What is CSS anyway?
15 August 2008
817 views
10 Comments
A lot of writers I work with are fantastic writers, but they have no idea how to manipulate a webpage. That’s perfect, because writers aren’t always meant to be web designers. There are two different skill-sets involved, two completely opposed frames of mine. Writers are often using their creativity and resort to their logic as needed, while programmers use their logic with occasional bursts of creativity.
In this increasingly web-dependant world we can grow our skills in all sorts of directions. So learning your way around the code behind a webpage rather than just focusing on the text upon it raises your marketability significantly.
So just what IS CSS? Why is it important?
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheet. It’s a pretty name for a page that does some extraordinary work. Your Cascading Style Sheet can be used for any website, not just a blog. Blogs however have become truly remarkable and easily customizable thanks to these precious pages. If you’ve installed a blog theme without CSS you’ll find it challenging to change the look and feel of your page.
Your style sheet is almost always responsible for the colors of your website. It is responsible for the text sizes and fonts. It can alter your images, add interesting backgrounds, and set various segments of your website into their place on the page.
Now I know what it is, how does that help me?
Learning basic CSS can give you an incredible boost in the web industry. HTML (Hyper-text Markup Language) is a boon for bloggers and copywriters but CSS is the cream on a writer’s cap. Indeed, everyone who spends their time working online could benefit from this sort of knowledge.
Unless you’d rather hire an expert to handle it. (Feel free to email me) *winks*
With just a little commitment of time you can learn your way around your CSS page and gain a firmer grasp of your blog or website. You can learn what to look for to make specific changes. If you want to change the way your links are displayed it is a simple change to make if you know where to look and what to look for.
Would you like to learn CSS? Should I cover this topic in more depth with a series tutorial as I expand the Writer’s Round-About into RebeccaLaffarSmith.com and broaden the focus to my other areas of expertise?
Absolutely, Rebecca! I’d LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, to know more about CSS. I do plan on learning more html and tackling CSS too. I just haven’t had time yet. So, having you share your knowledge here would be a gold mine for me!
*smiles*
Michele
I’m so glad I too web design classes. The knowledge I gained from them has helped me tremendously with my blogs. I’m not the best at manipulating the CSS but I can manage to make changes that benefit me.
Oh, absolutely!
I’m ready to learn all sorts of things. I may look like a fossel but I’m not dead yet.
Love Mum
Yes Please! I’m entering a new fork in my life. I don’t have time to take classes so I bought a book. But by the time I get through with the daily stuff, blog, Plurk & RSS, I’m done. I’d love learning it from you!
Laurel Plums last blog post..Myndology - What a Productive Idea
I’m so glad this idea seems to be a hit. Now I’ll just have to come up with the series, discover how to break it down into basic elements etc so that even the ‘fossil’ can learn.
All suggestions and ideas are welcome. Are there any elements that confuse me? Any trick you wish you knew how to do?
I think starting with the basics will be nice. Where do we begin? What do we need to know first? What tips or tricks do we always need to remember? What can beginners pick up easily and proudly be able to do?
*smiles*
Michele
Micheles last blog post..Raw or Store-bought Juices?
Yes, please! It’s taken me years to gather a working knowledge of html, and CSS is obviously the next thing I need to learn. I’ve resisted even looking in the CSS section of my blog.
I confess I also resisted clicking on your link to this post for a while. I’m no Luddite. It’s just that sometimes all the new stuff overwhelms our delicate writerly souls, doesn’t it?
So yes, please, Bec. Tell us what we need to know. And thanks again for your generosity.
David Bridgers last blog post..10 items for a desert island marooning
Great post, Becca. I’ve played around with CSS but would love to learn the basics from the beginning to put my knowledge on a firmer basis.
Sharon Hurley Halls last blog post..Sharon Hurley Hall: Readers’ Interview
Thank you so much for the support everyone. I’ll pull together some ideas and start the series on Thursday.
Becca, I definitely think there’s a need for a way for nonprogrammers to learn CSS. All of the online tutorials I’ve found for CSS don’t explain it using a framework or analogy that us “mere writers” can easily pick up. I’ve often thought of doing that, but never had time, so please — go for it! I’d love to have a referral for friends who need to know CSS!
Thanks!
Joan
Leave your response!
With over nine years experience, Rebecca Laffar-Smith
knows the ins and outs of the web tech and writing worlds. She invites ‘you’
to browse her articles, editing and web design for insight and advice or see how her services can help you.
The Writer’s Round-About - A blog for writers, editors, and anyone on the web about living a freelance web tech life with the ups, the downs, and the round and round and rounds.
Subscribe to The Writer’s Round-About via RSS or email!
Contact Rebecca Today!!!
Categories
Social Networks
RSS Feed Readers
Writing Friends
Show Your Support
EntreCard
Recent Comments
Recent Posts
Most Viewed