Where Logistics, Art and WordPress Themes Meet

So, per my last posting I tried a new WordPress theme. I compared switching themes to getting a new hairstyle, summarized with “It was time for a change.”

And, change I did! Apparently, I managed to switch from the mousy, brown brunette of my previous theme to the raven-black of a different theme only to end up making it more difficult for people to read the blog.

I know we all blog for different reasons and hope for varying outcomes with our blogs. Despite these sliding criteria for each of us, I think we can all agree that of paramount importance to blogging is actually having a blog people can read without eye strain.

As I am scientist by training, to me this is simply an example in which logistics meet creativity. You normally hope their meeting results in a symbiotic union in which each emerges stronger for the other.

In this case, however, I have to say I think logistics won out.

I have chosen another theme and we will see how this goes.

On a sidenote, I think all endeavors are a balance between creativity and logistics. Many of you may remember that I self-published a book several months ago. Thank you to those who purchased it!

One of the things I found surprising at the end of the process was the price set up for the book by CreateSpace in conjunction with Amazon.

I knew as the author, I would have some say, but I did not realize until the end (yes, I am that slow) that the base price was set based on number of pages, images, etc.

My book came in at ~$20!!! I was hoping for $6.99. (By the way, the price on the book changes now and then. Why? I don’t know, but this is not something that is being controlled by me.)

The reason the cost was so high is that I have images in the book and in some ways, I later realized, I had wasted a lot of page space.

Then, the logistical part of my brain took over. Really it did. My main goal for my second book was to produce something relating to the spirit within each of us and our sense of compassion for ourselves.

I still wanted to do images, but I wanted to cut out any pages that did not have images. That is, I wanted to make this book “tighter” (read, “less costly”.)

I am really pleased with the outcome. The page format is more consistent than the other book. And I chose to actually use the same font throughout the book this time (Yes, this should have been an obvious thing to do the first time!).

With just as many images, but fewer pages with simply words, the book comes in at ~$12. Much more reasonable.

A friend read it and said, “I can see your strength and belief in compassion for ourselves written all over these pages.”

I loved her words and secretly thought to myself, “All for $8 less.”

I do not write this so that you will buy the book, but just to show another example of the balancing act we are all performing as creators- logistics and creativity…

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