New Blog Needing A Little Help ? Advice

[psychotick]

Hi Guys,

http://gregcurtisauthor.blogspot.com/


Just a quick request. My blog over on Goodreads fell over for some reason, (The RSS feed wouldn't go to Amazon or Smashwords any longer) and I had to create a new one when the support people there said it was an established problem, but didn't fix it. So I've spent the last couple of days creating a new blog on blogspot to promote my work. However being a member of the techno-illiterati, and never having created a full blog before, I really have no idea what I'm doing.

I'd welcome a few people if you've got time, taking a look at it and giving me a little feedback. What works on it, what doesn't, what can be fixed and what should be binned.

Thanks in advance,

Greg.

 

[Boneman]

Hi Greg,

Really colourful, atmospheric, and visually great. Overall it's vibrant, and works well.

Nitpicking: what doesn't work for me is having two lots of text running down the page, side by side. I just like to follow one 'story' and then another, rather than going backwards and forwards (or up and down, even!). Can you have separate pages for blog/author info/books etc? Because it seems a little jumbled, all fighting for dominance on the one page.

And this might be nonsense, but I'd quite like YOU to tell me a little about your books, rather than Amazon. Naturally I've never been a salesman, and this is probably a good ploy, referring us straight to Amazon, with the 'click to look inside', but it jarred a little, when I wanted the author's input/synopsis/hooklines on his website. Could those brief synopses on Amazon also be on the site as a first entry point? I'm worried that punters might get a bit put off by what could be interpreted as a 'hard-sell'. Something to think of, and I could be talking rubbish... see what others say.

I like the blog, and it's only a personal thing, but I come to the website to find out about authors as well as their work, so I can feel I 'get to know them' a little. You do add personal bits on some of the postings, but maybe mix up some insights into your writing day/how you got the ideas/how Amazon has worked for you/why you were disappointed England didn't make the Rugby World Cup Final (Have you got any fingernails left?)/why you love the NZ summer/why you love Marmite rather than vegemite and so on, as separate posts, rather than add-ons, even if it means it's just a short post of something that occured to you. If your blog is only about your writing and where you are with it, it can become a bit flat. That's entirely a personal thing, and others may say - to hell with that, tell me more about the writing! You can't please all of the people all of the time etc.

Off-thread slightly: Which brings me to the review on Amazon - we can get 200 great reviews but we always remember the bad one, right? You have to remember, that for some people 'reviewing' books, it's a power thing. There was a programme recently on the telly about 'Trip Advisor' where these complete ar****les went round B&B places with the sole intention of destroying businesses if they found a speck of dust in a carpet. It was pointed out by one owner that these people want 5-star £300 luxury for £35 a night. Granted, if a B&B is appalling, it deserves mention, but like Amazon, there is absolutely no comeback for the owners against these jumped-up 'experts'. Ditto for you on Amazon, but you've also had some great reviews, and I'm really pleased you've put it behind you and soldiered on!

 

[AMB]

Two column layout is fairly standard. I wouldn't have the sidebar in black though. It needs to be much closer to the background colour so it doesn't distract the eye from the main column. That said, I'd probably advise against the black with that background anyway, as it adds a cluttered feel to the page. Still, your call.

I'm not sure I like what is going on with the header block. It feels like it is in the wrong place on the page, and coupled with the fact that I have to scroll before seeing the blog posts it made me think initially that the page hadn't loaded properly. If I find this, others might too.

My suggestion would be to add the image to the sidebar (might mean re-jigging the sizes of the columns, easily done), and have something very simple and unobtrusive as the header. Either that or create a landscape version of the image.

The section at the bottom has to go. Bung the links into the sidebar and have a separate page for your books. Place a bit of blurb with each one. Don't just have the covers link to Amazon, have text links as well.

 

[psychotick]

Hi Boneman, AMB,

Thanks for that. Things to think about, and then to try and work out how to do them (I'm really new to this blogging thing and technologically challenged).

Boneman, sadly I have to inform you that I wasn't devastated when England didn't make the RWC final. But in fairness I was deeply worried when France did - they are a sort of bogie team for us. Actually I was sort of relieved when we made the final! (After so many years of failed promises it was a relief.)

Thanks, Greg.

 

[TL Rese]

it looks pretty good to me!
- but i agree w/ AMB that maybe the header pic is a little too long and chunky. i'd suggest turning it into a longer, thinner header that runs across the top, instead.

and maybe add a few tabs along the top, one for each of your books/stories.

 

[Brian G Turner]

A good blog is basically a magazine - full of interesting original commentary, interspaced with interesting images. It is also generally very targeted to a specific audience.

Frankly most blogs are self-indulgent works, but those seen to be most insightful can develop a real following.

But be warned that blogs can become a time sink. You need to decide on balancing the effort taken to blog vs time required for writing.