.com Forum · SD Fever

Site is not done, I'd LOVE your feedback, this has taken me a very long time!

brennaamorgan0.wix.com/theshowdogfever#!home/mainPage

bump?

bump.

Very nice job! I really like seeing the pics of different dogs. Keep up the good work

Cindy at Brinn

I like the layout in general, but I think some things need work.

I don't like how I have to go to the "More" button to find all the articles. It seems, since this is a magazine, that the articles should be easily accessible and easy to find. generally when I see "More" on websites, I think of fun extras, not the site's intended main content.

It's not just the "more" label though, I think it would be easier to navigate is I could choose the link to the article I want to read directly, without having to use a drop-down menu.

One other big thing- for the Kudos award article, Tips From the Pros, and Breeder of the Month, it doesn't say who the recipient is clearly anywhere on the page. In tiny type at the bottom it thanks so and so for answering, but still doesn't clearly ID them as "Kuods award winner" or this months Pro etc. I think that should be the FIRST thing the article lists.

For dog of the month, it never tells me what breed this dog is. I have to get a few questions in before I find out it is a Pembroke, and only because the owner mentions it in their answer. It also never gives me a link to the dog, or some idea of why the dog was chosen. I think this page would do much better with perhaps the Dog's name at the top, a picture of the kennel's banner if there is one, naming the dog's owner/breeder, and a short list of notable accomplishments (20 BIS, Gold Dam, #5 Hound etc)

I also found some glaring factual inaccuracies in one of the featured articles. COI does NOT affect a dog's showing or placements. It only affects their quality/traits, and those are set at birth. If the dog is nice despite high COI, it will show well. Judges do not see a dog's COI or use it in the judging process. Also, the listed COI on the breeding pages is not the "average" COI. It IS the COI of all pups who will be born from that pairing. COI does not vary across pups from the same pairing, it is a constant number across the whole litter.

I'm a bit dissapointed that the other two featured articles are fluff pieces about real dogs instead of related to SD. I'd prefer they focused mostly on the game wth maybe one qulity fluff piece a month.

I'm also concerned that the quality of the writing as well as the content has gone down. The first few issues had something for everyone- from advanced strategies for experienced players to advice for those just starting out. And they were well written. Recently the writing quality has gone down and the content is aimed mostly at lower level players. And even that is not completely accurate.

The site in general though, is quite nice. And I'm still enjoying the quizzes and contests. I'm hoping this is a bump in the road following the change in staff, and it will return to it's former glory quite soon.

Thank so much for the input Lilliput, i wasnt really happy with a lot of the articles this month either, including mine.

The Featured Articles are suppose to be fun. Everdale even told the old Featured Articles that they can be Non showdog related, so there is not mch I can change there for you since it's hard to repeatedly tell tales about showdog. That's just something you and whoever else will have to deal with, but I know a few people love reading RL articles as well. again, I'm sorry but I don't want to make it harder for my writers, racking their brains to write something about Showdog every time.

The drop down menu, you have no idea how long I looked and looked on numerous websites with a menu like showdog has. Jeff is right, a lot of new sites DON'T do that anymore, its all about the drop down menu now. (I did find a few, but they were nothing to great to be honest.. )

I will start on a newer site and try to find a full menu if everyone wants? I'm also unsure about how to go along with a lot of our writers. I'll send a long message tonight about the quality.

Again, thank you! This is a BIG eye opener and this is exactly what I wanted you guys to tell me!! I want to make the SD fever enjoyable and nice.

Lilliput I work very hard on my articles. Are you saying you don't like them?

I didn't say I didn't like them, I said that they were "fluff". Which is to say, they are nice articles, but they aren't really the substance of the publication. They're fun articles used on the side. And that I'd like to see less fluff and more substance.

I also said that the quality could be higher- that was not aimed at your article alone, but as a whole. In general, I like to see articles that are more in depth and bring a new perspective on a subject. And I'd prefer a higher level of writing- right now it seems about high school level on average.

I did actually like your article for what it was. I thought the suggestions were unique and well thought out. I particularly liked the suggestion to work your costume around your dog, so the dog plays "himself" ie- a pug with the person in a MIB costume. It could have been better by sounding less like a persuasive article and instead presenting the pros and cons of costumes along with a range of suggestions. But in general, it was an enjoyable read.

I forgot, as far as a drop menu goes, I think it could work if they were labeled differently. Having to look under "more" for all the content was the most confusing bit. If instead, there were headers for most of the articles- say a button for "contests,quizzes, and challenges" or "games" or some such, which then drops down to contests/quiz/challenge, then a button for "featured articles" that drops down to the 3 features, and then one for recognitions, with breeder of the month/dog of the month/kudos. The biggest problem with the recognitions is that it does not state clearly and at the beginning who they are.

I feel like tips from the pros and game-related advice should also have their own button. This way it is fairly easy to find the content you want, and they are grouped somewhat logically.

Ah thank you Lilliput, I see what youre saying about how the links should go! I'm going to try to figure out (ha, yes, I'm a bit dumb with wix.com right now..) how to do that.

How would you say to improve writing? is it the writer them self or the editing?

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posted by Lilliput
The biggest problem with the recognition is that it does not state clearly and at the beginning who they are.

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Agreed. This was my main issue with the articles. That is an easy fix, however.

Although I do enjoy some off-site and real life related articles, given it is the SD Fever, I believe most of the content should apply to the site.
The challenge for the SD Fever writers is to come up with fresh ideas each issue, which is part of their position.

