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Let’s be honest. Getting into the rhythm of writing blog posts for an author website can be a pain.

As authors, we want to be working on our manuscript. The one that will put us on the Today Show and the NYTimes Bestseller List. We’d rather not spend a few hours every week on our blogs, trying to figure out how to make our words look pretty on the screen. One way to fight the feelings of being overwhelmed is by making sure your writing goals are realistic.

The fact is, you need to keep your website up to date. And that means blogging.

If you use WordPress regularly, you need to know how to unleash the hotkeys.

What in the World is a Hotkey?

Hotkeys are keyboard shortcuts. Little keyboard sequences that will help you save time. Think of them as secret passwords that unlock your time.

I used to have a coworker named Brandon who seemed to never use his computer mouse. He’d type furiously away, creating Excel spreadsheets that would make number nerds weep for joy. Brandon had taken the time to memorize dozens of hotkeys and in the end, it saved him hours and hours of work.

The 6 Basic Hotkeys You Need to Master

These are the six WordPress hotkeys that you may already know. For Mac users, these commands are performed by using Command + letter. Windows and Linux users need to press Ctrl + letter.


[twocol_one]Letter

a

c

v

x

y

z[/twocol_one]

[twocol_one_last]Action

select all

copy

paste

cut

redo

undo[/twocol_one_last]

The ABCs of Advanced Hotkeys

Ready to move on? Try these on for size.

Once you get the ABCs of hotkeys down, you’ll be able to speed along in your writing. Please note that you will have to press Alt + Shift + Letter to make these commands. Press the keys as quickly as possible at the same time. It will make a difference.

 

[twocol_one]Letter

a

b

c

d

e

g

i

j

l

m

n

o

p

q

r

s

t

u

[/twocol_one] [twocol_one_last]Action

insert link

bold

align center

stikethrough

switch to HTML mode

full screen

italic

justify text

align left

insert image

check spelling

numbered list

insert page break tag

quote

align right

remove link

insert more tag

bullet point list[/twocol_one_last] 

 

Feel free to print this list and keep it by your computer for easy reference. If it’s been helpful, let people know by sharing this article over social media. You can also find this list by clicking the “question mark” icon on your dashboard.

If you’re feeling extra generous, announce to your friends: I’ve just learned the ABCs of WordPress hotkeys thanks to @AuthorMedia! – Click to Tweet.

Trust me, they’ll be impressed. Really.

Which hotkeys do you use on a regular basis? 

 

 

 

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