Noticing Newbies
This week: Stylizing with WritingML Edited by: Stephanie Grace More Newsletters By This Editor
1. About this Newsletter 2. A Word from our Sponsor 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Editor's Picks 5. A Word from Writing.Com 6. Ask & Answer 7. Removal instructions
I believe in simplicity in introduction to new things and also that there is a wide variety of topics to be explored in this newsletter --Not only for newbies, but those that have been here for years and want to recognize newbies through reviews, etc... I think that the primary focus of this newsletter should be twofold: Just Here and Here For Years... I think that the title is so broad that this newsletter really needs to feature something for newbies as well as "oldbies". Of course, cohesiveness between the two is also important so that one does not feel lesser than the other. We are all equals here and I think the best way to convey that message to newbies is to let them see their work alongside "WdC veterans"... |
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Once upon a time...HUH? How long have you been standing there?
Sorry... I got a bit sleepy. I'd tell you to blame the Sandman, but I locked him away in my closet years ago!
Well, I've used it enough, so why don't we explore the usage of WritingML today? It's one of those things that, after a few years of being here, seems to be like a second language, but not everyone feels that way! Let me tell ya, that plain ol' Arial in black with a white background (initial setting for WdC) looks great, but... it's so plain!!! Let's decorate!!!
What is WritingML?
Websites are created using codes known as HTML (There are others too, but let's just go with HTML and save ourselves a few headaches, shall we?). It's what gives the website the look that you see. Here at Writing.Com, there is a similar system in place which allows members to enter tags into items to change the look of them. Note: WritingML will not work on other websites as brackets are used which is not the customary format of HTML codes.
Brackets?
The brackets used for WritingML are } and {. Looking at your keyboard, they are found on the line directly below the numbers, all the way to the right. From the right, you will see the | button, then the bracket buttons. In order to avoid having ] and [ instead of } and {, be sure to hold down shift while pressing the keys. In case I lost you on the location bit: Under the button with the plus and equal signs.
Why does WritingML matter? (i.e.: Stephanie, you've lost it...).
To me, the addition of WritingML to an item not only makes it more visually appealing to the reader, but it also shows that you took the time and care enough about your item to make it look as good as you can. Of course, this is very important when it comes to activities and other such items which are intended to attract people, but it is also nice to see the same in a poem... I mean, if the poem is about the color pink, why not make it pink?
There are many aspects of WritingML usage, but today we're just going to look at how we can change the look of our items just by manipulating the look and style of the text.
How Will I Know What To Type?
Throughout this newsletter, I will be including the code exactly as you would type it and then the working example of how it will show up in your item. In some examples, I've added a line between them, but what to type and the working example will always have the exact same words in the sentence.
Fonts and Colors
The basics of format and visual appeal.
Writing.Com offers members the choice of six different fonts. Arial, Comic, Courier, Impact, Times, and Verdana.
To add a nice touch right off the bat for an item, the font is a great place to start. Personally, I like Courier the best, but I suppose all have a preference. To change the font and make an item feel a little more personal, the {font:} tag is used. By placing the name of the font after the colon, you instantly change the font. So...
{font:verdana}This is Verdana.{/font}
will give you
This is Verdana.
Pretty nifty, right? The {/font} tag at the end will stop that font so that you can either A) Do nothing and revert back to the usual Arial or B) Use another {font:} tag to switch to any other font. (Why would you ever use two fonts in a poem or story? Well, if you choose to add a Writer's Note at the end, it makes it clear that it is not part of the poem/story... Also, say you have a letter within your story, It can be set apart from the narrative easily by changing the font.).
Let us now look at how we can manipulate these fonts...
There are several ways in which text can be manipulated with the usage of WritingML:
{i}{/i} - This will italicize the word(s) between the tags.
{i}My name is Stephanie{/i}, she thought.
My name is Stephanie, she thought.
Italicization is a great tool for showing internal dialogue within a story or poem or for adding emphasis to a word or phrase.
{b}{/b} - This will bold the word(s) between the tags.
I will {b}not{/b} bow to you!
I will not bow to you!
Having text in bold is another great way to show emphasis in writing -and always looks so much better than capitalizing a whole word... capitalizing like that can too often be confused as meaning the word is an acronym.
{u}{/u} - This will underline the word(s) between the tags.
Grace, Stephanie {u}Noticing Newbies Newsletter{/u}, pp. 3-5
Grace, Stephanie Noticing Newbies Newsletter, pp. 3-5
Another great way to add some emphasis or stress to a word or phrase but, more than that, to be more grammar-efficient, titles of books and such should be underlined, so this is a must for anyone giving credit or research information. Even if you're not writing a bibliography, titles should still be underlined (either that or my English teachers in school just liked driving me crazy since, for some reason, I just can not make a straight line!).
{x}{/x} - This is called "strike-through". It will put a line through the word(s) between the tags.
We walked {x}walked{/x} around.
We walked walked around.
While this is very useful for making jokes or being sarcastic ( You mean you're still reading this? Thanks for sticking with me!), it is most useful in reviewing. It is a great way to point out that a word should be omitted or is spelled incorrectly. There are few cases where you'd use this in a poem or story, but that's not to say that you shouldn't. I've seen it done.
{super}{/super} - This is for superscript. It will make the text appear higher.
10{super}100{/super}
10 100
Okay, so I associate this with math, but it's also useful for if you're adding notes. We've all seen it... I am unwell 1. Then, at the end of the page or book, you'll see 1 Unwell means crazy.
I'm sure there are more uses for superscript, but I don't use it very often, so you'll have to find out it's appeal on your own. In poetry, it can be a nice touch if you're going for a certain format or look (As in a concrete or shaped poem).
