Part 8: General: linking it right; checking everything (__ appearing before and after words means that these are underlined as they would appear if used as links).
1. Don't use __"click here"__ for your links (the link should be attached to where you want your visitors to go: "Return to __home page__" rather than "__Click here__ to return to Home Page"). "Click here" is meaningless and the visitor has to keep scanning the text to find the link's content--very time-wasting.
2. It's a good idea to put the URL of each page on the bottom of the document. This makes it easier for people who have downloaded your page to disk to revisit it. I often find myself wishing more people would do this, especially for the type of page that eventually becomes out-of-date.
3. Take time to proof-read your text before you upload it to your server. Preferably get someone else to do it for you. Authors become so familiar with what they have written that they usually see what they expect to see, thus missing many typographical errors.
4. Pretend you are a visitor to your site and click on all your links to make sure they work properly. Or ask a friend or family member to do it for you; problems will be more obvious to them.
5. Finally, view your pages in your browser with pictures turned off before you upload the files to your server (that's usually whoever is providing your Internet access). Are the pages still readable? Obviously they won't look as good without your background texture and your graphics and photographs, but are they still acceptable? If you're not too confident of your own judgement, ask somebody else.
NEXT WEEK: Part 9: "GENERAL: Summing UP, and a final few irritating things".
© L A Barker Enterprises.
Laraine Anne Barker writes fantasy for young people. Visit her web site at http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz for FREE stories and novel excerpts. Sign up for the NOVELLA OF THE MONTH CLUB, absolutely FREE!
