Setting up new Wordpress blog---so confused!

[CalamityJane]

Hi all,

I feel like the stupidest person on earth right now. I have been working all day on setting up my new blog. Hosted on Bluehost, using Wordpress 2.7. The install of Wordpress went fine; I have done a little bit--uploaded an image, wrote a title, added some widgets--and have spent a large part of the day reading the help/documentation trying to figure out how to do certain things.

I have a little personal blog at wordpress.com, the free one, and it is so easy to change fonts, colors, etc. It seems like this new project requires knowledge of HTML. Which I don't have. Which I can learn if I have to, but I just wanted to ask here, in case I am missing something.

The help files for Wordpress talk about the files, and changing them to suit your own needs.

So, if I want to customize the header with a photo, or change the font somewhere, stuff like that, do I do it with changing the code?

Just want to make sure I'm not missing the "easy" button.

Thanks.
cj

[nar321]

Yes, it helps but isn't absolutely necessary to know about html, css, and all that. Much of what you want to do can be done with the right theme and some wordpress plugins.

What are you trying to do?

Don't try to put a commercial site on your Wordpress.com blog as it is highly likely that it will be shut down(read your End User Legal Agreement= EULA)

Sometimes the easiest thing to do is to outsource the problem. Post requirements and amount you want to pay on Elance. com or Rentacoder.com

[CalamityJane]

[nar321]

There are both free themes and free plugins at www.wordpress.org. Compared to a old school HTML web site, wordpress itself can be published in as little as 5 minutes and if your web host has Fantastico in a few clicks of a mouse. Yes, I realize that you mentioned in your post that you used Fantastico(I included it for informational purposes)

Themes and plugins usually have to be unzipped and then uploaded to depending on which it is, the Themes Folder or the Plugins Folder. They then need to be activated by going to your Wordpress Admin area finding either the Themes or the plugins and activating the appropriate item.

Best wishes and do post the URL (Uniform Recourse Locater)when you feel it is doing what you want

[CalamityJane]

Thank you, and I will post the url once it is ready to be viewed, and I will definitely be wanting feedback. I look forward to putting something together and getting started.

Thanks again for your help.

cj