This term, I’m teaching a little class on platforms for writers at the local community college. While last Spring’s class had a wonderful bonding experience, this year’s class has seemed a lot tougher, mostly because so many decided to use a Wordpress blog instead of Blogger. I have a WP blog, but haven’t used it in years. The program has changed a lot since I tried to make a go of it. That means I’m not so helpful in tutoring the students in using it.
Writing Tip for Today: To build an effective platform, writers must find ways to attract an audience that don’t make them want to run screaming from the computer. I think Blogger is easy and effective, but there are good reasons for choosing WordPress. The main differences (as I see them):

• Blogger is truly push button and nearly every function feels logical to me. WordPress is in many ways less intuitive (at least for me and my students), with the apps and functions far less intuitive. You know you’re working too hard when you have to make detailed lists of how to access basic functions such as uploading a photo.
• If Multiple Pages is your goal, WordPress wins. One of Blogger’s drawbacks has been that it’s so linear–everything just rolls vertically like unwinding toilet paper. I have finally tricked Blogger into doing tabs that look like separate pages by using tag words to sort my posts. On WordPress, you get to create as many pages as you wish and they are truly separate pages. WordPress functions more like a “real” website because it is a template for a website.
• Finally, if you are just beginning to build your platform, try creating blogs in both formats. Play around and learn as much as you can about each. After a few weeks, decide on the blog that you feel most comfortable using, and concentrate your efforts there. If you still feel you need a real website, go get a domain name and a web designer if you wish.