Need an Online Science Fiction Site?

TedTheewen · Oct 18, 2011

Hi folks!

I'm normally with the Horror Hounds. I pm'd some folks with this idea and I was told to go ahead and post it on the forum for everybody to see.

I have a friend who is a web designer. He approached me with his designs and asked me if I knew somebody who was looking for a site like that.

I was pretty struck by how futuristic it was and I immediately thought of Science Fiction as a content for it. Here's a link to an example of a project he worked on with a design squad.

He needs traffic to call attention to his designs and writers are always looking for a place to call attention to their work.

I asked him about doing horror but he really wants to focus on futuristic designs. To me, this means Science Fiction.

So, I thought I'd introduce two sides. If somebody here wants to get an online project going but just doesn't have the web coding chops to get it done, this would work great.

To me, this seemed like a good opportunity for both parties to get exposure. Who ever decides to do this would be able to decide content, etc. He just needs a way to highlight his skills as a designer.

If you are interested, his email is [email protected]

Ted

Teinz · Oct 19, 2011

Wow,

if only my book were finished, and I had some money.

Jess Haines · Oct 19, 2011

It's gorgeous work, but I'm terrified to consider how much that must cost...

Liosse de Velishaf · Oct 19, 2011

Wow, that looks awesome. :O

A Flash-based website like that is something I could see a published, and probably best-selling author getting. Although maybe your friend charges lower prices than what I'm used to seeing.

Paul · Oct 19, 2011

Great Post Ted.

Re Costs: My impression is that it's a mutually beneficial arrangement - a writer with a site that gets traffic and free design in return.

but maybe i'm wrong. anyway, not for me, but sounds great.

ETA. yeah, super stuff. fab

TedTheewen · Oct 26, 2011

Right. Sorry about the lapse. I'm bogged down in my own work because NaNo is fast approaching.

But right, cost is something he can certainly work with. He doesn't have a lot of money either and I know that for him this is a matter of everybody getting the word out.

It's my understanding that cost is not nearly as big a factor as one might think. I believe he has some hosting abilities and I'm certainly going to check with him on this.

And to be honest, it would be worth e-mailing him and asking. He could give a much faster response. But I think a project like this could be done for much less cost than one might think. How many of us use free sites?

Buffysquirrel · Oct 27, 2011

The sample site fails w3C validation.

fadeaccompli · Oct 27, 2011

It's flash-based, takes a while to load even on my connection, and automatically plays sound at people. I don't even dare try to check it to see if it's compliant with browsers for people with visual disabilities and the like.

It's very pretty, yes, but it's the kind of pretty I associate with high-budget summer movies that want to draw people in with the glitz and explosions. If I saw that attached to a book, I'd assume that the book was heavily-marketed bland generic pap with a lot of explosions stapled in. Probably about space marines.

There's certainly skill and artistic merit in the site, mind. But everything about it screams Glitz > Content, which is the last thing I want in a scifi novel. (I might like it in a scifi movie; I expect those to be explodey and stupid, so I'm not disappointed if they are.)

Buffysquirrel · Oct 27, 2011

fadeaccompli said:
I don't even dare try to check it to see if it's compliant with browsers for people with visual disabilities and the like.

That's pretty much what the W3C check tells you. It failed that.

Dancre · Oct 27, 2011

Awesome site!! Gets the old geers a runnin'.

Shadowflame · Oct 27, 2011

Wow Ted, pretty awesome, awesome enough I'm afraid to ask how much. *quivers in terror*

fadeaccompli · Oct 27, 2011

Buffysquirrel said:
That's pretty much what the W3C check tells you. It failed that.

Ah, I should've guessed.

I don't mind a movie site not having any proper stuff in place for being accessed by people with visual disabilities, since movies are so visual in and of themselves. But a site for a book? Especially with how much easier it's getting for people with said disabilities to read books, with all the ebook text-to-speech options out there? That's a bad idea from a marketing standpoint, and generally negligent.

...which I would still forgive if it was some cheap WordPress site knocked together hastily by an author who clearly has no experience with web design. But something that's having money charged for it? No.

Shadow_Ferret · Oct 27, 2011

That is really cool. Not sure what it's for. If i had a book and needed a website, I think I'd want something simple that I'd know how to navigate.

Gale Haut · Oct 27, 2011

It's absolutely gorgeous.

Ambri · Oct 27, 2011

It's very pretty and snazzy, but I wonder if authors might not actually be this designer's intended audience/ market. The first thing that came to my mind when it loaded was "hmm, looks like an online/ video gaming website." Just a thought.

Ardent Kat · Oct 28, 2011

fadeaccompli said:
It's flash-based, takes a while to load even on my connection, and automatically plays sound at people.

Problems, all of them, IMO. Especially the audio. >_o

If I saw that attached to a book, I'd assume that the book was heavily-marketed bland generic pap with a lot of explosions stapled in. Probably about space marines.

