Work.com: Writing a Guide
How to upload articles, create links, add clip art & other essential information
I’ve been copywriting for at least a decade, but most of my experience has been simply that: copywriting. In Word, no less; no bells or whistles. Not the most tech-savvy gal, I usually depended on some form of graphics or editing team to manage the layout and clip art portion of my published articles. However, I realized Work.com was a great DYI site, so I recently asked a very skilled coworker (a graphics artist and web guru – who else?) to sit & give me a mini-tutorial so I could upload my own articles. Since I actually bothered to sit down & type out detailed notes to myself, I thought I’d pass on my recently-acquired knowledge with my fellow less-than-techie brethren to ensure you have an easy time uploading your new articles. Good luck and happy publishing!
Creating Your Document
Once you begin creating a new document (Write a Guide in "My Work.com"), the template prompts you to some extent. However, you will need to know how to format it properly in order for it to appear accurately once it's published. When importing text from a Word document, it will reformat when you copy & paste it into the body of the draft copy.
Try: Keep your copy simple and avoid using excessive bullet points, numbers, etc., as you will need to use their publishing tools to indicate any type of formatting issues.
Formatting tips
Note the following:
After you've dropped your copy in the text area, you will have to go back & adjust spacing accordingly (one line of space before/after paragraphs; more than that & it won't appear correctly).
Each portion of the content body will need to be entered individually in the designated area - i.e., Intro, Action Steps, Tips & Tactics, and so forth. Choose "Advanced Mode" (bottom button on the left-hand side of the screen) in order to format your article based on the pre-designated template.
Try: You might need to edit your content in order for it to fit within the parameters of their format - for example, I initially wrote a conclusion, but there wasn't anywhere to plug this in, so I had to delete this portion of my article and often reformat my content based on their template (Action Steps, Tips & Tactics, etc.).
Adding Links and Images
In order to create links, highlight the word or phrase of your choice, then click on the link icon (you'll see it in the toolbar above the text box - it looks like a chain link).
Once you've clicked on the symbol, enter "Link URL" manually & choose "insert" OR cut & paste the link directly from the site - to do so, highlight & copy address from bar & paste it into the space, then choose "insert". It should automatically highlight & create a live link right within the text.
Try: In order to add an image from your own site (photo or clip art), you’ll want to follow these easy steps:
- Right-click on the image: select ‘copy image location’
- Go back to the page (in this case, Work.com) & then click on ‘image’ icon (it’s the icon on the tool bar that looks like a little picture of a tree).
- Next, paste the URL address in the corresponding window that pops up (ex.: www.shoplet.com)
- Enter the following information: Dimensions: 180x180, Alignment: Right, and Spacing: 10x10 (these are default settings, but if you have more advanced skills, you can adjust them based on the image you’re importing). Click on ‘insert’ and your image should pop up next to the text (you can save & preview your draft to see if it’s been uploaded before publishing).
Additionally, if you’d like to create a ‘live’ link to an image you’ve added, simply follow these steps:
- Click on the image/photo
- Select ‘link’ icon
- Next, create URL link – go back to source of image & copy URL from page & paste into window; hit ‘insert’ – image will now be live (choose ‘preview’ to view your results before publishing to see if it’s active).
- Saving Your Work: Save all entries by choosing "Save Draft" before publishing to ensure your article appears properly once you've posted it. In order to view it "in progress", choose the "Preview" button and select the 'here' link on the top of the page once you're in the "Preview" mode to edit, save or publish your Guide. Although you can go back & edit the majority of the content even after it's published, you can't easily change the main title, i.e., "Guide to (fill in the blank)" - so, be sure you've entered this information accurately before hitting "Publish".
- Adding Clip Art & Photos: You can find images & stock photos at sites such as www.istockphoto.com if you need them; they are generally inexpensive & this particular site has a large library of images to choose from. However, you can save time & money by using images from your own site - in addition to adding your own photos or clip art from your website, you can activate these images to become live links, just as you've done with your text. This is simply one more way to network with your audience & other related sites. Adding images not only allows you to feature products available through your company, but visually enhances your article, gaining and retaining the attention of your potential audience & creating an interactive experience with your readers. This applies to nearly every website publication, as we're aware of the visual impact any image - whether it be graphic design, font style, clip art or other formatting - has upon the overall experience of our audience.
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