That New Blog Format!!!!

I've been complaining about how difficult it is to input pictures and text in the new blog interface.

It's taken me a few weeks of trial and error to figure this much out.

Here's some of the hoops I have to go through to make the pages. 

First thing you have to do is go to HTML and get rid of the two paragraph command symbols. 

Otherwise, you get double spacing (shown above) every time you hit the ENTER key

Now return to the COMPOSE view.

Add some pictures, size and temporarily position them on the left or right sides.

Now, try to add copy to the side of the first picture:

If there isn't much copy needed, the software sticks in a big space gap before the next picture is seen. I usually try to close it up for a better visual flow.

I set the cursor to the last word of copy, in this case, it's the word "flow". 

Hit delete a few times and the next picture should walk up below this  copy. Like this:

But, the cursor and the next copy block ends up below, down here, not at the right side of the second picture. You can't place the cursor and set copy to the side of the picture.

So . . . go back up to the second picture, click on it and move it to the right side (shown below). 

I

(The "I" above represents the cursor - you can now add copy.) 

We have fooled the software!

After all the new text is entered, 

Click on the picture again and shift it to the left, which is where I wanted it in the first place, the result shown below:

"The "I" above represents the cursor - you can now add copy.

After all the new text is entered, 

Click on the picture again and shift it to the left, which is where I wanted it in the first place."

Now the copy from the previous step should shift to the right side and the picture will be on the left.

These are the steps I now have to go through to input every single picture and text.

Sure, I could go the easier route - Center every picture and center all text underneath each picture. Letting the blog software handle all the spacing leaves a lot of open gaps.

I like it to be more visually interesting. I find myself swearing at the software a little too often.

SAVE often, check the PREVIEW to see what it looks like - 

Then make more adjustments - What You See Is Not What You Get.

Setting up a blog page before wasn't simple, but now it's stupid.

I almost forgot - 

After everything is on the page, go into HTML again and delete all the "Div" commands at the end of your text. If you don't you'll have another big gap at the bottom before the Labels and Comment areas.