Youth Authors Week
Novelly, a nonprofit publisher dedicated to uplifting youth voices, initiated Youth Authors Week, an annual campaign to celebrate teenage contributions to literature.
The goal of the Youth Authors Week website is to inform visitors about the initiative, encourage participation, and provide clear, accessible pathways to learn more and get involved. The client ask was to balance a youthful vibrancy with a professional tone, ensuring it resonates with a broad audience while maintaining visual cohesion with Novelly’s existing brand identity.
Goal
Design Approach
Research was conducted on similar literary and educational event websites to identify best practices in content presentation and user engagement. A moodboard was created to capture the desired aesthetic—youthful yet professional. Key inspirations included minimalist graphics, clean typography, and subtle animations related to reading and writing.
Two primary focuses guided the concept development:
Information Architecture: Organizing content to ensure that visitors could easily find and understand key information about the event.
Visual Engagement: Incorporating design elements that would appeal to both younger audiences and educators without compromising on professionalism.
Exploring Layouts
Building on the research, I developed two wireframe options for the landing page, each prioritizing information differently. These drafts aimed to:
Clearly present What, When, and How to Participate in Youth Authors Week
Offer a visual hierarchy that guided visitors through key messages, ensuring ease of navigation.
Utilize dynamic yet subtle design elements, like a wavy, animated text feature to emphasize the event date, adding a playful touch while maintaining readability.
Feedback was gathered directly from the client, streamlining the iteration process. Regular touchpoints allowed for detailed discussions on the designs, leading to more refined outcomes.
Content Design Challenges
One key challenge was balancing the volume of content with readability. Given the informative nature of the site, it was crucial to find ways to condense text without losing essential details. Discussions with the Novelly team led to strategic decisions, including potential additional pages for deeper dives into content, ensuring the landing page remained succinct and accessible.
Final Result
The final website is a cohesive blend of engaging design and clear messaging:
Visual Design: Features a clean layout with subtle animations, such as the wavy text effect highlighting the event date, adding a dynamic element that draws attention without distracting from the content.
User Experience: Intuitive navigation guides visitors through the "What," "Why," and "How" of Youth Authors Week, with strategically placed calls to action prompting newsletter sign-ups and toolkit requests.
Content Presentation: Refined copy ensures key messages are communicated effectively, enhancing user understanding and encouraging participation.
Conclusion
By addressing the UX copy challenges head-on and maintaining a collaborative approach, the project successfully met its objectives. The Youth Authors Week website stands as an inviting platform that celebrates youth contributions to literature and encourages broader participation in creative writing. The client plans on implementing the proposed website with added photos from the non profit for an organic feel.