WordPress has two different Editors available – Classic (which is like Classic Coke) and the other one which has confusing names like Gutenberg or Block Editor (which is apparently what Gutenberg used).
We are focusing totally on Classic Editor here because it’s a classic!
First step is to always be logged in or log into your WordPress Dashboard. It’s amazing how many how-to videos I’ve come across that don’t start with this essential step. How many people have made a Post without being logged-in?
You’ll need to go to your Dashboard web address which is usually something like
https://mywonderfulsite.com/wp-admin
There you enter your Username and Password. If you are a Tom Stier customer, you will have received these important items by email. If your Firefox or Chrome browser asks if you want the browser to remember these credentials, go for it! Anything that shaves time off of creating those Posts is a huge plus.
You will eventually see a screen that looks very much like the screen at the 18 second mark in the video below. Pause the video after that point and continue reading below.
This video miraculously begins with a blank ‘Add New Post’ screen.
People will not see an ‘Add New Post’ screen after logging in. Not until they click on one of the two wonderful add new Post links.
In the WordPress Dashboard there are two places where you can click “Add New” to create a blank ‘Add New Post’ screen. On the left side of the screen, you’ll see a ‘push-pin’ icon and ‘Posts’ with an ‘Add New’ choice. At the top of the window you’ll see a black bar with a “+ New.” Hovering on that link brings up the first choice in a drop-down menu: ‘Post’. Click one of these links to create a blank ‘Add New Post’ screen
If you accidentally click on ‘New Page’ don’t worry about it. Try again on ‘New Post’.
Then, you are on the ‘Add New Post’ screen!
There are three vertical sections on this screen.
One is the left side menu.
A middle section with two fields – Title and Post Body.
A skinnier section on the right has the very useful ‘Publish’ section, plus additional settings for your Post. If your screen doesn’t look exactly like this, it’s because some genius has tarted-up the site.
The Title and Post Body section
For now, ignore the ‘Add Media’ button. To the right of that button, you’ll see two tabs. ‘Visual’ is the default and it should be slightly lighter than the one that says ‘Text’.
Add a Title. And don’t spend a lot of time worrying over it. You can always change it later. Don’t call your Post “My First Post.” Be original.
Add the Post Body. Most people write the ‘body’ of their Post in a text editor like Microsoft Word.
They ‘Select All’ in their Word doc, select Copy. Then they click the blinking cursor in their WordPress Post Body field and select Paste.
Or, you can do like I do and just start writing in the Post Body field.
Now, scroll back up to the top right of the WordPress screen and click ‘Save Draft’.
See all those little icons at the top of the Post Body field? The ones you’ll use at first are the Bold, Italic and little ‘chain link’ icon that makes a link.
You always highlight the text first, then click one of these icons to make that text Bold, Italic or a link. Want to find out what the other icons do? Make a test Post and go wild on it.
OK, now we get to the ‘Add Media’ button!
This is where we add images to your WordPress Post. Click your blinking cursor at the beginning of a paragraph in the Post Body field. Click on the the ‘Add Media’ button.
A pop-op screen will give you the options of selecting an image from the Media Library, selecting an image from your computer or dragging an image from your computer desktop into the pop-up screen.
Small images can be left or right justified to paragraphs. Bigger images should be centered between paragraphs. Experiment with the icons you see when clicking on the images. All your choices will show.
This should give you a very good start.
Now, scroll back up to the top of the WordPress screen and click ‘Save Draft’.
Let’s now go over to the skinnier column on the right side of your screen.
Here are the sections (Some genius may have re-ordered these):
Publish – choose ‘Save Draft’ after every few changes, click Publish after you finish your Post. Made a mistake? Need to change something? You can always return to the edit screen and make changes.
Featured Image – skip this until your web-guy tells you you need it.
Categories – these determine placement on the public side of the website. Pick one or two or make a new one. I suppose they are also informative.
Tags – Ugh. Too much work. Skip it.
Format – Leave it alone.
As you become a Posting maven, there’s plenty of time to get into these other aspects of posting.