Website to promote my book - some gentle feedback please?

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Website to promote my book - some gentle feedback please?
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OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 1:36 pm Post subject: Website to promote my book - some gentle feedback please?
Here it is: www.yearofthecelt.co.uk Its to promote the book of course but also encourage people to come and walk in the footsteps of the Celts in Wharfedale and view all the stone-carvings, etc. I will be putting some more walks in over the coming weeks as well as extending the info on Celts in Wharfedale. You gentle constructive suggestions welcome.. Thanks (hiding behind the settee)

tim_and_nicky

Joined: 28 Nov 2008
Posts: 261
Location: Beautiful Galicia, NW Spain

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 2:33 pm Post subject:

General comments on a brief look as you hide behind your sofa...
Website looks good, useful stuff and goes with the book brilliantly, the walk looked great and I loved the historical background that showed that this is much more than just a fictional book.

My only slightly negative comment is that the grey background with ring images to my eyes looked a bit glaring. I assume that the images are copies of carvings on the stones but it was not obvious. They looked a bit like space ships or aliens (are they plans of ring ditches?). Could you either make the grey a bit more textured or stoney looking? Or possibly add text to each image with the name of the stone source? Or make a bit less of it?

Obviously take my comments with a pinch of salt, others may love the design.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 2:47 pm Post subject:
Everything looks ok to me and those 'glaring' images on the back round too...once I found explanation from photos for what they are. I'd really like to read your book..but it don't seem to be on 'paper'.. ..any plans ahead to have it printed? I just cannot get used to electronic form..not same.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 3:16 pm Post subject:

Finsky wrote:

Everything looks ok to me and those 'glaring' images on the back round too...once I found explanation from photos for what they are.

I'd really like to read your book..but it don't seem to be on 'paper'..

..any plans ahead to have it printed?
I just cannot get used to electronic form..not same.

Thanks for the (nice) comments on the site.

Getting it into print is all about money. If I can get it on sale via one of these print on demand websites its a possiblity. Going via a 'tradtional' print publisher is just not worth it (too long a wait for a tiny amount of commission).

It would be nice to see it on a shelf though.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 3:19 pm Post subject:

tim_and_nicky wrote:

My only slightly negative comment is that the grey background with ring images to my eyes looked a bit glaring. I assume that the images are copies of carvings on the stones but it was not obvious. They looked a bit like space ships or aliens (are they plans of ring ditches?). Could you either make the grey a bit more textured or stoney looking? Or possibly add text to each image with the name of the stone source? Or make a bit less of it?

Obviously take my comments with a pinch of salt, others may love the design.

I'm not entirely sure about the carvings either - yes they are taken off stones on Ilkey Moor ('cup-and-ring' carvings). Maybe the actual images from the stones themselves might be better? - as long as its not too dark,

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 3:20 pm Post subject:

Excellent site.
Spotted one typo.

Quote:

White Wells - an spring that has been in use for millennia.

Should be a not an.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 3:29 pm Post subject:

Tavascarow wrote:

Excellent site.
Spotted one typo.

Quote:

White Wells - an spring that has been in use for millennia.

Should be a not an.

Thanks for that

I've corrected it now - I would be surprised if there aren't more like that lurking in the text.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 3:51 pm Post subject:

Quote:

Maybe the actual images from the stones themselves might be better? - as long as its not too dark,

If you could get the actual images as back ground...that would be much more 'keeping in the mood' of things.
Get your boots on and camera ready..

DawnMK

Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 895
Location: Buckinghamshire

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 5:43 pm Post subject:
loaded fine, dont like the black writting on a white background though, not always computer friendly for the visualy impared Would like to see more info on the author and someway of contacting the author if I was wanting more details info etc you never know who might look at it and want to get in touch. Otherwise great work keep it up

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 5:51 pm Post subject:

If you want maximum exposure consider the following;

Register your site with Google Webmaster tools

Avoid tables for layout. Those with visual disabilities (11% of Internet users) who use screen readers may have problem with content laid out in tables.

Check you're using relevant and meaningful meta data (keywords and description) in each page.

Sales of mobile devices outnumber PC (of all types) and it's important site are mobile device friendly. Large images can be a problem if the user is on a 3G network.

Not all browsers can view .png images types although this is improving.

bio

Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 29

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 10:02 pm Post subject:

Cannot comment on technical stuff but it's very interesting reading and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I will carry on reading and as i find a typo i will put it in bold but please, if my post hacks you off I will remove it, just ask

I've done a lot of late night typo-ing myself!

Rich in Antiquities
The map show the location of a few of ....

Enclosures
Backstone Beck on Ilkley Moor (E2) has been partially exavated

Rock Carvings
The area has many carved rocks whose purpose is largly .....In the books these are said to represent the sites of indiviudual

Castleberg (F2) sits between ....... so near to the river has lead to specualtion that it

Sources
E.T. Cowling spent years investigating in Wharfedale and pubished a book "Rombald's Way:

The Stone Carvings - what where they really for?
It's also difficult to say if the stones have shifted....or being moved from one location

I'm don't believe there are of any religious significance

Starting off.
At the back of the caf� you will see the spring within a old stone ....
Badger Stone.
It's well having a close look.....

Brilliant informative site but simple enough for plebs like me, i was captivated, would love to go on the walk one day, will try to read the book, jolly well done you should be really proud of yourself

bio

Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 29

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 12 10:05 pm Post subject:

DawnMK wrote:

Would like to see more info on the author

Give him a good old fashioned google

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 12 6:37 am Post subject:

bio wrote:

Thanks for taking the time to spot those - it's hard spotting your own typos.

I have another site that is about me and there will be a link to it one day - when I get round to finishing it.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 12 6:52 am Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

Thanks for that info.
There all part of the next step in my plan for world domination. I do like tables though

I like .png as they generally lead to smaller file sizes - but they do seem to display darker (at least on my 2 machines).

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 12 8:31 am Post subject:

Tables make it easy for laying out content although that was never the original intent. Tables were only ever intended for tabular data, information that would be comfortable in a spreadsheet.

There are several issues with tables the biggest being accessibility unfriendly and very little support for flexible design required for the large diversity in modern web browsers. There are ways of getting around these limitations but it's often easier and far more semantic to use the designated HTML elements.

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