Sunday, August 3, 2008

Drive-by-Shooting Sunday: Prin's Links

I've been waiting about 6 weeks for this review of my site. While I know most of what they say is true and I know I asked for the abuse but...Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! So I will be taking their suggestions...most of them and making some changes to the site. Before I do I would like to know what my readers think. So if you would be so kind as to click the title link, read and let me know what you think should go, what should stay etc, etc. Thanks.

Posted by prin at 6:37 AM

14 comments:

  1. Bonnie StoryAugust 3, 2008 at 9:52 AM

    Hi! I read Mens with Pens frequently. Don't feel bad! I think the main thing is to get all that all-caps text out of the banner, replace with a snappy tagline and you are halfway there.

    Then beef up that sidebar with some action-oriented links into the site, and consider a banner with more contrast. It will be fun, no? I think despite the stinging remarks that you actually did pretty well!

    Your blog is good and useful and don't worry. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. prinAugust 3, 2008 at 10:49 AM

    Thanks for the nice comments, Bonnie! Snappy? Me? LOL! It will be fun in a kind of beating-your-head-against-a-brick-wall sort of way :)

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  3. LA LadyAugust 3, 2008 at 11:06 AM

    Check out my blog today - you are featured! Did I ever tell you I lived almost 20 years of my life in Jackson, MS? I feel like I know you...

    ReplyDelete
  4. prinAugust 3, 2008 at 11:21 AM

    k, girl just where am i featured? not up on the chair with the flaming fart coming out my butt, surely :) LOL! that was hilarious. I felt the same way when I first read your blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousAugust 3, 2008 at 11:44 AM

    You have some fantastic resources here - but I'm the last person to advise about any kind of blog design. I just use a template! Maybe separate pages would be good but I don't know how that works with Blogger..

    ReplyDelete
  6. antiSWerAugust 3, 2008 at 12:27 PM

    I think their observations have much merit, depending on what you want for your blog. If you want a strictly professional blog, then yes, do what they say. If you want a combination of professional and personal, be careful with what you change.

    I've always seen your blog to be full of personality and fun, as well as a great place for resource links.

    In all honesty, I've never read that blurb in the header. It would look better with a bold, clean look. And the sidebar is quite cluttered. A little prioritization could be done there.

    But getting rid of the personal stuff? I dunno...

    ReplyDelete
  7. HeatherAugust 3, 2008 at 4:56 PM

    You could always have two separate blogs, one for your professional stuff and one for your personal stuff/blues/etc. You do have a lot of stuff on your blog, but I come here for the personal side, not the professional side, so I don't know about that part. Their advice sounds good, it wouldn't hurt to try it and see how it looks.

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  8. AnonymousAugust 4, 2008 at 6:05 AM

    Looks much better already, Prin. Well done! Good luck with the 15th!

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  9. prinAugust 4, 2008 at 6:40 AM

    Thanks, Alex! I put you're blog in my reader...great idea! Do you have any guest posters yet? I have this wall of books I've been meaning to get to "someday" and it has turned into 11 years :)

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  10. antiSWerAugust 4, 2008 at 2:21 PM

    Looks much better already. :) It looks like you put a lot of work into it yesterday.

    Will you be going with a different template, too?

    I'd consider their comments about making the title a link to an outside source. It's different, but still kind of confusing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousAugust 5, 2008 at 12:17 PM

    I'm with cb, just using the old template myself, so take this for what it's worth. I like you just the way you are!

    No, really, the guys who did the review work on professional sites, and don't focus only on social work. You have managed to attract a lot of faithful readers by making a blog that reflects you and our profession. I know I don't have a dynamic site, and my tendency to post super long submissions relatively infrequently isn't really kosher for professional bloggers. But it reflects me and the way I like to operate.

    Regardless of what you do to your site, I will always like you prin. I encourage you to be you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. prinAugust 5, 2008 at 1:33 PM

    Thanks, BJ! I do know who appreciates my blog and appreciates me, believe me :)It's still nice to hear it once in awhile though :)

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  13. Kerr CuhulainAugust 6, 2008 at 9:36 PM

    I think that you've got a very nice site, Prin. I'm impressed with the links and resources. Keep up the good work. I'll put a link on my site to yours.

    Det. Charles Ennis (retired)
    http://safeapproach.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete
  14. prinAugust 6, 2008 at 9:46 PM

    Thanks, Charles!

    ReplyDelete

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