a lot more customisation apparently, but I'm non-techie so taking it a step at a time!

Good feedback, thanks guys. I hope you'll keep an eye on it. I'm finding the whole blogging and tweeting thing very liberating and fun. My twitter is jools_octavius if anyone wants to follow there and be followed back.

:)

Jools

[Rubay H.]

Yeah, I use wordpress too, and I love the dashboard, so I refuse to quit, but the templates are a bit to be desired. The bolder templates have the smallest font for some reason.

If you look in the appearance section of your dash I believe there is a way to import fonts but I'm still trying to figure it out myself!

If you figure it out first, let me know! ;)

[joolsstone]

Will do cheers! Yeah, wordpress is fab. Perhaps we should have a wp support group on here, if there's not one already.
J