Tag: Blogging

If you’re a blogger on WordPress, you should have already noticed the new system for writing posts– WordPress’s new “block editor.” You know, the thing that took the simple act of typing words on a screen, and turned it into an exercise in frustration. The thing that took an activity that was quick and simple, and turned it into something that now requires tutorials to figure out. The thing I used to do without a second thought that now makes me want to give up blogging. That thing.

Now, I might not be the most tech savvy person, but neither is the clock on my metaphorical VCR set to 12:00… 12:00… 12:00…. (By the way, if you’re too young to get that reference, you should keep in mind that no one likes a show-off.) I’ve been blogging for a long time, on a variety of different platforms. I’ve even managed to pick up some basic HTML. Nothing has ever made me want to rage quit blogging before.

When the block editor was first introduced several months back, I decided to give it a try– and instantly hated it. Luckily I could still keep using the classic editor. (Oh, classic editor. It’s only been a few days but I miss you so much.) Then came the initial phase-in of the block editor. That time I had to contact WordPress for help. They told me how to switch back to the classic editor and assured me that I’d always be able to keep using it. Great.

But now that the block editor is the default for everyone, I think I’m stuck. WordPress claims you can still switch back to the classic editor– the only problem is, I can’t find where to do it anywhere on the site. Supposedly it exists in WP Admin– a simple setting you can easily change. So why is it that I’ve been through every setting in my admin (as well as my site dashboard and in the block editor itself– multiple times) and can’t find anything about classic editor? At all. Anywhere.

I contacted WordPress again and they assured me (again) that I can keep the classic editor. Apparently it only takes a simple change in WP admin settings. In the meantime, would I like to take some tutorials in using the new block editor? Or how about I try the “classic editor” block, which sort of looks like the classic editor, but acts like the block editor?

No. To all of this.

I’m not automatically averse to trying to new things. I do, however, firmly believe in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The new block editor is clunky, awkward/annoying to use, anti-intuitive, and apparently full of glitches. Earlier this week I tried using the block editor to post a poll. It didn’t show up at all for some people, and for those who could see it, I couldn’t see their answers. The poll is now a survey (by the way, please take it, if you haven’t already).

My first instinct while trying to deal with all this was to move my site to another host/platform. Life is too short to be trying to figure out how to write a few words on a page without losing my mind. But it’s not easy to move a site (at least, not to move it and keep your content), and there’s no guarantee things would be any better elsewhere. So I’m going to stick it out. Maybe I’ll even take a couple of those tutorials. I just hope my readers will be understanding if things don’t look or work quite right. Or if I have to occasionally vent. As for WordPress and its insistence on pushing the block editor on users, do you think voodoo dolls work on websites? Asking for a friend.

What do you think of the new block editor? Have you made the change or did you manage to switch back to the classic editor? Share in the comments…

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Cheers,

Aspasía S. Bissas