#wordpress-themes — Public Fediverse posts

WordPress: A New Theme for Short-Form Blogging on WordPress.com. “At WordPress.com, we believe short thoughts deserve a real home. Today we’re introducing a new theme built for quick posts, replies, and reblogs: the kind of writing that lives somewhere between a tweet and a blog post, on a site that’s entirely yours.”

BORROWED STORIES

https://ridiculousbharath.wordpress.com/2026/04/22/borrowed-stories/

Why Now Is The Time To Pull Up My ‘Big Boy’ Trousers’ About My Blog

Have you heard of the saying, ‘Don’t put off today what can be done tomorrow’? I should tell myself that more often because tomorrow becomes tomorrow, and that tomorrow becomes another tomorrow. Before you know it, weeks, months or even years have passed you by, and you still haven’t done what you were putting off until tomorrow.

Last week, after visiting some blogs, I asked myself, ‘Why haven’t I done what they have done yet?’ And the simple and truthful answer was ‘Because of me.’ But what am I referring to?

‘What if?’ moments. Do you ever have them?

A ‘What if’ moment is those moments in life when you believe something is holding you back from doing something you know needs to be done, but you have doubts about it. The problem is that it isn’t the doubts that are holding you back.

The ‘What if’ moment I’ve been having has lasted for the best part of two years.

‘What if changing the theme of my blog from Classic to Block causes problems?’

Given that thousands of other bloggers have done it, I know that, while problems may occur, they can be resolved!

When WordPress introduced the Block Editor, which now seems like many years ago, I disliked it and did everything I could to avoid giving it a chance. I fought myself, declaring I’ll never use it and that I hated the change. And there was my downfall – ‘change.’ I wasn’t willing to accept it.

Then another blogger said in one of her posts, ‘The Block Editor isn’t hard to use; it’s just different.’ That got me thinking, and it was not long before I realised that the reason I didn’t like the change was that I hadn’t set aside any time to read tutorials and watch them, and to give the Block editor a try.

It wasn’t long before I was telling myself that trying out the Block Editor was like switching up from black-and-white to colour television.

Why then has it taken me so long to begin the switch from a Classic to a Block theme? The answer to that question is ‘Me.’ What if something goes wrong? What if I break my blog? What if all my posts disappear? What if my blog disappears without a trace?’ Why if, what if, what if?

The problem with all those questions is that they are not problems. They are excuses. Excuses to stop myself from making changes. And I have found in life that change opens new doors and brings new opportunities. And that’s what switching to using the Block editor did.

But why fix what’s not broken?

I hear people say, ‘Why fix what’s not broken?’ But nobody is fixing anything. All websites have to keep up with technological changes; they would lose many paying customers if they didn’t adapt. It’s paying customers who keep companies alive by buying their products or services, allowing some users to use the site for free.

Now, replace the question ”Why fix what’s not broken?’ with, ‘Why update what is not broken?’ You now have your answer.

Not all WordPress users are lucky enough to have had a choice between a Classic and a Block editor. Many have never known anything but the Block Editor, and they all seem to be doing a great job. However, did you know that the Block editor includes a Classic block that allows users to use the Classic editor?

What’s about to happen on my blog?

Over the next few weeks, you may notice a few changes with my blog as I switch from a Classic to a Block theme. If you notice anything wrong, please let me know, so I can resolve it. There’s plenty of support available on WordPress when you take the time to find it. Part of the excitement for me is choosing a new theme, but another reason I am making the switch is that I gain access to many more blogging tools and options, many of which help users save time.

Finally, I’m pleased to say I’ve changed concerns into excitement. I’m no longer allowing change to stop me from moving ahead on my blogging journey. I want my blog to become part of today’s technology, rather than remain stuck in yesterday’s.

This is my final post using a Classic theme on my blog. Bear with me while I make the changes to a Block theme. Hopefully, it won’t be long before I see you on the other side.

Have you changed the theme of your WordPress blog from Classic to Block? Did you encounter any problems? What were they, and how did you resolve them?

The featured image on this blog post is sourced from Pixabay. AI reviewed spelling and grammar errors.

