WordPress Post Planner Plugin

Posted on March 10, 2008
Filed Under Real Estate Websites | Leave a Comment

Effective content planning for your WordPress blog.

Some time ago I had a friend write me a small PHP application of sorts that was used to assist in the assembly of well structured written content following the 5 paragraph narrative format of a thesis writing project.  Having built the mini-app for one of my classes, the idea behind the tool was based almost entirely on the process of good writing.  Taking from the influence of the Scott Forshmans English Writing Handbook, the mini-app was essentially a collection of RTF generators where fields were filled in depending on the format chosen.

Now, you may have seen or even used content generators in Microsoft Word or other popular document publishing solutions, but none seemed to exist for the web and certainly none seemed to exist for blogging. If a blogger could publish content based on pre-formed and well structured writing formats, the expected quality of the content should increase right?

Well, after looking at all the old documents I had on writing styles and processes taught in grammar schools and English classes, I came up with an idea to make many of these "rote format" methods of writing a tool for bloggers by building a WordPress plugin to assist in the writing process.  Although many professional bloggers tend to use offline tools for drafting content, many I’ve spoken with said that the tools for truly professional writing and editing are not available in most blogging solutions although they wish such tools were. So, I ran the idea by my coder in order to take that mini application and turn it into yet another FREE Plugin for WordPress that will help bloggers write better content, online.

Writing Better Content! WordPress blogging 101

What this next plugin will feature basically centers around the process of writing and the management of resources specific to writing using formats often found in good research writing taught in schools and colleges.  So here is a brief summary of what is currently in this plugin and what is pending prior to release.  Again, this plugin is being released as a FREE plugin for WordPress.

POST PLANNER PLUGIN FEATURES

When you sit down to write, how do you approach a writing project?  For me it always begins with the idea of what the subject should be about and then I write down a clear statement of who the target audience is before I begin to write (in most cases that is).  With my audience in mind and an idea of their expectations I write according to those expectations presenting to them my ideas and thoughts related to the subject I write.  I may start out with a thesis statement of sorts and certainly an introduction that may either fully set the expectation of the content or I’ll shoot from the hip and use a technique in writing I learned where you take a person one direction only to arrive at another.  A common technique in politics you may have noticed.  

So what this plugin seeks to do is simple, it seeks to provide you a way to write content based on optional structure and methods of writing while providing essential tools for writing good content. 

More than just a collection of available pre formatted fields to fill in, this plugin will feature some basic file management and even analytical tools for testing keyword density and other SEO important things prior to publishing your post or page.  Now in the test I have been able to get the keyword analyzer to work rather quickly, but some of the features of the plugin are going to clearly require a person well versed in AJAX and mootools which I’m actively seeking now. 

Mark, my programmer, has also assisted me in the creation of the admin interface which will feature a modified version of the FCK editor along with some drop down user defined preselects for rapid publishing of content.  With the plugin a writer will be able to organize notes, organize resources, gather files and other media elements, prior to the writing stage. Getting the ducks all in a row as the cliche goes makes the writing process much easier. Now its a lofty goal naturally for some features I have planned but my sincere objective is to make this plugin worthy of serious use by any professional writer or journalist by providing features many in such a line of work would require.

Does this replace the standard POST editor page? In part, yes especially with the addition of some new fields and the customized editor.

I’ll get you a screen shot later today of what we have already come up with.

Product Downloads Page Update!

Posted on March 10, 2008
Filed Under Real Estate Websites | 2 Comments

WordPress Real Estate Plugin, also released

I’m updating the downloads page for many of the items that were blocked later today so please check back. The Featured Listings WordPress plugin and other plugins are available now so please feel free to drop me a line regarding features ideas, bugs and general feedback as I’m already planning the next release of this plugin.

Also, I’ve added a few templates for Open Realty and a variant for the new pending fork release titled "EZ Pro Realty". Since template compatibility isn’t 100% due in part to several modifications to the core, I’ve ported some of the older Open Realty templates in my inventory to work with the new "pathfinder" release of EZ Pro Realty.

 

REW PREN Hacking Action POST Removed!

Posted on March 4, 2008
Filed Under Real Estate News | 2 Comments

Updated March, 10th 2008

After reconsidering my post about the potential legal action proposed by attorneys against REW, I’ve decided to remove the post to DRAFT state until I’m handed the URL to the website for the alleged Class Action Investigation.

As posted in a few blogs regarding real estate news, the information about the pending suggestions by the Justice Department are accurate and no fear of libel on my end concerns me.  But the idea of a class action initiation in the works requires me to hold that in limbo until I verify more than I already had.  Although I deem news worthy real estate events a favorite topic for publishing in my blog, I like to be certain that information is reasonably accurate and based solely on either solid facts from trusted information sources or express first hand knowledge.  Both of which keep writers out of hot water in regards to potential libel.

I will re-publish the details regarding the REW investigation later in the month when I get more information I can provide for examination and authentication by readers of my blog. 

I DO NOT HAVE THE URL FOR THE CLASS ACTION DOMAIN RELATED TO REW! Once that URL is verified I’ll republish the information given to me.

Updated:  I’ve discovered that the US Government tends to view companies who practice in ways that are anti competitive more agressively than in previous years largely due to the new anti-trust and anti-fraud laws having been passed since the Microsoft anti trust lawsuit.  I’ll keep you posted as news is given to me.  I make mention of this in response to several emails regarding this information.

Special Thanks: Thanks to those who sent emails regarding yet countless other events potentially facing the above mentioned.  I’ll not publish anything until more details are available.

Are Realtors at risk with Obama’s plan

Posted on March 3, 2008
Filed Under Real Estate News | Leave a Comment

Barack Obama’s Proposed STOP FRAUD ACT; The right move?

I rarely if ever write about political issues as you know but some things pop up from time to time that make such writings necessary.  Given the proposed STOP FRAUD ACT by Presidential hopeful Barack Obama, such deems necessary to mention considering the ramifications that could surface. 

Concerns are being discussed all across the internet regarding this matter and serious concerns have been brought up that should make this a big red flag of what NOT to do. Many feel the vagueness in defining who is responsible and who isn’t could result in truly tragic injustices being parlayed against legitimate professionals in the Real Estate industry.   PREN Forums  published a thread now getting a great deal of attention regarding this potentially dangerous move. Although some action should be taken against fraudulent behavior by those who practice with such unethical conduct, this potential act could spell disaster for the industry.  I’ll elaborate in subsequent posts as to why later.

So who is affected by this potential ACT?

  • Real estate appraisers
  • Real estate accountants
  • Real estate attorneys
  • Real estate brokers
  • Mortgage brokers
  • Mortgage underwriters
  • Mortgage processors
  • Mortgage settlement companies
  • Mortgage title companies
  • Mortgage loan originators
  • Any other providers of professional services engaged in the mortgage process

 

« go back

TEMP CODE: GDHXCDX17249629