I created my own website
About four years ago I was unable to continue in my chosen profession. I had been a doctor/psychiatrist for over 45 years. I had been very ill, nearly died and the result was severe breathless and pain with corresponding incapacity. What should I do? I could at least use my brain, so I did.
I decided to collect together my many poems, written over several preceding years, review them and sort them into categories – for children and for teenagers. In the end, these made my first three books, ‘Growing Up’, ‘Coping with Illness and Grief’, and ‘Choice for teenagers’.
As I could not go out and about trying to interest any publisher in the books, the self publishing route was the only option. There was a printer in the village and he kindly visited the house for the documents and when proofs needed verifying.
Fine, I had books printed, but then what. Someone suggested I should have a website and sell the books on-line, but I would need a website.
I sought advice from a firm of website makers. They gave a ‘free assessment and visit’ and talked 'the lingo’ – which I did not understand at all, and I obviously, in my ignorance, gave the impression that I was either a fool or ‘an easy target’. I received a quote of £5000 for the website, which, bless them for their thoughfulness, included £1200 for a day’s training!
So, as I am neither a fool nor gullible, I had to have a plan B.
I asked the advice of a helpful neighbour who runs an internet business. I can précis his advice as, ‘Make one yourself.’
I simply asked, ‘How’! He said, ‘Go on-line, there are company’s which can help you.’
I found the site ‘Moonfruit.com’ ,and as I had at least basic knowledge of how to use programmes such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher, I took courage in both hands and proceeded.
I signed on and tried the 14 day free trial. I phoned my grandson, who went on line and said, ‘yes, I can see it’. Of course, I then had no option, so I continued with the process, using the free version, and a good dose of trepidation. But, I need not have worried – it was very straightforward.
My imagination continued to give me new ideas, I rapidly I used up those free pages. I also continued to write, and created more poetry books and a ‘past life novel - Beyond Mercy’, and
When I was used to the system and was creating pages with ease, I bought the maximum subscription which means I can create as many sites as I wish for the one, very reasonable price. I now have 13 sites under my name. I buy personalised domains for each site created – again, via the Moonfruit site.
The job was done – not only easily but efficiently. It was as time consuming as I wanted to make it, really enjoyable, no rush.
Gradually, as with any knowledge, the skill base has increased until I now insert video’s – uploading first to ‘youtube’ and then connecting these to the site/s. Audio recordings of poems are added via the audio widgets. I alter bits and pieces regularly, and add content as/when.
I have started using ‘Blogs’, though I have to say I do not know ‘where they go or who can read them’, but as I write nothing contentious and merely promote my books or articles in the blogs, I don't feel that is an issue. I keep track of how many people visit the site via the inbuilt site counter.
See just three of my websites – www.audreycoatesworth.com, www.buybeyondmercybook.com and www.plppublishings.com These are all rather different.
Most of all, I have truly enjoyed creating a safe site for primary school children, www.primaryschoolpoems.com which has had over 80,000 hits and children love the poems, songs, stories, educational topics e.g. watching the garden vegetables grow, the videos of baby tortoises and hedgehog.
The poems in all my books continue my therapeutic work.
The poetry books for children, in particular, are all written to help children absorb and build decent values in life - such as caring, sharing, kindness, courage, endurance . With this primary school poems website, I have created what I hope is an entertaining place for young children to spend time in quiet thought and with interest.
I wouldn’t say I was particularly creative in an artistic way, but I know what I want and need and ‘Moonfruit’ has given me a brilliant option.
Click any of these links to explore the sites. If you actually pay to join Moonfruit to make your sites , then I believe I get some small commission - but I have NOT been asked to write this. But, 'to be as honest as possible' is one of my compulsory values in life, hence I mention that fact. The purposes of my articles vary, but I always mention my books. How else do people become aware of them at the present time?
When I needed a website, I did not know what to do or how to do it and had to learn the 'hard way' by time, questions, resisting sales and finding out.
With this information, anyone wanting to make their own website has the benefit of my experience. I am not recommending, I am merely giving information and telling of my experience i.e. building a website is possible!
I have used a different company www.webs.com for making a site that is compatible with the iPad, so that iPad users can get the information I want to promote re. my books. I am told that Apple, at present, does not use 'FLASH' , which is the system that Moonfruit uses, but that Moonfruit will explore as/when the need arises. But, that is as much as I know about that.
I hope this article provides a path of sorts through the 'fog of technological jargon' for 'competent-for-need' ,self taught computer users, like me.
The one thing about my generation, we learned a thing or two about self reliance and determination .
Copyright©ACoatesworth2011