There's certainly skill and artistic merit in the site, mind. But everything about it screams Glitz > Content, which is the last thing I want in a scifi novel.

Yeah... I think the audience that would be drawn in by a website like this is probably more interested in visual media like movies and video games. If someone's an enthusiastic reader, they'll be willing to "suffer" through text telling them what the book is about rather than being eye-dazzled by cool graphics. This isn't a dig at your friend's work, Ted, but I think he'd have better success marketing his websites to artists of more visual media (with more visuals-obsessed fans.)

This much glitz on a writer's website would make me think the author's trying to hand-wave and distract from a lack of content.

You only need to look at tutorials about query letters to see that's what the publishing industry often assumes, too. It's advised to NOT use colorful paper, scented paper, weird formatting, or any other eye-catching gimicks with a query letter. Content is king. Show the content, not the razzle-dazzle distracting it.

Liosse de Velishaf · Oct 28, 2011

It definitely reminds me more of a video or game website. Unless the book is part of a larger media franchise this site might be too fancy. Flash-based websites are based on visual effects, so a visual effect medium is going to make better use of one. The example site is exactly what I would expect out of a tv show like Battlestar Galactica. Or a game franchise like Halo.

Peter F. Hamilton is a well-known writer of space opera. Here's his website: http://www.peterfhamilton.co.uk/

Similarly for Alastair Reynolds: http://voxish.tripod.com/

Greg Bear has a much fancier site: http://www.gregbear.com/ but it's driven by html and javascript rather than flash, loads relatively quickly, although some of the image files are rather large, and does not bombard the user with sound on page-load.

If your friend toned down some of the visual effects and dropped the auto-play audio, he might be able to interest some authors in a flash-based site, but more likely, his target market would be indie game developers, web series directors, or something along those lines for getting the word out about his design abilities.

lastlittlebird · Oct 28, 2011

To be fair, all we've seen is one site that he's worked on, and it didn't look like it was for a book to me.
The suggestion is for the writer to work with him on a design that would suit the writer. The site wouldn't have to be identical to the one we've seen.

Ardent Kat · Oct 29, 2011

lastlittlebird said:
To be fair, all we've seen is one site that he's worked on, and it didn't look like it was for a book to me.

Right, but it may not be the best "resume" if the web designer is trying to market his services to writers. It's not a criticism of the designer, but some helpful suggestions that if he wants to partner with authors, he may want to develop a sample page that accentuates readable text and user-friendly navigation rather than flash animation.

For instance, the text isn't as large and readable as I would want, making this sample site possibly a negative mark rather than a positive one if I was looking for a web designer.

(While I was typing up this post, my husband looked over my shoulder, saw the website and instantly assumed it was for a videogame, possibly StarCraft 3)

Polenth · Oct 29, 2011

I closed the browser the moment I saw it was a flash frame, which is exactly what I do when I'm browsing normally. Flash is also harder to maintain than an html site or one based around a blogging/content platform. It's important for the author to be able to update their bibliography and book information themselves.

It's also important for readers to be able to link to specific pages. You want them to be able to link directly to sample chapters or the like. If readers are made to go through the flash layers, many will simply give up before getting to the sample.

MJNL · Oct 29, 2011

And this is why my work-in-progress website comes in two parts: basic html blog site for the writing, and a fancy flash site for the art. Both linked together by a (as yet non-existent) homepage. Trying hard to get the appropriate content to the appropriate audience.

I think the sample page looks pretty snazzy. I didn't know it had sound because my comp’s always on mute to avoid sites suddenly screaming at me. Audio is definitely an issue when it comes to web pages--it dictates when and where you can actually visit them if you're not a mute-always kind of person.

TedTheewen · Oct 30, 2011

He and I have been working a lot of hours lately. In fact, it's Sunday and I'm going in for a couple of hours. He's there already. Once this month is finished, we'll both have some breathing room.

I might have him get an account here just so he can come directly and answer questions. And who knows, maybe his work isn't a good fit with Science Fiction, but more visual-based content. I'm a writer so when I see something, I think of writers and his link reminded me of Omni Magazine. Sure, it needs a silver woman and I've been listening to too much Clutch, but you get the point.

Need an Online Science Fiction Site?

TedTheewen

AW's Most Adorable Sociopath

Teinz

Back at it again.

Jess Haines

Boldly going nowhere in particular.

Liosse de Velishaf

Paul

TedTheewen

AW's Most Adorable Sociopath

Buffysquirrel

fadeaccompli

here and there again

Buffysquirrel

Dancre

Just have fun.

Shadowflame

Gametrovert

fadeaccompli

here and there again

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Gale Haut

waxing digital artistic

Ambri

Plotting something

Ardent Kat

Kill your television

Liosse de Velishaf

lastlittlebird

avem narrans

Ardent Kat

Kill your television

Polenth

Mushroom

MJNL

A Little Lost

TedTheewen

AW's Most Adorable Sociopath