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Copyright @ 2026 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

🌊 Oceanly News WordPress Theme

Oceanly News is a perfect #WordPress theme for blogs, magazines, newspapers, and story writers. 📰

✨ Elegant & minimalistic design
🎯 Featured posts section
🛠️ Easy customization
⚡ Lightweight theme

🔗 Get the theme:
https://scriptstown.com/wordpress-themes/oceanly-news/

#WordPressTheme #Blogging #WordPressThemes #Blog #Marketing

November 2025 – This is a first! But I Have Good Reasons

The past three months have been busy outside the world of blogging, so much so that I didn’t get the chance to write and publish monthly round-up posts for September or October.

Did I feel bad? Did I apologise? No. Sometimes life gets in the way of schedules, and my blogging routine was thrown off course, but it happens to everyone, and nobody needs to apologise. From what I saw, my posts from September, October and November continued to receive engagement, and for me, it’s all about interacting with other bloggers, writers, and readers.

Better late than never. Without further ado, here is the monthly round-up for the past three months on Hugh’s Views and News.

• WordPress has introduced a new blog recommendation feature that displays recommended blogs on your Gravatar profile, improving visibility. My post details how to add the blogs you love the most.

This New WordPress Feature Helps Promote The Blogs You Love

• Here’s a fresh writing challenge that everyone is encouraged to try. Can you write a story using only 101 words (no more, no less) based on a featured image?

Bloggers/Authors: Are You Ready For A Writing Challenge?

• Where do the images and photos in your blog posts originate? Are you certain you’re not infringing the law by using copyrighted images?

Where To Legally Source Amazing Images For Your Blog Posts

• How easy do you make it for visitors to share your blog posts and boost the visibility of your blog? Take action: These nine options are easy to find and activate.

9 Important Options on Your WordPress Blog to Check Now!

• This is why you should never forget to put the clocks back before going to bed.

When The Clocks Go Back

• Springtime in Paris! Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Think again!

Experience the Magic of Spring in Paris! But not as you know it!

• Are photography blog posts worth commenting on? Why I Decided to Stop Publishing My Photography.

4 Never Before Seen Photos And Why You Need To See Them

• This post outlines various scams affecting bloggers, including voicemail scams and email phishing claims that appear to come from WordPress. Don’t become a victim of a scam or fined for downloading copyrighted material.

The Latest Blogging and Publishing Scams You Need to Be Aware Of Now

The featured image on this blog post is sourced from Pixabay. AI reviewed spelling and grammar errors.

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Copyright @ 2025 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

#blogPosts #bloggingAdvice #bloggingHelp #bloggingScams #bloggingTips #flashFiction #hughsViewsAndNews #hughsViewsNews #photography #wordpressHelp #wordpressThemes

Pixora WordPress Theme Review: Is This the Perfect Toolkit for Creative Agencies and Portfolio Websites? https://weandthecolor.com/pixora-wordpress-theme-review-is-this-the-perfect-toolkit-for-creative-agencies-and-portfolio-websites/206945

#wordpress #wp #wordpressthemes #webdesign #website #websitedesign

📰 PressBook Premium is a content-focused #WordPress theme for blogs, magazines, and news websites.

✨ Great for content-rich sites like blogs, schools, news portals, and educational institutions.

🎨️ Custom colors to match your brand
🌗 Dark and light color schemes, presets
📌 Sticky-floating single, double sidebars
🎡️ Featured post carousels with autoplay
🧱 Post grid with multiple layout options

🔗 Learn more:
https://scriptstown.com/wordpress-themes/pressbook-premium/

#WordPressTheme #Blogging #WordPressThemes #WP #Blog #Marketing

Simple Blogging Tips And Insights Every Blogger Needs To Know

Occasionally, I receive questions or comments about blogging and social media that inspire me to share key insights with my readers. Here are three recent examples of those topics. Hopefully, you’ll learn something from them.

How to get less spam!

In my recent post, “Astonishing! Some Bloggers Disable Comments on Their Blogs. Why?” many readers mentioned that they turn off comments due to the overwhelming number of spam comments that often come through. This is a valid concern! However, it’s worth noting that WordPress offers a setting that can help prevent you from seeing most spam comments. Activating this feature is simple.

