Fanfare! Updated website needs review please!

[Robin]

I've long needed to update and coordinate my 'online presence' (god, I already feel sick listening to myself). Anyway - something that needed to be done as part of an all-round commitment to getting my work out there, and demonstrating to potential agents/publishers that I do actually give a shit about vaulting the myriad obstacles that are thrust or simply grow out of the bloody ground, frustrating an aspiring author.

Sorry... back on track...

Of course, I'm also looking for connections to other writers/readers too.

Can anyone please have a look at www.robinswrite.website and let me know what you think/areas for improvement?

Thanks

Robin

 

[Marc Joan]

My thoughts:

• It's a beautiful website - nicely laid out, great pictures, not too much text, pages not too busy, easy to find your work [that said, I got bored of waiting for the first piece to download, so I cancelled it - will have to come back to it when time is less pressing - not sure if that is an issue with my internet connection or your website]
• Found a typo - 'Synopss' under 'Gospel of the Machair'
• Question - why squarespace rather than Wordpress? I ask because I hope to make a website for my writing at some point, and my [piecemeal] research suggested that Wordpress was best for flexibility, SEO optimisation, etc.
• Basically, it looks really good, and I look forward to coming back and reading your pieces when I have more time.

 

[Robin]

Thanks, Marc. Good feedback. Typo corrected!

As for why Squarespace; I've tried quite a number of website builders, and frankly anything that requires a great deal of work is immediately off-putting. In the past, I've used Joomla, Drupal, Interwoven, Wix, Wordpress, Google Sites, Dreamweaver and even built my own from scratch using HTML, back in the day. Wordpress and Squarespace are similar in terms of their relative ease of use, IMO, but Wordpress still requires that you need to sort out the domain management etc yourself. Squarespace takes care of all that (for free within the subscription). That's the first major reason for my decision. Secondly, Squarespace sites tend to look 'pretty' without needing to be a graphic designer! The templates they offer from scratch are of a very high standard. Of course, some people don't want a template-based website (they can tend to look similar) - an alternative that I played with for a while is PageCloud. Also very pretty, but entirely flexible.

There's another website builder coming soon. I touched on it in my recent blog - The Grid.io. Supposedly it relies upon an AI to create one's website design. It's very much in beta at the moment - but I'm curious!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

It looks very sleek and professional Robin, and I enjoyed, if that is the word. No, I appreciated The Apothecary's Tale. Admirable skill and what a very, very, bad, bad boy.

 

[KG Christopher]

Hi Robin, I like the site its a very powerful author bio.

My only concern would be the number of different fonts and sizes?

 

[Richard Sutton]

It is very engaging, in a kind of remote, ethereal way. I like the design and the numerous images as well as the floating/sliding mechanics. If you tend towards the ethereal and somewhat bleak, then it would be a perfect platform for your work. If your work is a bit warmer and more easily accesible, then a warm-up in tone might be in order which would only be a possible introduction of a warmer background color and possibly a narrower column width and larger type size, making for easier reading. But then if your target reader is younger, not old an' cranky like me, then it would work well as is, IMHO.

 

[Robin]

It looks very sleek and professional Robin, and I enjoyed, if that is the word. No, I appreciated The Apothecary's Tale. Admirable skill and what a very, very, bad, bad boy.

Thanks! Sorry you couldn't enjoy A.T. It is a little grim...

 

[Robin]

Hi Robin, I like the site its a very powerful author bio.

My only concern would be the number of different fonts and sizes?

Yes, thanks, agreed. I'll have another look at that. Appreciated.

 

[Robin]

It is very engaging, in a kind of remote, ethereal way. I like the design and the numerous images as well as the floating/sliding mechanics. If you tend towards the ethereal and somewhat bleak, then it would be a perfect platform for your work. If your work is a bit warmer and more easily accessible, then a warm-up in tone might be in order which would only be a possible introduction of a warmer background color and possibly a narrower column width and larger type size, making for easier reading. But then if your target reader is younger, not old an' cranky like me, then it would work well as is, IMHO.

Thank you, Richard. And noted - very perceptive feedback! I think I'll take bleak over warm, though. I'll also look at increasing the font size in the text. Thanks again for taking the time.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Thanks! Sorry you couldn't enjoy A.T. It is a little grim...

