LiveScience.com has an interesting article on how blogs and websites can give your career a boost. Intrigued, I did a quick search and immediately found Cindy Eng's web portfolio. More a virtual resume than anything, it's simple and yet quite informative about her career in publishing (the daisies instantly reminded me of Lori Devoti, who has made the daisy her trademark.)
I don't think weblogs are static enough to be portfolios, and if you crowd too much bulk data or big graphics onto your blog it can become confusing (especially for those of us who have the attention span of a three-year-old.) Most authors have one-click links on our weblog sidebars that take you to our web sites, which is the easiest and most unobtrusive form of marketing via blog. If you want to know more, you click, if you don't, no problem. Links to online bookseller ordering pages for current releases are also popular, as is using cover art as click-through icons for these.
Monica Jackson and Donna Hill are presently collaborating on Donna's new Wordpress website, which like Monica's own website is eye-catching and yet simple and easy to use.
Alison Kent's weblog has click-throughs that will lead you to comprehensive info on her books, her bio, latest content, message boards, the works -- all via six modest little links on the sidebar.
Personally I covet the subtle linkage over at Holly Lisle's writing diary -- it's all over the place on her page, and yet she's integrated it so well that it doesn't get in your face.
I'm not practicing what I'm preaching, of course, but you've never seen what I can do to poor, unsuspecting HTML. It isn't pretty.
Do-it-yourselfers, for more ideas, specific techniques and even the codes to customize and refine your blog linkage, try my absolute favorite in free weblog design resource sites, Mandarin Design.
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Great suggestions. You're right about Holly's site--she has links everywhere, but they aren't self-aggrandizing; they aren't in your face; and they don't annoy the living daylights out of you. But tons of information is readily available on any page to get you anywhere you need or want to go. I'm continually in awe of her and her myriad of abilities.
ReplyDeleteI love most of the websites/blogs that I have seen done by authors. It gives you a teeny peek into their personality.
ReplyDeleteFor example, your blog gives a sense of no-nonsense honesty.
Side note: I'm thinking of updating my template. Any suggestions?
Heather wrote: Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI can tell you what I like -- subtle, easy on the eyes, simply designs, i.e.:
Faster Than Kudzu
From Distant Star (the sidebar has jogged to the bottom of the blog on this one, so you'll need to scroll down)
Just a Girl
Sea Glass
If you're looking for bolder, more graphic colors against a dark or black background, Renaissance Girl's sidebar is one of the few I can read clearly (I think because she's using light blue font versus white; the latter makes my eyes dance.)
I broke it up by having two blogs. My opinion blog is just getting started, but the other one is for book reviews. With each review, I give a link straight to the page in Amazon where you can buy the book.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm an affiliate. But if you want to buy the book after my review, why shouldn't I make a quarter on it?
BTW, I have no idea who led me to your blog, but I'm enjoying it very much. And yours has led me to Steph's more then once. I don't have the faintest idea who Jake is, but I think I'm falling in love with him too.
Blog hopping...Who are these people I check on every day? I haven't been this confused since I quit drinking.