Documentation - Simple Writer WordPress Theme

Introduction

Simple Writer is a clean and modern, minimalist, fully responsive, 2 columns blogging theme for WordPress. It features Customizer theme options, RTL support, a multi-level navigation menu, header image support, full-width templates for posts and pages, a sticky menu, a sticky right sidebar, 60+ social buttons, a 4-column footer, beautiful post summaries, and more. The theme is very starter-friendly and easy to set up.

Download Theme Live Demo Upgrade to PRO

Quick Start Guide

Install & activate the theme via Appearance → Themes → Add New.
Set up your menu by going to Appearance → Menus. Create a menu and assign it to the available menu location.
Configure widgets by going to Appearance → Widgets. Add widgets to the available widget areas.
Customize by going to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options. Set up your social links, header options, post summaries options, and more.

Theme Features

Responsive Design
2 Columns Layout (Content + Right Sidebar)
Sticky Menu and Sticky Sidebars
1 Multi-Level Navigation Menu (Primary Menu)
1 Sidebar and 4 Footer Widget Columns
Multiple Full-Width Widget Areas
60+ Social Profile Links
Custom Logo Support
Custom Header Image
Custom Background
Author Bio Box
Full-Width Templates for Posts and Pages
RTL Language Support
Translation Ready
Back to Top Button
Loading Animation
FitVids.JS for Responsive Videos
Full-Screen Header Search Overlay

Theme Installation

Method 1: Install via WordPress Dashboard (Recommended)

Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
Navigate to Appearance → Themes → Add New.
Search for Simple Writer in the search box.
Click Install on the Simple Writer theme, then click Activate.

Method 2: Upload via WordPress Dashboard

Download the simple-writer.zip theme file from WordPress.org.
Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
Navigate to Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme.
Click Choose File, select the simple-writer.zip file, and click Install Now.
After installation, click Activate.

Method 3: Upload via FTP/File Manager

Download the simple-writer.zip theme file and extract it.
Connect to your server via FTP (FileZilla) or use your hosting File Manager.
Upload the extracted simple-writer folder to /wp-content/themes/.
Go to your WordPress Dashboard → Appearance → Themes and activate Simple Writer.

Troubleshooting Installation Issues

"The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive" – Your hosting limits file uploads. Increase the limit via php.ini, .htaccess, or contact your host. Alternatively, use FTP.
"The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet" – You may be uploading the wrong file. Make sure you upload only the simple-writer.zip file.

Import Demo Content

You can import the demo content, widgets, and Customizer settings shown in the Simple Writer theme demo.

Manual Demo Import

Step 1: Import Main Site Content

This includes: Posts, pages, menus, media, categories, tags, comments, and custom fields.

Download: XML File
Go to Tools → Import.
Under "WordPress", click Install Now if not installed.
Click Run Importer.
Select the XML file and click Upload file and import.
Check "Download and import file attachments", click Submit.

Step 2: Import Widgets

Install the Widget Importer & Exporter plugin.
Go to Tools → Widget Importer & Exporter.
Copy content from: Widgets .wie File and paste into the box.
Click Import Widgets.

Step 3: Import Customizer Settings

Download: Customizer File
Install the Customizer Export/Import plugin.
Go to Appearance → Customize → Export/Import.
Select the .dat file, check "Download and import image files?", click Import.

Regenerate Thumbnails

If your website already has existing posts with featured images, it's highly recommended to regenerate thumbnails after activating the Simple Writer theme. This ensures that all images match the new theme's layout and display sizes.

Regenerating thumbnails is optional if your site is completely new and doesn't have any uploaded images yet.

However, if you imported the demo content, regenerating thumbnails is essential to display images correctly across the site.

Install and activate the Regenerate Thumbnails plugin.
Go to Tools → Regenerate Thumbnails.
Click the "Regenerate Thumbnails for All x Attachments" button to start the process.
Wait until all images are regenerated. This may take a few minutes depending on your media library size.
If you want, you can deactivate and delete the plugin once the process is complete.

This step ensures clean image alignment and sharp visuals throughout your website using the Simple Writer theme.

