Web Designers Start Here

According to my extensive research on the T-Mobile website, these are the rules for web design:

• Do not under any circumstances provide obvious links
• Any coloured text must NOT be a link
• Pictures must NOT be used as links
• Hide all links in menus that only appear when clicked
• Make menus as unobtrusive as possible (bonus points if no users at all are able to find them)
• Insist that your users contact your help service for any and all details rather than allowing them to browse for themselves online
• Make it pretty

Any rules that you would want to add?

A thing of beauty

You may remember that Kate offered to redesign a couple of authors' websites. Well, she's finished Wendy's and it's fabulous. Why don't you go and have a look?

If you agree about the fabulosity, you might want to read Kate's Guide to author websites. It's a must-read for anyone setting up a website.

Web design follow up

If you would like an author website but don't know where to start, Kate has good advice for you over at her blog.

If you remember, she offered some free web redesigns the other day, but she isn't able to set a whole website up from scratch for free so instead she's offering you advice so you can do it. In part one she tells you how to know whether you need a website and crucially what to put in it and what not to.

Many of her points about the characteristics of a professional website apply to everyone, not just aspiring authors, e.g.

• It is functional. It is clearly organized, easily navigable, there are no broken links, and it looks and behaves the way you expect it to on all major browsers.
• It is well-written. For the love of God, have it proofread.
  

Worth a visit.