Membership

Members Reveal

Well, if they grow up to be Seattle Writergrrls, they're likely to be DSL-lovin' editors who work on PCs. And they'll visit the Writergrrl Web site to read the Zine, find out about events, and track down resources. Or so says the results of the most recent survey of the Seattle Writergrrls membership.

As girls, most Writergrrl members read mysteries, classics, and fantasy books. And as women, well, you name it, and a Writergrrl writes it: comic books, essays, children's stories, technical documents, plays, short stories, novels, lyrics, and letters (yes, with a postage stamp and all).

Last December, the Seattle Writergrrl Web site Redesign Committee conducted an online survey of the membership to gather background information about members, their technological profiles, their reasons for using the Web site, and their interests as writers (and readers). The Committee sought such information as a vital initial step in designing a Web site that is truly valuable to the Writergrrl community.

Questions on the survey ranged from "How fast is your Internet connection?" to "What was your favorite book to read as a girl, under the covers with a flashlight?" Approximately 1/3 of the Seattle Writergrrls membership mouse-clicked their answers, and provided solid fuel for the Redesign Committee's decisions and choices.

A full 89% of Writergrrls are logging into the Web site from PCs, and 82% view the site from an Internet Explorer browser. Grrls use the site to find out about events (58%) and like to use it to learn more about fellow Writergrrls (40%).

"Read Zine Content" and "Find Resources" were the top-ranking responses to the question "How do you use the Web site?" But when asked "What is your biggest pet peeve about the site?", many grrls complained of difficulty in distinguishing Zine content from the balance of the site's information, and asked to have the resources page better organized.

Other peeves about the Web site focused on the overall navigation (layout) of the site and pointed out that joining the mailing list is confusing and difficult.

60% of the respondents had no complaints about the site, and added comments such as "it is divine" and "I love the site." But 23% expressed dislike for the site's graphic elements and overall visual design, with criticisms such as "dated" and pixilated. Other complaints included "too much scrolling" and "narrow little column of text can be hard to read."

It's true that a Web site which grew from the talents and needs of a handful of Seattle writers no longer meets the needs of our current 400-plus membership. Writergrrls are varied, discriminating, and vocal--excellent qualities, all, but demanding. In the months ahead, the Redesign Committee will strive toward a Web site that suits our beloved exacting members: formulating a vision for such a site, creating a plan for its creation, and recruiting more grrls to make it happen.

New software for the Writergrrl mailing list is currently in beta-test, and the Redesign Committee will revise the Web site to incorporate this product, which will improve the sign-up process and subscription options. The Committee also plans to review and revise the organization of the entire site, and hopes to make significant improvements by year's end. Such improvements will help delineate the Zine content from other aspects of the Web site, and make the site more useful overall.

Several grrls asked for e-mail reminders "when pages are updated" and hoped that content could be updated more often. There were very few complaints about download time, possibly because more than half the members are on DSL or equivalent connections; about 30% are on 56k modems; and only 7% are dialing in with a 28.8k modem.

Nevertheless, the Redesign Committee has established quick downloads as a must, and will not be getting frisky and Flash-y with the news that many grrls have speedy Internet connections; plenty of voices have requested a simple, effective Web site, and the Committee is working from that premise. There is great beauty in clarity and concision.

And, for those of you wondering what it was a budding Writergrrl was reading by flashlight under the covers...the titles most likely to be pressed against her cheek come morning were...Nancy Drew, A Wrinkle in Time, Little Women, Chronicles of Narnia, The Phantom Tollbooth, and The Hobbit.

Leila Anasazi runs with scissors and thinks safety is for four-year olds. Current favorite tools include a Dremel with diamond bit, Derwent watercolor pencils, and any car with a drop-top. Send applause to: islegirl@speakeasy.org.