Personal

New Block Editor – Hating It

Jonetta | Blue Mood Café

Just letting you know that this new block editor is going to be the demise of my blog. I reached out to WordPress to express how difficult the new editor is to adapt to and how unfriendly the change is. They gave me instructions on how to access the classic editor. However, the classic editor will not be around forever and when it goes so do I. 

This is part of the response I received:

But this is just for temporary use, the block editor is permanent and it’s the future of WordPress. So, I recommend you to follow the guides below and get used to with the Block editor.

I’ve loved the simplicity of the old editor, allowing me to focus on my content versus the technical issues. For me, that’s gone.

If any of you have advice, I’m open. Otherwise, it killed my joy in blogging. It took me 1 1/2 hours to do my post this morning.

Published by Jonetta | Blue Mood Café

70 thoughts on “New Block Editor – Hating It”

  1. Yeah. I don’t know how that will go. I’m glad you are telling it like it is. I wonder if I will have less interaction because I use UBB? I do use the Classic Editor plugin though.

    Anne – Books of My Heart

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    1. It’s just too much work. Nothing about it is intuitive and navigation is awful. I haven’t a clue how to do a simple post without the classic editor. They’ve created it for people used to doing this stuff, facilitating pretty layouts instead of simplicity and ease.

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  2. I’m sorry. I began using the new block editor a while back. I just jumped in. I don’t feel it’s user friendly. The main thing I hate about it is the difficulty of posting an image because it does not place it where I want it. If I want the image 1st, then no problem. If I want an image later in the post, then I have a problem.

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  3. I’m clinging to classic for dear life! I tried the block once and I don’t know why it has to be so hard! I think the same features are available but it’s difficult to find them! I’m thinking of creating a practice template that I never intend to publish just to play around with it a little each week. But I’m with you and I could have written this exact post!

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      1. I’m surprised at their response but maybe they are getting tired of the resistance and hearing complaints! It seems like they’ve been trying to pull this off for a couple of years? Do you know anyone in your area who is using block that can come over and give you a personal tutorial? Or….Maybe you could switch platforms? Maybe we could pull together a virtual support group!!
        The last time I remember feeling this way was when I was teaching…..all of us had mastered teaching to state standards and were fairly comfortable with No Child Left Behind compliance and expectations. I felt on top of my game when suddenly Common Core was introduced and the message….forget about the ways you’ve been teaching…we want you to teach a different way now (never mind all your previous training and accumulation of resources and strategies)…..we have a NEW way now! ….oh….and we also want you to get the same results as before!

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        2. Well…..I tried my first post with block editor….it’s a mess! I sent an SOS to two bloggers to ask for help! After one entire evening, I’m not yet ready to hit publish…..but I have found out where some things are! I’m putting together a post of my experience which I’ll publish in a few days if I can work out the kinks!

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  5. I am glad you posted this, I was thinkingnof switching over to wordpress as I was finding the platform I was using difficult as well and was taking me forever to post. I will keep watching to see if anyone has suggestions. I was also looking into: Wix

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  6. I absolutely hate it.😢 The future of WordPress shouldn’t be blocks it should be choice. The choice between the classic editor and the block editor. Yeah, there’s change and moving forward, but blogging is blogging. You have those who have a simple blog with simple posts and pages of paragraphs and a couple of pictures and then you have those with elaborate and fancy blogs, posts and pages. The classic editor worked for those just looking for a simple and easy blogging experience while blocks works for those wanting an in-depth way of formatting and more options. Giving us a choice would be best and then we can pick which to use and everyone would be happy. Instead, many are considering quiting, the block editor doesn’t even work correctly and WordPress don’t seem to understand that it is such a drastic change from the classic editor to the block editor.😢

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  7. I am so sorry to hear this – amazing that they don’t keep the old editor when so many people prefer it. Having said that, I moved to wordpress.org a while ago – they use a block editor similar to wordpress.com (I think) and I got used to it in no time and don’t even think about it, when writing posts.

    So perhaps give it another go before giving up completely? Or ask me, if there is something you can’t find? I would really miss your posts if you stop blogging 😟

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      1. I thought I replied to this – maybe my comment disappeared into cyberspace? Anyway diff is that .com is a platform (everything included) whereas .org is a tool (you need to find your own domain provider, but domain name, etc).

        Anyway, I really hope you find your way with the new editor, although I fully understand your frustrations. I hope, once you get used to the new object-oriented way of thinking, the set-up will be intuitive and you don’t have to speculate about how to find features or do a specific design. That’s what happened for me, anyway.

