Here is where we started eight weeks ago

In this course, we explore:

• what a blog is
• why a blog is a useful platform for writing your story
• where to set up your blog
• how to set up and maintain your blog including
  • personalizing your blog
  • writing a post
  • writing a page
  • editing items
  • incorporating photos and other media into your posts and pages
  • managing links
  • managing comments

You notice in the right column of links, “Post Topics” and Q&A pages. These include specific information for the topics mentioned above. I am happy to work with each study group member individually if you wish. If you would like help with masthead images, making sure your blog is generally set up in a polished manner, using special media such as video clips, etc. just let me know.

July 12 is the last day of our eight-week course of study. I will, however, leave this information online through July and August. If you need help, you have my email address and are welcome to contact me even though our Yahoo group will close next week.

I invite you to add a comment to this post. What more would you like to know about blogging? What is your blog’s web address? What do you think would be helpful to add to this course of study?

1. Common sources:
   1. Digital photography—Since the Internet uses low resolution images, even an inexpensive digital camera will give you lovely results. Follow the instructions that came with your camera for transferring and saving your images onto your local computer hard drive. You can also compile your photographs on internet sites—many of them at no charge. Here are several links (use a search engine and key words such as image hosting, or photo storage to find more):
      • The Free Site
      • Picasa
      • Flickr
   2. Scan traditional photos—There are a number of low-priced scanners available that you can use to capture your photo album images and slides as digital files. There are also scanning services.
   3. Public domain images—Search engines will point you toward huge photo collections. Do make sure that you don’t infringe on copyrights when using these images. Use photos for which you have obtained permission or that are in the Public Domain.
2. Preparation:
   1. Resizing—Images need not be high memory files. They load faster into web browsers if they aren’t. Web images need to be saved in JPG or GIF file formats at 72 pixels per inch. You may crop and resize your photos in software that comes with your camera, your scanner or even free software that you can find on the internet. Here is a link to one of those sites: Free Image and Photo Editing Software. NOTE: Masthead (Header) images need to be a specified measurement. On both Blogger and WordPress, the interface for uploading the image specifies that measurement.
   2. Adjusting—Sometimes you’d like to edit a photo. Maybe you want to change the color, sharpness or shape. Maybe you want to add type. This can also be done in photo editing software. Here is a link to a free site online that is fun, and fairly easy to use: picnic.com. Play with it and see if it helps you with your images.
3. Use:
   1. In posts—There are icons for inserting images in the area where you write your posts. Select that to place an image in with your writing.
   2. In mastheads—As mentioned above, on both Blogger and WordPress, the interface for uploading the image specifies the measurement for your selected theme, and gives directions about how to do it. You may want to turn off the visibility of the text that falls on top of the image in most mastheads (headers).
   3. In right or left navigation bar—Some Widgets and Gadgets allow you to place images in the navigation bar.

The HELP section provided by your blog host provides details for using images in specific ways. It also describes how to insert other media such as audio and video files.

Posts are the meat of your blog. The rest of the blog features are merely side dishes. You already have the skills to write a post if you can compose email or compose a document in word processing software. The interface for composing a post in WordPress is upper left in the top image of this post. The interface for Blogger is lower right of the same image. They have a lot of similarities with each other and other blog services:
WordPress (select this link for help posting on WordPress):

• Title
• Area for Composing (Visual or HTML)
• Tool Bar
• Publish/Draft/Preview
• Tags for search engines
• Categories
• Word Count
• Managing Comments

Blogger (select this link for help posting on blogger):

• Title
• Area for composing (or editing HTML)
• Tool Bar
• Preview
• Managing comments
• Post date and time
• Publish or save as a draft

Themes/Templates

In the WordPress Dashboard, select Appearance—Themes. You will notice that each choice offers different details. Some will allow you to change the header image and/or font colors, etc. You can preview how your blog will look. Once you choose a theme, items that you can change will show up under Appearance in the Dashboard. The theme I am currently using for this blog doesn’t offer a Custom Image Header.

