After engaging with several wonderful online communities through my stories, I decided to create a personal website with all my writings in a single place!
https://makintales.wordpress.com/
Makin Tales contains every story I have ever posted online, anywhere. I could never leave the Plaza, and will absolutely continue submitting stories here, but everything I write now will be posted on Makin Tales first (as I can add it instantly!).
I just finished my most recent story, titled 'Caught in the Rain.' I already submitted it to Gromet, but if you like you can also read it here: https://makintales.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/caught-in-the-rain/
Thoughts, comments, or suggestions on how to improve the site are also welcome!
The site isn't monetized or anything, just wanted a central place to keep and share all my stories.
Beautiful site, very clean and easy to navigate. I like it.
I have to agree with Fordman...a very nice site. I hope it goes well and has many upon many hits.
Dana -- EPL
I have to agree with the others. Nice site - simple, clear and easy to navigate :)
I agree with... everyone else. Nice site.
Ditto the previous comments.
Nicely done
Great site.
I've been toying with the idea of doing something like this myself.
While your new website is without doubt shiny and easy to navigate, I'd like to point out that I especially enjoyed its contents ;-) Kudos w. r. t. your latest story as well.
Welcome to the wonderful world of being a webmaster ??? ::) nice looking website too.
A good looking site.
Thank you, everyone, for the beautiful send-off!
I hope the site does well, and hope that it draws a few new readers this way, too, though I'm a little lost on how to promote a website.
Hi Pensive,
I am not real sure how to do it either, however, I know that you can purchase something from your web-hosting provider that will allow your web address to be added towards the top of search lists where searchers have put in the tags you have listed on your site. I have never done it but have been offered it when I put up a website for another project I was working on. Also, when I put my business page up on Facebook, it too asked me if I wanted to purchase options to have my business page included in searches. That is the only way I know to do it, however, I have not fully researched it.
That would be what I would look into.
Dana -- EPL
Thanks EPL,
That's all fair, though since I'm not getting any money from the site I'm not very eager to put money into it. I originally wanted to focus on word-of-mouth but posting a link on most forums I've seen violates their rules.
I have a twitter account for this but I'm not sure that would go anywhere either.
I'll keep fiddling around and whatever happens will happen. This is all just for fun anyway :)
You are quite welcome Pensive. I wish I had more to offer on ways to do it but my knowledge in advertising is limited. One of my hardest college classes was having to do PowerPoint presentations. Hopefully someone else...maybe even Gromet...may have a bit more information for you on how to get your name out.
I understand that it is very difficult to put out money for something that will have no return...and I believe that most of those search-engine offers are a monthly renewal and not a one-time fee.
Dana -- EPL
Perhaps you could approach other sites you don't mind promoting that have a links page and ask if they will add your link if you carry theirs. At least it's free.
I know very little about how to advertise a site, but I can say that you are definitely on Google. I did a search using the address to your site and got as results the site and a couple of the stories there. Of course, that search required that I know the address to begin with, but it still tells us your site is listed on Google search.
You can promote your site here as much as you like, I'll add some links to your site and you can also add a signature to your forum profile here to enable others to get to your site easily with every message you make. (just like Dana -EPL)
Thank you so much, everyone, especially Gromet! I was really worried that my site would be seen here as trying to 'compete' somehow, which I would never do. It means a lot to have this support.
And thanks, Fordman, for the suggestion about swapping links with other sites. I might try that.
He - refering to Gromets first comment: Welcome to ... being a webmaster, I'm sure he doesn't mind your 'competition'. Even if, of course, being a webmaster for only your own stories is way easier than the job Gromet took on his shoulders.
I'm sure there's room for both sites on the internet! You as a writer will of course want your work to be presented as clean as possible, while Gromet will do an effort (I think) to group stories according to tags or content.
Best luck with your site, Pen. I do hope you'll have lots of visitors! That in the end is the main attraction to amateur writers :)
I've posted two new stories on the site and will be submitting to Gromet shortly. Both are part of my Pure Pulp collection.
Wine Night: https://makintales.wordpress.com/2016/09/28/pure-pulp-wine-night/
Marty's Party: https://makintales.wordpress.com/2016/09/28/pure-pulp-martys-party/
I won't keep posting here for every new story, but if you like you can sign up for email updates or follow my blog to hear about new submissions. Most of them will probably end up on the Plaza anyway!