• On your blog’s dashboard, go to Jetpack – Akismet Anti-spam.

• On the page that opens, look for the Settings box. Under Spam Filtering, ensure ‘Silently discard the worst and most pervasive spam so I never see it‘ is selected.

• Click the ‘Save changes‘ button.

You’ll now see much less spam in your blog’s spam folder. On average, I’m seeing no more than a few spam comments every week.

For more details, check out my post, ‘Turn This Setting On To Stop Seeing Too Much Spam On Your WordPress Blog.’

How do you find the people you want to follow?

Author Liz Gauffreau recently left a comment on my post, ‘The Ultimate Guide to Engaging on Bluesky: Tips, Features, and Strategies for Success,’ saying she was struggling to find other users on Bluesky who read or write literary fiction.

I asked Liz if she had checked out the Bluesky Starter Pack directory, where users can search for other users with similar interests. I included a link to the directory. This is how Liz replied.

If you’re a Bluesky user, I recommend checking out the information about Starter Packs. They are an excellent way to discover other bloggers, writers, authors, photographers, and more. Starter Packs are also great for getting noticed and connecting with other users. Click the following link.

What are Bluesky Starter Packs?

And click the following link to check the Bluesky Starter Pack directory I sent to Liz.

Bluesky Starter Pack Directory.

I recently passed a milestone on Bluesky: getting over 5,000 followers. Given that I’ve only been on Bluesky since November 2024 and it took me nearly 12 years to reach 9,000 followers on X, I can’t emphasise enough how every blogger and writer should consider using Bluesky.

If you haven’t already, give Bluesky a go.

How to stop the theme you’re using from crashing your blog.

Amanda, who blogs at ForestWood, recently published a post titled ‘It’s Time For A Change Of Theme.’ She was referring to a change of blog theme. I’d recently published a post about WordPress themes, so I was interested in what Amanda had to say. Needless to say, Amanda’s post inspired me (and many others) to leave a comment.

You’ll have to read Amanda’s post to find out what she and I had to say, but it contained an important lesson some readers may have forgotten or may not know about regarding WordPress themes. Do not attempt to change your WordPress blog’s theme unless you’re using a theme still supported by WordPress.

If, like Amanda, you are using a retired theme and click ‘activate’ on any of the current themes WordPress offers, you won’t be able to return to your retired theme!

If you are using a retired WordPress theme that isn’t causing you any issues, you can continue using it. However, be cautious, as there are drawbacks to using a retired theme, including those related to online security. For more information, check out my recent post, “WordPress Themes: Something Exciting Is Happening,” which provides further details.

Let’s wrap it up!

• Use WordPress’s Jetpack – Akismet Anti-spam feature to significantly reduce spam comments. By enabling the option to “silently discard the worst and most pervasive spam,” users can keep their spam folder manageable.

• Use the Bluesky Starter Pack Directory to connect with other users with similar interests. This resource helps you discover other bloggers, writers, authors and photographers and gain visibility.

• If you are thinking of changing the theme of your WordPress blog, be aware that if the current theme you are using is retired and no longer supported by WordPress, you won’t be able to return to it.

Do you have any questions about blogging or social media? Leave them in the comments section.

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

I’m getting tough with non-engaging comments. Comments such as ‘Nice post’ are marked as spam.

Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.

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Copyright @ 2025 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

#Blogging #BloggingAdvice #BloggingHelp #BloggingProblems #BloggingQuestions #BlueSky #HowTo #SocialMedia #SocialMediaTips #WordPress #WordPressThemes

✨ PressBook Masonry Blogs is a clean, fast #WordPress theme with a beautiful masonry layout for your blog posts, educational content, or portfolios.

