I'm re-organising the blog a bit, because I have just (after a year) worked out how to create permanent pages.
So I just wanted to do a little bit of market research. Anything else that should go into those pages above? How about the reviews - a page of their own or kept in the sidebar? Should I do FAQ or an interview page? I thought of doing a favourites page - books, films etc...Good idea? Too self indulgent? Am I over-thinking the whole thing?
And does anyone know how I can get more creative than just the basic templates that blogger provides?
The picture of me is one taken last week when I took my daughter for a 'free' studio day..make up, hair style, lots of pictures taken...and then massive hard sell to make us buy hugely over-priced pictures. She looked completely gorgeous in everything, this was the only one of me that I liked (they threw it in free when I forked out vast amounts of cash for two pictures of her).
But I'm waiting for the results of a session I had with a professional photographer last week, who had a very different approach - minimal make up, do your own hair,much more about capturing the real person than creating some glossy image. I'm very interested to see the final results.
It seemed a strange thing to do...one of the many things I never anticipated when I set out to write a book was that one day it would feel neccessary to pay someone to take pictures of me. I resisted it for ages, partly because one of my colleagues in Amsterdam was a fantastically talented photographer, and I kept on thinking that I'd go over there and get Floris to take my picture. But I never did, so I kept on using one that was taken right at the end of our stay in Amsterdam, when I was relatively thin and my hair had been straightened. It's the picture that used to be on this blog and is at the back of When I Was Joe.
The problem with the picture is that now I am fatter (but working on that) and my hair is generally naturally curly and it looks nothing like the current me at all. Thus the new pictures. I should have them by next week.
You may be overthinking it (though that's the kind of thing I do so I can hardly criticise:-), but I definitely think a page of reviews would be a great addition.
ReplyDeleteBetter than having them in the sidebar?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if the latest add-on I'm using with Firefox has stopped me seeing it, but I like blogs with a drop down list of the entries in each month as I find it easier to find old articles in a large blog.
ReplyDeleteI like the colours here, very pleasing to the eye, and I find the text easy to read.
I would say to add a review page to the top. They look nice on the sidebar, but you have to scroll pretty low to get to them. Adding them to the top would make them much easier to find. And I'd say they are a pretty important part of your website.
ReplyDeleteI also like FAQ where authors share about themselves and/or writing. It helps the readers "get to know" the author in a more informal way. Plus it makes the author seem more approachable in my opinion.
As for templates, you can find tons of free ones online. Mine came from The Cutest Blog on the Block.
And I think your picture is very pretty!
I'd def throw up a few more of the permanent pages - that way you get all the pluses of it being like a website (quick access to info for newbies) without losing the centrality of the blog (for returning readers who want your latest stuff on front page). I only just realised you had so much stuff in your sidebar, as you have to scroll down quite a long way to see it all! Faves, reviews etc not self-indulgent at all - think readers like to have that sort of extra connection.
ReplyDeleteLovely pic :) Curly women of the writing world unite!
@Anne - I just made the text a bit bigger! I think the advantage of moving the reviews to a page of their own would be that the blog archive would move higher up.
ReplyDelete@Shalonda. Yes, I think I'll do a FAQ..or maybe reprint one of the nice interviews I've done, with the interviewer's permission. Thanks re the picture - look out for the new ones though!
@Susie..Oh good, that was my thinking. And with a new template I can make the pages more prominent. Yes, we need to be curly and proud.
ReplyDeleteI am another curly-haired woman of the writing world! (And my author pic was taken by a photographer friend, for which I'm extremely grateful as I'm a bit scared of cameras.)
ReplyDeleteI love your blog as it is, but I do think a page would be good for your reviews. Then you'd have more space for other things in the sidebar. (Including a link to your reviews page?) I like all your other suggestions too!
It's easy to change the overall look just by searching for free blogger templates - that's how I changed mine. I wanted a three column layout and something a bit funkier. There are loads, usually just a case of getting the html code and replacing the existing one. Just save the original layout just in case. If I can do it anyone can!
ReplyDeleteI do love that photo of you - it's so vibrant.
A permanent page for reviews would be better, for the reasons Shalonda gives. I agree about the colours -- very soothing.
ReplyDeleteOk, reviews page done. Working on FAQs and favourites..
ReplyDeleteAh that's it! I kept looking at the picture and wondering what was different. It is the hair!
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous - you are like my best mate, she can have her hair curly or straight, black or blonde and although she looks completely different, all looks suit her!
Like the new look blog (and the new look pic)!
Rapunzel x
I didn't even know you could make permanent pages for the Blog!
ReplyDeleteMust check that out.
Oh, sorry, I like the new layout and I like your new pic.
ReplyDeleteI tweeted you a link to blog template designs.
ReplyDeleteMay I suggest a page on school visits if you are going to just have your blog and not a website as well? Just saying that you do them and what you offer. Half day, full day etc, group size you like to work with, whether you offer writing workshops as well as author talks... you get the idea :-)
oh good idea...I'm also thinking of ding a Writing Tips page, not that I know anything..
ReplyDeleteLove the new picture. And why didn't I know you liked Anne Tyler? She's one of my favourites too.
ReplyDelete*Plentymorefishoutofwater - One Man's Dating Diary*
I've got a separate web site for information about me and my books. I just use blogger for blogging. There's a link between the web site and the blog. I think you may find that the more books you write, the harder it gets to contain everything on the blog site. But maybe not.
ReplyDeleteThere's not a lot that I can add, except to say that whatever you do, I'll be more than happy to keep reading.
ReplyDelete