avatarThe Accidental Monster

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Jump Around — In Your Articles

Have a little fun with it

Photo by Anthony Fomin on Unsplash

So you want to link to something further down in your article, but have no idea how. This is the article for you.

First, write it out. I know, I know, you want to set it up as you go. Unfortunately, the line you’re linking to has to exist first. I often just use headings I intend to fill in later. Here’s an example:

Image by author

Now that the lines have been officially created in the draft, we’re going to get a little technical. Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it.

Step 1: Right Click

This is the window that should pop up (assuming you’re using Windows — Mac is probably different, but similar):

See that little unassuming “Inspect” option at the bottom? Click that and watch your browser bring up a whole side screen of nonsense coding you probably have no idea what to do with. Eeee!😬

Step 2: Find The Code

As you move your mouse over different lines in the inspect box, you may notice elements being highlighted in the article. Find the heading you’re looking to create a link to, and jot down the 4 character “name” of that row.

Confused? Here, this is me highlighting Step 2 in this draft:

The “name” of e5ed is the code for that heading. Make sense?

So for the above example, we look for Point 1 and Point 2:

No matter how much I type above or below those lines, they will stay the same as long as I don’t mess with them. Following the above picture, Point 1 is 8dfe, and Point 2 is 9143.

Step 3: Back To The Editor

Close out the inspect box with the little x in the corner. Not the browser X, mind you. There should be one just below that, under the bookmarks and address bars.

Once it’s closed, breathe a sigh of relief. The hard part is over.

Now, go to the text you want to make into a link. Highlight it and choose the link icon:

Now, add # and the 4 character code you wrote down. For Point 1, the link is #8dfe, and for Point 2, it is #9143.

Hit enter. Now it’s a hyperlink, and will jump down to that heading!

You can use this to jump to paragraphs, too, but I find headings (using either of the two T’s) to be easier to find. The link can be made anywhere, even an image — Click on the image, and do Alt+K (CMD+K?)to bring up the link box. It works the same way.

Here’s what it will look like when it’s published:

Beginning Blah Blah

Supporting paragraph — fill in later.

Jump to in article:

Point 1

Point 2

Here’s more text to fill in the gaps. This can go on for paragraphs, or just a few words.

Here’s a list to make it seem longer, for effect:

  • Option 1
  • Option 2
  • Option 3
  • And still going
  • Writing is hard
  • Can we go further?
  • I’m running out of steam

That’s ok, because we can come back to long form, and type some nonsense in here for filler. That way it pushes the text up so clicking the link has a noticeable effect.

And this is also a paragraph for that purpose. Has it been long enough? I’ve lost sight of the first point, and possibly the overall point as well. Hmm…

Point 1

Supporting text, further explaining this point.

(Back to beginning.)

Point 2

Also explaining, blah blah blah.

(Back to beginning.)~This one I just copy/pasted, since the destination link is the same.

Hopefully this helps! 😉

Remember to follow yourself, always!

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