Poetry hacks for WordPress: Part 3

Welcome back to my series of blog posts on ways to get around some of the more frustrating aspects of WordPress, when you’re a poet! (If you find my posts helpful, please consider subscribing to Wordflower poetry blog : ) )

Today, I want to chat about:

Forcing a gap within a line of verse

Sometimes, okay, I don’t want to start a new line, and I don’t want to put a punctuation mark within my line — but I do want to leave some space, before I continue my line of verse. We’ve all been there.

So I’ve typed it up my poem in Word, and everything looks good. I might have used tabs or spaces to create that gap, but they’re staying put.

Next I copy and paste my poem into a new post in the WordPress editor. I save it. Maybe I close it down, planning to reread it with fresh eyes later.

Next morning I come back, open the draft. My line gaps are still there. Nice.

But.

When I go to preview the post, or when I eventually publish it.

My lovely gaps have     disappeared.

Still there in the draft.

Just not showing up in the Pressed version.

WordPress! You’ve made me sad!

After much gnashing, wailing, sleepless nights…

I discovered something that works.

Although I’m not sure why.

If you insert a series of nonbreaking spaces in a Word document and copy those across to the WordPress editor, they will hold firm.

Hurrah!

Has anyone else come up against this problem? If you came up with other solutions to get around this or similar issues, I’d love to hear about them!

Although there is a ‘Verse block’ created by the good folks at WordPress that allows more flexible spacing, in the free template that I use for my blog, all verse blocks come out in full italic, with no romanisation possible…so I hesitate to use that option.

Once again, many thanks to Autumn for the inspiration for these popular posts. And to those responding to previous parts for their comments.

Adorable Gif from Tenor and Pusheen.com

P.S. Matt! Automattic Matt! I saw that you liked one of my posts! was honoured! felt shocked and semi-famous?! very cool. ta.

P.P.S. Say Matt. Got a temporary job. for a sister? I have a sweet skillset in (mainly book) editing, proofreading and indexing, plus plenty of lived experience as a neuro-disability advocate…and was hoping I might get a short-term gig of some sort that is a little more lucrative (SEO? tags are my literal jam #), so that I can buy a quarter block in the ecovillage of my dreams with my modest divorce settlement and live out my golden years in a tiny home…I very nearly have enough, you know, and if I were able to access my super already, things would be sweet…love your work, and the alacrity of your teamsters (pressgang?). I’m pretty sure I could add value of some sort.

P.P.P.S. Matt, hey again. I have values…We all do, right? But I’m autistic, and just turned fifty, so now I decided I’m going to stand by them, come what may. Is that going to be a problem for us? Thought I should let you know in advance. You know how to get in touch, if it’s not.

P.P.P.P.S. Maybe I’m too much of a free spirit? I don’t think I can do corporate slavery (I mean…[clears throat]…life?) again. NEVER AGAIN!!!