Analeyn

I'd say it's a bit of both on the writing. Ideally as an editor you would work with the writers.

I'd have them submit the articles with plenty of time for you to go over them, then send back with constructive suggestions. So you'd get a first draft, edit it, and then they'd work with your suggestions to send you a final draft.

This way, your writers learn where their weaknesses are, and are able to improve over time. Also, this way the content of the article stays their own. As an editor you want to give suggestions, but not alter the content. Things like spelling, grammar, punctuation etc should be pointed out as well of course, but it's not such a big deal if you have to fix a bit of that in the final draft.

The big thing would be to look it over, and help them tweak the tone and content of the article, make sure it is logically laid out, and flows smoothly. Offer constructive advice, and ask questions. This should help to flesh the articles out a bit, and give the reader a fuller experience. It should also help your writers grow and expand their skills.

I would also fact check. However, I would not change the facts yourself- if you find questionable bits presented as fact, have the writer revise, or present you with a credible source for those facts. Or, help them to present it as say, an opinion instead, or one of several ideas of the facts.

ie- instead of say, "Red dogs show best in the ring" you could say, Can you cite a source on this? Is this always true? And if your writer CAN back it up, then that is good. Adding the source to the piece may help, ie, "According to AKC regulations, Red dogs are to be preferred in the ring"

If they can't cite a source, then perhaps it would best be stated differently. Such as, "Some people believe that red dogs show better than other colors" or "There is some disagreement over the color of the AKC Hound, but many people believe red dogs show best in the ring" Or even, some people say Red dogs show best, but others say that black dogs and red dogs are equal competitors" Depending, of course, on whichever version was most true.

The key to being a good editor is that you don't make the corrections yourself, rather you help shape the writing from your contributors by asking questions and offering suggestions until the material is up to standard.

There may be writers for whom you need to do very little editing, and there may be some whom need to send several drafts before they get it right. Over time, you and they will learn to work together and to shape the articles into the type of content you want in the magazine.

There may be writers who, after several editions, just don't write up to standard. In which case, you can either continue to work with them, or send them on their way, depending on any number of variables (raw talent, how much time you have to dedicate to the task, etc)

Well Cassie always sends the articles back to me saying what she corrected, usually it's minor grammar or capitalizing.

I know Impact is a college writer, so seeing that you said "high school level" might not set so easy

I want to do what you say Lilliput about the "fluff" but the fact is, is that if they can't figure out what to right about showdog related then they simply wont turn it in and we wont, or it will take months, to get that article back again. That's what similarly happened to Dynastie, he ran out of ideas so he simply tossed the hat in.

I don't want everyone to look at me and say "you ruined the showdog fever that Everdale and Wicked Kisses perfected" but that fact is, I'm doing what Everdale told me to. I'm trying to do my half, but the staff need to do their half too, which most of them DO do their half, very well.

Cassie is an amazing editor, she does it withen a day of me sending it to her. I think what I need to do is make a showdog fever account so that all the articles are sent there instead of clogging my inbox, and I will reply more if it's not in my main inbox (I hate deleting messages..my inbox only has a few saved messages, other then that everything gets deleted unless it's important.)

I'm fixing the site layout, color, ect on the site, though I need to start over and find a site that has a side bar, (or figure out how to group.) I want to change the color scheme to something that is like showdogs colors, I think that will fit everyones tastes better since we all like showdog!

Lilliput, if you have any more advice please message me? I'd probably respond and/or see it a lot quicker I love the advice, if anything looks wrong just tell me and I'll fix it. I want to perfect this.

I meant the tone of the magazine as a whole is at about a high school level on average right now. That was not aimed directly at Impact in any way, shape or form.

Some articles are above high school level, and some maybe are a bit below, and it all averages out to high school level across the whole publication.

I don't think you're doing a bad job. You asked for advice, and I gave it. I think it's a big opportunity for the publication to grow. It might be a bit rough at the moment, but that gives you more room to move up!

I also love some of the recent changes- the contests, quizzes and challenges for instance have been fresh and new and interesting lately. I never know quite what to expect each month, which is tons of fun.

Analeyn and I decided to combine the Contest and Challenge and have her just run it all, so hopefully that cleans things up also

I agree with Lilliput, especially on the layout of the page... In fact, I didn't even find the articles under the "more" tab until I read Lilliput's post!!

As popular as having links along the top of the page seems to be right now, I think in the case of a magazine it is best to have the links run vertically along the side. That is the most efficient way to make all of the articles visible at once. I think it's very important for readers to be able to tell what's in the magazine at a glance.


Also I find white text on a black background very difficult to read. I think black text on a light coloured background would be much easier on the eyes.

I read mine and jeez, it sounded goofy

Sorry

Lilliput's comment was not out of line.
This post asks for "feedback," which has been given.
Your effort was not questioned, and if you read further you will note that Lilliput goes on to explain that by "fluff" they referred to the article 's substance, and said that it was nice.

All of the "feedback" given on this thread is to help & give constructive critism.

After all, our audience is our readers & we create this for the sole purpose of the SD public. Thus, any ideas they may have are important to consider.

Analeyn

Let's not get offended here, it's good to learn and grow. Lilliput is giving us the chance to grow and become better from where we are now

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posted by Welsh Corgi Kennels
Let's not get offended here, it's good to learn and grow. Lilliput is giving us the chance to grow and become better from where we are now

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Sorry, I didn't understand properly . SORRY LILLIPUT!!!!!