So, here’s the exciting news: my website is currently the project of an ambitious design student. And this initial process involves detailing the steps we’ll take to create a more innovative and effective site. What do I mean “we”?
Well, I get to answer vision questions. And I’m currently asking you to answer vision questions too. Will you take a moment, with these:
1. What motivates you to come to my site?
2. What kind of information are you looking for?
3. How would you like to be notified about new work and/or readings?
The more data the merrier.
And speaking of promotion, I’ll be in New Orleans for Saints & Sinners Literary Festival, May 14-16. If you’ve never been, come check it out.
Well, I’d like to say I only come here to perv on your pic…but that’s hardly a serious response…so serious it is…
I like this site because it’s soothing. It really is…that whole “sea blue weirdness”…but that’s one of the only reasons I like it. This particular site I don’t find very user friendly…the search feature is rather iffy…and access to your blog is not easy through it. And I know this because I, too, read the whole nine yards. And when I’d leave off…I couldn’t always remember where I’d ended. So that’s a feature I feel needs improvement.
I guess it all depends on what you’re willing to share. I’m in the midst of trying to think of my own website…looking at what others are doing is good research. You seem excited about whom you have on board to design it for you…that’s cool.
You should definitely keep up those blurbs and reviews…and utilize both FB and myspace and your site to better serve your interests. You’re getting a lot of attention…you should show off *grin*. But yes…self-promotion is an acquired habit.
I wish you luck. The best of luck.
~Rebecca
Awesome! Thank you for being specific and critical (in the best sense). This’ll be madly helpful for my design goddess. Also, that picture is roundly hated by half the people who see it, so thanks for being in the other camp.
Hey, you’re welcome. It took me the better part of the day to come up with a good response (not a bad thing). And as for camps…I try to choose the ones with the most comfortable ground *grin*.
~Rebecca
First, I have to agree with the above commenter, I am in the like the picture camp. I don’t see what’s not to like about it, but that’s just one person’s opinion I guess.
Now onto the website. What motivates me to come to your site is the simple fact that I love the two books of yours that I’ve read. When I find fabulous new writers (or even just new to me writers), I tend to get really excited.
I come to your site to get information on your books and upcoming projects. I seem to remember at one time, that there was information about your books here but for the life of me I can’t seem to find it now, which is a problem. It looks as if the website is just the blog. I generally want to get information about books and events straight from the author’s mouth, so to speak. That’s missing from this website. If the only information about books and events are only part of the blog, that isn’t very helpful for someone who doesn’t visit the website on a daily basis. I concur that the search portion of the website isn’t very user friendly.
I think links to specific blog posts about certain topics would also be helpful.
I do really enjoy your blurbs and posts. I definitely want to keep seeing that as part of the website.
Certainly, I am no expert on putting a website together, the above are just a couple of things I’ve noticed. No matter the changes, I will continue to come to your site for inspiration and information. Best of luck with the new web design adventure.
That’s exciting that you’ll be at Saints and Sinners in New Orleans. I’ve wanted to go the past couple of years, but I haven’t been able to make it.
-Tiffany
Tiffany —
Excellent advice. Thank you in particular for the feedback about the blog search engine, and the site browsing. The links to the books (in the right margin of the home page) are not currently showing up on PCs apparently and that is, as you stated, a problem.
Very cool of you to take the time to visit my site, and write out your experience.
You knew I’d have something to say. More! You what people(like me)like? Photos! Excerpts! Upcoming events and appearances! Videos!
Seriously, what I love about your site is your blogs. Pithy, original, honest, revealing, thought-provoking, genuinely interesting. Yours is one of the sites I check every day to get my dose of head-clearing.
I like how easy it is to leave comments. Some sites make that difficult.
Thank you, Bett. That’s wickedly groovy of you. More is something we can do.
i come here because it’s fascinating to see right into someone’s brain- random thoughts, projections, genuine emotion and unabashed opinions.
i like the idea of topics being more searchable. i am glad to read relevant info on your up and coming projects as you post, but i suppose it would be handy to have an option to search.
as far as being notified about new work/readings, i suppose a designated page would suffice for me. truth be told, i’m a blog addict. i’m a sucker for a blog that is rich and genuine.
Tina — you’re mad groovy. I appreciate the encouragement.
I strangely have very little to add to this discussion. Except, I miss the calendar. And dislike the fact that you are now “admin.”
Yikes! Sorry about the admin thing. I was tagging blogs in a half-assed way.