Frequently Asked Questions
How much text can I have on a page?
As much as you like. Pages on the web grow to fit their content so, in theory, you could put the whole of War and Peace on one page. But no one would read it. Generally speaking, we recommend that you don't put more than 1000 words on a page
unless there is a very good reason (maybe because it's the first chapter
of your novel or a particularly long and interesting article).
How do I give you the text and the pictures?
We need both the text and the pictures in electronic form. For text,
the easiest way is to send it as an email attachment or in the body
of an email. If you have access to a scanner, you can also email the
pictures as an attachment. If you can't scan the pictures yourself,
we can do it for you for a small charge but please don't send us irreplaceable
original artwork as our nerves can't take the responsibility.
Can you supply suitable pictures for me?
We have a large library of clip art so, if you tell us what you want,
we'll do our best to include suitable drawings or photos at no extra
charge.
Can you help with the text?
We don't write the text for you, but we're happy to give you feedback on what you've written, if you wish. Sometimes an outside eye can spot details you've missed or haven't made clear.. (For more information on writing for the web, see our content
hints and tips.)
Do you arrange copyright clearance for the pictures and book extracts?
Any pictures we supply are royalty free. It's your responsibility to
make sure you have permission to use any pictures and text you supply
yourself. We may ask you to verify this if we are concerned about any
particular item, as we are keen to avoid infringing the copyright laws
we all depend on for our livelihoods.
Can people copy the work I put on my site?
Some people still consider the Internet a copyright-free zone so there
is always a risk that your writing or pictures could be copied. But
that is equally true of everything you have published in print as there
is always the chance of it being photocopied or scanned into a computer
and distributed. If you are worried about this, we suggest you put a
copyright declaration on your site plus a note telling people how to
contact you for permission if they want to use anything. In our experience,
people are less likely to take work illegally if there is a simple legal
route available.
Who owns the completed site?
You do, although you don't own the copyright on our design, on any pictures
supplied by us or on any software incorporated into the site. You can
move your site to another host server at any time if you wish and we'll
do our best to help, although we can't guarantee that all the code will
work on the new server.
Can I change the content of my site after it goes live?
One of the delights of the internet is that nothing is set in stone, so you can change and expand your site as time goes
by. For more information on this, visit our section on updating your site.
Are there any restrictions on what I can put on my site?
Only the obvious ones. We don't build or host sites containing what
is euphemistically called ' adult material' or which break the law.
As a result, you mustn't put anything on your site or in emails or
newsletters using our services which is defamatory, libelous, pornographic,
likely to induce racial hatred or in breach of copyright. You must also
not indulge in spamming (sending lots of unsolicited emails).(for more information, see our
Terms and Conditions)
If you are a children's author, please be aware of the need to keep youngsters safe online and be careful about using words which may get your site banned by net nanny software. You will also need permission from parents before you put pictures of children on your site.
Are there any restrictions on the size of my site?
Your annual hosting fee gives you unlimited disc space so your site
can be as large as you like. It also provides up to 1GB of bandwidth
a month. (Bandwidth measures the amount of access to your site.) This
should be ample unless you are a top name author or illustrator with
a huge following of fans or you have masses of graphics on your site.
Don't worry - you don't get cut off if you exceed the limit, but we may ask
you to pay a higher fee.
If I use your email forwarding service, do I still need the ordinary
email account from my Internet Service Provider?
Yes. When someone sends an email to your website address, the system
automatically forwards it to your ordinary email address. (No one reads
it on the way.) If you wish, you can set up your email program to use
your website address as your reply address. We'll do our best to help
if you are not sure how to do this.
Does email forwarding slow down messages?
Not noticeably. We use it all the time ourselves and find it works extremely
well.
What if I change my Internet Service Provider?
Just tell us and we will change your email forwarding free of charge.
You can even opt to have your mail sent to two different email addresses
if you like. If you prefer to be independent, we can give you your own
control panel so you set up your email addresses yourself.
Do you guarantee that my site will always be available?
The Internet sometimes develops fault and all servers need servicing
occasionally, so no web hosting service guarantees 100% uptime. However
we buy our space from an extremely efficient company that provides an
excellent level of service on very fast servers. We use them ourselves
and recommend them with confidence.
Do I have to pay in advance for you to build my site?
No. When we have your order in writing, we will build your site and
put it on a test location for you to see. You only pay when you are
satisfied. Your site will go live as soon as we have received your money.
I think I might want a site. What do I do next?
Phone us now on 01983 293048 for a free no obligation chat. If you
wish, we'll take your number and call you back so we pay for the call.
We work from home so don't mind being called in the evening. If you
prefer, you can email us at design@wordpool.co.uk
or write by snail mail to The Word Pool, 25 Solent View Road,
Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 8JY