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| Image by kromkathog courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net |
Her feedback on my website is listed below. Some things I can change, and some I can't.
If my blog is going to be geared toward writers (and the name "Motivation for Creation" implies a blog for writers), I should make sure readers know that up front on my website, or change content. Also, I should have the blog open in a new window.
I can't change the way the blog opens, unless I move my blog, and I'm not willing to do that. So, that is a no change. However, I've been contemplating what kind of content I have on my blog for a while. After three years of writing motivational and inspirational posts, I was already trying to come up with a new direction for blog content. So, I have come up with a new editorial calender, writing about things that interest me and hopefully will interest others (including you, who are currently reading this post.)
Funny Friday Photos will continue, with the addition of a post on Tuesdays which will follow this pattern (to be referenced on the side-bar, as well.)
- Week 1 Tuesday: Theme Park (Themes and values found in the stories I write. These can still be the inspirational type posts, or about other things - like parenting and loss.)
- Week 2 Tuesday: Creature Feature (A look at the different creatures found in the different mythologies.)
- Week 3 Tuesday: Something Bizarre Happened... (An anecdote about something strange or funny that happened to me or I witnessed during the previous month, like the time I saw a cryogenics truck driving on the interstate on my way to work. We'll see how this one goes.)
- Week 4 Tuesday: For the Writers (A writer related post about something I found helpful or think other writers might be interested in.)
- Week 5 Tuesday: Off! There's not many five week months, so it'll be a Funny Friday Photos only week
The header is generic, and I should create one that evokes my books. She stated twice that the cover art for my book is fantastic (thank you, Ivan Zanchetta). She believes that the portal on the cover implies adventure and fantasy, and as fantasy should be the focus of my branding, my cover art would be a great place to start.
This is going to take a little more time and work. I'm kind of concerned that my cover art is different shades of gray (no jokes!) and might make the website kind of a downer. Also, I don't think I'd like the header and the book to be exactly the same. So, I'm going to have to contemplate that aspect of her feedback for a bit.
I do agree that I should look to fantasy to be the focus of my brand. I turned to my Facebook friends to help me come up with a tag line. (Huge thank you, to Rick Bylina, Jo Eberhardt, Brin Jackson and Cathy Yardley for some great suggestions.) I'm trying to decide which one of five I think would evoke both the magic of fantasy, and the adventure that might go along with the portal.
So, that's my plan. Don't be surprised if you click over for Funny Friday Photos and find something new and different.
Have you ever changed up your blog or website?
What worked for you?
Hey:)
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like you've been busy - and are all motivated. (I love writer-themed conferences/events:)
CJ obviously knows what she's talking about and the only thing I would add is not to stress too much about a "strict" schedule.
I've tried it - several different ways - and I always miss a "deadline" sooner than later.
As long as your Voice is in the post, I don't think people care *when* you post on a weekly basis:)
Good luck with all the changes/decisions moving forward :)
Hey, Mark! Thanks for stopping by, and I definitely will heed your advice about not being overly stressed about posts. I don't need to stress myself out more!
DeleteThose are some great comments and also really good ideas on how you want to change your blog. I have not changed my blog - I do not blog often - that is one thing I should endeavor to improve...
ReplyDeleteHi, E.D.! I'm so happy to see you! I have to say, it was super nice to only do Funny Friday Photos. I might be nuts to try adding another day again, but I guess I'll give it a try. I can always change back... :)
DeleteI love your plan, and think you're off to a great start.
ReplyDeleteYou've got adventure, excitement, and intrigue lined-up in your topics; all very appealing. Perhaps riffing what ideas come to mind for your adventuring will spark the tag line you're seeking. Throwing our words to start riffing: uncharted destiny, quest, gateway, portal, breaching black holes, uncommon journeys, wandering off the beaten to worlds unknown or from the beaten path to extraordinary worlds, uncommon divide, rare worlds, phenomena, territory. My recommendation would be to sit and taste as many words as you can, add lots more, make some unusual combinations for fun, and see what strikes you as delicious.
Thanks for the suggestions for the tag line. I'll play with them a little and see what I can come up with. You always know how to get me thinking. :D
DeleteSounds like great advice! If you link to your blog from an external page, you can have it open in a new window by adding target="_blank" to your "a" tag. But like you say, there's no way to open in another window automatically, you'd have to create a new browser tab and key in the url.
ReplyDeleteOh well, I think you're doing well enough out here in the Blog-o-sphere.
Diane - I am so impressed. And only understood what you said to "open in a new window..." Where would I add the "target="_blank" and what is an "a" tag? Is that how I'd create a new browser tab and key in the url. I am so basic. And thanks for the vote of confidence about my blog-o-sphere involvement!
DeleteI dunno if I'd attend a better blogging kind of workshop. There's so much advice out there about writing and blogging that it's darn near infinite. I just try to be myself on my blog and write about things that interest me or catch my eye.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to do an excellent job all by yourself. I have to admit, part of me feels like I'm just playing at being an author, and it really doesn't matter because I'm not exactly a mover and shaker with my book. But, it can be a fun diversion, too. If nothing else, it's fun to play pretend. :)
DeleteGood information. I can see about how it'd be good to make the blog fit your fantasy writing. I'm one of those people who probably won't make a header out of my book cover though either. I just don't want to be changing it every time a new book comes out. (Positive thinking that I'll have multiple books coming out some day. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm on Wordpress, and I'm stuck using their themes, so I just use what strikes me. I don't know enough about how to change little things in them. But when I am closer to becoming published, I'll have to start a author website and then I'll probably get professional help.
Would you send me the taglines you're considering, I'd love to see what they are.
I'll send you an e-mail! I'm thinking professional help would be nice... I have so many questions and just keep playing it ear. I'm a marketing pantser. :P
DeleteLara, I love your plan and think it sounds great. As far as a "brand" or the title of that brand I like the Finding Magic in the Everyday that Jo suggested, or something along those lines. I worked a lot at the beginning of my website development to choose colors and photos of nature and views that inspired me, though I'll probably need to do some major revising at some point since it certainly doesn't "look" sci-fi/fantasy. Anyway, I love silver and if you were to use the cover art from Finding Meara, you could do a background of a bright gray or more silver color that might kind of match that light around the portal? Just a thought. Sometimes simple is best too. Your site right now is easy to read, easy to navigate, and I love the Ben Franklin quote.
ReplyDeleteJo's was one of my favorites, too. I was thinking about using a pearl gray kind of color as the background, too, so you have encouraged me to give it a try, and use picmonkey to create a header out of my book cover - kind of like I did with my author page on Facebook. Thanks for giving me some suggestions. :)
DeleteI like the "Finding Magic . . ." idea. My only suggestion to you is that you may be painting yourself into a corner with the specific themes for specific Tuesdays. I use "Freestyle Fridays" as my Friday theme so I'm never limited to a specific topic. I've tried limiting myself in the past and always ran out of steam along the way.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with whatever you decide.