Monday, October 2, 2017

Patrick Rothfuss

One of my favorite authors is Patrick Rothuss who created the Kingkiller Chronicle series. His official website is located at www.patrickrothfuss.com. The purpose of his website is to provide basic information about his books, biography, tour schedule, and links to other useful pages. The intended audience for this site is his fans and people looking for more information about him or his works.

As a fan of Patrick Rothfuss, I believe his website functions well by reaching his intended audience. He hosts a blog on his website that is regularly updated and he frequently references links to the store or tour schedules. His website is also the first Google result when searching for his name.

The site has been useful to me as I frequently check his tour schedule to see if he's close for a book signing. I also read his blog quite a bit, but I usually see updates on Facebook first. The site's design is moderately appealing, but the main page and information about his works is rarely or never updated. The site has appropriate images, very little clutter, and useful information. The navigation is also clear and easily accessible at the top of page. The site is basic, but easy to use.

I have frequently sent others to this website when they have shown interest in his works, or when they are looking for a new fantasy novel to read.

There are a few changes I would suggest.

  1. When you visit the blog, the width of the page and content changes due to a new sidebar. I would either have the blog open in a new window as a separate site, or try my best to resize it to fit. It's not a necessary change, but noticeable when navigating.
  2. I would probably refresh the website with a new look because it hasn't been updated in a while, probably focusing on the header image and some new color design.
  3. I've also noticed that there is not a link to the store (The Tinker's Pack) in the navigation menu. I would change that immediately because his store is often used to raise money for worthy humanitarian projects.
Overall, I think Patrick Rothfuss' website is well designed and simple to navigate.