🧱️ Show posts in a masonry grid
🎨 Multiple layout control options
🖥️ Create a professional site easily
⚡ Lightweight and easy to customize
🎛️ Adjustable columns and spacing

🔗 Learn more:
https://scriptstown.com/wordpress-themes/pressbook-masonry-blogs/

#WordPressTheme #Blogging #WordPressThemes #Blog #Marketing

We just released air-light WordPress starter theme v9.5.0 here at @dude
https://github.com/digitoimistodude/air-light/releases/tag/9.5.0

#WordPress #WordPressStarterTheme #WordPressThemes #OpenSource

Within the WordPress admin, you can keep your CSS customizations in Customizer. CSS and JS can be stored in a code plugin. If you customize the child theme directly, do your future self a favor and put it in version control. If you are unfamiliar with command line, GitHub has a lovely visual app at https://buff.ly/4gsYocw #WordPress #WordPressThemes #ChildThemes 2/2

If you are using or planning to use a child theme made by the parent theme maker, plan for the maker’s updates. While it is technically possible to make a grandchild theme, it is not recommended. There are options... https://buff.ly/4gsYocw #WordPress #WordPressThemes #ChildThemes 1/2

#WordPress theme folks: Is there a theme with this layout or a builder where I can create something close to my dirty mockup here?

Basically a landing page with large images, probably two column, shoulder to shoulder, with buttons overlaid at the bottom of the image. Or maybe just below the image. Not sure, want to play with it. #WordPressThemes

🤩💻 The world of WordPress themes is a big one, and there can be a lot of choices.

It can become so overwhelming, especially if you need special theme options.

Fortunately, there are amazing...

#WordPressThemes

🔗 https://social.talkbitz.com/nt9u2

@rolle Got to do a test drive on these themes, particularly air-light. I'm a sucker for lightweight starters.

#wordpress #wordpressdevelopment #wordpressthemes

Released Air-light WordPress theme v9.4.6 https://github.com/digitoimistodude/air-light

Demo: https://airwptheme.com/demo/

#WordPress #WordPressThemes #wordpressDevelopment #WordPressStarterTheme #OpenSource

Just released v9.4.5 of Air-light, WordPress starter theme https://github.com/digitoimistodude/air-light

Demo: https://airwptheme.com/demo/

#WordPress #WordPressStarterTheme #WordPressThemes #WordPressTheming #WP #wpfi #OpenSource

Core concepts to understand in WordPress theme development. https://kinsta.com/blog/wordpress-theme-core-concepts/ #WordPressDev #WordPressThemes

What would you like to see in the next default WordPress theme? https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/07/08/what-would-you-like-to-see-in-the-next-default-wordpress-theme/ #WordPressThemes

When you tell your developer you didn't use WBCOM Designs themes... 😲😂
"Upgrade to WBCOM Designs and see the difference! Your website (and visitors) will thank you! 🌟"
https://wbcomdesigns.com/themes/
#WBCOMDesigns #WebsiteUpgrade #WordPressThemes #WebDesign #Memes #WebDeveloperLife

Modern WordPress - Yikes! – David Bushell – Freelance Web Design (UK)
https://dbushell.com/2024/05/07/modern-wordpress-themes-yikes/ #WordPressThemes #WordPressDev

Adding some colors to a WrodPress Block Theme. https://kau-boys.com/3609/wordpress/adding-some-colors-to-the-block-theme #WordPressThemes #WordPressDev

Ich habe sie gefunden! Die #WordPress-Pflanze! Aus dem Theme Twentyseventeen 😂
#sukkulente #wordpressthemes

How We Built a New Home for WordPress .com Developers Using the Twenty Twenty-Four Theme. https://developer.wordpress.com/ #WordPressDev #WordPressThemes

🚀 Elevate your eLearning platform with REIGN for #LearnDash! 📚

Transform your courses into engaging, interactive experiences. REIGN seamlessly integrates with LearnDash, offering unique layouts, extensive customization, and a user-friendly interface that enhances learning and teaching.

Explore now: http://wbcomdesigns.com/downloads/learnmate-learndash/

#eLearning #OnlineEducation #REIGN #WordPressThemes

Adding and using grid support in WordPress themes. https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2024/02/06/adding-and-using-grid-support-in-wordpress-themes/ #WordPressThemes #WordPressDev

Exploring Twenty Twenty-Four: A WordPress Theme for Any Website. https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/wordpress-twenty-twenty-four-theme #WordPressThemes