In Blogger, select Layout—Pick New Template. Some templates come in different color schemes. You make other choices by selecting other options under Layout.

Widgets/Page Elements (Gadgets)

In the WordPress Dashboard, select Appearance—Widgets. This allows you to customize the navigation on your page. You can add, rearrange, delete and customize widgets. I’ll cover this more thoroughly in a post that is coming soon.

In Blogger, select Layout—Page Elements. This is the place where you may add a header image if the template allows. It will tell you the measurement needed for the header image. This is also where you can add Gadgets (Widgets). A new window will open for you to make choices and customize the Gadgets. You may also change the order of the Gadgets. I’ll cover this more thoroughly in a post that is coming soon.

Fonts and Colors

In Blogger, select Layout—Fonts and Colors. This allows you to change the colors of the text in your blog.

Some themes in WordPress allow you to change the type color for the header but the other type colors are unchangeable unless you purchase access to Edit CSS ($15.00/year through PayPal). Revising the Style Sheet (CSS) requires experience with revising code.

The focus for this course is mainly on technical aspects of blogging but a few words about content might help. Keep in mind that anyone, anywhere can read your blog unless it is password protected. Blogs are usually composed with readers in mind, and as a way to interact with a larger community of people. What you say can linger in the collective information of the internet forever. Ask yourself,

• Would I want what I write on my blog read by family, friends, enemies, employers, mentors, governments, etc.?
• Have I proofed my writing so that it is presentable?
• Am I using generally acceptable vocabulary?

I have also discovered that brief post entries (250 to 300 words) are are more likely to be read than long rambling ones. (This post has 246 words.) Also readers will return more often to a blog that publishes frequent posts.

Keeping a blog can be like keeping a tidy yard. I’ve often thought that a pretty yard is a gift a person gives her neighbors. Likewise, a blog can be like a gift you give to people you don’t even know. I went to a meeting a thousand miles from home and, after I was introduced, a lady came to me grinning. “I read your blog. It makes my world bigger and encourages me so.” I can’t think of many experiences I’ve had that pleased me more.

1. Quotations. I hunt up and use a quotation that emphasizes the topic of the blog post. I’ve noticed in other work I do for clients that people are drawn to brief quotations.
2. Images. My blogs are based on my work which is visual so I use a lot of images. It seems as though folks like pictures.
   
3. Brevity. When I started out, I read an article that blog posts are more likely to be read if they are 250 to 300 words. I have written some longer posts but most stay within that range.
   
4. Positive, encouraging content. I can tell from comments that a number of readers return because they feel encouraged. I love that. It inspires me.
   
5. Regular posts. I fall down on this but can tell from my blog stats that more people read my blog when I am disciplined about posting on a regular basis.
   
6. Responding to comments. This has done a lot to build a community of readers.
   

I Google the words, “effective blog posts” every few months to read the latest advice. Some of the recent selections might be of interest to you as well:

Nine Signs of an Effective Blog Post by Darren Rowse

Blogster’s Creating Effective Blog Posts

In the image above, WordPress Settings and Users are on the left and Blogger Settings are on the right. This is a good place to start as you customize your blog to suit your needs.

Notice that there are links on the subheads. These take you to the support sites for in-depth discussions on these topics.

LITTLE STORY: I bought my first computer in 1982. I’ve never had a formal course about computers. I read books and asked other people questions, but mostly, I hunted up answers in the HELP menu that came with every piece of hardware, software and service. These links to the support sites are likely to be the most important thing you’ll glean from this course.

WordPress Settings and User

Users includes three sections:

• Authors & Users—You should be listed as the Administrator. This allows you to fill all four roles on the blog. Some blogs have more than one person who contributes to the content. This is the place where those other people are added.
• Your Profile—You may add your photo here. The main information to check and revise on this page is NAME and CONTACT INFO. Among other information, you can change your password, email address and Display Name here. Your display name shows as the author of your posts.
• Invites—Usually used when setting up a group blog.

