Comments on: The Purpose of Your Web Site http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:18:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Pam Halter http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3958 Pam Halter Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:33:31 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3958 "Attracting traffic means that your web site needs to be about MORE than just your books." And this is where having a blog would come in, right? Or give aways, teaching, author interviews, etc. “Attracting traffic means that your web site needs to be about MORE than just your books.”

And this is where having a blog would come in, right? Or give aways, teaching, author interviews, etc.

]]> By: Kristi Holl http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3959 Kristi Holl Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:47:23 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3959 Thanks for some more great advice, Randy! You wrote: "Giving away ideas for free is a Good Thing To Do, and I highly recommend it. I’ll note that you aren’t required to give away every one of your ideas for free. You can give away some and sell some. I happen to think this is a smart thing to do." Many of us shy away from the selling part simply because it looks daunting (arranging credit card payments, secure sites, instant downloads, etc.) How difficult is all that to set up--and how expensive? Thanks for some more great advice, Randy! You wrote: “Giving away ideas for free is a Good Thing To Do, and I highly recommend it. I’ll note that you aren’t required to give away every one of your ideas for free. You can give away some and sell some. I happen to think this is a smart thing to do.” Many of us shy away from the selling part simply because it looks daunting (arranging credit card payments, secure sites, instant downloads, etc.) How difficult is all that to set up–and how expensive?

]]> By: Carla Stewart http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3960 Carla Stewart Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:27:06 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3960 On my blog today, I alerted my readers to your site and the VERY useful information you have here. I also mentioned Mary's site. They complement each other nicely. So, I'm giving away free advice ala Randy and Mary. On my blog today, I alerted my readers to your site and the VERY useful information you have here. I also mentioned Mary’s site. They complement each other nicely. So, I’m giving away free advice ala Randy and Mary.

]]> By: Don http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3963 Don Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:30:47 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3963 For people who use their websites to market their books or products under a trademark they want to get registered at US Patent & Trademark Office, there's a little technical point to be aware of that will affect one's website design: 1. Part of the USPTO registration process requires the trademark owner to provide a valid "specimen" of the mark. A specimen is meant to show the mark as encounted by an actual customer when buying the products in question. 2. USPTO won't accept as a valid specimen website pages that only provide information about the product with the typical "contact us" webpage. They call that sort of thing mere "advertising". 3. For USPTO specimen purposes, the website page(s) must have a clear ordering capability. Not a shopping cart system, necessarily (though that won't hurt). But some sort of information along the lines of "to order my products, do this"; that is, show prices, and an ordering phone or fax number or e-mail link. 4. And the mark must be displayed clearly. If it's too small (that is, likely to be missed by the customer), that also won't fly as a valid specimen. For people who use their websites to market their books or products under a trademark they want to get registered at US Patent & Trademark Office, there’s a little technical point to be aware of that will affect one’s website design:

1. Part of the USPTO registration process requires the trademark owner to provide a valid “specimen” of the mark. A specimen is meant to show the mark as encounted by an actual customer when buying the products in question.

2. USPTO won’t accept as a valid specimen website pages that only provide information about the product with the typical “contact us” webpage. They call that sort of thing mere “advertising”.

3. For USPTO specimen purposes, the website page(s) must have a clear ordering capability. Not a shopping cart system, necessarily (though that won’t hurt). But some sort of information along the lines of “to order my products, do this”; that is, show prices, and an ordering phone or fax number or e-mail link.

4. And the mark must be displayed clearly. If it’s too small (that is, likely to be missed by the customer), that also won’t fly as a valid specimen.

]]> By: Camille http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3964 Camille Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:52:22 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3964 Trenchcoat. Dark Alley. No Feds. That's my plan. Trenchcoat. Dark Alley. No Feds. That’s my plan.

]]> By: Robert Treskillard http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3965 Robert Treskillard Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:13:34 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-3965 One of the reasons for a website/blog not specifically mentioned is just to meet and get to know other authors of your genre. To be part of the community. This has been very helpful for me, personally, and part of that has been joining in on blogging book tours and helping to promote other authors. For me, being pre-published, this is a lot of fun. Probably not a substitute for going to a conference, but when I do go (currently planning to go this fall to the ACFW conference), I may see some people there that I have met online, and that is good. However, you've helped me, Randy, to not confuse the purpose of my blog (community) with building a more promotion oriented site that can help collect an e-mail list of potential readers. For this, I have started a completely different website that is focused on the non-fiction topic that is connected with my book. I am in the process of designing it and hope to have it up in a month or two. An interested reader might still find my blog, but I'm not counting on it. Thanks, Randy! One of the reasons for a website/blog not specifically mentioned is just to meet and get to know other authors of your genre. To be part of the community.

This has been very helpful for me, personally, and part of that has been joining in on blogging book tours and helping to promote other authors.

For me, being pre-published, this is a lot of fun. Probably not a substitute for going to a conference, but when I do go (currently planning to go this fall to the ACFW conference), I may see some people there that I have met online, and that is good.

However, you’ve helped me, Randy, to not confuse the purpose of my blog (community) with building a more promotion oriented site that can help collect an e-mail list of potential readers. For this, I have started a completely different website that is focused on the non-fiction topic that is connected with my book. I am in the process of designing it and hope to have it up in a month or two. An interested reader might still find my blog, but I’m not counting on it.

Thanks, Randy!

]]> By: Advanced Fiction Writing Blog » Blog Archive » More on Web Sites http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-4169 Advanced Fiction Writing Blog » Blog Archive » More on Web Sites Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:40:05 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/02/08/the-purpose-of-your-web-site/#comment-4169 [...] response to (a) above. But if not, take things a little slower. Answer all nine of the questions. (You can find them all here). Write down your answers. Make a strategy. Find a good webmaster if you plan to hire that task [...] […] response to (a) above. But if not, take things a little slower. Answer all nine of the questions. (You can find them all here). Write down your answers. Make a strategy. Find a good webmaster if you plan to hire that task […]

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