Don't be sorry. Art above all. It was the teenage girl that got to me, scratching to get out. Sobbbb.

 

[Sea-shore]

Hi Robin, very professional looking. Just the right tone for your style of writing with all the wonderful atmospheric photos and stark stylisation.
The content was great but I would feel a lot more satisfied if you could put in a few more teaser samples of your work to read, but all the more to look forward to.

Any agent/ publisher checking up that you've done a good job with your website would tick that box.

 

[Robin]

Don't be sorry. Art above all. It was the teenage girl that got to me, scratching to get out. Sobbbb.

If it makes you feel any better, Desiré Au Lac is, of course, the personification of an innocent Vietnam in the 1970s...

 

[Robin]

Hi Robin, I like the site its a very powerful author bio.

My only concern would be the number of different fonts and sizes?

Thanks again, Kevin. Discovered that the problem was some style 'saved' when copy-pasting text from other locations. I think I found all of the little blighters now... maybe...

 

[TonyaRMoore]

You did I really nice job with your site. Crisp, clean style and it's responsive -- I like it.

 

[Marc Joan]

Finally got to read 'The Apothecary's Tale'. Wonderful story, very skilfully written. Loved it.

 

[Patricia D]

I like the visual impact of the website, which appears to be a highly professional job. But you asked for critiques; they are few.
I found the pictures on the first page - the link from this thread - to be a little dark and hard to see. When I wanted to go back to that page, I couldn't get there. Was there a "home" button I missed?

I enjoyed reading The Apothecary's Tale. It represent you well; made me want to read more that you've written. I found the -- for whatever reason -- in the introduction confusing and don't think it adds anything.

The picture of the faucet is gorgeous in color.

 

[Robin]

Super feedback, thank you, Patricia. I've updated the 'My Work' page. I think it's much better now - thanks again.

For the main images, they are supposed to be dark (bleak, as somebody said) and slightly esoteric, but I'll lighten them and perhaps it'll be less depressing! As for the Home button in the nav, I toyed with putting one in, but clicking on the title is the equivalent. Not sure whether to add that to the nav or not.

Cheers
Robin

 

[Robin]

I like the visual impact of the website, which appears to be a highly professional job. But you asked for critiques; they are few.
I found the pictures on the first page - the link from this thread - to be a little dark and hard to see. When I wanted to go back to that page, I couldn't get there. Was there a "home" button I missed?

I enjoyed reading The Apothecary's Tale. It represent you well; made me want to read more that you've written. I found the -- for whatever reason -- in the introduction confusing and don't think it adds anything.

The picture of the faucet is gorgeous in color.

PS. What a wonderful word - faucet !

 

[Robin]

Finally got to read 'The Apothecary's Tale'. Wonderful story, very skilfully written. Loved it.

Thank you! That's really kind.

 

[Patricia D]

@Robin Faucet is new to you? Do you say spigot? Something else?

I liked the bleak and depressing - it was just hard to distinguish things. I don't think a little lighter will make it cheerful.

 

[Robin]

@Robin Faucet is new to you? Do you say spigot? Something else?

Spigot! I love it

Much more boring in BritEng I'm afraid - simply 'tap'. Faucet is not entirely new to me as a word, but to see it used in context just tickled me...

 

[J. Rook]

I've long needed to update and coordinate my 'online presence' (god, I already feel sick listening to myself). Anyway - something that needed to be done as part of an all-round
Robin

This is definitely one of the better websites that I've visited. It's neat, clear, a little minimalist (which I like) but also there is a dynamic quality about it that comes through your reflections and sample writing pieces. I particularly like the "Tips and Tricks" list. Perhaps the homepage banner lettering could be larger or contrast in some other way with the dark, rather absorbent background.

 

[Robin]

This is definitely one of the better websites that I've visited. It's neat, clear, a little minimalist (which I like) but also there is a dynamic quality about it that comes through your reflections and sample writing pieces. I particularly like the "Tips and Tricks" list. Perhaps the homepage banner lettering could be larger or contrast in some other way with the dark, rather absorbent background.

Yes, thanks, and agreed re. the homepage banner/title. Changing now....

 

[Madeleine Conway]

I really liked it - colours, fonts and all. I too use Squarespace, have to get down to working out my widgets a bit better...