Settings includes the following:

• General—Browse through and see if the settings suit you, especially the Blog Title, Tagline and Timezone. UTC-5 is Eastern Standard Time.
• Writing—These settings are for writing posts
• Reading—These settings govern how your posts are viewed
• Discussion—These settings govern how you will handle comments and spam
• Media—These settings control image size in posts.
• Privacy—These settings control how public or private you blog is.
• Delete Blog
• Open ID—This is a developing feature that I’ve never used
• Domains—This is for changing your web address/Domain Name

Blogger Settings

Settings includes the following:

• Basic—You can change your blog title here then read through the rest of the settings and set them according to your preferences.
• Publishing—This is for changing your web address/Domain Name
• Formatting—The important setting that may need to be changed on this page is Time Zone. Eastern Time is minus 5 hours. Select the Save Settings button if you make a change. Read through the rest of these and set according to your preference.
• Comments—I like to be notified if there are comments so I changed this setting.
  
• Archiving—You may set your preference here. Blogger pages aren’t he same as WordPress pages. Blogger pages are auto generated for each post if desired. In WordPress, the writer specifically generates pages separately from posts although posts can also be viewed on individual pages in WordPress.
  
• Site Feed—I keep this set at Full
  
• Email—This is a feature that I’ve never used
• OpenID—This is a developing feature that I’ve never used
• Permissions—This sets preferences as to who can read and write on the blog.
  

]]> http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/explore-settings/feed/ 0 Kate settings http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/themes/ http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/themes/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 22:30:09 +0000 Katherine http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/?p=100 ]]>

This image shows four variations of themes for the same content. They are too small to see well but it is the content that was on this blog at the beginning of the course. That is one of the fun things about blogs. You can easily change the look. It only takes a minute and a click of the mouse.

You can also customize the look. On one of my blogs, I change the image in the header once every month or two. This is one of the ways you can coordinate a blog with an existing website. This link goes to a website and free blog that have coordinated looks—select the Show Schedule to view the blog.

]]> http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/themes/feed/ 0 Kate thumbnails http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/for-example%e2%80%94my-blogs/ http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/for-example%e2%80%94my-blogs/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 09:30:43 +0000 Katherine http://memoirsonline.wordpress.com/?p=484 ]]> Setting a good example for your children
takes all the fun out of middle age.
[William Feather]

I’m presenting this list of my other web logs merely to offer examples of blogs that have been set up for different purposes with different service providers.

Knitting, writing and other joys—[WordPress] This is my main personal blog and the one that I update most often. Although I don’t think of it as a memoir or journal, it is a compilation of many of my life experiences. I started it to learn how to blog on WordPress, and to promote a knitting pattern book that I’d published.

Mama’s Stories—[WordPress] I started this blog so I could share audio clips and photographs with Mama’s friends and family. It is a memoir blog. Since the audio clips require editing, and the photos require scanning, I’ve fallen behind my goal of adding two stories a month. This blog has the same theme as my first blog. I change the masthead image periodically on my first blog.

Graphic Design Notes—[WordPress] I keep this blog as an online portfolio so that clients can see samples of my work.

… and a time to knit—[Blogger] This is my first blog and I add one post a month to keep it alive. I used it to learn Blogger and its theme is knitting. (my LLC is “A Time to Knit Publications”).

Intentional Growth—[Blogger] I set this blog up purely for learning purposes. I use it to try out new technology, and as a teaching tool for Memoirs Online students.

Both Blogger and WordPress allow me to manage multiple blogs under one account. For example, I can log into WordPress and post to each of my WordPress blogs.

Wonder My World—[iWeb hosted on Network Solutions with my website] I set this up for this online course. Two study group members expressed interest in using iWeb, a Macintosh-based piece of software. Instead of updating the blog online in a web browser, this is revised on a local computer then sent to a web server.