Opening speeches
Re: Opening speeches
I'm pretty consistent when it comes to all my sites whether it is a shrine or a fanlisting (because I like it that way). I'll start with introducing the subject and then say a bit about it. If it is a shrine I'll mention spoilers and then mention some contacting me type stuff and such. I just like to keep it simple pretty much.
Re: Opening speeches
The welcome message is a necessary chore for me. I don't write it until after all my content is done, and it's usually very generic introduction to what the site contains, especially for people who are not accustomed to shrines. Sometimes I may provide a section description of sorts.
Something that I've done at Heartilly.Com shrines is a matching set of link buttons for related shrines on the network, with the current shrine highlighted, on the welcome page. I really like this setup because it creates sense of cohesion between my sites, as if they're all sisters in a family.
Something that I've done at Heartilly.Com shrines is a matching set of link buttons for related shrines on the network, with the current shrine highlighted, on the welcome page. I really like this setup because it creates sense of cohesion between my sites, as if they're all sisters in a family.
Dreams are meaningful when you work toward them in the real world.
If you merely live within the dreams of other people, it's no different from being dead.
If you merely live within the dreams of other people, it's no different from being dead.
Re: Opening speeches
I do a lot of copy/pasting with certain parts of my sites too |D;; Usually, my introductions are all pretty alike, and then I rephrase some things so it's not all exactly the same Sometimes I'll add a little bit extra about the subject, but not always.Varen wrote:To get back on topic, opening speeches are usually the first thing I do, since it's the easiest. I shamefully copy&paste from my previous sites, since it's more like a template, and then I just pepper it with some unique comments like the typical "who is this character and why should you care about her/him" sentences.
I tend to write the introduction before I write the rest of the content, because I think it's one of the easier parts, plus I like doing things in order XD; Other things I put on the index page are links to my contact page, updates & directories it might be part of.
Re: Opening speeches
Oops, I didn't answer this question!
Do you write this part before or after the rest of the content, or at the same time?
I write my intros first, usually. Like Elysa said, that is the easiest, so I do it beforehand. And sometimes having that done is good motivation for me to work on the actual content. lol
Do you write this part before or after the rest of the content, or at the same time?
I write my intros first, usually. Like Elysa said, that is the easiest, so I do it beforehand. And sometimes having that done is good motivation for me to work on the actual content. lol
If you're interested in time travel, meet me last Thursday.
Re: Opening speeches
Do you have consistent patterns across all of your sites?
Yes, definitely. I think of the welcome message as one of the more functional parts of the site, so I think of it in practical terms that would apply to any subject.
How do you phrase this welcome message?
The first sentence sounds almost identical for all my work, wherein I mention the name of the shrine, the subject, its origin, and the creator. After that the wording is always a bit different, but I tend to describe how and/or why I made the site, alluding to why I like the subject. Then it's purely functional; either a guide for the user on how to use the site, with some spoiler warning and a "Happy reading!" send off.
Do you write this part before or after the rest of the content, or at the same time?
Before, for several reasons. I like to have something solid when testing out how my layouts will look, and since I most often use the index page as my base, the welcoming speech naturally happens first. However, I am very prone to changing it up as I finish with content, either to add a bit more description or edit some wording for accuracy, etc.
What else do you tend to put on the index page?
EVERYTHING. Lol, not really, but since 2 of my 3 active sites right now are one-pagers, it's actually true. For real, though, it's always different. Affiliates, update info, linkage, etc. have all appeared on my work, but never in the same combination, it seems.
Yes, definitely. I think of the welcome message as one of the more functional parts of the site, so I think of it in practical terms that would apply to any subject.
How do you phrase this welcome message?
The first sentence sounds almost identical for all my work, wherein I mention the name of the shrine, the subject, its origin, and the creator. After that the wording is always a bit different, but I tend to describe how and/or why I made the site, alluding to why I like the subject. Then it's purely functional; either a guide for the user on how to use the site, with some spoiler warning and a "Happy reading!" send off.
Do you write this part before or after the rest of the content, or at the same time?
Before, for several reasons. I like to have something solid when testing out how my layouts will look, and since I most often use the index page as my base, the welcoming speech naturally happens first. However, I am very prone to changing it up as I finish with content, either to add a bit more description or edit some wording for accuracy, etc.
What else do you tend to put on the index page?
EVERYTHING. Lol, not really, but since 2 of my 3 active sites right now are one-pagers, it's actually true. For real, though, it's always different. Affiliates, update info, linkage, etc. have all appeared on my work, but never in the same combination, it seems.
[People have a weakness for forbidden things.]
Re: Opening speeches
"Welcome" message, eh? I don't like to add on extra flowers, so I just keep my salutations pretty short. In that one greeting, I state the topic of my site, the series it's from, and follow it with a disclaimer. Basically, I reaffirm it's a fan site, and also clarify what incarnation or version I'm basing the information off of. I guess. I mean, it's not that much to say...
Re: Opening speeches
Well, I usually tend to welcome visitors to my site, warn them of unmarked spoilers and wish them a nice stay while they're browsing. Which is... very original, I know. XD I do have a consistent pattern across all my sites. However, if I feel some visitors might be "offended" or might not agree with my view on a particular subject, I will warn them in the welcome message. If one of my fansites has quite a few sections based heavily on my opinion, I will warn the visitors. Not because I'm writing something offensive, mind you, but I want people to know that they might not agree with my views and there's nothing wrong with that. Though I realise I might still get flame mail for it. XD;
But yeah, this is usually what I write on my welcome page. :)
But yeah, this is usually what I write on my welcome page. :)
Re: Opening speeches
I think I might start skipping welcoming speeches. I think they're nice but I feel like no one wants to read my rambling paragraphs. I think in future designs I might do a splash page kind of thing that gets people right into the content.
Re: Opening speeches
You could always just make the welcome brief and to the point. Like "Welcome to <insert site>, a tribute to <insert subject>. There may be unmarked spoilers so proceed at your own risk! Browse the navigation for links to various content. Enjoy your visit!" or something like that. ^_^; I'm not sure, it's just an example. I like a welcome page as long as it's brief. If there's no welcome, I don't feel welcome at all personally. XDDestinie wrote:I think I might start skipping welcoming speeches. I think they're nice but I feel like no one wants to read my rambling paragraphs. I think in future designs I might do a splash page kind of thing that gets people right into the content.
Not just another romantic comedy. ~ Get Dropbox!
Re: Opening speeches
You know, sometimes I really miss splash pages!Destinie wrote:I think I might start skipping welcoming speeches. I think they're nice but I feel like no one wants to read my rambling paragraphs. I think in future designs I might do a splash page kind of thing that gets people right into the content.
I don't know if I could ever give up welcome speeches. Writing them is too ingrained in me now, lol. Though I probably get rambly, too. However, I do enjoy reading others'. :)
If you're interested in time travel, meet me last Thursday.