How To Submit, Add YouTube Videos, and more tips
By • September 26, 2010
You are welcome to add any article, press release or other story to GodDiscussion.com so long as it is not copyrighted by someone other than you and it is not hateful or pornographic. Here are some basic tips on how to submit your story.
What's covered …
- How to register and log in.
- How to modify your password.
- How to post your text.
- How to create links.
- How to add an image.
- How to embed YouTube videos.
- How to choose a category, preview your post and publish.
- Promote your story!
How to Register and Log In.
GodDiscussion.com runs on WordPress, which provides a registration and log in system for contributors. To get your account, register and then log in. We've provided the registration and log in links here, but you can also find it at the bottom of each page:
When you register, be sure to use a working email because a password will be sent to you there. For security purposes, you must first be registered to submit.
Once registered, log in. You can log in at any time using the password that you were sent. The log in page looks like this:
If you forgot your password, just click the "Lost your password?" link as shown and your password will be sent to your email.
Modifying Your Password.
Once you are logged in, you can change the password to something that's easier to member. On the left side of the "dashboard" is a profile link. But you can also click your name that appears on the upper right corner of the screen:
You can change how your profile looks on the profile page (i.e., you can change it from slat01 (your username) to John Slate). If you scroll to the bottom of your profile page, you can also change your password in the space that looks like this:
How To Add The Text of Your Story.
Once you are logged in, just click the "Add Post" button that you see on the left side of your screen.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Every once in awhile, our search script adds some gibberish when you want to post. Just click your BACK button and click Add Post again and you should be in. You'll see a form. In the example photo, we've added where you need to type.
If you are not familiar with HTML (web coding language), make sure the VISUAL tab is clicked, as shown above. Type your content just like on a word processor. If you want to copy and paste an article in, you can do so. If you are using Microsoft Word, Microsoft's software sometimes adds weird coding in and your article won't look right. It's best to copy your Word documents into Notepad, and then use the Notepad text. But you can also use the "Word" clipboard as shown below.
To see all of the commands that are available and to access the help button, click the "kitchen sink." It looks like the button that's circled in the image. When the "kitchen sink" is enabled, you should see two lines.
How to Create a Hyperlink.
To reference other web pages (including your own), you will want to create a link to it (this is known as a hyperlink). Before adding the link, your anchor text should already be typed. Here's an example of a post, before the link is added.
Highlight the text that you want to link. Generally, you left click on your mouse and highlight the words you want in the link. Your highlight will look blue, as shown in this image:
After you have highlighted your anchor text, click the icon that looks like a chain link. It's circled in red in the following image.
After you have clicked the link icon, you'll get a pop up screen that looks like the image below. Type in your URL that you want to link (as shown), type in a brief descriptive title, and for the target, click Open in a NEW window. Don't worry about the class.
IMPORTANT: Your link will NOT work if you do not include the http:// preface.
Your information in the pop up window should resemble the following image. Click the Insert button when you are done.
Your link will now look blue. If you want to remove a link, highlight the linked language and click the icon that looks like a broken chain.
How to Add an Image.
You can add an image to your story by either uploading an image from your hard drive or using images that we already have paid for or have created. To add an image, click the box next to the Upload/Insert line:
A pop-up window will appear when you click the add image box. To use images that are within the GodDiscussion database, click Media Library. Otherwise, select From Computer to add an image from a local file on your computer. IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE IMAGES THAT ARE WIDER THAN 560 PIXELS.
If you are using our image library, type a keyword and then Search Media. If you find an image that you want to use, click the Show link. Some images are wider than 560 pixels from a previous incarnation of the site. You'll need to select one of the smaller options available (more on that later).
If you selected "From Computer" click Browse, as shown.
Navigate to the folder in your computer that contains the image that you want to use. Select the image and then click the Open box.
Once opened, your image will show up in the form field to the left of the Browse button. Click Upload.
After you have uploaded your image -OR- after you have clicked Show in the Media Library, select the alignment, the size and then click insert into post. If you are uploading an image, type in alternate text and a description. Images in our Media Library are pre-populated with this information. DO NOT CHANGE our pre-populated descriptions.
How to Embed YouTube Videos.
Adding YouTube videos to your article is easy. Before you begin, however, make sure that you are in the HTML mode (click the HTML tab). If you are in the Visual mode, your embedding will not work.
Open a new tab or browser window and go to the YouTube page that hosts the video that you want to embed. Underneath the video, you will see an embed box.
When you click the <Embed> box, you'll see that the code is populated. YouTube videos come in a variety of sizes. Do not select a size that is larger than 560 pixels. We typically use a 560 width. Just type in 560 in the width sex in the "Custom" box as shown, and the height and the embedding code will be automatically generated by YouTube.
Right click on the embedding code and click copy. In the example below, Firefox is being used.
Go back to your article and paste the YouTube video code where you want it to appear in your story by right-clicking your mouse. REMEMBER, you MUST be in HTML mode; otherwise, the video will not embed.
Here is what your code should look like for the video, in the HTML viewing mode.
When you switch to VISUAL mode, your YouTube video will look like a big yellow box. To create the sample image below, we toggled the WordPress submission area so that it is larger than the regular viewing mode. If you want to toggle, click the blue box that looks like the one circled in red:
How to Preview and Publish; Selecting the Right Category.
On the right hand side of your screen, you will see a column that looks like this:
Throughout your project, click SAVE DRAFT so that you don't lose your work in case the power goes out or the server is temporarily interrupted. Your next steps are:
- Click the PREVIEW button after you have saved your draft. When in preview mode, you will see what your post will look like when published. Be sure to click your links in your article so that you know you have the right ones.
- Select the proper category, Bloggers and Columnists. If you have submitted two or three articles below, you will also see your name. Select your name, too.
- Once you're satisfied with your article and have selected the correct category, click PUBLISH. Your article will go into the queue for administrative approval. Articles are generally published within 24 hours; however, it can take longer.
How to Promote Your Published Article with Social Networking.
You'll get more readers if you promote your story, once it's published. At the bottom of your published posts, you'll see some social networking buttons. Submit to all of them to get some buzz! Just click on each button and submit. Some of the services require registration, but they are all free. It is highly recommended that you take advantage of social networking to get the most mileage out of your submission.
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