Public blog?

[sasha_feather]

I would like to start a public-facing disability blog: something that I can post links to on Facebook and attach to my wallet name. I'm tempted to simply create another DW account since I understand this platform so well; what are the downsides to that idea?

People on Twitter seem to think that Wordpress is the way to go.

Advice? Suggestions? I will of course also need a name for this blog.

Comments

[starlady]

I think going Wordpress and then getting the plugin to hook it into a DW account would be my recommendation. I am in the process of starting to set up a WordPress to do the same thing for my wallet account here.

[sasha_feather]

Does that mean you can post from DW and it cross-posts to Wordpress?

[oyceter]

I think it works the opposite way; the plugin is for Wordpress so you post to Wordpress and it crossposts to DW. (I set my pro blog up this way because a) I wanted something with my own domain name and b) I was nervous DW was too fannish looking for job related stuff.)

[starlady]

I think you have to do it from WP.

[futuransky]

I think that is a great idea! I love your writing and support anything that gets more people to read it. :)

I love Wordpress. The .com (free and fully hosted) accounts have some mildly annoying features, but if you go always use the dashboard and avoid the stuff that's supposed to make it 'easier,' it should be pretty intuitive for a DW user. I especially like the WP posting interface, which has handy buttons that will add in the HTML tags for you and let you toggle between HTML and rich text interfaces. It's also really easy to transfer over to wordpress.org (free open source software you install on your own webspace) if you want your own domain now or in the future -- and then you can do all kinds of nifty things with plugins and such.

(If you want some web space and your own domain, actually, I have tons of space to spare... though I think that wordpress.com is easier to get started on!)

[sasha_feather]

That is great news! Thank you so much!

[holyoutlaw]

Here's another vote for Wordpress. I found it pretty easy to set up my own domain and everything, although as others have said you don't have to.

I use a plugin called "Journalpress" that automatically cross-posts to both LJ and DW. Other than that, I've done nothing with the bells and whistles. I like the fact that it can be set up pretty easily right out of the box and yet has such a high ceiling.

[jesse_the_k]

One more thing to consider is interactivity. Do you want to host discussions (and moderate comments)? If it's essentially one-way, Tumblr seems to be good for that (although I freely admit to knowing not Thing One about how to make it run).

[lauredhel]

It sounds great. Just one request, though: if you go Wordpress, please don't require users to be logged in in order to comment. This ends up being a complete mess, if you comment at more than one Wordpress blog, because of not knowing which login is which and them all messing up and ARGH. I don't know exactly _why_ it's so hard, it just is.

Akismet, and mod a new commenter's first comment, and you're all good.

[sasha_feather]

Will do! Thank you!

[vacillating]

Wordpress seems to be reliable and easy. I use their 'schedule posts' feature a lot - I post every Friday, but that doesn't mean I write every Friday.

[sasha_feather]

Oh that sounds great. Thank you!