# Instructions for Writing Lima Pages

This page explains how to write and publish pages for Lima using the authoring service.

The authoring service is a simple web page where you can create, edit, save, and publish writing without touching code. Think of it like a private writing desk for the website.

## The Website You Need

Open this link:

[https://author.zainezq.com](https://author.zainezq.com)

If you are using the computer where the website is being worked on directly, this local link may also work:

[http://127.0.0.1:8765](http://127.0.0.1:8765)

Most of the time, use `https://author.zainezq.com`.

## What You Will See

The authoring page has two main areas:

- The left side shows existing pages.
- The right side is where you write or edit a page.

On the left side, there is also a search box and a filter. You can use the filter to show only Lima pages.

On the right side, you will see fields such as:

- Page
- Title
- Slug
- Markdown file path
- Content
- Preview
- Save and build

You do not need to understand all the technical words. The important ones are explained below.

## Quick Version

To write a new Lima page:

1. Open [https://author.zainezq.com](https://author.zainezq.com).
2. Click **New**.
3. Change **Page** to **Lima**.
4. Type a clear **Title**.
5. Write your page in **Content**.
6. Check how it looks in **Preview**.
7. Click **Save and build**.
8. Wait for the build status to finish.
9. Visit the finished page on the main website.

## Creating a New Lima Page

### 1. Click New

Click the **New** button near the top-left of the authoring service.

This clears the writing area and prepares a blank page.

### 2. Choose Lima

In the **Page** dropdown, choose **Lima**.

This is important. Lima pages are written differently from the main blog pages. When you choose **Lima**, the editor switches to the simpler writing format and shows a preview.

### 3. Add a Title

In the **Title** box, write the page title.

For example:

- My First Lima Blog
- Our Trip to London
- Thoughts from Today
- A Recipe I Loved

The title should be written naturally, the same way you want it to appear on the website.

### 4. Check the Slug

The **Slug** is the simple web-friendly version of the title.

For example, if the title is:

`Our Trip to London`

The slug may become:

`our-trip-to-london`

You usually do not need to change this. It is created automatically from the title.

### 5. Check the Markdown File Path

The **Markdown file path** is where the page will be saved.

For Lima pages, it should look like this:

`lima/our-trip-to-london.md`

The important parts are:

- It starts with `lima/`.
- It ends with `.md`.
- It uses simple lowercase words with hyphens instead of spaces.

Usually, this is filled in automatically. You only need to check that it looks sensible.

## Writing the Page

Write your page in the **Content** box.

You can write normally, like this:

```markdown
# Our Trip to London

We went to London on Saturday and had a lovely day.

The weather was better than expected, and we found a small cafe near the station.
```

For most writing, you can simply type paragraphs and leave a blank line between them.

## Using Headings

Headings help split a longer page into sections.

Use the heading buttons in the toolbar, or type them yourself.

Use one `#` for the main heading:

```markdown
# My Main Heading
```

Use two `##` for a section:

```markdown
## What Happened
```

Use three `###` for a smaller section:

```markdown
### A Small Detail
```

A simple page might look like this:

```markdown
# Our Trip to London

We went to London for the day.

## The Journey

The train was busy, but we found seats.

## Food

We had lunch at a small cafe.

## Final Thoughts

It was a good day and I would like to go again.
```

## Making Text Bold or Italic

You can highlight text using the toolbar.

To make something bold:

1. Highlight the words.
2. Click **B**.

It will look like this while editing:

```markdown
This was **really important** to me.
```

To make something italic:

1. Highlight the words.
2. Click **I**.

It will look like this while editing:

```markdown
It felt *very peaceful*.
```

## Lists

Use a list when you want to show several points clearly.

For a bullet list:

```markdown
- First thing
- Second thing
- Third thing
```

For a numbered list:

```markdown
1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step
```

You can also use the **List** and **1. List** buttons in the toolbar.

## Quotes

Use a quote if you want something to stand out.

Click the **Quote** button, or type:

```markdown
> This is a quote or a highlighted thought.
```

## Adding Links

### Link to Another Website

To add a normal link:

1. Highlight the words you want people to click.
2. Click **Link**.
3. Replace `https://` with the website address.

For example:

```markdown
[BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news)
```

On the website, people will see the words `BBC News` and can click them.

### Link to Another Page on This Website

To link to another existing page:

1. Click **Link to page**.
2. Choose the page from the list.
3. Click **Insert link**.

This is easier than copying and pasting a website address yourself.

## Adding Images

*NOTE: if you are adding a new page, the insert images will only work after you've saved and built the page once. This is because the image upload needs to know where to put the image on the website.* 

To add an image:

1. Put your cursor where you want the image to appear.
2. Click **Insert image**.
3. Choose the image from your computer.
4. Wait for it to upload.

