I’m a big fan of constructive criticism. I love a perspective other than my own. I even love being made to feel uncomfortable. That may sound weird, but I am a firm believer that good things, i.e., growth comes from discomfort.
After all, The Silver Pen blog was born out of an awkward conversation in which I was told that if I wanted to continue writing, I needed to up the ante. GULP. In a good way!
The bottom line is that: if there is some way, any way that I can be better or do better, then I am eager (excited, even) to figure out how. That said…I’m hoping that you all will provide me with some constructive criticism of The Silver Pen. It’s nearly a month old and I feel like I have my sea legs (or is it blog legs?).
One of the things I’m super excited about is the Conversations category in which people are sharing their Silver Linings. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. Truly. Hearing stories of triumph over adversity and finding hope in some pretty yucka circumstances makes my heart sing.
I’m also super excited about The Silver Pen Tumblr page and The Silver Pen Facebook page which, by the way, in this short month has accumulated an astounding 10,000+ Likes. I’m so blown away and excited and stunned by it.
So, c’mon. Please Bring It On. Not only can I handle it, but I would really appreciate it!
What are you liking or disliking? What can be better? Any other area that you would like to see explored. Please tell me what is on your mind!
Applaud us when we run; Console us when we fall; Cheer us when we recover.
– Edmund Burke
I don't exactly know why but I just don't like the large photos being at the top of the page. While I do love them, I guess I am always in a hurry to get right to your words and having to scroll down, well, you know.
Great point, Lori. I'll work on moving the images down. Thanks for your feedback!
i honestly would not change a thing. i come here ea day for a silver lining and get it. so i'm happy. i am not dealing with cancer in my own personal life, but a close friend is and trust me i have a ton of issues i'm working on and your silver linings literally save some days for me. you are doing an awesome job.
xo
janet
Wow. Thank you, Janet! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!
I love your site. I am technically challenged from chemo and life so I have trouble returning to the places where I can read and write with other warriors. I see today conversations highlighted in pink but for me to find it again will be a challenge. 🙂 JoAnn.
Thanks for your note, JoAnn. I'll keep adding hyperlinks with high hopes that it will help with the fuzziness. Boy oh boy, can I relate to that!
I love what your site looks like – you've inspired me to make my blog better. I will add more later – but keep on doing what you're doing!
Thanks,
Chemo tomorrow – (SL – 3/4 done after tomorrow)
Thanks so much, Mary! Best wishes tomorrow. Love THAT SL! Take good care.
I honestly can't think of any critique to offer that would improve the Silver Pen. I absolutely love your Facebook page and find it so inspiring to read the postings of other breast cancer "sisters." It's a wonderful place to share comments, thoughts and suggestions, to support each other and even just to commisserate when we need to gripe. I've even made a couple new friends through the Silver Pen after just discovering your site a few weeks ago. So all I can say is "thank you" and just keep following the path you've taken because I think you're really making a difference for a lot of us.
Thanks so much for your comment, Cathy. I'm so excited that you've made some friends through The Silver Pen. Amazingly wonderful! Thank you!
My thoughts are "Does Hollye sleep?" "How can she pull all of this info together in a post FBC state?" Everytime I look on your site, I find something new. It is like a quilt wrapped around my shoulders…in the midst of this radiation that I suddenly find myself in, I loose myself in the silverness and the sisterhood. I just flit and float and find so many goodies…recipes, other blogs, touching letters, moving letters, books to read, photography. If I think of any improvements, I will let you know. But for now, do not spoil my getaway….Thanks for giving so freely of yourself.
Thanks so much, Anne. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your note!
I like the others above can't improve your page as a wise man once said to me "If you are perfect why change?" So why change, it's really good the way your are writing it now and improving every day in every way as we are all getting better & better! That wise man will be 101 yrs. on Dec 10,2011 & we call him Mr. Christmas & is so young at heart,my mentor!!
Thanks a million, Joan! Your note means so much to me!
I can't imagine you doing anything more than you're doing! It's beautiful, honest, heartfelt, interesting, funny…. get my drift? It's really great… BUT, my only gripe is with your followers!!! Come on guys, if you enjoy a post – let Hollye know with a comment, a sentence, a word! Okay Okay, I'll backtrack a bit….. No pressure folks! You don't have to write, but come on!!!!! eh hem, no pressure!
Tee! Hee! Thanks, Kim!
p.s. For me, I would miss your pictures at the top of the page.
Thanks, Kim!
The only (possible) room for improvement is I wish there was an easier way to read the postings when you are reading them in chron. order. –i.e., just the titles listed on a page, so you could maybe choose from the first 30 (rather than the 4 or 6 per page that it shows now)…. I have to click several times from the beginning to get back to where I left off.
I really have no criticism about the content, just a lot of praise…. The one thing I love about your blog is the balance in it … I came here because of my own breast cancer, and I am finding reading your experience to be very validating (as well as educational). But I love that you change your posts around and intersperse them with quotes, good reading, information about your family (and Buzz!), travel, or whatever. Yes, we have cancer, but we have a life too, and I love that you are finding the silver linings in life, both inside and outside of cancer. I have also found some of the non-cancer information (on bookstores, health, safety, the ideas conference, etc.) to be super useful. Really enjoy the photos that you post too.
This is super, Cheryl. I'll see what I can do. Thank you so much for your feedback. I really appreciate it!