This week I started the tedious job of learning to install and customize yet another content management system (CMS) … this time it is Impress, which I chose because it was named 2009’s Most Promising Open Source CMS by Packt Publishing. So far I like it a lot. The modules are easy to install. In fact, the entire CMS was easy to install (without Fantastico’s help) and instructions were clear enough that I could figure it out. That’s something, because I’m not a super-geek. I installed it at Perspectives on Writing and plan to keep working on it for the next few months. I’m in no hurry to launch the site. In fact, at this time (Nov. 2009) the design hasn’t been done – what’s there is a pre-installed theme. I did have one problem and requested help at the Impress site’s message forum. I got help very quickly, so I’d have to say support is available and efficient!

This month I’ve also been writing another novel… this is my other passion in life, besides webdesign. I’ve written eight novels with NaNoWriMo in the past; this is my ninth year. You’re welcome to check out my progress on my NaNoWriMo profile.

Last week I mentioned that I joined The V7 Network. This week I found a link there that answered a question about how to choose a webdesigner. This article, Choosing a Web Designer, gives plenty of qualifications and issues a prospective client should consider. Would you be the webdesigner a savvy client would hire? Could you become that most excellent webdesigner everyone would want in their corner? Consider these points as goals worth aiming toward.

Are you using Reddit? Through Twitter I found out there is a Reddit listing of open directories. I hadn’t been to my Reddit account in a couple years so I started looking around and discovered several Reddits about webdesign. A great place to share information and get feedback on the art of designing websites.

Have you designed business cards for your business yet? You might want to take a look at these very impressive examples: 100 (Really) Creative Business Cards.

Now I’ve got to get back to writing the novel. The CMS building activity will have to wait.

We all need the inspiration of new web design ideas from time to time.

If you’re planning a career as a web designer you should start as soon as possible to collect your favorite designs to keep as inspiration. You could start a web design idea gallery as the owners of the following sites did, or just bookmark all the inspiring, beautiful, amazing sites you come across.

Here are twenty web design idea resources to inspire your creativity.

Patrick Haney has collected over 400 web design ideas on his Flickr account: Web Design Inspiration.

A Site A Day intends to give web designers one new inspirational site building idea daily:

Web Creme collects screen shots of inspiring web design ideas:

Web Design File has more than 650 inspirational web design ideas waiting for your perusal:

Only the best: Inspiration King focuses on quality over quantity:

Unmatched Style is a community blog acknowledging designs using CSS and web standards:

At CSS Clip you can submit your CSS site to the gallery and compete with other great web design artists of the internet:

Best Web Gallery defines quality design as “Visual + Technical + Creativity”:

The Best Designs features quality CSS and flash websites:

You’ll find plenty of web design ideas and inspiration at CSSremix:

I Love Blog Design specializes only in (guess what?) …blogs!

The CSS Zen Garden is perhaps one of the most inspiring places on the web:

CSS Mania! Be inspired!

CSS Revue isn’t in English but you don’t need to understand the language to appreciate the beautiful web design ideas.

Design Idol features beautiful CSS and flash sites:

MotionSpire provides a gallery for impressive 3D, 2D and multi-media:

Frequent updates: CSS Envy.

FantastiCSS – a gallery of fantastic CSS web design:

We Love WP – showcasing WordPress sites:

Inspiration Folder requests membership…

This week I’m presenting a workshop, Creating an Impressive Writing Website, at the 2008 Muse Online Writers Conference. One of the participants wanted the code for a web page with a graphic in the background, and whitespace for the text area.

I am a whitespace fanatic, especially for professional websites.

Anyhow, here’s the code I gave her. I’m putting it here in case someone else might need it.

Click here to see the result of using this code

You’re welcome to take this and use it in any way that suits your needs:

<html>
<head>
<title>YOUR TITLE</title>
<style>
body {
 background: url(http://www.lindajomartin.com/images/ybg.gif)repeat;
 font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;
 font-size: 1em;
}
div.whitespace {
 background-color:white;
 border: 2px #000000 solid;
 margin: 150px;
 padding: 30px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class=”whitespace”>
<p>Put your main text here.</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>