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WordPress Updates for Writers

I use this article to keep up to day on the comings and goings of Wordpress updates for writers and note any problems with the WordPress update, or lack thereof, for my own websites, and for websites that I professionally write for, or otherwise have access to their WordPress status.

WordPress 5.7 Update for Writers

Welcome to WordPress 5.7, writers!

So far, I’ve updated a handful of low-earning websites I own, and one money site. No trouble with the WordPress 5.7 update so far, my fellow writers.

I haven’t had a chance to dig in yet. I’ll come back here and update this article when I do, but the bold print says that there are fresh colors, an updated user interface that puts common controls front-and-center, and easier layout changes (something about full-height images).

This new streamlined color palette collapses all the colors that used to be in the WordPress source code down to seven core colors and a range of 56 shades that meet the WCAG 2.0 AA recommended contrast ratio against white or black.

WordPress 5.7 update release notes

Yeah, I don’t know what that means either, but I’m guessing a few minutes of reading about UX/UI will explain it.

HTTP to HTTPS

Here is the big one as far as I’m concerned. WordPress core will not allow you to switch from HTTP to HTTPS with a single click. I hope this works, because I have all kinds of little one-off problems with the various WordPress SSL plugins I’ve tried. Everything from blocking the images from appearing in Facebook posts, to breaking other plugins.

I’ll do some reading and come update this. In particular, what I want to know is how/what to do with websites that I already put an SSL plugin, or other HTTPS solution on. Can I just turn that plugin off and everything else will be fine, or do I have to do some deleting, and undoing before the core WordPress SSL option will work for me.

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Older WordPress Updates for Writers

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WordPress 5.6 Updates for Writers

Greetings fellow writers building websites to make money writing online. The folks over at Automatic have kicked out WordPress 5.6.

As is usually the case, the flag-wavers are touting this is a big, stupendous, release with marvelous new capacities. Let’s take a look at what writers get out of WordPress 5.6

What’s New In WordPress 5.6 for Writers?

WordPress 5.6 brings you countless ways to set your ideas free and bring them to life.

WordPress 5.6 Upgrade Screen

Whew! That’s some grandiose copywriting. I hope they pay that guy/gal a lot.

So what is really here in the new WordPress for writers?

New layout flexibility. Since the beginning of the whole Gutenberg blocks release, the guardians of WordPress have been telling us it is for our own good in the name of flexibility.

I’m sure plenty of developers have managed to take advantage of that flexibility but us writers who just crank out valuable website content found it a reduced set of features from the former word processor like interface. This new layout flexibility means the people who design themes can do it easier. As a writer you might take advantage if you suddenly decide that you want your sites to look different. Otherwise, it offers nothing for you as a writer.

Next up are more block patters. According to WordPress, “In select themes, preconfigured block patterns make setting up standard pages on your site a breeze.” — Select themes, eh?

So, if you buy a new theme, and if that theme builder has gotten around to taking advantage of this new feature, then you get new blocks to choose from beyond the list you have today.

Video captions… something… something. This apparently has something to do with subtitles. If you use video on your website as more than an embed from YouTube, this might be for you. I won’t use this feature.

The Twenty Twenty-One Theme

A new default theme! This is actually interesting for those of us that are always looking to start new websites…

so, I have this idea… hey, look the domain name isn’t taken… I should start a new project even though I have notebooks full of partially finished projects…

Any-who.

The new standard WordPress theme incorporates all of the new features ensuring that you can get them if you want them, and if you’re a developer, that you have some idea of what to do with them.

Twenty Twenty-One Theme for Writers

As writers, it’s always nice to have a usable, free theme option for new (or existing) websites. It is way too easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole of finding a new theme.

As always, if you are really interested in a new website, I suggest just grabbing whatever your go-to writers theme is, or the current WordPress default theme and get going. After all, the hard part of a website is filling it with quality content. And, WordPress allows you to easily upgrade the design later without disturbing your content.

So, write first, make it pretty later. (Maybe… you know… after it gets more than 4 visitors per day…)

Twenty Twenty-One Design

As a get going WordPress Theme, Twenty Twenty-One offers writers a lot of nice features. First, a choice of several nice color palettes so you can make pretty even before you start writing with just a couple of clicks.

The built-in block patters lets you put together a non-standard layout if you desire. It’s actually pretty simple. However, design isn’t about being able to do it, it’s about being able to think it up. If you have some ideas, this might work for you.

Auto-Updates

If you’ve been checking auto-update boxes in individual plugins, or in WordPress itself, that feature has now been built into main WordPress. If you trust auto-updates, then use this feature. It can be especially useful on sites that you tend to take longer to get back to so they don’t get out of date while your focus is elsewhere.

As always, the WordPress default theme is a good place to start.

Should I Upgrade to WordPress 5.6

WordPress does a really great job of making its upgrades pretty painless. However, this one starts implementing newer PHP and new jQuery, and other technologies. There is a small, but real, chance that there could be an incompatibility with your theme or plugins.

As always, my advice is to upgrade your non-money sites (pre-money sites?) and then wait a few days to see if you have any issues, or if you see Twitter blow up with any issues.

If you aren’t hearing a lot of complaints after a few days it’s probably fine to upgrade.

You can get WordPress 5.6 here, but you should be able to upgrade automatically from inside your WordPress dashboard.

WordPress Updates for Writers originally published at Freelance Writing Blog of ArcticLlama.com



This post first appeared on Freelance Writers ArcticLlama Professional Writing, please read the originial post: here

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