Ray Newman
@raynewman.bsky.social
He/him. From Bridgwater, in Bristol. Writer, editor, content designer. Ghost stories, films. No alt text, no repost. Not here for politics. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/raynewman Header: my book Intervals of Darkness https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DDR8X9QY
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Ray Newman
@raynewman.bsky.social
· Mar 22
Between them ‘Municipal Gothic’ and ‘Intervals of Darkness’ have 27 stories full of haunted buildings, haunted people, and working class weirdness. Obviously *I* think they're great – but so do strangers who owe me nothing!
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Municipal-Go...
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Intervals-Da...
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Municipal-Go...
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Intervals-Da...
When I lived in Walthamstow there was a butcher who came up with the mad idea of opening later, then staying open until 8 (I think) a few nights a week and guess what? They had to move to a bigger, better shop after about a year.
February 13, 2026 at 12:35 PM
When I lived in Walthamstow there was a butcher who came up with the mad idea of opening later, then staying open until 8 (I think) a few nights a week and guess what? They had to move to a bigger, better shop after about a year.
Fundamentally operating on the basis that there are still 'housewives' doing their shopping during the day while the children are at school.
February 13, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Fundamentally operating on the basis that there are still 'housewives' doing their shopping during the day while the children are at school.
I do think a fundamental problem with bricks-and-mortar shops is that when they're open, I'm at work. And when I'm not at work, they're shut. Not sure what the fix is.
February 13, 2026 at 12:27 PM
I do think a fundamental problem with bricks-and-mortar shops is that when they're open, I'm at work. And when I'm not at work, they're shut. Not sure what the fix is.
We have a joke in the trade that carousels only exist so you can tell everyone in the management team that their thing is on the homepage, at the top.
See also:
shouldiuseacarousel.com
See also:
shouldiuseacarousel.com
Should I Use A Carousel?
shouldiuseacarousel.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:09 PM
We have a joke in the trade that carousels only exist so you can tell everyone in the management team that their thing is on the homepage, at the top.
See also:
shouldiuseacarousel.com
See also:
shouldiuseacarousel.com
8. It uses lots of abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms; those are not spelled out the first time they're used.
bsky.app/profile/jemb...
bsky.app/profile/jemb...
The acronyms come thick and fast
February 13, 2026 at 11:53 AM
8. It uses lots of abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms; those are not spelled out the first time they're used.
bsky.app/profile/jemb...
bsky.app/profile/jemb...
Content design people: feel free to suggest other red flags.
People who don't know what the heck I'm talking about: feel free to ask questions that might help you understand what I'm talking about.
People who don't know what the heck I'm talking about: feel free to ask questions that might help you understand what I'm talking about.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Content design people: feel free to suggest other red flags.
People who don't know what the heck I'm talking about: feel free to ask questions that might help you understand what I'm talking about.
People who don't know what the heck I'm talking about: feel free to ask questions that might help you understand what I'm talking about.
7. Links use text like 'click here' or 'learn more' instead of language that describes what will happen, or where the user will be taken, if they click that link. (My pal Laura Parker reminded me of this one.)
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
7. Links use text like 'click here' or 'learn more' instead of language that describes what will happen, or where the user will be taken, if they click that link. (My pal Laura Parker reminded me of this one.)
6. It uses vague or oblique language to soften messages. Content design focuses on clarity and directness, it is not about burying bad news.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
6. It uses vague or oblique language to soften messages. Content design focuses on clarity and directness, it is not about burying bad news.
5a. Tip: content on the page is more likely to help people find your website through search engines or AI search, too.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
5a. Tip: content on the page is more likely to help people find your website through search engines or AI search, too.
5. It uses inaccessible features such as rotating carousels. If the information is really useful, content designers will want to extract it as proper on-page content. And if it isn't useful, which is perhaps why it's hidden in a carousel, they'll want to remove it altogether.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
5. It uses inaccessible features such as rotating carousels. If the information is really useful, content designers will want to extract it as proper on-page content. And if it isn't useful, which is perhaps why it's hidden in a carousel, they'll want to remove it altogether.
4. It presents a bunch of graphics, photographs and/or automatically playing videos. These might look cool and exciting but unless they help users complete a task, or find out what they need to know, they're probably less useful than simple, clear text.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
4. It presents a bunch of graphics, photographs and/or automatically playing videos. These might look cool and exciting but unless they help users complete a task, or find out what they need to know, they're probably less useful than simple, clear text.
