I know people who redecorate their homes constantly–and those (like my mom) who fix it up once, dust off their hands, and never look back. I’m sort of in the middle when it comes to decorating. Mostly, because as time goes by, my taste changes.
When it comes to my writing home, I’ll do a make-over as well. Not so much because my taste changes but because what I want my blog to do changes.
These days, I need my blog to serve the same purpose as my website did–giving my credentials–and using the page function works perfectly to that end. So I spruced up those pages a bit. And it’s easy to add (or take away) information whenever I like.
I wanted to keep my blog relevant and continue to add content that might be helpful to my faithful readers. So I made the front page my blog posts. But I started thinking about new folks who might visit and what I wanted them to see when they landed on my front page.
Well, obviously I want them to be completely enamored with Cathy C. Hall! But since that’s a stretch, even for the Beneficent Mr. Hall, I figured I’d settle for “interested enough in Cathy C. Hall to want to keep up with her.” So I made sure that I had plenty of ways for new readers to do just that (Facebook, Twitter, SCBWI, email).
I’m still tweaking because I’m still thinking about what I want my writing home to be. What about you? When was the last time you looked at your writing home with a discerning eye? Are you getting the most bang for your buck?
If you’re like me, you’ve put a lot of hard work into your blog (or website), so it’s worth the effort to make it home, sweet writing home. And honestly, it’s way easier than stripping that 80’s wallpaper.
Cathy C. Hall Writes 
I love to redecorate.
I’m not liking my writing home at all, because I wanted to do it one way, and now I wish I’d done it another way. The problem is…when I changed my blog over last time I lost PageRank and it took me a few months to build it back up and I’m not willing to do that again. I also lost all my incoming links.
So…not willing to make structural changes to the blog. But I can change the wallpaper and I will eventually overhaul the site, make the pages all work in a logical order, clean up my tags and categories, and probably, I’ll always be changing the headers and background, simply because I love to rearrange the furniture yearly. It makes me feel like I’ve gotten a whole new house.
I like the new look here, though I was fond of Gladys. Maybe she can come visit here once in a while. Peck at Mr. Hall’s nose when he gets out of line, or something.
Yes, I seem to recall that you like to mix things up, Sally!
I don’t do any major structural changes, either. Mostly, because I don’t know how. I’m good at changing templates or adding widgets or changing colors, but yeah…as far as I know, my Page Rank is the same.
Oh. Wait. Except for when I combined the two blogs. I hated that I couldn’t bring over all my followers from the Hall of Fame. But streamlining the blogging was worth it.
I think.
And I shall fetch Gladys, okay? Not sure where I’ll put her…oh! I’ll move her here and there! She’ll be like the Surprise Goose Muse! 🙂
Your blog’s new ‘do looks maaarvelous, Cathy. I changed mine a few weeks ago–at least the color scheme–and when I get a few more publishing credits under my belt, I’ll take away those big-as-billboard pictures of the CS books I’m in.
Technologically, I struggle. I hate to face Facebook, Twitter can flitter away, and I don’t even know what SCBWI is… (Scintillating Cathy’s Beauty Wows the Internet?)
But yes–I need to clean out my blog, discard the bits I no longer use/update and perhaps one day—far, far in the future–I will have the courage to come face to face with Facebook.
Why, thank you, Sioux! But don’t get too used to it–I foresee more fixin’ up in its future!
SCBWI is the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. The novels I’m working on are YA/MG so I’m a member of that organization.
As for Facebook, we have a love/hate relationship. Enter at your own risk. 😉
I do love the new look. It’s very minimalistic.
I tweak my blogs quite a bit, but like Sally, I leave the structure intact. I add widgets and move them around, that type of thing. Yesterday I added a menu to my book page. Whee! It took a while to figure that out.
I’ve been doing the same around my physical house too, the past couple of weeks. It needed it! A touch of paint here, a little gloss there, and shiny clean windows.
Thanks, Suzanne, it is minimalistic, isn’t it? I think that’s why I’m thinking of more changes!
I’ll have to zip over to check out your menu! And your BOOK! Wheee, you!
I like the sleekness of the new look…but I kinda miss Cathy-On-A-Stick.
I’ve been meaning to re-do/redecorate my blog and website but I keep putting it off. I know certain things are staying like the blog name, etc. Hmm, I guess the tortoises and I will need to have a meeting… 🙂
I miss Cathy-on-a-Stick, too. I mean, I still have that blog but I keep forgetting to blog over there on Blogger because I generally take C-O-S to writer stuff and she ends up here.
Oy. See how confusing it all is? (But good luck with YOUR redo! Can’t wait to see what you and the tortii come up with!)
WordPress intimidates the heck out of me, and every time I ask Nathanael for help he complains that it’s not blogger. So things at my place don’t get moved around much. But Sally helped me put in an email button and that’s the big update for the year! Kuddos to you for doing such a great job on your site. I really does look great!
One of these days, Debra, we’re going to have a WordPress Work session! 🙂
And P.S. I saw your nifty email button. YAY!!!
Oh be still my heart. Any beach scene makes me want to read on. I like your new look. I should be doing something different too. Just got anew phone and can’t figure out that thing, much less more new technology. Have a great day.
It’s the old “throw in a beach scene and they’ll follow you anywhere” ploy, Linda!
P.S. Good luck with the new phone!
Another voice in the crowd clamors for Cathy-on-a-Stick! Can’t she drop in here for a visit? Once a week? Once a month? Maybe she needs to get out more.
Okay, OKAY, Val. I’ll talk to her. It’s all I can do.
I hate stripping wallpaper! But, the wallpaper aside, I’ve only just begun my blog. My new writing home, which is what I am going to begin to call it, and I found that I was unsure of what I wanted it to accomplish. I still am. I want to write about–well everything! I suppose that could be the problem. I want to write about my life and struggles as a woman, a writer, a mom with Asperger’s Syndrome. I also want to write about english and the lovely language that words create–I want to write it all.
Any advise for the new writer who wants to decorate with everything under the sun, but knows she shouldn’t?
Jeannie
~Aspie Writer, aspiewriter.blogspot.com
Just write, Jeanie! Sometimes, it takes a while to figure out what we want to focus on. But if we keep writing, what’s in our hearts starts to come through loud and clear. (Of course, sometimes we change our mind…and then have to deal with a bit of clean up. Sort of like those pink walls that take FOREVER to cover!) 😉