Header Image

Use the WordPress Customizer to add or manage the header image that appears at the top of your site.

How to add a header image

Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Header Image.
Click Add new image and choose/upload your image (recommended width: 1920px or larger).
Crop if prompted, then click Publish.

Useful options

Hide Header Image from Everywhere – remove the header image globally.
Remove Link from Header Image – keep the image but remove the homepage link.
Hide both Title and Description – hide the overlaid title/description text.
Hide Description – hide only the description text from the header image.
Custom Title/Description – enter your own text for the header image area.
Header Image Destination URL – set a custom link target when the image is clicked.

The header image area displays the site title and description by default. You can override these with custom text or hide them entirely using the header image options in the Customizer.

Navigation Menus

This theme includes one Display Location for menus: Primary Menu.

Right after installing the theme, WordPress may display your existing pages as the default menu items in this location. You can replace them with your own custom menu containing links, categories, pages, and more by following the steps below:

Go to Appearance → Menus and click the create a new menu link.
Enter a name for your menu in the Menu Name field.
Select a display location for your menu by checking one of the available options under Display location
Click the Create Menu button.
To add items to the menu, use the options in the left-hand column—select the pages, posts, categories, or tags you want, then click Add to Menu.
To create dropdown menus, simply drag and nest the submenu items beneath the parent menu item.
Once you've added your links, click the Save Menu button.

Widget Areas

There are 23 widget areas in the Simple Writer theme. The free version does not bundle custom widgets; use WordPress core widgets or plugins of your choice inside these areas.

Sidebar Widgets (Everywhere)

Right-hand sidebar for your pages/posts, displayed on every page of your website.
Sidebar Widgets (Default HomePage)

Right-hand sidebar, shown only on the default homepage (when you are showing your latest posts on homepage).
Sidebar Widgets (Static HomePage)

Right-hand sidebar, shown only on the static homepage (when you are using a static page as your homepage).
Above Content Widgets (Everywhere)

Above main content (above posts), shown on every page of your website.
Above Content Widgets (Default HomePage)

Above main content (above posts), shown on the default homepage (latest posts).
Above Content Widgets (Static HomePage)

Above main content (above posts), shown on the static homepage.
Below Content Widgets (Everywhere)

Below main content (below posts), shown on every page of your website.
Below Content Widgets (Default HomePage)

Below main content (below posts), shown on the default homepage (latest posts).
Below Content Widgets (Static HomePage)

Below main content (below posts), shown on the static homepage.
Top Full Width Widgets (Everywhere)

Full-width area after the primary menu, shown on every page of your website.
Top Full Width Widgets (Default HomePage)

Full-width area after the primary menu, shown on the default homepage (latest posts).
Top Full Width Widgets (Static HomePage)

Full-width area after the primary menu, shown on the static homepage.
Bottom Full Width Widgets (Everywhere)

Full-width area before the footer, shown on every page of your website.
Bottom Full Width Widgets (Default HomePage)

Full-width area before the footer, shown on the default homepage (latest posts).
Bottom Full Width Widgets (Static HomePage)

Full-width area before the footer, shown on the static homepage.
Single Post Bottom Widgets

Appears at the bottom of single posts (all post types except pages/attachments).
Footer Top

Full-width area above the footer columns.
Footer 1

Footer column 1.
Footer 2

Footer column 2.
Footer 3

Footer column 3.
Footer 4

Footer column 4.
Footer Bottom

Full-width area below the footer columns.
404 Page Widgets

Appears on the 404 (not found) page of your website.

Page Templates

Simple Writer includes two custom templates you can use for full-width layouts without sidebars.

Full Width, no sidebar (Page) — Template for pages (template-full-width-page.php)
Full Width, no sidebar (Post) — Template for posts (template-full-width-post.php)

How to apply a template

Edit a page or post in the WordPress editor.
In the Page Attributes (or Post Attributes) panel, open the Template dropdown.
Select Full Width, no sidebar and update/publish.

Use featured images with sufficient width (e.g., 1130px+) for best presentation in full-width layouts.

Customizer Theme Options

To see available WordPress Customizer theme options:

Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
Navigate to Appearance → Customize.
Click on Theme Options.

