Update to reader: Since writing this blog post, I’ve come up with a different author theme and header for my website.
Content is king, but one’s website header is the billboard.
So here’s my header story.
Website Header: the right “feel”
I wanted a website header with a visionary feel, without being scary. I don’t write about vampires and zombies, nor do I promote fear. Quite the opposite. My goal is to inspire hope and freedom, the embracing of opposite views, light and shadow.
During my daily walks, birds – most notably blackbirds and crows – surround me. They squawk and swirl and, yes, inspire.
In fact, they give me hope – and thereby faith – that life is full of gifts and that even if the day isn’t going so well, tomorrow will present other opportunities, or at least reveal lessons I need to learn.
Website Header: the right symbol
I Googled “crow” and discovered it is part of the Hawk Clan. No surprise.
What came as a surprise, though, is that hawks symbolize thinkers, inspirers, and leaders. The crow in particular is considered a creature of balance and a link between humanity and the environment.
Sure, Edger Allen Poe’s “Raven” symbolized darkness and death, with it’s repeated answer, “Nevermore,” but I bet Poe also selected the raven for his poem because birds of the crow family are the most intelligent of the bird kingdom. Even Alfred Hitchcock discovered while filming “The Birds” that crows remember faces and have minds of their own.
The raven (part of the crow family) is associated with magik (not to be confused with magic) in that it symbolizes the bringing of creative thought into physical reality. The raven is also the guardian and protector of ‘secret things.’
Can you imagine the bells going off in my head?
I’d already titled my original blog “Enter the Between” and my novel series “The Between,” so this was an amazing coincidence. Or should I say synchronicity?
And the final kicker: Crows represent the balance BETWEEN – the point of almost perpetual neutrality.
Ha! That means crows represent:
- co-mingling with dualities
- coming together of opposing views to form an experience
- embracing both light and shadow.
Website header: the right image
When I came across the following stock photo at deviantart, wow! It had the visionary feel of hope in times of darkness (light and shadow), the co-mingling of dualities, and it had my symbolic crows.
Website Header: Putting it all together.
The colors of the image also matched my publicity photo.
So…
It was a matter of figuring out how to incorporate my picture (authors are supposed to brand themselves) into the stock image.
I purchased the photo editing program: Photoshop Elements 10, but didn’t know how to use it.
So I purchased How to Cheat in Photoshop Elements 10, by David Asch and Steve Caplin.
But I still needed help. So I purchased WordPress Web Design for Dummies.
Eventually, I came up with something I was pleased with.
As always, thanks for stopping by,
I do think it’s a beautiful header and suits you so well. Thanks for explaining the process. I really wish I had started my blog on WordPress, but I am loathe to move for fear of losing the reader base I’ve built up.
Hi Rosi. I started my original blog on Blogger and ended up with two blogs when I switched to WordPress, not an ideal situation. As you said, you risk losing your reader base when you make an abrupt move. It has been hard for me. I have lost readers, but I figure better now than later. Also, I’m changing my focus (at least I’m trying to) with my new website/blog. Another disruption. So much experimenting and learning. For instance, I’m still trying to get the kinks out of my blog update newsletter. I was about to switch from Mail Chimp, but now noticed my WordPress newsletter plugin is acting up. I’m over getting embarrassed. Back to the drawing board. Your blog is very successful as it is. One thing you could do is create a website on WordPress and link it to your Blogger blog and leave the blog as is. It’s a tough call. I’ve learned so much blogging, it’s hard to place a value on it. Yet…I’m tempted to pull back, concentrate on getting all four of my books published, and THEN go full force on my blog. Another tough call. All we can do is go forward, one step at a time.
I love your description and explanation of the header. It all makes since to me and now every time I see it it will make me smile. 🙂
It makes me smile to know you’ll be smiling each time you see my website header, Susan. Actually, I’m smiling now.
Wow, Margaret… I see what you mean. 🙂 Very much a post after my own heart. I love crows, they hold such joy in the way they fly. We get warm air thermals near our house and the crows and jackdaws go crazy playing in them. I’m so glad you stopped by and left your blog link. Man… I need a secretary! Or more hours in a day. I’d love to stay and read, but I have a roast in the oven which will become a char grill if I start blog reading now. 😉 i will be back!
I know the feeling, Michelle. Blogging and visiting other people’s blogs, though rewarding, is time consuming, plus, we’re writing novels to boot. Not enough time in the day.