To do, or not to do? That is the question. I have pondered long and hard about improving the look of this blog and making things easier to find. In a few days it might look very broken so no laughing please…
Two years and a bit, I started blogging with a random theme that popped out as easy to start with. The ambition was to show case some of my writing in the vain hope a few might become followers and actually like the odd piece.
Since then times have moved on. Earlier this year WordPress threw this at me.
Which was an eye opener because it struck me most of my actual writing is buried in a dark place deep within the Blog roll.
Not good.
Then I had a poke about and figured neither is the contact page. The About one is seriously aged and in need of improvement. Currently things are not actually banging and drums about author type things.
Add to that I’m on half a dozen other social media outlets, do author spotlights, the occasional tag or award post and may shortly be throwing in blogger spotlights. All this inventory is entirely mismanaged here at present.
Unfortunately artistic creativity is not my forte. Neither am an expert in matters relating to WordPress configuration.
On the flip side, my author platform needs a boost to form part of actually publishing. It needs harmonising across my media, a landing page with featured posts, social media icons, pages leading to specific posts and a much better About page including an author bio.
A serious case of a blogger that writes, or an author who blogs. I claim to be the latter, so as Bob Dylan almost sang, “The themes they are a changing….”
I’m sure there are more things to consider.
Cognitive Dissonance
The state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioural decisions and attitude change.
In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort (psychological stress) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values.
These are book definitions and can be loosely phrased as being unable to make a decision. It’s why I’ve put off the theme change and why publishing has been put on a back burner.
The other term is procrastinating. Well versed in comments with both Ritu Bhathal and Lucy Mitchell.
Of course, recognising this is half the battle. Ergo this post, which has sat as a draft title since this time last year, is now responding to the follower count and suggesting a whole repertoire of “Page not found” issues might result.
The question to be answered is which theme?
I’m thinking Dara so that will be my first real foray into exploring what WordPress can do for me.
Imminent Projects
Exciting times ahead. I owe Esmé at The Recipe Hunter a reply concerning cookery.
Rachael Ritchey has added me as an editor along with another blogger to reinvent The Blog Battle. I wrote The God Strain as part of this so very long ago. Flash fiction where writers of all genres and abilities can submit based on a keyword prompt that must feature somewhere. Please go and have a look at the page to find out more.
BlogBattle | Inspired to Write
Janice Wald at Mostly Blogging often liaises with the aim to co-author blogging posts. Something I’ve enjoyed in the past with posts like,
This Is Why Seasonal Blogging Factors Never Have to Be the Kiss of Death, 12 Tips
I want to start another series of spotlights to shout out bloggers. This will work alongside my author ones. I now know a number of fine bloggers in different niches and want to reflect that once the re-theme is working.
Writing
As one or two might be aware I covered four completed manuscripts, a few test chapters and a sequence of notes in this years A to Z challenge. That process added to thoughts having seen the WordPress follower notification above. As Lucy Mitchell eloquently put in a post on bird cages, I have a few now that need releasing.
So, with the arrival of this post, the blog will be pending an overhaul. Time is always at a premium, so when everything will be as it should is difficult to say. A work in progress as it were, along with publishing decisions.
Dear Gary, since I love the creative site of blogging and playing with the idea of offering some sort of assistance for developing a blog as part of one of my coaching programs…if you could use some help…let me know ok?
Kind regards, Patty
I certainly will Patty. I sort of know what I want to achieve, but the artistic side of me struggles. Still, getting to grips with themes tech wise is not going to happen by not doing! X
True. However, if I set up the base and provide you an overview/summarize of what I did and where you can find ‘behind the scenes’ what you need, would that be helpful?
And it would save you time and create more time to actually writing, which is your main goal, right?
Behind the scenes is the thing I’m concerned about. I was going to use Dara and manipulate that to try and replicate the demo. Reason being it can host sliding featured post on the landing page and supports a solid array of social media icons. Time, as you rightly point out, is the rate limiting step. The ambition is to turn it into an author based blog with menus supporting pages. The demo looks like where I’m after… colours and images aside.
Are you using the free program of wordpress.com? It will limit your options, however with the right theme lots is possible.
Anyways, I could use guinea pigs for the development of my co-creating programs, just scream if you need assistance 😉
XxX
I’m on a premium package. Sorted that out last year ready for the upgrade! Visualising other themes for my purpose is hard for me. Dara is recent and fluid. The demo is set up to showcase writing which is why it appealed. I’ll have a look at swapping it to that early n3t week as kids are home. I reckon I might need to be that guinea pig too 🤔x
No matter what you do with your design, I am certain your site will be successful. The thought you put into your work will shine from any format. Keep plugging away and I am certain you will find a design or template that suits you. 🙂
Best wishes in the evolution of your blog.
Thank you Melanie. Very positive words and I’m hoping it will end up looking reasonable and if not I can shout out to bloggers who know better for advice. Writing, by comparison, is easy. The arty stuff is a whole new ball game!!