Site Identity Options

Below is the complete list of Site Identity Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
custom_logo	Logo	Image ID of the custom logo uploaded through the Customizer.	Media Uploader	Integer (attachment ID)	0 (none)
blogname	Site Title	Main title of the website shown in the header, browser-tabs, and search-results.	Text	A string	"My WordPress Site" (installer-set)
blogdescription	Tagline	Short descriptive sentence (appears next to or below the title when supported by the theme).	Text	A string	"Just another WordPress site"
display_header_text	Display Site Title & Tagline	Toggles whether the title/tagline are printed on the front-end. When off they remain in the markup for accessibility but are hidden with CSS.	Toggle Switch	true / false	true
site_icon	Site Icon (Favicon)	Image ID for the favicon/app-icon (512 × 512 px recommended). Used in browser tabs, bookmark tiles and WP mobile app.	Media Uploader	Integer (attachment ID)	0 (none)

Colors Options

Below is the complete list of Colors Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
background_color	Background Color	Pick the site Background Color. To change Background Color, need to remove background image first.	Color Picker	Hex color code (e.g. #ffffff)	#e6e6e6
header_textcolor	Header Text Color	Pick the Header Text Color for the site title and tagline.	Color Picker	Hex color code (e.g. #ffffff)	#000000
header_text_hover_color	Header Hover Text Color	Pick the hover color for the site title link in the header.	Color Picker	Hex color code (e.g. #ffffff)	#d14f42
social_buttons_color	Social Buttons Color	Pick the color of the social buttons in the header.	Color Picker	Hex color code (e.g. #ffffff)	#000000
social_buttons_shadow_color	Social Buttons Text-Shadow Color	Pick the text-shadow color of the social buttons in the header.	Color Picker	Hex color code (e.g. #ffffff)	#ffffff
social_buttons_hover_color	Social Buttons Hover Color	Pick the hover color of the social buttons in the header.	Color Picker	Hex color code (e.g. #ffffff)	#444444

Header Image Options

Below is the complete list of Header Image Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
header_image	Header Image	Upload or select a header image. Suggested width is 1920 pixels.	Media Uploader	Image URL	(none)
hide_header_image	Hide Header Image from Everywhere	Toggle to hide the header image from all pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
remove_header_image_link	Remove Link from Header Image	Remove the clickable link from the header image.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_header_image_details	Hide both Title and Description from Header Image	If checked, header image title and description will be hidden from all screen sizes.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_header_image_description	Hide Description from Header Image	If checked, header image description will be hidden from all screen sizes. This option has no effect if you have checked "Hide both Title and Description from Header Image".	Checkbox	true / false	false
header_image_custom_title	Header Image Custom Title	Enter a custom title to display on the header image. If empty, the site title is displayed.	Text	A string	(empty)
header_image_custom_description	Header Image Custom Description	Enter a custom description to display on the header image. If empty, the site tagline is displayed.	Text	A string	(empty)
header_image_destination	Header Image Destination URL	Enter the URL a visitor should go when clicking on the header image. If empty, links to homepage.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)

Background Image Options

Below is the complete list of Background Image Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
background_image	Background Image	Upload or select a background image for the site.	Media Uploader	Image URL	assets/images/background.png
background_preset	Preset	Choose a preset for how the background image is displayed.	Dropdown	Default / Fill Screen / Fit to Screen / Repeat / Custom	Default
background_position_x	Image Position (Horizontal)	Horizontal position of the background image.	Radio	Left / Center / Right	Left
background_position_y	Image Position (Vertical)	Vertical position of the background image.	Radio	Top / Center / Bottom	Top
background_size	Image Size	How the background image is sized.	Dropdown	Auto / Contain / Cover	Auto
background_repeat	Repeat Background Image	Whether the background image repeats.	Checkbox	Repeat / No Repeat	Repeat
background_attachment	Scroll with Page	Whether the background image scrolls with the page or is fixed.	Checkbox	Scroll / Fixed	Fixed

