I have received a lot of emails asking me how I get my posts to look like this.

You can use an HTML publisher where you can write in plain text and then the program will change it to HTML for you such as Dreamweaver or Microsoft Front Page. But I am not patient enough to learn those programs and I do know basic HTML.

For the very basics; such as one or two color text, bolding text and changing the font size you can do that right in the Active Rain HTML editor. But the problem is you can not go back and forth from WYSIWYG to HTML. You must save the changes in each editor by publishing to draft. The other problem I have had is that when I change the color of the text in Active Rain HTML editor, save it, publish it and then decide to go back into WYSIWYG to edit something entirely different; when I re-publish, all the color is gone. So that became quite frustrating.

Then I read a post on Active Rain by Chuck Willman who said we could use a FREE HTML editor called Nvu.

In my post called, Colors, Colors, Everywhere; I used Nvu to do all the different colors.

Nvu is FREE and you can download it on your computer. My favorite part about Nvu is that I can use it to write my posts without being on line. So if I am at the park or at one of my son's homeschool activities or classes; I can still draft my posts without having to use Microsoft Word, which does not always turn out when you copy and paste it into your Active Rain blog. I used Nvu to write this post.



All you do is type your text, add your images and links, add your colors, bolding and font sizes as if you are typing a document in Word or any other word processor. It is SO easy. I love it!



You can also use Nvu to edit your websites and custom make pages for multiple websites. You can do some fancy stuff too. There are a lot of things you can do to add some:

WOW

Pizazz

and

To your blog.

If you want to change the background color you can do that with making tables and changing the background of your table. You just choose the cells and sizes.

A couple of tips to know before you start; Do your whole post in Nvu including your signatures and buttons by copy and paste right from your blog. This is because you may run into the problem if you need to change something; it may not turn out right. You must edit in HTML in your Active Rain editor. Do not go to WYSIWYG and edit anything that way; you will lose your color. You can edit in the HTML. Always save your work. Nvu does not auto save so you must set up a named file and then just click save every so often.

Here is what I do in Nvu: First I do all my text writing. Then I go back and add my colors, bolding and font sizes. After that I add all my links. This is very simple to do in Nvu. I then add all my images. The last thing I do is copy my signature, call to action and disclaimer from my Active Rain blog and paste it into my post in Nvu.

When you add your images you have to add the image direct link location. I like to use Photo Bucket; it is very easy, free and fast to use. Nvu will not allow you to insert an image without adding an Image Alt1 tag. So make sure you do that too.

Then when you are all finished drafting your post you go to the bottom of your screen and click on Source. Your whole post will turn into all the HTML that you will need. Go to Edit, click select all, click copy.



Go to your Active Rain blog and open up a new blog post screen. Click on the HTML button. Put your curser on your blank post and then right click and click paste.

The entire source code all in HTML will be on your post now. Type in your title at the top of the page. Click on draft and the publish to draft. Make sure it looks fine and then choose your groups to post to and your tags. Click on the public tab and then publish your post.

Try it out for some fun, some change and some delightfully appealing blog posts!

Katerina Gasset, CIPS, Realtor ®, Business and Life Coach, Speaker and Author. Reach Katerina at: 561-753-0135

Disclaimer:The information provided herein is supplied by several sources and is subject to change without notice. Wellington Homes Blog does not guarantee or is any way responsible for its accuracy, and provides said information without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Entries on Wellington Homes Blog represent the opinions and ideas of the author(s). Wellington Homes Blog does not express the views of International Properties and Investments, Inc or those of the broker.

Copyright © 2008 By Katerina Gasset, All Rights Reserved. *Give Your Active Rain Blog Pizazz and Punch The Easy Way!* Contact Katerina Gasset for Customized Business and Personal Coaching.