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  8. I’m sorry to hear you’re finding it such a struggle, Jo. I started using the block editor quite early on and never really encountered any issues. It just took a little getting used to. Please ask for help from fellow bloggers. I’d so very much hate to see you leave over this. 😘

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    1. Thanks, Eva💜 I’m glad you made the adjustment. It’s just too complicated for me and isn’t intuitive in layout. I just don’t have the time it takes to manage my posts. For example, I couldn’t figure out how to add an image next to my post text the way I always have. The whole notion of “blocks” escapes me. I don’t look at layouts that way. The side menus disappear and I’ve had to save and reopen in order to get them to reappear. Managing the final layout, linking text, etc. was a massive undertaking, one I never figured out before seeking help to get the classic editor.

      I used to manage stuff like this and their implementation has a lot of shortcomings.

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  9. Please, PLEASE don’t go … there is one obvious solution, and the one I’ve been quietly trying to remind people in that you can go the paid route. There is also, I believe, still other fee blogging options, not that any of them are stellar either.

    If you choose to ditch the free version of WordPress, you can do a copy of your website. You can go to a hosting company, but a package that includes a free blog name, and after installing wordpress can install your old blog to your NEW account.

    If you want to go this route, I can help you every step of the way, and I’m sure so many would be willing to help.

    NOTE: with this route the WP comes with the classic editor as a plugin and as far as I know, they cannot FORCE anyone to use their Guttenberg block editor. Which means we can, as far as I know, continue with our old editor.

    Anyway, I hope you’ll have a think and ask questions. People can help you transition… but please, don’t go!!!

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    1. I’m using the paid option…made that change three months after I started. They informed me that the classic editor option and plugin would go away eventually. They implemented the block editor today and for a limited time will allow us to use classic as a revised option. It’s not even a good solution right now.

      I do most of my work on Goodreads and transfer it here. Maintaining the blog has been so easy. This morning was a nightmare. I’ll keep going for now but I can’t express enough how this puts a serious kink in my schedule.

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      1. Damn, that’s brutal of them, given you are a paying customer. I host my own set of blogs (as you know) independent of WordPress, as I had previously used Blogger, years ago, and hated it because of these same kind of problems always cropping up.

        Hang in there and I hope you stay with us.

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  10. Oh no please don’t go Jo! I know exactly how you feel. I tried the block editor a few months ago, and it was so difficult that I immediately reverted to the classic. They are incredbly arrogant and like most corporates they really don’t give a stuff about the plebs. I love your blog and your friendship and would really miss you if you disappeared from the blogosphere. 😣

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  15. Oh my gosh… I might be the only person here who likes the block editor…. *hides from the potential stoning* 😅😅😅 BUT this is because I only set up my blog last year and the block editor was the default for new users so it’s what I learned to use. (I never knew there was a classic editor until a few months back and I tried it for five minutes and hated it!) But I have quite a simplistic blog layout so it can certainly work for that and so I do hope you give it a little more time because I would hate to see you leave. I agree with you on how WordPress have handled it though. Because there was such pointed dismay from longer term WordPress bloggers means they should certainly keep the plugin. That attitude they have towards their users is rather unbecoming.

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    1. No stoning coming from here, Emer💜 The two methods are so diametrically opposite that your experience doesn’t surprise me…it’s what you started with. My brain thinks the way the classic editor is designed…like I’m writing a story and don’t have to worry about layout until I’m done. The block editor requires you do both or write your content elsewhere and then drop it into layout. That’s much more work for me. Classic let me do the layout work in five minutes. Seriously. I know if I devoted the time I could figure it out but I don’t want to devote so much time to setting up posts. It’s not my focus.

      Frankly, I feel like WordPress just wants users like me to go away. I couldn’t be more disappointed in their attitude. I pay for the service and should get better treatment.

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      1. It’s not right that you’ve been treated like this as a paying customer. It’s certainly not what you signed up for. I do hope that you’ll stick around but I’ll understand if you don’t. At least we have goodreads…. can’t believe I’m praising good reads lol 😅

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  16. The new editor is a pain in the neck. I find it three times harder and five times longer to create a single post, and I’m finding there are basic functions missing. Bring back the old editor so I can get something else done in my day, like writing!

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  17. If it helps, I don’t use WP to compose my posts at all. Never have. I do all of my work in word, then copy and paste into the new editor. The stupid thing assigns blocks to all of my “paragraphs” (some of them are only 1 sentence long) but I don’t care. I add my title, add photos with the + icon in the area where I want them and viola, I’m done. Adding links is a pain, but I have figured out what works. I make sure to use the preview feature (which 50% of the time gives me the oops screen) just to make sure the live versions looks the way I think it should.