Menu Options

Below is the complete list of Menu Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
primary_menu_text	Primary Menu Mobile Text	Text displayed for the primary menu toggle on mobile devices.	Text	A string	Menu
disable_primary_menu	Disable Primary Menu	Completely disable the primary menu.	Checkbox	true / false	false
disable_sticky_menu	Disable Sticky Feature from Primary Menu	If you check this option, sticky feature of primary menu will be disabled from all screen sizes.	Checkbox	true / false	false
enable_sticky_mobile_menu	Enable Sticky Feature for Primary Menu on Small Screen	By default, sticky feature of primary menu is only available for screen sizes larger than 1112px. If you check this option, the sticky feature also will be enabled for small screen sizes. This option has no effect if you have checked the option: "Disable Sticky Feature from Primary Menu".	Checkbox	true / false	false
center_primary_menu	Center Primary Menu	Center the primary menu items in the menu bar.	Checkbox	true / false	false

Header Options

Below is the complete list of Header Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
hide_tagline	Hide Tagline	Hide the site tagline from the header.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_header_content	Hide Header Content	Hide the header content area entirely.	Checkbox	true / false	false
header_content_image	Header Content Background Image	Upload a background image for the header content area (logo, site title, social buttons). Suggested size is 1920x300 pixels (flexible width/height).	Cropped Image Uploader	Integer (attachment ID)	0 (none)
header_content_bg_size	Header Content Background Image Size	Select the background size value for the header content background image.	Dropdown	Auto Cover Contain	Cover
header_content_bg_position	Header Content Background Image Position	Select the background position value for the header content background image.	Dropdown	Left Top Left Center Left Bottom Right Top Right Center Right Bottom Center Top Center Center Center Bottom	Center Top
header_content_bg_attachment	Header Content Background Image Attachment	Select the background attachment value for the header content background image.	Dropdown	Scroll Fixed Local	Scroll
header_content_bg_repeat	Header Content Background Image Repeat	Select the background repeat value for the header content background image.	Dropdown	repeat repeat-x repeat-y no-repeat	no-repeat
header_content_height	Header Content Minimum Height (Normal Screen)	Enter the numeric minimum pixel height value of the header content on screen sizes larger than 720px.	Text	A non-negative integer	(empty)
header_content_height_small	Header Content Minimum Height (Small Screen)	Enter the numeric minimum pixel height value of the header content on screen sizes between 414px and 720px.	Text	A non-negative integer	(empty)
header_content_height_smaller	Header Content Minimum Height (Smaller Screen)	Enter the numeric minimum pixel height value of the header content on screen sizes smaller than 414px.	Text	A non-negative integer	(empty)
header_content_padding	Header Content Padding (Normal Screen)	Enter the numeric padding pixel value of the header content on screen sizes larger than 720px. Default value is 0.	Text	A non-negative integer	(empty)
header_content_padding_small	Header Content Padding (Small Screen)	Enter the numeric padding pixel value of the header content on screen sizes between 414px and 720px. Default value is 0.	Text	A non-negative integer	(empty)
header_content_padding_smaller	Header Content Padding (Smaller Screen)	Enter the numeric padding pixel value of the header content on screen sizes smaller than 414px. Default value is 0.	Text	A non-negative integer	(empty)

