Writing your first post, start to finish

This guide walks through a post from the first word to the Publish button. The contents list beside it follows you down the page.

Start with the title

A good title says what the reader gets. "Ten minutes to your first post" beats "Some thoughts on writing". The slug fills itself in from the title while Auto is ticked.

Write the excerpt

The excerpt is the sentence or two shown on listings and in search results. Write it last if that is easier - it is often clearer once the post exists.

The body

Posts are Markdown. Headings (##) become the contents list in the Sidebar layout, so use them for the real sections of your argument.

Links and images

Link generously to your own older posts. Pick a featured image from the Media library; it appears on listings and at the top of most layouts.

Shortcodes

Every shortcode the site supports works in a post, including blocks.

Categories and tags

Categories are the few big shelves your blog has. Tags are the many small labels. A reader can right-click any post on the listing to see more with the same tag.

Publish, or schedule

Publish now puts it live. Schedule holds it until the date you choose - no need to be awake at 7am.