Have you noticed anything new in these digs? Anything? Anything? I’ve always been so jealous of those who have such writerly sites – the ones with a white background, and black font & content. Just like a sheet of paper in a typewriter.
This morning when I woke up at 4am with a sudden and unexpected fear entitled “oh-my-god-what-if-my-computer-suddenly-got-soaked-or-my-boat-sank” I knew I had to so something immediately. What would happen to my hard worked forty-one thousand, two hundred and eighty-five words that is my work-in-progress, my novel, my labor of love, my Unique – Story of a Girl?
Matters needed to be grabbed by my hands. Imminently.
So I hopped on Twitter, because I’d been @’ed. Then I clicked on my Instagram because some of my new pic peeps were dialoging with me. My response was needed. Then I followed through with my other guilty pleasure: Hello Facebook!
Once all these matters had been settled, I followed through with other important and urgent matters. I re-designed my blog. Ta-daaa! What you see is what you get. Black on white, bitches!
The whole time I had a nagging feeling.
My dishes are clean, and put away. My face is washed. I’ve eaten nearly half a baguette with aged cheddar, and raspberry jam. I’ve added the item “raspberry jam” to my shopping list. I checked my Facebook notifications. Again. Followed new peeps on Instagram. Pimped others on Twitter.
I still had that nagging feeling.
Looked into my hotmail junk box, because one never knows. Found an invitation to join a local writers’ group THIS SATURDAY. Replied with an obvious “Fuck yeah, bitches!” after clicking on the this-is-not-junk button.
That nagging feeling would not leave me alone.
I launched my beloved Scrivener so’s that I could’s write’s some more’s. And then. BOOM! The light came on. I advertised my new blog look on FB asking (begging) for feedback.
No really. I did all that before saving my entire novel (hee hee, it still makes me giggle) and emailing it to myself. The ol’ save it to your free online foolproof method of keeping documents secure and secret method. Unique can now rest easy. She will not drown into the abyss of the Pacific Ocean.
I’m stealing El Guapo‘s Polling idea. I need your opinion and I clearly cannot think for myself:
my cyber house rules 
I prefer simplicity in design, and i like this design better. I’m pretty good at making websites look good if you want some additional help.
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Sure! If you have any tips or suggestions, always glad to hear. Congrats on the job btw. 🙂
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i rather like a clean page look…a nice color header is not bad but i am def not a fan of adds and buttons….so black and white it is…its cool…smiles.
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Thanks B’Man!
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Whew! For a second there I thought someone came in & stole all your color and your widgets and gadgets and other whatsits. The clean look is nice. Simple, honest, free of distraction. Yup… Totally distraction free… Just the reader and your words… No bells or whistles here… or widgets… or gadgets… or even whatsits. Not a whatsit to be seen… Anywhere.
*smacks lips*
So what is there to do around here?
I’m just yanking your chain. Of course I love it!
PS. What happens if the internet suddenly disappears & your computer sinks into the ocean?
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What is there to do other than lip smacking and chain yanking? Nothing, really.
p.s. I do have a poll though, that’s something right?
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I also favor the clean and simple look, as I’m so easily distracted by bright colors and shiny things that my attention…ooh! Squirrel!
My blog is as boring and basic as they come, but considering I’m not self-hosted and have no clue how to do anything techy, it is what it is. Yours looks nice!
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I’m not self hosted either, are you trying to tell me something? 😉 I’m not quite satisfied with the header… Hopefully Cheney will rescue me!
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Heck no! And I haven’t changed my header in years because I don’t know how to make a new one, which is why you are light years ahead of me, my friend.
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Re-doing headers is what I do when I wake up at 4 after going to bed at midnight… I have no life. No squirrels or cats to take care of. I’m alone. Muwah!
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why does the universe give me examples each and every day about how ALIKE you and I are, Abby?
😉
Squirrel!!!
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I liked your design in colour. I love the carnival colours 🙂
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yeah. You’re breaking my heart. How can I have the carnival colors but the white’ness? Tried my original header on white, it was just too — different?
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How about just having the red stripes on a white background with black text over the top? Still simple but also keeps the carnival feel. Not that I can talk, my blog page looks pretty boring at the moment. I thought about changing my profile pic to one of me at my 5k race, then I realised there’s a whole row of portable toilets behind me in the photo 🙂
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Awesome! Instead of calling it Johnny-on-the-spot it’s a Sas on the spot (shot)!
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I love the changes you’ve made! Clean lines but with just enough red to symbolise the carnival. Awesome 🙂
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I like the new b/w header. The site has a nice, clean look to it… uncluttered. (Not that the old look wasn’t nice too, it was lovely.)
