How can I make this website more useful to you and other bloggers?
Morning glory flowers: same-old symbol for this (changing) late-life blog
You’re looking at my blog. You may not be aware that this is not the home page — it used to be, but no longer. Here’s the new home page, which gives you an easy route to other sections of this WordPress website.
Tweaks to the form and content of the website are underway. I hope they haven’t disconcerted you. Daniel Shaw created the theme and has been making the necessary changes. We hope you have barely noticed the process but appreciate the results.
The changes reflect three things.
- More readers. I hit the milestone of 1000+ “followers” — that means we have a splendid and varied community of occasional readers who quite like the ideas or drawings or cats. I gain such a lot from your company and your comments. So, belatedly, I realised that I should treat my blog with more respect. I offer a personal view that challenges many of the depressing and shallow cliches of ageing. We’re all growing older in a changing world where being old means something new, and I see that maybe my optimistic, realistic, analytical, philosophical, hysterical and poetical approach is useful — even to people in their forties and fifties.
- Easier reading. My readers include many people aware of their encroaching age. My Older Bloggers Survey showed that around 20% of respondents had some disability that caused at least some problems with blogging including arthritis, eyesight, or mobility. So we’ve aimed to improve on accessibility, usability and navigation.
- More help. In future I want to offer a few extra tools and amusements and products online. To begin with, you will see three books for sale. Tactics is a darling little book that’s being snapped up for gifts already. Templates is a tiny book of six thoughtful poems about ageing and death. Fixing Mrs Philpott is a crazy novel that will amuse and maybe inspire.
Tell me how to make this website better still
What do you want, need, or wish for from Write Into Life? I already have a list of little changes but you are the experts. I don’t see what you see, so if something doesn’t work for you, let me know.
- Has anything disappeared or changed that you care about?
- Is it easy to comment?
- What products (e-books, books, courses, surveys) would you like me to offer, based on our shared interests?
- What do you like most about the website and the blog?
Thank you in advance for your comments. I will take note of them all, and in the long run, they will help the whole blogging community.
Meanwhile, live long and like it! (That’s my new motto.)
I enjoy the theme(s) you write about. That’s why I follow you. Sales are of no interest to me, due to postal & currency difficulties. I’m so glad your font is in a nice, clear sharp BLACK. The grey – frequently very light grey – is really hard to read.
Thank you Alison.
I read your blog because I enjoy your ideas, writing, poems, pictures, and cat pictures. i do like this large black font.
That’s two ticks for the font. Thanks Glenys.
yes again…the new “jetpack error message…about not data was sent” or words to that effect. that’s been happening a lot on your posts of late…
But today?
yep, my first comment, was so much more…than these!
Thanks. So the message was not only on my site. Anyone else notice this?
I’ve noticed this a lot with wordpress…some days it’s works well, the next, “error message/comments”…w/press explained how to fix that, but it caused a great deal more problems
I like this page more than the previous one for its larger font. I don’t have any other suggestion for further improvement.
That’s good news. Thank you.
Looks nice. Easy to navigate. Good content. 🙂
Thanks. So far no worries then.
I love the layout and the large font. Good job! I like very much.
That’s great, thanks.
I read most blogs by phone so I don’t really see the layouts etc. even though I get frustrated that many of my own followers use Facebook and miss out on the full experience.
Your experience on the phone is highly relevant here. Is the layout and navigation still OK?
Hi Rachel, I’ve just been in and had a look at your blog from my pc which is probably a first. It looks fabulous and I’m envious of the clean lines structure. Using the phone to catch up on reading means that I can lie in bed and have a bit of a read and catch up on world news thru the blogging community. The downside is that I rarely go in to look at the blog sites themselves and the phone just shows the post alone. This of course is always in the back of my mind as I wonder how many of my caravanner readers actually use my own Categories when using my blog. I would hope that they are searching content by State, Caravan Park etc but probably not if they read by phone or Facebook. In the dying words of Ned Kelly “Such is life”.
Hi Lindsey, Thanks so much for your detailed response. I do the same: read and comment on blogs on my phone early morning, using the WP app and Reader. But while I am on the phone/app/Reader, I often hit “Visit site” to see the mobile version of a blog through a browser (still on my phone). I post from my laptop. I’m gradually understanding that every site looks different depending on the platform, the device, theme, and user’s preferences. That’s a lot of variables beyond our control. I think you’re right: many people accessing WP blogs from the phone will stay within Reader, and thus will never see a blog’s menu or list of categories, nor search the blog with keywords. It’s a fascinating tangle. On the upside, according to my survey, very few older bloggers access blogs from a smartphone. The vast majority are on a desk computer or laptop. That’s different from younger users and the general blogging population: a majority of these use a smartphone to access the internet.
Rachal, I find your new layout simple [uncluttered thankfully] and effective [in finding posts].
Good good good. Thank you Suzanne.
Great clear layout. I did try to click on the Courses as suggested and came up without anything. Is that something you plan to add? Great idea to post the survey and its results here.
Elizabeth, does the course page show up now? I hope so! Thanks for drawing my attention to that and I’m glad you like the survey results getting some prominence.
The course page shows up but the link that is mentioned as being in the ‘Course Menu” isn’t. I can’t find a course menu.
Thank you so much: I’ll get on to it.
I like that your blog is easy to read, particularly because I’m often reading on a mobile device. As for the rest, it’s hard to say. I visit your site and I enjoy reading your posts. Keep doing that 🙂
Sorry, I know that’s not mush help.
Yes Dan it’s a help. Mobile matters heaps. And readability is paramount. Thank you.
very easy on the eyes. I’m. I will be 60 next yr.
Thanks Jean! Good to have your input.
Hello! Happy new year! I’ve only read your blog through the WP app but I did check out the link on this post for your main website. I love it! Easy to navigate and read. I must look through there again for more of your offerings. Great pictures also. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us!
Thank you for this welcome message.
Am new to this world press I need more file line
Sorry but I don’t understand what you mean.