    The other trick I discovered is to use the copy feature to replicate an old post with the format I like and copy/paste in the new content. Stupid I know, but at least I’m circumnavigating the issues with Gutenberg. Stick with it, you will figure out an approach that works for you. 😊💗

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  18. Please don’t leave! There are some great suggestions above. I’ve ended up switching to the block editor for my review posts, because there’s a star rating block available and I liked having that. Once i got my first review in block formatted how I wanted, it’s been pretty simple since, since I never start from scratch, just copy a previous post and replace the content.

    I do find the images challenging, but I haven’t done much with them other than insert book covers in a set place in my reviews.

    I still use the classic editor for meme-type posts, and I’d hate to have that change, since it’s simple and works for me. I think it’s pretty short-sighted of WP to force a change rather than offering a choice.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa💜 I appreciate the suggestions. In the meantime, I’ll play around this weekend. Normally, I’m pretty good at this stuff but it’s too much time required to layout, which I’m not willing to do. It used to take me 10-15 minutes to set up a post. This is much more work.

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  19. Oh no, please don’t go!! I made the switch a couple of months ago before being forced to switch. It is a different way of thinking, but I was able to get used to it pretty quickly. I have been helping another blogger with some of the issues she is having and learning a few new things myself along the way. I would be more than happy to help you!! It sounds like it is a hot mess for you! We could even zoom if you would like and I could walk you though it and help you navigate the site better.

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    1. Thank you for the offer, Tina💜 I may reach out to you. I found a tutorial and will work with it tomorrow. I agree it’s a different way of thinking…much too much emphasis on layout versus content, which was my experience with Blogger and hated. I loved WordPress for its simplicity and now that’s gone.

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  20. I’ve actually been able to get along with it alright. When I started out with my first blog (three years ago) I used the old layout, and then Gutenberg came and I hated it. All my blog posts had a certain layout and the blocks messed it all up, so I decided to go with the classic editor instead.

    But when I switched to a new URL and brand-new theme earlier this year, I decided to just go for it and design my posts with Gutenberg, and it was actually pretty easy. Maybe because I started fresh and had no layout in mind.

    If you ever want to chat, I’m here. It’s doable when you get used to it and start thinking in blocks.

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    1. Thank you, Corina💜 I love your new layout (though I loved the old one, too) so I’m happy to learn this new editor facilitated the design. Therein lies the problem for me. I’m not interested in focusing on design and layout, which this editor drives from.

      I’m sure I’ll figure it out but right now it’s too time consuming.

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      1. If you ever want to talk certain steps through, let me know. Because it looks all you want to do is write your paragraphs and add photos right?

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        2. So when you write do you use blocks or just write? Because with each time you push the return key it makes a block automatically. I write my review (the part under MY THOUGHTS) without ever using a block until I get to the end that has the separator. So by going with your usual blog post layout, you wouldn’t need to use blocks at all since all you do is write in paragraphs, and maybe a headline, and a photo which is probably the only block you would need.

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        3. That’s extremely helpful. I’ll play around with that on the weekend. I probably need to use blocks for my Friday & Saturday posts since they’re done in blocks. However, what I normally do is copy the previous week’s post and copy & paste. I see about creating a dummy using blocks and see if it’s an improvement. I can see where the block editor might be more appropriate for those two. On other posts, I’ll use your suggestion.

          I definitely plan to watch the tutorial, too.

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        4. When you copy and paste, switch your post to Code Edition, and copy and paste the CSS code. It’s easy to switch from Visual Editor to Code, it’s on your right side bar, the green icon, last one next to settings.

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  21. Hi Jonetta!

    I completely understand any frustration about the new editor. It’s definitely something that takes a moment to get accustomed to. When it was first launched in December 2018, we received a lot of feedback and have continually improved it but it can still be a bit overwhelming to transition to for any of us that had been using the Classic Editor for so long.

    It looks like you may have a WordPress.com plan. if you’d like some step-by-step assistance with it over chat, I recommend reaching out to get some live chat support sometime during the week

    We also have various resources on learning more about it and how to regain the efficiency you had in the old editor while being able to do more.

    There’s a general overview of the editor available at https://wordpress.com/support/wordpress-editor/

    We’re also hosting free daily webinars. Some of the webinars, such as Getting Started and Blogging, go over using the new editor in a video tutorial format. The blogging one is specifically geared to those new to blogging or transitioning to the new editor.

    Here’s one of the recordings for the Blogging webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWCjtD40L80&feature=emb_title

    Registration for upcoming webinars, and recording of past webinars, can be found over at https://wordpress.com/webinars/

    Best,

    Joshua

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    1. I figured out how to create my blog over three days, for a total of about 6 hours… on my own. It took me less than an hour to do my first post. It was incredibly intuitive. The fact that it takes so much instruction to figure out this editor is telling. I just wish WordPress could hear this.

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