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More than three columns/configurable post layout for current events blogs

  1. stevenattewell
    Member

    My blog uses DePo Masthead and I really like the clean, news-like multiple-post column approach, which is perfect for a blog that focuses on politics and public policy. However, I'm starting to run into problems when I publish more frequently than say, three times in a recent period - the older piece slides off to the right out of sight, and there's nothing I can do about it.

    What would be great is a four (or more!) column theme for wordpress.com where you could display multiple posts side-by-side, especially for blogs like mine that focus on current events, politics, and the like. It would also be great to be able to configure the layout a bit more, so that I could keep posts that are drawing eyes up front, while letting less-successful efforts fall off the "front page" so to speak. What I'm looking for, in short, is more newspaper-like formats.

    There are a bunch of really great, crisp, and uncomplicated four+ column themes that could fill this role:
    1. News Print - http://www.theenglishguy.co.uk/news-print-v20-theme/
    Very simple look, allows 3 or 4 columns, and allows you to configure the layout.
    2. Blog Times - http://wp2.milo317.com/
    Based on the New York Times' classic look, allowing you to place multiple posts the way you want them.
    3. New Yorker - http://www.wplocker.com/premium-themes/stylewp/the-new-yorker-premium-wordpress-theme/
    Likewise based on the magazine, allows for a lot of customization, and display of many different posts at
    once without overwhelming the eye.
    4. NYC Reds - http://3oneseven.com/02/nyc-reds-wp-theme/
    Similar kind of thing, but a bit less obviously newspapery and a bit more color.

    A straight copy of one of these themes isn't strictly necessary, but it would be nice to have something along these lines if it's possible.

    The blog I need help with is realignmentproject.wordpress.com.

  2. raincoaster
    Member

    You could simply change the number of posts on the front page of your blog to a number larger than three.

  3. thesacredpath
    Member

    @raincoaster, does that work with DepoMasthead? I don't think it does.

  4. raincoaster
    Member

    AH, good point.

    I've always wondered why someone gifted with CSS doesn't start a "premium WP.com Sandbox Skins" service. They could certainly get money for it.

  5. raincoaster
    Member

    Wouldn't Inuit Types do this (if you could figure out how to use it; seems to need a great deal of wrangling).

  6. hallluke
    Member

    Have a look at the "four columns" themes (type that into the search bar on the themes page) however the extra columns are for widgets not posts. You might also want to look into themes that support featured posts for making your recent posts more eye catching. You can also create sticky posts which cling to the top of your blog home page. The other option is to include a "categories" widget somewhere prominent so that people can easily navigate your blog within the certain categories, don't forget to include individual rss feeds for them too. I think that a theme which has specific areas for different categories on the home page could be pretty useful though. Can we have a link to your blog to see what it looks like currently?

    lh

  7. stevenattewell
    Member

    thesacredpath - precisely.

    Hallluke - I've been looking for them, but it came up with bupkis.

  8. thesacredpath
    Member

    There are some quite nice multi-column themes out there right now, but most of the better ones I've seen are "premium" and there is doubt wordpress would adopt them unless the author could be convinced to make it available for free.

    There are also some nice ones that allow you to spotlight current posts from certain categories on the main page.

    In general though, I tend to stay with the clean and simple. I've gone to a theme that shows two columns of posts (Inuit Types Standard) which allows me to display a good number of posts without having an overly long main blog page.

    Still, I would say that some more flexible multi-column themes are needed. I may not use them, but there are those out there that they would serve well.

  9. stevenattewell
    Member

    Clean and simple is fine, and I'm not saying we need to specifically adopt the ones above (although many of them are free), but something like them for the more news/politics oriented blogs.

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