{sub}{/sub} - This is for subscript. It will make the text appear lower.
We went {sub}down{/sub} the hill.
We went down the hill.
This is another one that I usually use for jokes or being sarcastic. (You're back already? And here I was enjoying the silence.) Again, not something that I really use so, if you've read the superscript, you've got my thoughts for subscript already.
Other Means of Text Manipulation
Now that we've covered the basics, let's look at some other nifty things that can be used to add more style to your items.
{c:}{/c} - This is the tag for color. You simply put the color's name in brackets, after the colon and it will change the color.
{c:red}This{/c} {c:orange}will{/c} {c:yellow}make{/c} {c:green}my{/c} {c:blue}words{/c} {c:indigo}a{/c} {c:violet}rainbow{/c}.
This will make my words a rainbow.
There are many other color choices, but I think listing them all here would be kind of obnoxious. At the end of this newsletter, I'll be adding instructions for how to get more information about WritingML, so you'll find the choices there. Now, I'm sure it's obvious how this is useful in different ways -especially just to add a more personal touch and a lot more visual appeal, but you must be careful. Some font and color combinations will make things hard to read. When it comes to colors like yellow, there really isn't a good font choice, you're going to get complaints about a strain on the readers' eyes. Always make sure you test the waters and preview your item if you're going to use color.
Additionally, if you add more that one color in the {c:} tag, the color of the word(s) between the tags will change every time the page is refreshed.
{c:red,orange,yellow}Go ahead, refresh.{/c}
Go ahead, refresh
{size}{/size} - This is the tag for size. It will, as suggested by the tag, change the size of the text.
{size:1}One.{/size} {size:2}Two.{/size} {size:3}Three.{/size} {size:4}Four.{/size} {size:5}Five.{/size}.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
As you can see, the bigger the number, the bigger the text. This is useful for separating your title from narrative, making things stand out, formatting a poem, or just making things easier to read if you forget your glasses.
{indent} - This tag will add an indentation.
{indent}I am indented.
I am not indented.
I am indented.
An indent is five spaces. As we were all taught in school, you should always indent at the beginning of a paragraph. Usually, when it comes to the computer or text online, a line is skipped between paragraphs and indentation is not used. Personally, I like a skipped line and an indent. It just makes everything look good. (By the way: Always skip a line between paragraphs! Without that, everything always looks very "smushed".).
Since indentation is always incredibly useful for formatting a poem or text in other items, I also want to make sure that you're aware that you can add multiple indents with one tag by adding a colon and a number.
{indent:3}I am indented thrice.
I am not indented.
I am indented thrice.
The highest you can go is 10.
Well, this newsletter has become much longer than I thought it would, so I'm going to call it "done" and hope that you've found some part of it useful. I recently discovered that some friends of mine who have been here for a while don't know much about WritingML and usage thereof, so this is dedicated to them. So, Newbies, don't feel like you are alone in not knowing how to use WritingML, many members that have been here for years are still trying to figure it out!
I planned on adding more to this, but we shall save it for another day. In my next newsletter, let's take more of a look at formatting, shall we?
If you would like to see more about WritingML or want to see other color choices, etc... You can easily do so by clicking "Writing.Com Tools" on the left side of your screen (Under where you click for your e-mail, Gps, Blog, etc...). When that opens, all the way at the bottom is "WritingML Help". Click that and a small pop-up window will open in which you can find those bits of information and so much more! (Look at the red arrows in this image, that's where you want to click):
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Wait... You actually made it to this point in this newsletter? You deserve a medal for getting through my ramblings! I thank you for your patience!
,
Stephanie Grace |
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Want to practice your new found knowledge or need to see it said differently? Well, this is certainly the item for you! Have at it, kiddos!
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Not only does Kasia use WritingML in an amazingly creative way to get viewers' attention at the beginning of this forum, but her whole contest is given an even more well-organized and appealing feel with her further usage of it. Go ahead... Enter! Good luck! (Be sure to read the rules, guys and gals!).
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Yup... Another contest. This time, though, not only do I find Natalie's usage of text-related WritingML to help the appeal and organization of her contest, but I also believe that the basic concept of the contest would allow YOU to utilize your new-found knowledge to make your entry extra special! Go for it! I dare you!
In this adorable & fun poem, Daizy uses the color tags wonderfully to highlight special words and phrases throughout her poem without losing any of the cohesiveness of the story being told. ...You'll have to read it to see how it's done because I ain't givin' nothin' away!
The following items are not loaded with WritingML, but items that, at the time of me typing this, are new and unreviewed. I think they're well worth the read --and definitely think you should review them!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter! https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Since this is my first NN Newsletter, I'm faking this bit, but, PLEASE, comment below and ask some questions! I'd love to give some answers!
What happens if I forget to close a tag?
Well, it depends... if you forget the {/font}, {/c}, or others, it will just continue to appear the same way and not change --even if you start a new tag. With {/size}, though, things can get pretty ugly. On most browsers and computers, I'm pretty sure it will stay the same throughout, but on others, it will just get bigger and bigger... Very bad. Just remember to always view your item first before walking away.
What about the buttons that appear when creating an e-mail or new item?
Yup.. they're great, but you must remember to put your text between the tags, not after them. Otherwise, you're adding your text after the closing tag and it will have no effect on your text. Understanding what the tags do will help in making sense of those li'l buttons. Yes, it's easier just to click, but until you know what it's all about, it might not be as helpful as you want it to be.
Buttons?
Yup, Buttons...
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Hope that helps!
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