Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Website Content

This is topic Website Content in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

Okay, I signed up with Wordpress. MeredithMansfield.wordpress.com now exists. Don't get excited. So far, it just says "Hello World", and they put that there, not me.

So, now it's time to work on content.

The purpose of this is to create at least some kind of web presence, which seems to be a prerequisite to being taken seriously by at least some agents. So, the idea is to make it more about my writing than necessarily about me.

I will fill out the "About Me" page. And try to blog, although my life at the moment doesn't exactly provide tons of interesting things to blog about. I do obviously need to come up with at least an introductory blog.

Other than that, I was planning on putting up some character descriptions, starting with one that appeared in the Character Interviews section, here. Possibly some of the background information for the worlds in my various novels. And maybe a couple of "stories" that don't likely have a publication future and happen to take place in the same world as one of the novels.

So, before I start, are there any special copyright concerns that I should worry about? Does this sound like the right kind of content?

[This message has been edited by Meredith (edited February 07, 2010).]

Posted by Dropbear (Member # 8819) on :

Simon Haynes, who provides the free yWriter software has a brief article that may give some tips:

http://www.spacejock.com.au/AuthorWebsites.html

Posted by Kitti (Member # 7277) on :

I'd look around at other author blogs/websites to see what they do and don't have up. You might want to save the free tie-in short stories until you have an editor on the hook (so to speak) and you're trying to build up enthusiasm for a soon-to-be-published novel.

Only author blogs I can come up with off the top of my head:
http://blog.garycorby.com
http://grrm.livejournal.com/

But I'm sure there are more. A lot of agents, I think, link their blogs to clients who blog and/or have blog-websites.

Posted by shimiqua (Member # 7760) on :

If you are trying to be published, and to gain "hey look at how great a writer Meredith is" notoriety, then why on earth would you post unpublishable stories?

I get that you want to show how good a writer you are, but I think that will come across in just the blogs. I would focus more, for example, on; Why you write, why you wrote your numerous novels, what was you inspiration, Who are you, and what do you think about the whole submitting process.

That can be interesting to read, and probably cathartic to write.

Answer the questions you would want to ask your favorite writer. Because if you aren't your own favorite writer, then how are you gonna be anyone else's?

Good luck with it,
~Sheena

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

quote:
If you are trying to be published, and to gain "hey look at how great a writer Meredith is" notoriety, then why on earth would you post unpublishable stories?

Absolutely right. I didn't so much mean that they were so bad they were unpublishable.

For example, I have two stories that are set in the same world as my series. The first, several people liked, but they pointed out that it's really more of a vignette than a story. Not so much market for that. But it could work to show a facet of that world and get people interested in it.

That's the sort of thing I meant. Anyway, I'll hold off on that for now.

I have got at least something up on the About Me page, now. I still have to work on figuring out how to format this the way I really want it.

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

Okay, I've got at least something up on the front page and the about page. Still working on formatting.

If you want to check it out and let me know what you think, it's at MeredithMansfield.wordpress.com

Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :

I've been thinking of getting my blog up and running. I got one years ago because I needed a wordpress username to access my sister-in-law's blog. I have no idea what you should do with yours but here is some of the things I'm thinking about putting up on mine:

1. Reviews (Kind of like OSC's everything reviews, although I think I'll mostly do media stuff, I don't really care about toilet paper and lightbulbs, although I am grateful for them.)

2. Writing news, what I'm working on, what I'm submitting etc.

3. A serial. Yeah this will probably show off how bad of a writer I am, but I think it will be fun.

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

I put up a character page for Valeriah. Some of you may recognize the character.

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

A couple of new posts and a brand new look. Hopefully a lot less sterile-looking.

MeredithMansfield.WordPress.com

I'd appreciate it if you would take a look and let me know what you think.

BTW, as the last post says, the photo was taken in Princess Louisa Inlet, British Columbia. This area is the inspiration for the world-building in DREAMER'S ROSE. Must have made an impression on me. I was there in '96.

[This message has been edited by Meredith (edited February 14, 2010).]

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

Okay, I know some of you are looking at it. It tells me how many people look at which pages. It even tells me that you're coming from here. But nobody's saying anything, there or here. That could be good or that could be bad.

I'm looking for a little input, please. I can't figure out how to make it better in a vacuum.

Posted by Kitti (Member # 7277) on :

We're doing it to drive you crazy.

Seriously, it's starting to look like a real website. There's nothing particularly distracting/difficult to read about the formatting. I do like the picture you've got at the top.

There's a typo in Valeriah's bio: "Other than the compromises I have to make to balance my nautre..."

Posted by MAP (Member # 8631) on :

LOL, Meredith it looks beautiful. I love the scenic picture and the layout. Your dogs are cute.

Posted by aspirit (Member # 7974) on :

Meredith, your blog is starting to develop personality, which is good. The new theme and the pictures help.

Posted by Unwritten (Member # 7960) on :

It does look good, Meredith.

I know you don't use Facebook much, but you should consider sharing your posts to Facebook. That way your friends will know whenever you update.

I'm right behind you on this blog thing--maybe in the next month or two. I'll be coming to you for advice!

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

My story from the second Challenge with Characters is now up on my blog, by permission of TJSwoboda who created one of the characters.

Check out the new Stories page, here.

Posted by MartinV (Member # 5512) on :

I made a blog on Wordpress too but the whole thing is driving me nuts. I want to change some stuff on it and I can't find out how.

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

I've figured a good portion of it out. If you say what you want to change, maybe I can help.

Except for images. I still haven't figured out how to get images to go where I want them.

Posted by MartinV (Member # 5512) on :

It seems some of the features are related to the specific themes. I changed the theme and it's OK now. The bad side is I now use the same theme as you, Meredith. I hope you don't mind.

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

You might have the same theme. (It seems to be a good one.) But you don't have the same caption photo. That one's my own. So they still look unique.

Love the dog photo.

Posted by MartinV (Member # 5512) on :

It's the only theme that is not overy complicated and does not have a white background which makes it tiring for the eyes. And the biggest picture possible.

That's my Loki, going berserk. I took that photo last year.

[This message has been edited by MartinV (edited April 13, 2010).]