A little mini tutorial on .."Just how do you blog anyway?"...for the newbies out there

O.k...I hope that this is a little helpful to anyone new to blogging via blogspot.com

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Sometimes this whole "blogging thing" can seem a bit intimidating..but honestly..it need not be.

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I've tried to describe a few easy things about blogging for those that are new to it.

Now..there are some things with blogging that simply I don't use..and don't really think I ever will with my blogging...

I prefer to "keep it simple" I have noted in this little tutorial if I do not use a particular icon,or don't know what it is for.

Basically this covers the basics..on getting you started into blogging.

Above what I have written here..you'll have to look elsewhere for the answers to your questions..because..after all ..I am NOT a computer guru!

This is just the basics..the "bare bones" if you will.

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So....here goes:

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O.k. here's some info about blogging to help you out.

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When you go online to your blog.

Top right hand corner tippy top always says "sign in"

You'll always have to sign in using your email address and a password

Keep those handy so you don't forget them.

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O.k. let's get to posting:

once you sign in you will see the following on the right hand side of your blog :

New Post Customize Sign Out

Click on New Post to create a New Post

Then you'll see :Title

This is where you'll title the post of your post..what do you want to call it?

(My freaky Friday, My boring Sunday...you know..whatever..give it a title..every good story needs a title)

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Then you'll see a bunch of little icons right across the top of the area where you will type the body of your post

I will explain to you what they are:

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Font:

Font allows you to choose the style of writing that you wish to use..there are many different little styles of type..think of it as a printers press with different types of fancy letters..the choice is yours. The styles of fonts all have names, and you can see the style right there because the name of the font is written as it will look

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Next you'll see a tT (a big T and a little T) together:

This allows you to choose the size of the type that you will be typing in the window/body of the post You can choose from smallest to largest/most are already set at "normal" so I personally never bother with that little thing ..unless..I want a certain word to really stand out.

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Then you'll see a b:

This allows you to set the type as BOLD meaning the lines are thicker and stand out more than just regular type

I generally use the Bold setting on mine simply because I want the type to stand out and to be easier for some to be able to read.

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Then there is the little slanted i:

This simply means italics..the type will be slightly slanted

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Then the large T with a rainbow color box..with colored squares:

This allows you to choose the color of typing that you want to use.

It is best to go with the darker colors on the pallette as any of the real light colors are hard to read for most people.

But you can have fun with it and bring a bit of color into your typing.

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Then see the little thing that looks almost like a movie camera thing..

it has a little bit of green on it and looks like a little chain almost:

That is for adding a link from a website or blog that you have visited that you like and want to share with others.

Basically you would type the web address in...then go up to the little "link icon" and click on that..and when you do a little box pops up that says "hyperlink"

you'll then type the web address into that little space that starts with http://

then type in the web address.

Once you do that..the link is then "clickable" and folks can simply click on that in your typing and from your blog it will directly link over to the blog or web address that you are reccomending.

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Then you'll see 4 icons that look like lined paper:

These simply are like a type writer nearly..they allow you to align your typing either to the left,right, center,or justify..meaning all type fully centered

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Next you'll see three icons that I have never used in my blogging and personally..I have never used them and see no need to really use them to create a good blog posting..ha:

they are:

Numbered List:

for in case you want to do something like

1. I went to the store

2. I saw a lady with a big green purse

3. I exclaimed" Look mama..a human bean with a green purse!"

(that sort of thing..ha)

Bulleted list:

allows you to put a little dot/bullet in front of something you are fixing to type

a way to create a little list without numbers but to draw attention to it.

Block Quotes:

allows you to put things into quotation marks

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Then you'll see a ABC with a check mark:

Ahh..this is a terrific icon..it allows you to..spell check!

A bloggers friend! It allows you to catch the boo-boos in typing.

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Next you'll see a picture with a mountain scene:

This allows you to add photos from anywhere on your computer onto your blog.

Now..when you have clicked on this icon..you choose "browse" and choose a photo from your computer to drop into the box of your text.

Now..you can choose where in the text you want this image to appear:

Do you want it to be on the left hand side of the writing? On the right hand side? or do you want it to be somewhere in the middle?

Simply click the box that allows you that choice.

Then click the "upload image" orange box.

Then a box will appear above the blogging that says "Image added/with a blue box that reads "done"

Click on the blue box to have things added completely.

Now..once you have your picture into the text/body of the writing box..you can then move your mouse over the picture and you'll see a diamond shaped image/icon

Click on the picture and then you'll see that the picture is now surrounded with little boxes set at different "points" on the image.

This allows you to adjust the size of the image..if you wish to.

To add to the height or width.

Usually not necessary to do, but sometimes you may want to play with it.

But...if you move that little diamond into the center of the picture and click and drag...you can move the image anywhere up or down in the area you have designated(left hand side/up or down/right hand side: up or down/or center: up or down)

This is great..this allows you to place the image exactly where you want it to go in correspondence with your writing

.After you have the picture where you want it..click off to the side of the picture to "drop" the picture into place.

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Next you'll see a video icon: This is for adding video from various places onto your blog.

I personally have never used this. And probably won't in my blogging.

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Next you'll see an eraser icon:

I have never used that icon either.

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Then you'll see a blue wording that says "Preview":

This allows you to see what your blog post will look like before you publish it. This allows you to go in and make sure things are as you want them to look.

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Now..across the tippy top of the area where you'll be typing you'll see little "tabs" that look like file folder tabs:

They say:

Compose:

this is for typing/composing your blog post

Edit HTML:

this allows you to go in and say for instance if you want to remove that picture you just pasted into the text:

you will look for the area that has something like:

0001234.jpg blogger image ..you would then go to the beginning of that little <> and go in and you can delete that if you need to.It is for basically making sure the computer codes are as they should be.

O.k...I admit it..this part..the html code part is hard to explain.

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Then at the very bottom of the typing area you have a :

Publish Post orange button:

this lets you publish to the web

Then you have a "Save now" blue button:

this allows you to save your typing at any stage in the game...to come back to later without losing everything you have written.

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Then at the tippy top of the page now..

you'll see the following again that looks like file folder tabs:

you'll see the following:

Create:

this is where you are creating your post at

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Edit Posts:

if you click on this tab it shows you every post that you have ever posted and allows you to go into each one and edit anything that needs edited.

If you decide that you want to delete an old post it allows you to do this as well.

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Moderate Comments:

This allows you to be able to monitor comments/limit comments/not allow comments/allow comments/require that every commenter type a little "security code" before posting..and the like

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At the tippity tippity top now..we see once again tabs that look like file folder tabs:

We see :

Posting:

this opens the window to allow you to post

Settings:

this area pretty much has all the info typed right up under each little button on the page to explain to you what the settings are all about

Layout:

this allows you to add pictures, text and more into the side bar areas of your blog

View Blog: Takes you back to see your blog

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There you have it...a pretty basic run down on blogging and what most everything on the little blogspot blogger is about.

Hope this was of help to you.

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~The Garden Goose~