Post Summaries Options

Below is the complete list of Post Summaries Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
hide_posts_heading	Hide HomePage Posts Heading	Hide the heading above the posts summaries on the homepage.	Checkbox	true / false	false
posts_heading	HomePage Posts Heading	Custom heading text for the homepage posts area.	Text	A string	Recent Posts
posts_per_page	Number of Posts per Page	Set the maximum number of posts displayed on each blog page.	Text	A positive integer	(WordPress default)
read_more_length	Auto Post Summary Length	Number of words to display in the post summary. Default is 40 words.	Text	A positive integer	40
hide_thumbnail_home	Hide Featured Images from Posts Summaries	Hide featured images from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
show_default_thumbnail_home	Show Default Images on Posts Summaries	Show the default image on posts summaries when there are no featured images available.	Checkbox	true / false	false
summary_thumb_style	Posts Summaries Thumbnail Size	Select the post thumbnails size for summary posts style.	Dropdown	760:450 760:Auto	760:Auto
hide_post_header_home	Hide Post Header from Posts Summaries	If you check this option, it will hide these data: Post Title.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_data_home	Hide All Post Meta Data from Posts Summaries	If you check this option, it will hide these data: Author Image, Author Name, Posted Date, Number of Comments, Post Categories, Post Tags, Post Edit Link.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_author_image	Hide Post Author Images from Posts Summaries	Hide the author images (gravatars) from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
author_image_link	Link Author Image to Author Posts URL	Make the author image in posts summaries clickable, linking to the author posts page.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_author_home	Hide Post Author Names from Posts Summaries	Hide author names from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
post_author_text	Post Author Pre Text	Enter a text to display before the post author name.	Text	A string	Posted by
hide_posted_date_home	Hide Posted Dates from Posts Summaries	Hide posted dates from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
post_date_text	Post Date Pre Text	Enter a text to display before the post date.	Text	A string	Posted on
hide_comments_link_home	Hide Comment Links from Posts Summaries	Hide comment count links from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
post_comments_text	Post Comments Pre Text	Enter a text to display before the post comments link.	Text	A string	(empty)
hide_post_categories_home	Hide Post Categories from Posts Summaries	Hide post categories from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
cat_links_text	Post Categories Pre Text	Enter a text to display before the post categories.	Text	A string	Posted in
hide_post_tags_home	Hide Post Tags from Posts Summaries	Hide post tags from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
tag_links_text	Post Tags Pre Text	Enter a text to display before the post tags.	Text	A string	Tagged
hide_post_snippet	Hide Post Snippets/Full Post Content from Posts Summaries	Hide post snippets or full post content from the posts summaries.	Checkbox	true / false	false
post_content_type	Posts Content Display on Post Summaries	Select "post snippets" or "full post content" as the posts content type of posts summaries.	Dropdown	Post Snippets Full Posts Content	Post Snippets
hide_read_more_button	Hide Read More Buttons from Posts Summaries	Hide the read more buttons from the posts summaries (only when posts content type is post snippets).	Checkbox	true / false	false
read_more_text	Read More Text	Custom text for the read more button on posts summaries.	Text	A string	Continue Reading
hide_post_edit_home	Hide Post Edit Link from Posts Summaries	Hide the edit link on posts summaries (for logged-in users with permission).	Checkbox	true / false	false

Singular Post Options

Below is the complete list of Singular Post Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
thumbnail_link	Featured Image Link	Do you want the single post thumbnail to be linked to its post?	Dropdown	Yes No	Yes
hide_thumbnail_single	Hide Featured Image from Full Posts	Hide the featured image on single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_title	Hide Post Header from Full Posts	Hide the post header (title) from single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
remove_post_title_link	Remove Link from Full Post Titles	Remove the clickable link from the single post title.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_data	Hide All Post Meta Data from Full Posts	If you check this option, it will hide these data: Author Name, Posted Date, Number of Comments, Post Categories, Post Tags, Post Edit Link.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_author	Hide Post Author from Full Posts	Hide the author name on single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_posted_date	Hide Posted Date from Full Posts	Hide the posted date on single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_comments_link	Hide Comment Link from Full Posts	Hide the comment link on single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_categories	Hide Post Categories from Full Posts	Hide categories from single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_tags	Hide Post Tags from Full Posts	Hide tags from single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_comment_form	Hide Comments/Comment Form from Full Posts	Hide the comments and the comment form on single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_post_edit	Hide Post Edit Link from Full Posts	Hide the edit link on single posts (for logged-in users with permission).	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_author_bio_box	Hide Author Bio Box from Full Posts	Hide the author biography box on single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
no_underline_content_links	Do not Underline the Links within the Content	Remove underline styling from links inside the post content.	Checkbox	true / false	false

Posts Navigation Options

Below is the complete list of Posts Navigation Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
hide_post_navigation	Hide Post Navigation from Full Posts	Hide the previous/next post navigation on single posts.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_posts_navigation	Hide Posts Navigation from Home/Archive/Search Pages	Hide the posts navigation on listing pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
posts_navigation_type	Posts Navigation Type	Select posts navigation type you need. If you activate WP-PageNavi plugin, this navigation will be replaced by WP-PageNavi navigation.	Dropdown	Link Navigation Numbered Navigation	Numbered Navigation

