Tutorials

I'll try to keep my tutorials organized here. You can check for new ones at this link:

http://www.laurenwayne.com/search/label/tutorials

ETA July 2010: I'm experimenting with using FeedBurner's BuzzBoost (thanks, Paige!) to keep these lists up to date, so right now I have up both types of lists as I see what works best.

Index of categories (click on a category link to jump to that topic):

• Carnival of Natural Parenting — blogging tutorials on Wordpress and Blogger platforms specifically for our Carnival of Natural Parenting participants
• Blogging — all blogging tutorials
• Writing — writing how-tos
• Publishing — tips on publishing — or self-publishing — your work
• Other — miscellaneous how-tos

Carnival of Natural Parenting

Blogging tutorials on WordPress and Blogger platforms specifically for our Carnival of Natural Parenting participants. Blogger tutorials written by Lauren and WordPress tutorials written by Dionna & Tom of Code Name: Mama.

• How to edit HTML in Blogger — this is necessary information for pasting in the Carnival of Natural Parenting code blurbs
• How to edit HTML in WordPress — this is necessary information for pasting in the Carnival of Natural Parenting code blurbs
• How to schedule a post in Blogger {updated} — this is optional information if you would like your post to go live on Carnival day when you are otherwise unavailable (say, at 12:01 a.m.)
• How to find (or change) your permalink in Blogger in advance — it is now easy to figure out and email your post's link before Carnival day
• How to schedule a post and get its permalink in WordPress — these are optional (but simple) steps if you'd like your post to go live on Carnival day when you are otherwise unavailable and if you would like to figure out and email your post's correct link in advance
• Convert your time zone for deadlines — this post helps you figure out what time Carnival submissions and postings are due in your neck of the woods
• Install the DoFollow Plugin for WordPress — this is an optional way to reward your Carnival readers for commenting by giving them PageRank-friendly link love if you're on self-hosted WordPress

Let me know (mail {at} LaurenWayne.com) if there are helpful tutorials that are missing or that you would like to guest post.

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Blogging

How-tos for Blogger, WordPress, TypePad, and LiveJournal.

• Install the DoFollow Plugin for WordPress — reward your readers for commenting by giving them PageRank-friendly link love
• How To Use FeedBurner To Maximize Your Blog — Part 2: Advanced Goodies — Paige of The Baby Dust Diaries shows how FeedBurner can help you manage your blog feeds through handy extras
• How To Use FeedBurner To Maximize Your Blog — Part 1: The Basics — Paige of The Baby Dust Diaries goes through the steps to setting up a user-friendly feed experience
• How to edit HTML in Blogger — this is necessary information for pasting in the Carnival of Natural Parenting code blurbs
• How to edit HTML in WordPress — this is necessary information for pasting in the Carnival of Natural Parenting code blurbs
• How to schedule a post in Blogger — this is optional information if you would like your post to go live on Carnival day when you are otherwise unavailable (say, at 12:01 a.m.)
• How to determine your Blogger post URL in advance — this is optional if you would like to figure out and email your post's link before Carnival day
• How to schedule a post and get its permalink in WordPress — these are optional steps if you'd like your post to go live on Carnival day when you are otherwise unavailable and if you would like to figure out and email your post's correct link in advance
• How to make your blog into a book — a selection of options
• Use image alt and title tags to drive traffic to your webpage or blog — putting Google Image Search to work for you
• Create a Facebook landing page for new fans — change your default and show visitors a targeted welcome
• How to number comments in Blogger — perfect for referring to commenters or to count out giveaway winners

Let me know (mail {at} LaurenWayne.com) if you have an idea or request for another helpful tutorial or if you would like to guest post.

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Writing

Some nitty-gritty how-tos on writing fiction, poetry, essays, articles, and other non-fiction. Well, you know, once I write them.

• Poetry: Why and how? — What contemporary poetry is and isn't
• Just keep writing, writing, writing — it's easier to keep going than to get back into the swim of things
• Add tension to your novel — link out to another helpful article
• Give yourself a writing deadline — if you're an undermotivated procrastinator like me, that is
• Writing software vs. doing the hard work — a rundown of software options and a perspective on using any at all
• Getting your characters in trouble — don't be too nice
• Pushing through to the finish line — what's the first rule of "Keep Your Hand on the Pole Game"?
• Dashing off a draft — on getting the story told, quick and dirty
• Googling books for research and pleasure — research manuscripts through Google Book Search from the comfort of your computer screen

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Publishing

How to publish — or self-publish — your writing. These tutorials cover topics both before and after you've published.

• How to make your blog into a book — a selection of options
• Create a Facebook landing page for new fans — change your default and show visitors a targeted welcome
• Search inside the book on Amazon — a feature that's definitely worth your while to activate
• Switch between Seller Central and Search Inside This Book on Amazon — because I couldn't figure it out for a long time
• Self-publishing your personal writing — thoughts on organizing and preparing a print-on-demand book
• How not to respond to readers — check it out and learn
• Give readers a taste — make sure you let potential readers sample your writing if you want to make sales

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Other

Whatever doesn't fit into another category! How-to subjects from Amazon to Gmail to time zones to YouTube (again, once I've written them...).

• HTML signatures in Gmail: An easy how-to — use rich-text formatting in your Gmail signature
• Convert your time zone for deadlines — this post helps you figure out what time Carnival submissions and postings are due in your neck of the woods
• Create a Facebook landing page for new fans — change your default and show visitors a targeted welcome

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Let me know (mail {at} LaurenWayne.com) if you have an idea or request for another helpful tutorial or if you would like to guest post.

Photo of magnetic words courtesy surrealmuse on flickr (cc) and
photo of speed-typing hands courtesy Kriss Szkurlatowski from stock.xchng