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Add Color To Your Blog The Easy Way!

Have you heard about NVU? They claim to be the #1 FREE Web Authoring System with WYSIWYG and HTML modes, and this a a great thing for a "non-computer" type person like myself. I stumbled upon this this site and downloaded the program and have been using it(?) for all my blog drafting. However, my frustration has been figuring it all out and putting it all together, adding the artwork, colored text etc., and then getting it pasted into my AR blog site. As I toggled back and forth I always lost the enhancements, but by George, I think I've got it and I wanted to share it with you just in case there are any other NVU users out there or someone who might want to give it a try (minus all the hair pulling)! So, here is my attempt at a tutorial.

Download NVU for free!
Write your blog, adding links, font choice, colored text, etc. The capital "A" arrows will increase or decrease the size of your font and you might have to play with this a little to get it to look the way you want it on your blog. Draft everything right now except your artwork!
When you are done, highlight the text, open the top view tab and click on "HTML Source". This automatically changes your entry into HTML code. Don't panic, if you forgot something and need to see the WYSIWYG version, just go back to the view tab again and click on the "Normal Edit Mode". You can go back and forth as many times as your need, just be sure that you have all your text highlighted before you make your choice of either "HTML Source or Normal Edit Mode".
Are you ready to post to ActiveRain? Highlight the text, open view and change it to HTML. Once your post shows in HTML, highlight all of your text beginning with the line that starts <body... and left click to copy the text.
Open your ActiveRain to post a new blog.
Hit the HTML tab on top of the Entry Box. Click "OK" to the pop-up box.
Paste your blog.
Title your blog.
Save it as a draft!
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and post your blog. Don't panic! Just like magic your blog your blog page opens up and your blog will be in living color and all! But you are not done!
When your blog page opens, select edit.
When you come back to the edit page, click on WYSIWYG in the Entry section and now you can insert your pictures, fix any typos and make any adjustments you need.
Add your tags, visibility (change it from draft to whomever you are posting to) and make your additional posting selections.
Authorize your blog as the owner of content and post.
Congratulations!!! You can now do what it took me months to figure out!

Posted by Robert & Jani Bielenberg, CRS, GRI,e-PRO Centennial, Colorado on 06/11/2009 11:51 PM

Comments (36)

Tutorials in the ActiveRain Channel

blogging, html code, easy way to blog

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36 Comments on Add Color To Your Blog The Easy Way!

MAR

Well- I struggled with NVU for weeks and gave up on it--- I was bogged down at the posting to ar part--- Why do you have to add pictures after it is posted to ar----this can't be done in nvu----? Maybe this is where all my trouble started?

APR

Lori... I feel your pain. I had trouble inserting the pictures on NVU and then pasting them in HTML onto AR. It was just a little picture box, but nothing showed up. But until I could see it in WYSIWYG format on AR, I didn't know where it insert it and the picture insert box on AR doesn't open in HTML format. This was the solution I found and it really is easy. I hope you will give it another try if you have a hard time with HTML writing as I do. Just another language that I don't have time to learn right now. Good Luck!

JUN

This look really interesting. Another great tip in the rain. Thank You.

Thank you for the tip. I downloaded NVU and it is a great little program. I am going to start using it immediately. Thank You again!

Thanks for posting this, i'll try NVU later.

A little bit of color is OK. Most people who use it get carried away and mess up their post and call attention to the fact that they can't write.

Content is more important than effects.

GOOD MORNING ROBERT AND JANI! My favoriate post of the day! I have been wondering lately how to change the font on posts - adding color is a bonus! Thanks for sharing! -- Gabrielle

Ooooh what fun...thanks for the blitz course...and your willingness to share...my impatience to learn !

Thanks for the tutorial... I found NVU a couple of months ago thru Paddy Piddazi's post about it... your instructions are as clear as Paddy's.. Awesome help to so many. :)

I'm sooo tempted. Have bookmarked this clear post for a rainy day!

Hmm. Katerina Gasset pointed out in one of her blogs that NVU had some glitches that she wasn't happy with, so she suggested Box.net, which operates in pretty much the same fashion - you have to do all of the editing, color and size changes outside first, then convert to html and then paste. Maybe I'll try out this NVU thing and see if it's less time consuming.

Thanks for posting this info. I post on another outside blog and trasnfer it over. Sometimes it just doesn't transfer like I want it to so this might be very helpful.

Color is good! You are officially bookmarked.

another free toy for me to try. I will give it a test drive over the weekend

Welll I betcha you've started a new wave of color. Thanks.....this will be a fun and lively thing to try!

Thanks for the tip. I would love to add color to my blogs! I am going to go download NVU now...!

This is exactly what I have been looking for.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the tutorial. Tried this a couple years ago and it didn't work. Looks like its time for another go.

I used to change the color using html codes, however NVU is where it is at. I use it and really like it. The blogs look much better (I think) and I also add pictures after the fact.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like something I need to figure out as well, I just usually get frustrated and give up. I will have to bookmark this one. Thanks!

Color is always good, thanks for sharing this tip, I hope I get a chance to try it out soon!

Maureen, I agree content is king, don't go overborad, but a little color is good.

I have found that in the transfer, sometimes the formatting does not always transfer over, not the color. I have found that it is better to make separate tables and format them separately.

Color is super if not over done. Thanks for the tip.

I'm bookmarking your blog for future reference. Even though it doesn't sound all that easy, even with your explanation!

Thank you all for visiting, bookmarking and commenting on my post. I hope you find it helpful! Once I figured out all the little tricks, I found it very easy to use. If you have any problems, I am only a phone call away and I would be happy to walk you through it.

Happy Blogging!

Thank you! I have downloaded the program and left out of frustration.....I just can't wait to give this a try....

JUN

I use NVU and love it. It is easy to use. But I add photos and art after I have copied and saved my posts to Active Rain. Thanks for the tutorial.

I downloaded and it seems to be a good tool. thanks
TeamConnect.biz

This is why I love A/R and . . . fear it! MORE new tricks! AHHHHH!! But, you did well with you new-found knowledge, I'll give it a try. THANKS for sharing.

JUN

I had heard of NVU but never checked it out. Armed with your excellent instructions I feel ready to take it on. Thanks!

Liz

JUN

I have heard of NVU. I have downloaded it and played around with it. I am excited to write my next blog with color!!!

Have fun using NVU and let me know how it works for you. I'm always happy to walk you through it on the phone if you get stuck:)

NOV

I saw this aa a re-blog but wanted to thank you for the clear concise steps. The best tutorial I've seen that I an actually follow!

Jane - thank you! That is quite a compliment and I am happy to have made life a little easier for you!

NOV

Thank you! One look at the artistic quality of the blogs I have observed as a new arival, there was no way I was going to post an ugly bloglet...I re-did my first entry with NVU and correct picture spacing and the difference from the the end product of the standard tool set was esthetically full of the songs of of of well some artistic long lost art students who are now shlepping the homes of the unsold...whhooo hooo.

thank you folks for blazing the trail to beauty and a Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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