The editor will insert some text into your page. It may look something like this:

```markdown
![photo-name.jpg](https://zainezq.com/assets/images/hzone/2026/05/photo-name.jpg)
```

Do not worry if that looks strange. That is just how the website knows where the image is.

After inserting the image, check the **Preview** area to make sure it appears.

## Using the Preview

When writing a Lima page, the editor shows a **Preview** next to the content.

The preview is there so you can check:

- Headings look right.
- Images appear.
- Lists are formatted properly.
- Links look sensible.
- Paragraphs are not too squashed together.

The preview is not always exactly identical to the final website, but it is close enough to catch most mistakes.

## Saving and Publishing

When you are ready:

1. Click **Save and build**.
2. Wait for the message to say that the page was saved and the build was queued.
3. Watch the **Build queue** section.
4. When the build finishes successfully, the page should be available on the main website.

Saving does two things:

- It saves your writing.
- It rebuilds the website so the new or changed page can appear online.

If the build is still running, wait a little before checking the public page.

## Finding the Finished Page

If your file path is:

`lima/our-trip-to-london.md`

The finished page should be:

`https://zainezq.com/lima/our-trip-to-london.html`

The rule is:

- Remove `.md`.
- Replace it with `.html`.
- Put `https://zainezq.com/` at the front.

So:

`lima/example-page.md`

becomes:

`https://zainezq.com/lima/example-page.html`

## Editing an Existing Lima Page

To edit a page you already wrote:

1. Open [https://author.zainezq.com](https://author.zainezq.com).
2. On the left side, set the filter to **Lima**.
3. Click the page you want to edit.
4. Make your changes in the **Content** box.
5. Check the **Preview**.
6. Click **Save and build**.
7. Wait for the build to finish.

If you cannot find the page, use the search box on the left.

## Unsaved Changes and Drafts

The authoring service tries to protect your work while you are writing.

If you start typing, you may see a message like:

`Unsaved changes.`

This means the browser knows you have changed something but have not saved it properly yet.

Important:

- **Save and build** is the proper save button.
- The unsaved draft is only a temporary helper.
- Do not rely on the draft forever.
- If you have written something important, click **Save and build**.

If you want to throw away your changes, click **Discard changes**.

## A Good Simple Blog Structure

If you are not sure how to structure a post, use this:

```markdown
# Title of the Post

Write a short introduction here. Say what the post is about.

## What Happened

Write the main story or main idea.

## What I Thought

Write your reflections, feelings, or lessons.

## Favourite Part

Add a detail, memory, photo, quote, or moment that stood out.

## Final Thoughts

End with a short closing paragraph.
```

You do not have to use all of those sections. They are just a helpful starting point.

## Common Mistakes

### The Page Type Is Not Lima

If the page type is not set to **Lima**, you may not see the right toolbar or preview.

Before writing a Lima page, always check that **Page** says **Lima**.

### The File Path Does Not Start With Lima

Lima pages should be saved under `lima/`.

Good:

`lima/my-page.md`

Not right for Lima:

`blogs/2026/05-may/my-page.org`

### The File Path Does Not End With .md

Lima pages use `.md`.

Good:

`lima/my-page.md`

Not right:

`lima/my-page`

### The Page Has Not Appeared Yet

If the page has not appeared on the website:

1. Check whether the build is still running.
2. Wait a minute and refresh the public page.
3. Check the **Latest build log** for an obvious error.
4. If it still does not work, ask Zaine to check the build.

### An Image Does Not Show

If an image does not show:

1. Check the preview first.
2. Try saving and building.
3. Refresh the public page.
4. If it still does not show, ask Zaine to check whether the image uploaded properly.

## Helpful Writing Tips

- Write the title first.
- Keep paragraphs short.
- Use headings when the page starts to feel long.
- Add images after the main writing is mostly done.
- Use the preview before saving.
- Save and build when you finish a proper section of work.
- If something looks confusing in the editor, check the preview before worrying.

## Mini Cheat Sheet

```markdown
# Big heading

## Section heading

### Smaller heading

This is a normal paragraph.

This is **bold** text.

This is *italic* text.

- Bullet point
- Bullet point
- Bullet point

1. First
2. Second
3. Third

> A quote or highlighted thought.

[Link text](https://example.com)

![Image description](https://example.com/image.jpg)
```

## When in Doubt

For a normal Lima page, the safest workflow is:

1. Click **New**.
2. Choose **Lima**.
3. Add a title.
4. Write normally.
5. Use the preview.
6. Click **Save and build**.

If anything feels unclear, write the words first and fix the formatting afterwards. The writing matters more than getting the formatting perfect straight away.
