Well today's the day that the last week has been building up to, it's launch day!
It has involved sitting in front of a PC coding all day as there was so much still to do. I started out by planning the absolute essentials needed for launch. I then coded and tested each area of functionality as I went. The initial work was all around registration and login/logout, then onto the main development which was the writing page and getting this all linked to the database. Once that was done, it was on to the historical data (so you can view your old posts) and a very simple settings page. As I coded the pages, I worked on the design elements too (not usually the done thing but needs must with such short timescales) so I could get a whole screen done and dusted, and on to the next.
From a design perspective, I really wanted to keep things minimal and fuss free. That way people can concentrate purely on their writing rather than wizzy widgets and distractions. For the final design I went for a simple black and white theme, clear readable font, a simple menu. There are just 2 large icons for other functionality; these are for saving your work, and for asking for some inspiration.
I didn't actually leave the house all day and finally by 10pm I published the site online, and sent out an email to all the people who'd signed up to hear about the launch. The product had only been tested by myself and a couple of friends at that time. With that in mind I decided to keep the launch limited to people who'd already shown interest and registered for the prelaunch. This way I can address any issues and feedback over the weekend, and then do another public launch on Monday morning.
If you haven't done already, then do sign up at www.writingritual.com
This whole #7DayStartup process really has been a real eye opener. It just shows exactly what can be achieved by setting goals, making fast decisions, and hard work. I'll write another blog in the next couple of days summarising my thoughts.
I'd love to hear any feedback, and you can find me on most social media platforms as "richardjeaton" so do come say hi on Instagram, Twitter, or Periscope.