Photo Credit: Philip Wilson/Flickr
Continuing with the positivity that has seen me through February, I decided to do a bit of Spring cleaning. No, not my house, although it could do with it. I’m talking about this little ‘ol blog here.
I like to give it a spruce up every couple of years or so and it felt well overdue. So, finding myself with a couple of hours to myself this weekend (rare enough in itself), I thought I’d give it a go.
Anyone who knows about these things will understand that when it comes to the technical side of websites and blogs, there is a part of you that, once you start messing about, wonders why you bothered. You change the theme of your blog and everything goes a bit pear shaped, meaning you have to spend way longer than you originally intended to get it back to a normal state again.
I’m no techy, but I do have a few years of WordPress experience behind me now, so I was able to work through any issues, using a bit of common sense and a lot of Googling. The result, I feel, is clean and fresh and a bit more streamlined.
What do you think?
Do you spring clean your blog?
I regularly work with WordPress, plus a couple of other bespoke CMS (content management systems), so I’m not nearly as frightened of the technical side of websites and blogging as I was when I first started out a few years ago. It helps as a writer, to understand this side of things. It also adds to the satisfaction when you not only see your writing in print, but you know that the published article or web page was of your creation.
As writers, we don’t just produce words. We’re designers in our own right, using creativity to make our own contribution to this virtual world in which we have all come to rely on so much for information. Perhaps some of us are less comfortable using the technical side of our brain than others. These are the writers who will struggle more because of the way we now communicate. It’s so important to understand the many ways in which you can now reach your readers, not only via social media, but through the various on-line channels where you can access the written word.
Which brings me back to blogging, where it all started. Having my own little outlet for creativity, opened the door to the world that is on-line publishing. As I look back over the early blogs I produced, I can see how much I’ve developed. From improved images, to SEO, this little place of mine has helped me in so many ways.
For anyone who wants to be a writer, I would say go create a blog. Yes, it’s an outlet for venting all your thoughts and frustrations, achievements and dreams, but it’s also more than that. It’s your practice arena for your writing and the place where you will earn your technical stripes.
Sharing this for What I’m Writing.
I love it! Great colours, really clean, fresh and elegant! Great spring clean Nikki!
Thanks Ting. Glad you like it.
Looks lovely! I really need to have a go at mine but I am rather scared about the time it will end up taking! I should just outsource it to someone who is an expert, but like you, I enjoy knowing how to do things and working it out for myself.
I know and it’s the cost as well, especially when you feel that you ought to be able to do it yourself (that’s how I feel anyway).
Oooooh like the new look very much hon! I agree a little spring clean every now and then is a great thing to do 🙂
Thanks hon.
It’s looking great Nikki, lovely theme. Super impressed with your technical abilities too!
Thanks. It’s all a learning curve really.
Looks great! Love the colour in the header. The techie side of blogging still slightly scares me, as someone who only needed very basic word processing skills in her previous job role, but I have already learned so much in 9 months, and I agree it’s good to keep thing looking fresh. x
The more you do it, the more you learn and it’s worth tweaking things now and then just so that you can actually get some practice at it.
Love it! It’s so satisfying isn’t it? When I took a blog break last year I did loads of blogmin stuff, and finally installed a new theme. I’m still tweaking, but I love the design side (and the techy stuff that goes with it!).
I love that word blog min! Yours is great too. I can apparently put a slider and featured posts at the top of mine but haven’t worked out how to do that yet!
I love this new look! It’s clean and fresh and easy to navigate. I did a facelift on my blog recently – changed the theme and everything – but it was so similar to the last that I don’t think anyone noticed! I spent hours faffing around with different themes though – sometimes it’s good to just look at all the options. I do prefer simpler layouts, I have to say – I had a look at magazine styles and scrolling images and all sorts but ended up right back where I started! I agree that you learn all sorts of skills through blogging – I think we all come a long way without even realising it. Thanks for linking to #WhatImWriting
It does take ages. You obviously know what you like though, if you ended up with something so similar!
Yes! I need a few hours to do this. I’m currently using a pe-made theme I purchased on Etsy. In. The beginning I loved it but I find it limiting now. I can’t change the font or text size…wish I knew more about design and tech side of things! By the way, I love your blogs design!
Thanks. There are plenty of themes on WordPress, it’s just choosing the right one and it takes ages going through them all. Then you have to re format everything once you apply the new theme, add or remove widgets, etc. Time consuming but satisfying when completed.
Congratulations on the spring cleaning, your blog does look clean and fresh, I like it.
Having just started with Of Lens And Pen, it does not need a spring clean – yet!
However, Funky Wellies Random Thoughts could do with one… I have been thinking about it for a while and want to plan a day to work on it soon.
Your post motivated me, thank you!
Thanks, though don’t blame me if you come across any problems will you?!!
Your blog’s looking fab! Mine is well overdue a bit of a spring clean, but so many other things seem to take priority… Totally agree with your advice to wannabe writers to set up a blog too. I’ve learnt so much by being a part of the blogosphere – even if there is always endless amounts more to learn 🙂 xx
Thanks. At least it’s fine for another couple of years or so now (phew!)