Website Post #1

Aspiring author wants website. Aspiring author doesn't have $200 extra laying around to pay someone to build, not including maintenance. What's Aspiring author to do?

This is my journal is learning to create my own website. Not very writerly of me, but I'm sure other writers may want to take this trek as well. The first thing I did was go to godaddy.com and find my name had already been taken. I found a derivative by using a hyphen. Apparently it's very important to look at this url before you register it. Just look at it as if it might be mistaken as a p0rn site. Alright so what all do I need. Well, I could register one domain or two. Each has an annual cost associated with it and if you want the privacy option that's per domain. However, if you buy 5 domains you get the privacy option free. Privacy means that someone can't find your name listed as the owner of that site easily. The price of 2 domains with privacy cost almost as much as 5 domains. So I got 5. Knowing that I was only going to actually use one to build the website. It was an investment in the future. I bought the .com and .net of my chosen website, a potential pen name, another version of the my writer name, and one that I'll set up if my Fallen series gets pubbed.

Okay, so now I have 5 domain sites. What next? Hosting. Now a lot of places offer hosting and godaddy is one of them. So I bundled in one year of their economy plan. Now if you intend to use WordPress, take a hint and go for the Linux and not Windows operating. You can always switch at anytime. The next fun in installing WordPress. I finally got it but it took a little time. The Five minute installation is a lie. But it does have its uses. You will have to change the Database Host, but all in all it isn't that bad. Just follow the directions until .... upload. Umm. Yeah. Where is that supposed to go?

Not as bad as I thought. Go to ftp.(yourdomain).com [don't actually use (yourdomain) and open the ftp with windows explorer. It tells you how to do that. It will open a folder window. Copy your files and paste them in that window. Then follow the remaining instructions in the 5 minute installation.

Now I tried to read the how to on Wordpress.org and wanted to cry myself silly. I consider myself somewhat tech savvy, but my brain slowly eeped out my ear as I tried to make heads or tails of the instructions. So using the power of Google, I found dummied down instructions.

That's what I'm doing today. So here's the link to How to Create Wordpress Themes. The lessons are broken down into 10-15 minute chunks (at least in the beginning which is all the further I've gotten). They aren't that hard to follow and I've been using the ftp to load up the changes. So go forth and create a website. I'll keep ya posted as to how I'm doing.