January 31, 2015 – 3:30 pm
The following are the presentations notes for my workshop called “Blogging Your Passion” at Making it in Changing Times in 2015. In 2010 I was in Chicago for SOBCon, the Successful Online Business Conference, and I had an amazing encounter with a woman on the crowded downtown streets: …I was storming away from the last […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, blogging tips
| Tags: blog writing, blog your passion, blogging, events, how to blog, speaking, web writing, workshops, writers, Writing |
January 16, 2015 – 2:08 pm
DISCOUNT: Lorelle is offering her popular site reviews for 50% off during 2015 as part of her WordPress School year-long project teaching the basics of WordPress. The discount code is found in the introduction materials. Lorelle VanFossen offers three levels of site reviews, specifically for WordPress sites. The prices are the starting prices for the […]
January 16, 2015 – 1:19 pm
During Lorelle’s WordPress School and online courses, you will be asked to give and receive feedback and criticism from the instructor and fellow participants. This is part of the learning process. it is important that we respect the integrity of learning here, even if we are doing so on the open web. Respect your fellow […]
September 25, 2014 – 2:57 pm
We received a new credit card in the mail today to replace our old one AGAIN. An “unsuccessful attempt” to access our secure security data happened and this is a precaution the bank is taking to protect us. I have no other information so I’m left wondering. Yesterday I received an email supposedly from Home […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in WordPress, WordPress News, WordPress Plugins, WordPress Themes, WordPress Tips
| Tags: credit card security, data security, hacked, hacking, identity theft, malware, personal security, privacy, risk, security, security vulnerability, vulnerabilities, wordpress, WordPress News, wordpress security, WordPress Themes, WordPress Tips |
September 9, 2014 – 1:11 pm
Reading “7 Things You Need to Know about SEO in 2014” from Compete Pulse, I was fascinating to read that “size matters:” Most blog posts range between 400 and 600 words, but the ideal length for highest ranking is actually around 1,500. Many still believe that a successful website is one that offers the information […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, blogging tips, Writing
| Tags: blogging, blogging tips, email, how to write for the web, search engines, seo, social media, social media writing, texting, web writing, WordPress News, writing for the web |
The following are the workshop notes for my popular workshop on “Speed Blogging.” The workshop is designed to teach how to take charge of your website and keep the content flowing with enthusiasm over the long term by learning the shortcuts, tips, and techniques to speed up the process of blogging, allowing your blog to […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, blogging tips, WordPress, WordPress News, Writing
| Tags: automation, blogging, blogging tips, browser, evernote, feeds, outsourcing, speed blogging, text editor, web browser, web writing, wordpress, WordPress News, workshops, writing for the web |
August 1, 2014 – 11:56 pm
The following are the notes for my popular workshop “Your Blog is Your Business Card”. The premise is that today’s business card can’t hold all the contact information necessary to connect adequately with potential clients, but the blog can. It is the holder of your contact information and online identity. The workshop covers the philosophy […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, blogging tips, Writing
| Tags: about page, blog as a business card, blog as your business card, blogging tips, business of blogging, images, profile, publishing, social media, web writing, Writing, writing your about page |
If you have a few minutes today, watch this. Oh, watch it anyway. And share it. It won a Webby, the equivalent of the Oscar for the web world. And I have to admit that at the end, I cried. Seriously. Like those in the satirical episode, I don’t live in the wildest woolliest of […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, WordPress, WordPress News
| Tags: broadband, broadband access, fiber optic, freedom, freedom of speech, internet access, internet freedom, net neutrality, wordpress, WordPress News |
If you haven’t been paying attention to one of the largest countries in the world is persecuting bloggers. I’ve written up a summary in the ClarkWP Magazine site produced by my Clark College WordPress students, “The New Blogger’s Law in Russia.” In December 2013, the Russian parliament passed a law to allow the blocking of […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, WordPress, WordPress News
| Tags: blogger persecution, blogger rights, bloggers law, fisa, freedom, freedom of speech, homeland security, internet laws, net neutrality, pipa, rights, russia, russia bloggers law, sopa, usa patriot act, web laws, web publishing, wordpress, WordPress News |
In this part of my series on WordPress For Writers, I’ll cover the basic things to consider when using WordPress on site promoting the work of writers and authors. For more on the subject, see other articles in the WordPress for Writers and Authors series. This article assumes you have some basic familiarity with WordPress […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, blogging tips, WordPress, WordPress News, WordPress Tips, Writing
| Tags: author sites, author websites, web writing, wordpress, wordpress for authors, wordpress for writers, WordPress News, WordPress Tips, writer sites, writer websites, Writing, writing for the web |
March 15, 2014 – 12:23 am
I will be speaking this year at several workshops and conferences on the subject of “WordPress for Writers.” The workshop covers the basic elements of WordPress content structure and organization, then adds the complexities of a site for writers and authors. This is one of a series of articles on WordPress for Writers and Authors. […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blogging, blogging tips, WordPress, WordPress News, WordPress Tips, Writing
| Tags: author websites, authors, wordpress, wordpress for authors, wordpress for writers, WordPress News, WordPress Tips, writer websites, writers, Writing, writing for the web |
December 5, 2013 – 4:54 am
A rebroadcast of “How Much Does Your Name Matter?” from Freakonomics Radio looked at the impact of a name on society, perception, prejudice, and ability to succeed. Indeed, there is some evidence that a name can influence how a child performs in school and even her career opportunities. There’s also the fact that different groups […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blog Exercises, Blogging, blogging tips, Writing
| Tags: anonymous, blog anonymously, blog exercises, blog identity, blog persona, blog personal, character, how to blog, persona, privacy, private data, protect privacy |
December 4, 2013 – 1:20 pm
In the blog exercise on eliminating noisy distractions from your computer, mobile phone, and other areas around your working environment, I wanted you to remove the things that interfere with your blogging time and space, with your creative energies. I wanted you to identify what is getting in your way that you might not be […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blog Exercises, Blogging, blogging tips, WordPress, WordPress News, WordPress Tips, Writing
| Tags: alerts, blog exercises, email notifications, feed reader, feeds, notifications, planning, professional bloggers, professional blogging, scheduling, subscription, time management, wordpress, WordPress News, wordpress notifications, WordPress Tips |
November 13, 2013 – 5:18 pm
The recent major desktop computer crash has left me reeling. I thought I had all my data backed up. For the most part, I did. What I didn’t have backed up was my programs. Getting back up to speed fast, I’ve had to prioritize the programs I had download and install. Yes, download. Who gets […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blog Exercises, Blogging, blogging tips
| Tags: audio, backup, blogging software, blogging tools, emergency backup, graphics, graphics software, images, operating system, restore, system backup, system restore, video |
November 9, 2013 – 4:41 am
Two questions on the same day triggered this blog exercise. I was asked by a student in my WordPress class recently what defined a “professional blog.” I told him it was one that met all the criteria for a well-designed, well-formed site that met web standards. This is a good definition, but lacked specifics. A […]
By Lorelle VanFossen
|
Posted in Blog Exercises, Blogging, blogging tips, Web Design, WordPress, Writing
| Tags: authority, blog authority, blog exercises, blogging tips, brand, branding, content, credibility, design, good content, good site, professional site, reputation, social media, social web, trust, Web Design, what makes a good site, what makes a professional site, what makes someone trust a website, wordpress |