Don't hate me because I'm ugly
It was my interest in web design that led me to blogging. I actually started blogging to write about my progress in teaching myself things like CSS and PHP, but I learned everything so quickly that I never got a chance to blog about it. Still, I ended up starting this here "web design blog" at a time when I thought I was cut out to be a designer. I had to tack on the "technology" and "new media" when I realized that wasn't going to happen.
I've been doing this blogging thing here at The Montoya Herald for almost 2 years now. In that time I have learned a lot about my own capabilities. I'm really good at CSS. I'm getting better with PHP and MySQL. I think I can do UI design.
But, I usually can't do visual design. It's hit and miss for me when it comes to this. I'm not one of the design-rockstars, and I have learned to live with that. I just stick to what I'm good at.
Something I have noticed a lot, however, in my last couple years of being involved in the blogging community, is the kind of attention that design-rockstars get on their blogs. It's along the lines of comments that say things like:
Wow, the design of your blog really moved me deep inside my heart and I follow your blog religiously every single day simply because the design is attractive. It really doesn't matter what you write about, I read your blog because it's beautiful. Keep up the good work!
That might sound exaggerated but it's basically what people say. The jist of it all is that some blogs get a large number of readers simply because they have an attractive design, and these blogs tend to be labeled as "web design" blogs even though they are really just diaries or life-journals. I won't make the mistake of posting specific examples, but I'm sure the web design junkies in my audience can think of some. I was thinking about this today because I was reading some comments on a blog that I recently unsubscribed from… this was definitely one of those blogs that's popular because it looks good… the content isn't special at all. It made me think… I prefer to have to work for my readership by writing quality content, than to get a lot of readers just because I have a pretty design. I'm not saying this just to sound altruistic… I really feel this way. The way I see it, being popular just because you are good-looking might win you some accolades, but it won't work in the long run. A truly successful blog requires good content more than anything else.
What I wish I could change is the mindset of those people who put so much value on looks alone. It's the same as the kids in high school who respected the "beautful people" just because they were beautiful. In the blogging world, I'm probably one of the ugly kids, and just like high school, there's a lot more ugly kids than beautiful ones. As self-appointed spokesperson of the ugly blogs club, I'm just here to say: think about why you follow the blogs you read. Think about what makes them stand out. If their only merits are their looks, unsubscribe. Read great blogs because they have great content. That's all that should matter in the end. And please, please, don't hate me because I'm ugly. It's not my fault. Seriously.
As superficial as it sounds, the design of you blog back in '05 got me hooked! The design has changed a few times since then, but I keep coming back for your quality content
If you get really bored - as some sort of experiment, you should use a default uber-pretty wordpress theme for a week and see if your readship doubles or something…
(Can I be member #2 of ugly club please)
Hear Hear. I'll be member #3 and hereby appoint myself as secretary of lack of any actual content.
Hmm, I should make a post about that…
Daz: That wouldn't quite do it. The key is to have an original design that is so pretty that it gets featured on multiple CSS galleries and then watch the subscriber count soar. If I had the money, I would pay a design rockstar to redesign my blog and make it happen. I bet a lot of visitors would even think I designed it myself.
I love the design of the minimal "Domo Off" version of your blog. However, I subscribe for the content.
That's an interesting predicament, Christian.
It is true that a large amount of people do value aesthetics over anything else. I find myself "turned off" by poor design, but it's just who I am.
However, I read and subscribe to your blog for it's great content. In many cases this can override everything else.
I think knowing your limitations is important, and you've got a good attitude. You're right, a lot of blogs do have a fanbase because of looks alone. But in my experience, it's hard for me to just find quality content. If I'm browsing a CSS gallery and am wowed by something, I'll visit the site. If I like the content, I keep coming back.
I guess a lot of people just don't have a good way to get introduced to blogs with quality content. I used to go to 9rules for both design and content, but the design part has gone down down down, and unfortunately a lot of the content has gone with it.
I assume this post is a response to my comment yesterday and I just think you're making excuses for not trying hard enough. I know you're a smart guy. Obviously you are. You're really good at coding, but the first step to not succeeding is telling yourself that you can't.
That's not the right mindset at all. Take a look at other web sites. Take a look at what makes people like them. You don't have to be a rockstar at photoshop to have a good design. Actually, I'm a big fan of minimalist designs.
Here's a few designs that I really like that don't take a design rockstar to do. http://www.shauninman.com/ http://daringfireball.net/ http://www.nclud.com/
Now, I'm not saying that you have to copy them at all. Don't take it that way. All I'm saying is that take a look at what makes these and others well liked.
I don't think everybody is born with good eye for design, but I think it can be improved upon.
And Christian, don't take this the wrong way at all. I wouldn't have spent this much time replying to you if I didn't think you could do it or if I didn't care. I know you can do it and it just takes practice just like everything else.
Hmm… that's weird… blogs have design? I never noticed. They all look the same in my yummy feed reader…
Ben, this post had nothing to do with your comment yesterday. I had been meaning to write this for a year. That you would think I need this advice is laughable at best and insulting at worst. Once again, I know you mean well, but you are really off the mark.
I designed the last 3 sites I showed off in a hurry because currently I am working 40 hours a week on a startup, working another 25 hours a week on my own business sites (blogs, etc) and trying to reserve an hour a day for exercising, including weekends. I try not to work on weekends so I don't get stressed out, but sometimes I end up working anyway. I also have a client project that is moving very slowly.
All that being said, it doesn't change the statements I made here. IANAD. Period. After 2 years of really working at improving my skills, the site you are reading right now is probably my best work. I've had very bad experiences with trying to deliver visual design as a service to clients; this is why I only do CSS now. In the end, I don't mind. I can accept what I am capable of. The way I see it, there are a number of design-rockstar bloggers out there, but only a few of them are really good writers. The rest get a lot of traffic for their designs, but they don't last as successful bloggers, because they rely on their design skills rather than learning how to write well. All I'm trying to say is that I'm glad I never had the chance to make that mistake. I can make a blog that's readable, and usable, and that holds up under different browsers. That's enough in my opinion. The content can do the rest of the work.
Down the road, I might work with a designer or something on the sites I develop, if I have the cash to spend. Or maybe not. It really doesn't matter, because I'm not looking that far ahead.
And to make a long comment longer, I have to say that looking at sites like Shaun Inman, Daring Fireball, or n'clud, and trying to take away any sort of inspiration, is impossible to do without making something mediocre and probably too similar to be unique. I've tried things like that in the past. I know where to go for inspiration, so just leave that up to me. Thanks, but no thanks.
I think design is equally important just like content. In saying that, people will read and go to popular blogs because of its looks or the owners looks but looks are super-ficual and they do not always last.
I know what you say however, as I am myself more adapt to css than visual design and that is why I have a partner who does the visual designs.
Let's be honest … Neither design nor content will get you loved, and you can actually lack both and still be a "Rockstar" of either category.
Case in point: drudgereport.com
He's ugly, and 97 percent of what's posted is links to other news sites. Compare this to thousands of anonymous professors' blogs, or to the stunningly beautiful DeviantArt sites that only get a circlejerk of close friends …
Sure, you can be brilliant or beautiful or creative or original, but it's much better to relevant, to tap into the social zeitgeist of the times and let it roll you on its wave.
The other edge of this sword is, then, that if you ARE popular, don't believe it's because you're a great writer or a rockstar designer, but just because you (through skill or, more likely, luck) happened upon a strong undercurrent of social concurrence.
Mojo, man. It's all about the mojo.