This weekend I’m attending Grand Rapids WordCamp, a fun, but intensive, two-day event about WordPress. The meeting is geared towards developers, so it’s mostly more technical than we writers need for our WordPress blogs and websites.
I went to last year’s event. Though much of it provided more detail than I needed, I picked up something valuable in each session. I’m still implementing the things I learned.
So, I’m back to repeat the experience. Plus, this year, I’m speaking as well. My session will be later today, titled “12 Tips For Better WordPress Content Creation.” It’s based on the series of posts I did earlier this year on blogging; see 14 Posts on Better Blogging.
I’ve also been part of a local WordPress Meetup group. While it, too, is more technical than I need, the people there are patient in answering my more basic questions. The third and most helpful WordPress resource I tap is Dustin Hartzler’s weekly WordPress podcasts at yourwebsiteengineer.com. While most helpful, he provides more information than a typical writer and blogger needs.
So how do we learn about WordPress (or any blogging platform) without being overwhelmed by technical details? That’s a great question and one I don’t have a ready answer for.
I think the solution is to find other writers who use WordPress, and then help each other. Peter’s Law of Reciprocity reminds us that we all know something others don’t and everyone we meet knows something we don’t. The goal is to share.
Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.
Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.