I’m thinking of starting blogging again. There’s been something missing in my life, and it might just be the instant gratification of instant publication. But I’m not sure that splagkhna currently has quite the right look. So I’d like to ask a question to the floor. What do you think about how it looks, how usable is it? Anything that bothers you, what do you like, what should change, what shouldn’t?
Should I add a blog on the sidebar, with links and shorter posts? There are currently only two posts on the front page – does that work, or should I go to a longer, list-type format? Is it easy to find the archives if you want them? Should I keep the categories, or ditch them? Is it easy to read? Is it easy to see when there is a continuation of the post to read on click-through? How about the color scheme, okay to read?
I think I was very happy writing a blog before, and I’m really kind of puzzled about why I stopped. It didn’t stop being fun to actually write it, but I began to feel very bad every time I considered writing on it and when I thought about what I had written. It felt like shame. I wanted to scrub all the evidence of my entire existence on the internet, which is what I more or less did. What I don’t understand is what I thought there was ashamed of.
But I’ve gotten a handle on a lot of the problems I was having that might have made me have those feelings, and hopefully they won’t carry over, although they had become so familiar in the past. At any rate, thanks for reading, both now and previously. Writing is the only thing I have ever really wanted to do, and it’s been too long since I let myself enjoy doing it, and life’s too short to put off doing what you like to do.
Almost forgot about that little click through to continue reading (even after you mentioned it). Maybe it needs to be more obvious (or maybe my eyesight and memory aren’t what they used to be). As far as the enjoying life because it’s too short..you know how I feel about that one. In the meantime, sing away in whatever way pleases you!
I have no opinions as to the design of splagkhna. I do look forward to your writing more where I may read it.
Those first two paragraphs sound like you’d really rather ask us what you should write here but know you can’t, and so instead ask us about the look and feel of this space. I reckon once you’ve figured out what you want to do here a fitting design (or a clear sense of one, at least) will present itself to you, be it the current one or some other.
I don’t like the clickthrough thing: I would have missed the second half of this if I hadn’t come here to comment. I’m also pro-serif, but this is an irrational association of unserifed fonts with work email, so is my own problem.
Now that I’ve actualy found the Read On thing, I think moving it to the last line of the truncated post would solve it nicely.
I agree with the others about the read on link. I found it before clicking through to the comments, but it’s rather well hidden in this design. Tim’s suggestion seems like a fine solution. Everything else on the page is easy enough for me to figure out without working too hard.
Thanks for the comments, all. The “read on” location has been changed, and I will keep the font in mind. If anyone thinks anything else needs change or has any other ideas, I’m leaving the thread open, and you can go ahead and comment here.