The voice of the Web site conveys a professional voice and works to highlight the professional content.
The main content aspects of this site work to show my writing skills. Having the link that allows a reader to view my writing samples provides readers the opportunity to read my writing and see the skills I possess.
The poetry link allows web viewers to see two different poems I wrote and that in turns works to show other types of writing I am able to do. Though I tend to enjoy writing more analytical pieces, I have the capability to generate some creative writing as well.
Displaying some of the photographs I have taken works to show a different side of me that one might not see by simply looking at my resume. It allows the reader to see me as a person instead of me simply as a writer.
Including a section that talks about my goals and future plans displays my ambition and desire to succeed. Including a section that discusses my favorite books and my personal book recommendations not only allows one to see a personal side of me, but also provides insight into the different writers who have influenced and inspired me.
In terms of design, I decided to keep the site simple. With a black background and main color, it made it easier to acheive a great deal of contrast. The design encapsulates my writng style in a lot of ways: very simplistic and straightforward.
The site also offers a lot of repetition with the header and the links. The links are the same across the top and on the side: the same color, the same style, etc. The site contains the same header across every page, reminding the viewer who and what this site is about. The site also offers repetition with the style and coloring of the headings as well as the content text. The site also shows repetition with the repeating gold coloring and the similar coloring of the links and their font styles.
The main alignment scheme the Web site employs shows itself with the textual alignment of the header and footer. The sidebar links also align with the main content text, keeping everything on basically the same eye level.
In terms of proximity, the links on the sidebar all relate to different writing I have done, as well as other projects that show my skills with Web design, writing, and my photography hobby. The links across the top of the page all relate to a more personal aspect of me and allows viewers to get to know personal things and see me as a person and not simply a writer.
The site employs a very simple navigational structure. It does not contain any hidden links or unexplained links. The navigation of the site is simple and takes the reader exactly where they want or need to go.
When deciding on the graphics to use for this site, again I wanted to maintain a simplistic and straightforward design. I did not want to clutter the pages with graphics: the site simply does not need it. The picture in the top left-hand corner of every page attracts the reader's attention and shows viewers exactly who I am and who this site is about.
I personally love black and white 'coloring' when designing. I view it as a very simplistic and striking design strategy. The black and white scheme keeps things simple, but the yellow banner adds a contrast and an accent color the site needed. The simple graphics and design again help reinforce and reflect my simple writing style, which becomes evident when a Web viewer reads my writing samples.
Since the site focuses mainly on my writing and my writing skills, I did not feel it was necessary to include a lot of graphics or to include many photographs. While the photo link allows viewers to see a different side of my personality and offers a window into part of who I am, the main focus needs to be on the writing and the samples I have posted: the main reason the photo link only leads the reader to a few samples of photographs I have taken and manipulated.
The graphic used for the top banner on all pages was used courtesy of Stockxpert.com, a royalty free stock photo Web site. I manipulated the photograph and edited it using Fireworks photo editing program.
The idea and coding used for the top and side navigational structures were found and used courtesy of Listamatic. The coding was used for a main basis, but the colors were changed to go along with the site design and other textual features were added.
All other designs and graphics were originally conceived and employed by Amanda Miller. For more information concerning the Web site or other writing samples, please use the contact information below to contact me directly.