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It is uncluttered. But I think I’ll keep working on my header. It gives me something to do!
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The black and white is nice..but you know I am more a colour girl.
All that really matters is what you feel. If you love it, then it is perfect
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I’m honestly not sure!
I loved the header before, but it really didn’t look right on a white background. And when I visit a sheer white place I’m always so green with envy. And green stands out awkwardly on white so, you know.
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Can you tweak up the header with a touch of red perhaps? Like some of the stuff you have done on Instagram? Mostly monochrome with a pop ( just me thinking..)
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You know… that’s a really good idea. I’ll see how I can add SOME color. I fully agree with you!
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I just changed the colors on the tent, actually left the red as it was originally and the yellow stripes are now grey. Added grungeness to the overall look too so it wasnt so clean…
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I like it a lot. Still keeps the nice black and white but the red is awesome.
Are you happier with it?
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Yes! I am, much happier. I will probably keep tweeking though. You know how we can get about stuff like this. It’s never done. (I know you’re most likely the exact same way) and thanks for your feedback to keep trying!
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Lol, you are talking to a woman who is constantly changing her blog theme. One day I might find one to stick to
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😉
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BTW… changed the header again. Just couldn’t handle the low low color of it. I now have something that really meshes and blends with me more! 🙂 And more color. But not loud, or at least not too loud. Lemme know whatchya think!
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It looks good, but your old one worked too.
In the end, it should be the one that makes you happiest.
Of course, there’s no reason not to change it again after a while if you like…
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The new header looks great. I like it a lot. Might have to get you to do one for me one day 🙂
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😉 anytime!
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I didn’t see the old as its my first time here however I think its great! I started my blog two days ago and added a background that repeats itself but nothing fancy with fonts or colors. No need for people to get distracted with the colors when I want them to focus on the words!!
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Here’s the thing…do YOU LIKE IT?
who cares if we like it..(just for the record, I LOVE IT, I F**** love it) but who cares if I do? I want you to feel GOOD, Inspired, Motivated to write here…and if this space does that for you (I suspect that my new site prodded you…kept you up at night, wouldn’t let you enjoy your mojito until you tried it) then it’s not right (no matter what we say)
when I was doing the new site with Kim she was very clear, she’d suggest, she’d help, but in the end I needed to feel GOOD when I logged in and wrote there.
I love the new header, the white, but I want you to know that I’d read you if you had a pink background and black/green/giraffe words because I love coming here FOR YOU, not for what it looks like.
XO
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I love it (now more than ever, I had three other headers which I tried but just couldn’t stand the sight of them) this is so me. My clown nose, my little dude with the eyes on the bottom (who cares what people thought of me as I stood outside in the sun against a white wall to take a pic of my clown nose hanging from my finger…)
Yes. This is now my true home. Sorry I don’t have any pink. I’ll have to figure out a way to include the pic a friend took of me on my boat, I’m all dressed in pink! ❤
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Kir, I hear you. But design goes beyond aesthetics. Layout, colors and font size and function affect traffic and readibility.
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The site looks fabulous! I’m so thrilled that you updated it. A clean white background is the way to go. Reading light type on dark backgrounds is tough. Way to go, lady!
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Thanks! …coming from a pro, I really appreciate it. My text background has always been white (I have old eyes) but the outside background was dark. Yet what I have achieved here, I believe is truly what I’ve always wanted in a site. I’m very happy, it’s me. Totally me!
😉
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Gurl, I’m late but here. I love the clean look but more than aesthetics, black on white helps old eyes and every reader with eye fatigue. Color, small font and too many gadgets add up to distraction bolting. There are several writers’ whose work I love but I spend little time on their blogs because of design not content.
Speaking of design, I wish more bloggers would reconsider font size. That vintage type font is cool but it, too, is hard on the eyes. We’d do better among readers to consider design and functionality of our blogs. A screen is not a page, a phone is not a laptop and 19 inches and 42 inches are vastly different. Find out how most of your readers are accessing your blog and use a font that’s optimal for the majority.
Okay, this is becoming a blog post I’ve been itching to write so I’ll stop.
Back to you, sweetie. I love the new layout. I prefer blogs that don’t have side columns and ads. Do appreciate the extras after blog features.The fewer the distractions the better. I’m old. What you now have makes it so much easier for me to not only read what is current but to actually spend time enjoying the body of your work.
Thank you,
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I like it, but now I’m jealous of it so I hate it give me chocolate! And hey – how’s that novel? Mine’s, um, languishing, but far from dead.
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