Can you please critique my blog?

[Pavlovthecat]

I would like some feedback from you wonder bloggers. Feel free to tell me what you like about it, but, for once, I am not after praise and back patting. I want to improve it, so that people come to it, and then return. Of course I know that not everyone is going to interested in my story, and don't want them to be. But I would like it to be engaging enough that if it is relevant to people, if they might be interested then it will capture them to return.

The purpose of my blog is, well probably the same
as many:

1. to be a diary of my life, which, to be honest I should have started long before now when my deep dark pit was huge and i was at the bottom, but, it is a way of having an outlet for my feelings, in a way I have used MN over the years, but in a more permanent traceable form so I can track my progress.
2. to provide knowledge to others experiencing chronic pain know they are not alone, to feel they have others out there who understand.
3. in time, to maybe provide useful information, directions and support to others who are where I have been/am going.
4. to link up with others who have been/going where I am, so I can learn from them.
5. to practice my writing, my organisation of thoughts, improve my creativity, learn/keep up to date with social networking, so I don't fall behind with technology as I have done.
6. not too conerned about huge following, and massive stats, but a nice long term group being established over time would be nice.

I am not happy with it. I am not a patient person and suspect I rushed into my initial blog, so I know the layout and how it looks needs changing, I want to use more photos but my camera is crap. I am saving up for a better one so I can use some more arty shots and making it visually appealing. I have seem some amazing, well written, beautifully presented blogs, simple, engaging, and many have brought tears to my eyes with their emotion, lots have made me want to go into the kitchen and cook, some have increased my motivation to get on with my own 'wish list' and get back in the sea. Mine is nothing like that. I think it is boring, and well, mostly a bit full of self pity.

But I need your feedback. Real and honest. Please. what is wrong, what things you think would make it better, what is missing, how can I improve it.

winecantcurebackpain.wordpress.com

thank you

yes i remember your name then too

I'm stupidly pleased by the post, not least because The Power of Mumsnet is also one of my favourite topics. I'm a real believer in the Internet as an enabler for the voice of women. I really hope it spells good news in the long term. And I still eye my glass shower screen with suspicion every time I give the kids a bath!

I'm reading this with a great big smile on my face. I LOVE mumsnet xxx

Me too, Pebbles. I am smiling and sniffing back tears.

MN has always been an emormous support for me. There have been times when the 'strangers' on the other side of this screen have picked me up when I felt unable to get up on my own. When I could not function for vomitting during my pregnancy, when I could not function for lack of sleep after my second child was born, when my back issues became unbearable. There have always been people who have experienced similar things, who understand completely. And as such I have tried to offer support to others when I have had the experience and share my good news here too.

There have been so many instances when MN has just amazed me at how quickly support can be rallied, and how, despite being 'strangers' we do in fact 'know' a lot of each other quite well, as well as distant friends or colleagues, but with a little more care about us. This is one of those times when I feel enormously proud to be a mumsnetter.