3. It presents as a wall of text. Content designers can often make something more readable and accessible simply by (a) reducing the amount of words and (b) breaking those words up with white space and headings.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
3. It presents as a wall of text. Content designers can often make something more readable and accessible simply by (a) reducing the amount of words and (b) breaking those words up with white space and headings.
2. It uses unnecessarily complex words like "utilise" instead of "use", or "leverage" instead of "use", or "harness the power of" instead of "use". You get the idea.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
2. It uses unnecessarily complex words like "utilise" instead of "use", or "leverage" instead of "use", or "harness the power of" instead of "use". You get the idea.
1a. Tip: it should probably complete the unspoken phrase "I am ready to..." For example, the NHS has "Find information and services to help you manage your health", which almost fits that formula.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
1a. Tip: it should probably complete the unspoken phrase "I am ready to..." For example, the NHS has "Find information and services to help you manage your health", which almost fits that formula.
With my work hat on, here are some red flags that tell me a content designer probably hasn't been involved in designing your website. 🚩
1. The main header (H1, page title) doesn't describe what the product or service is, or does.
1. The main header (H1, page title) doesn't describe what the product or service is, or does.
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
With my work hat on, here are some red flags that tell me a content designer probably hasn't been involved in designing your website. 🚩
1. The main header (H1, page title) doesn't describe what the product or service is, or does.
1. The main header (H1, page title) doesn't describe what the product or service is, or does.
Reposted by Ray Newman
New sticker in the shop!
Pat Tested
Your appliance is guaranteed safe* as long as it has this marvellous Pat Butcher sticker on it! This sticker is printed on glossy vinyl and is laminated to prevent scuffing and add water resistance. *...
adarrenrileypainting.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:04 AM
New sticker in the shop!
Reposted by Ray Newman
I have just read an article about Michael McDonald being having trouble with a certain song back in the day because he was a heavy smoker and didn't have the breath for it. The article contains the line "McDonald’s ability to perform the song was tainted by his cigarette penchant". Pardon?
February 13, 2026 at 9:56 AM
I have just read an article about Michael McDonald being having trouble with a certain song back in the day because he was a heavy smoker and didn't have the breath for it. The article contains the line "McDonald’s ability to perform the song was tainted by his cigarette penchant". Pardon?
Just curious, did you experience any loneliness at all?
February 13, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Just curious, did you experience any loneliness at all?
Reposted by Ray Newman
Last repost. People who think they’re the Sherlock Holmes of AI spotting when there’s actually none to spot are just as annoying as AI use when there doesn’t need to be any. They’re arguably more irritating because they think they’re helping.
February 13, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Last repost. People who think they’re the Sherlock Holmes of AI spotting when there’s actually none to spot are just as annoying as AI use when there doesn’t need to be any. They’re arguably more irritating because they think they’re helping.
Reposted by Ray Newman
This is the story of the decades-after-release European Premiere of Death Bed: The Bed That Eats, which I saw in 2017 and ended up being finding about an unexpectedly inspiring story.
February 12, 2026 at 4:35 PM
This is the story of the decades-after-release European Premiere of Death Bed: The Bed That Eats, which I saw in 2017 and ended up being finding about an unexpectedly inspiring story.
Reposted by Ray Newman
Ocean people! I just read that Jacques Cousteau proposed that people routinely be surgically fitted with gills so they could live underwater and that eventually humans would evolve gills on our own.
Pls tell me more batshit things people have believed. This feels like the tip of a weird iceberg!
Pls tell me more batshit things people have believed. This feels like the tip of a weird iceberg!
February 13, 2026 at 8:49 AM
Ocean people! I just read that Jacques Cousteau proposed that people routinely be surgically fitted with gills so they could live underwater and that eventually humans would evolve gills on our own.
Pls tell me more batshit things people have believed. This feels like the tip of a weird iceberg!
Pls tell me more batshit things people have believed. This feels like the tip of a weird iceberg!
ChatGPT or, as it is universally known in speech, ChabGTP.
February 13, 2026 at 8:33 AM
ChatGPT or, as it is universally known in speech, ChabGTP.
I can't remember the last time I abandoned one for reasons other than picture or sound quality. In that case, 10 minutes, maybe?
February 13, 2026 at 8:05 AM
I can't remember the last time I abandoned one for reasons other than picture or sound quality. In that case, 10 minutes, maybe?
Don't trust them. All those curves and loops.
February 13, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Don't trust them. All those curves and loops.
Reposted by Ray Newman
Won £5 on Set for Life. That’s me, then. Set for life.
February 12, 2026 at 11:26 PM
Won £5 on Set for Life. That’s me, then. Set for life.