Comments on: How To Design For Readers http://www.novelr.com/2009/02/21/how-to-design-for-readers Writing, Publishing and The Internet Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:36:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Eli James http://www.novelr.com/2009/02/21/how-to-design-for-readers/comment-page-1#comment-3165 Eli James Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:40:19 +0000 http://www.novelr.com/?p=489#comment-3165 Sorry for the late replies, guys, I was caught offline for way too long. @Jim, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Though to tell you the truth, at my current level of emotional involvement with Legion, I probably won't care how you present your site ... I'll still read it anyway. It's the new readers you've got to worry about ... @Ashley: glad to help, then. =) @Bob: Oh yes indeed, you should. Your blog's quite readable, actually, though you may want to give thought to the new reader, the ones who don't have the patience or the inclination to trawl your archives. @Gavin: I'm back now. Sorry about that. =S Sorry for the late replies, guys, I was caught offline for way too long.

@Jim, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Though to tell you the truth, at my current level of emotional involvement with Legion, I probably won’t care how you present your site … I’ll still read it anyway. It’s the new readers you’ve got to worry about …

@Ashley: glad to help, then. =)

@Bob: Oh yes indeed, you should. Your blog’s quite readable, actually, though you may want to give thought to the new reader, the ones who don’t have the patience or the inclination to trawl your archives.

@Gavin: I’m back now. Sorry about that. =S

]]> By: Gavin http://www.novelr.com/2009/02/21/how-to-design-for-readers/comment-page-1#comment-3164 Gavin Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:28:17 +0000 http://www.novelr.com/?p=489#comment-3164 has anyone heard from Eli in a while? has anyone heard from Eli in a while?

]]> By: Omneckron Genesis: Online Fiction » Changes afoot http://www.novelr.com/2009/02/21/how-to-design-for-readers/comment-page-1#comment-3163 Omneckron Genesis: Online Fiction » Changes afoot Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:55:31 +0000 http://www.novelr.com/?p=489#comment-3163 [...] In particular I was struck when after reading this post on designing for a digital audience that reading online fiction may not suit the blogging format. When I showed the blog to a friend he found the format of the blog style annoying and [...] [...] In particular I was struck when after reading this post on designing for a digital audience that reading online fiction may not suit the blogging format. When I showed the blog to a friend he found the format of the blog style annoying and [...]

]]> By: Bob Collins http://www.novelr.com/2009/02/21/how-to-design-for-readers/comment-page-1#comment-3158 Bob Collins Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:47:55 +0000 http://www.novelr.com/?p=489#comment-3158 I just started putting up some chapters of a portion of my auto-biography and haven't even given a thought to design. Maybe I should start. I think Ashley's money was well spent. I just started putting up some chapters of a portion of my auto-biography and haven’t even given a thought to design. Maybe I should start. I think Ashley’s money was well spent.

]]> By: Ashley Ladd http://www.novelr.com/2009/02/21/how-to-design-for-readers/comment-page-1#comment-3155 Ashley Ladd Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:56:20 +0000 http://www.novelr.com/?p=489#comment-3155 For a long time I tried to make my own website. Finally, I gave up and hired a designer. I do the maintenance but she got me started. I love the look and think it meets most (hopefully all) of the criteria you've mentioned. I'll have to try some of the other tricks you mention above. For a long time I tried to make my own website. Finally, I gave up and hired a designer. I do the maintenance but she got me started. I love the look and think it meets most (hopefully all) of the criteria you’ve mentioned.

I’ll have to try some of the other tricks you mention above.

]]> By: JZ http://www.novelr.com/2009/02/21/how-to-design-for-readers/comment-page-1#comment-3151 JZ Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:38:39 +0000 http://www.novelr.com/?p=489#comment-3151 Hey Eli... This appears to be one of your less commented on posts, but it's probably because it's a big issue and one that most writers don't really have opinions on. I read "A List Apart" regularly. It's a great website to read when thinking about this sort of thing. My current website violates a few of these ideas (though I don't think it's horrible). That being said, getting a website right is a long term process and includes a bunch of tweaks even after you think you're finished (people involved in software engineering think that 50% of an application's cost comes in later maintenance. Websites likely aren't much different). Personally, I'm still in the process of figuring out what the key points of my next redesign are. I'm thinking that they have to include: 1. Readability 2. Ease of starting the story and finding where you were if you stopped partway through. 3. Room for advertising should I someday want to accept it. 4. Avoiding having a million little blinky spots (that make it harder to find the story). I've noticed a lot of sites that do take advertising/have online stores have this problem. 5. Creating community through making comments prominent. How this will translate into font/layout decisions remains to be seen. Hey Eli… This appears to be one of your less commented on posts, but it’s probably because it’s a big issue and one that most writers don’t really have opinions on.

I read “A List Apart” regularly. It’s a great website to read when thinking about this sort of thing.

My current website violates a few of these ideas (though I don’t think it’s horrible). That being said, getting a website right is a long term process and includes a bunch of tweaks even after you think you’re finished (people involved in software engineering think that 50% of an application’s cost comes in later maintenance. Websites likely aren’t much different).

Personally, I’m still in the process of figuring out what the key points of my next redesign are.

I’m thinking that they have to include:
1. Readability
2. Ease of starting the story and finding where you were if you stopped partway through.
3. Room for advertising should I someday want to accept it.
4. Avoiding having a million little blinky spots (that make it harder to find the story). I’ve noticed a lot of sites that do take advertising/have online stores have this problem.
5. Creating community through making comments prominent.

How this will translate into font/layout decisions remains to be seen.

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