Blogger Design || Making, Centering, And Types Of Pages

    When I started blogging, I basically knew nothing about design and definitely needed some help xD. There was some stuff I wish I had known when I began blogging, so I thought I'd do a few posts on Blogger Design - so that I maybe I can help some of you who are still confused on what's what like I am was :D. (not that I'm quite qualified to be showing you guys what to do, but ... minor details xD). Today we're talking about pages.

*does not mention how long it originally took me to figure pages out, because honestly it's simple*     

   As you can see, I only have two pages - About Me and Writings.

   About Me is definitely a good one for any blog - I'd highly recommend adding this as one of your pages if you don't have it. Writings works for my blog, since I am a writer - if you have a writing blog, this might be a good page to add. Then your curious readers can get a  peek at what you're working on (because obviously all readers are very curious little things *nodnod*).

   I would also add a Contact Me page (*cringes because I haven't done this yet and need to*), or maybe a Start Here or About The Blog page if you have some things on your blog that would need to be explained to a new reader. Favorite Blogs is also a fun page to add, and if helps all of us blogosphere stalkers find new blogs to peruse. I've always kinda wanted to add this page to my blog - but then my brain always goes 'but but what about all the people I don't add to that page?'. So I just don't add it to limit my stress xD. Reviews would also be a good page to add, if you review books a lot.   

   So yes, there's TONS of stuff you can do with pages - it honestly depends on what kind of blog you have. But I would recommend that you at least have an About Me and Contact page.  

   Telling you about types of pages won't help if you can't figure out how to make them - and this is the part that took me forever xD.

   Making pages was something that I didn't figure out for a LONG time - I'd always wanted to have pages on my blog, but assumed that they would be too hard and complicated to use/make. But then I asked the wonderful Katie Grace about it, and turns out they're fairly simple.

   First you need to create a page - which is exactly like creating a post. Go to your Blogger Dashboard, and instead of clicking on 'posts', click on 'pages' and create one. Publish your page, and then go to Layout. Here, let me give me show you ...

   Click on 'cross-column' and find the 'pages' gadget. Then make sure all the pages you have created (whether it's one of five) are selected and save it. Now you should have a nice list of pages right under your header ;).

   Oh gracious, pages that aren't centered are liable to drive me nuts. It took me forever to figure out how to center my page tabs (mostly because I was afraid I'd break my blog if I messed with it - I'm good at breaking my blog xD) but in actuality, it's quite simple.

   In Template - Customize (a place I'm sure you can get to without much help from me ;)) there is an option that says 'Advanced'. In that option, there is another option that says 'add CSS' (an option that I was vaguely nervous about, until I learned more about CSS!).

   In that 'add CSS' box, you'll need to past a code for centering your pages - which is super easy to do. *hands you the code*
 
.PageList {text-align:center !important;} .PageList li {float:none !important; display:inline !important;}

   Got that? Okay - copy and paste that whole line (*points up*) into the CSS box. Then apply it to your blog, and your pages should come out all nice and centered.

   SO hopefully some of this was helpful to any of you who haven't figured out pages yet. Let me know if you have problems with your pages - or if you want me to do more posts like this! (and make sure to pop over here on the 20th so I can direct you to the next installment of my How To Liven Up Your _____ Character series - because it isn't going up on my blog this time *winks*)

~ Savannah Grace

   Is there anything else you want to know about pages? What pages do you like to see on a blog?