Singular Page Options

Below is the complete list of Singular Page Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
thumbnail_link_page	Featured Image Link	Do you want the featured image in a page to be linked to its page?	Dropdown	Yes No	Yes
hide_thumbnail_page	Hide Featured Image from Single Pages	Hide the featured image on single pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_page_title	Hide Page Header from Single Pages	Hide the page header (title) from single pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
remove_page_title_link	Remove Link from Single Page Titles	Remove the clickable link from the page title.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_page_data	Hide All Page Meta Data	If you check this option, it will hide these data: Author Name, Posted Date, Number of Comments.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_page_date	Hide Posted Date from Single Pages	Hide the posted date on single pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_page_author	Hide Page Author from Single Pages	Hide the author name on single pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_page_comments	Hide Comment Link from Single Pages	Hide the comment link on single pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_page_comment_form	Hide Comments/Comment Form from Single Pages	Hide the comments and the comment form on single pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_page_edit	Hide Edit Link from Single Pages	Hide the edit link on single pages (for logged-in users with permission).	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_static_page_title	Hide Page Header from Static Homepage	Hide the page header on the static homepage.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_static_page_meta	Hide Page Meta Data (Page Date, Page Author, Comment Link) from Static Homepage	Hide page date, page author, and comment link from the static homepage.	Checkbox	true / false	false

Social Buttons Options

Below is the complete list of Social Buttons Options available. The theme supports 60+ social profile links, a search button, and a login/logout button in the header area.

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
hide_header_social_buttons	Hide Social + Search + Login/Logout Buttons from Header	If you check this option, all buttons will disappear from the header. There is no effect from the "Hide Search Button" and "Show Login/Logout Button" options.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_header_search_button	Hide Search Button	Hide the search button from the header area. This option has no effect if you checked the option: "Hide Social + Search + Login/Logout Buttons from Header".	Checkbox	true / false	false
show_header_login_button	Show Login/Logout Button	Show a login/logout button in the header social buttons area.	Checkbox	true / false	false
twitter_button	X URL	X (Twitter) profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
facebook_button	Facebook URL	Facebook profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
threads_button	Threads URL	Threads profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
pinterest_button	Pinterest URL	Pinterest profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
linkedin_button	Linkedin Link	LinkedIn profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
instagram_button	Instagram Link	Instagram profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
vk_button	VK Link	VK profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
flickr_button	Flickr Link	Flickr profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
youtube_button	Youtube URL	YouTube channel URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
vimeo_button	Vimeo URL	Vimeo profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
soundcloud_button	Soundcloud URL	SoundCloud profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
messenger_button	Messenger URL	Facebook Messenger URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
whatsapp_button	WhatsApp URL	WhatsApp contact URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
tiktok_button	TikTok URL	TikTok profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
lastfm_button	Lastfm URL	Last.fm profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
medium_button	Medium URL	Medium profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
github_button	Github URL	GitHub profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
bitbucket_button	Bitbucket URL	Bitbucket profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
tumblr_button	Tumblr URL	Tumblr blog URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
digg_button	Digg URL	Digg profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
delicious_button	Delicious URL	Delicious profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
stumble_button	Stumbleupon URL	StumbleUpon profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
mix_button	Mix URL	Mix profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
reddit_button	Reddit URL	Reddit profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
dribbble_button	Dribbble URL	Dribbble profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
flipboard_button	Flipboard URL	Flipboard profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
blogger_button	Blogger URL	Blogger blog URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
etsy_button	Etsy URL	Etsy shop URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
behance_button	Behance URL	Behance portfolio URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
amazon_button	Amazon URL	Amazon profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
meetup_button	Meetup URL	Meetup profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
mixcloud_button	Mixcloud URL	Mixcloud profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
slack_button	Slack URL	Slack workspace URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
snapchat_button	Snapchat URL	Snapchat profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
spotify_button	Spotify URL	Spotify profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
yelp_button	Yelp URL	Yelp business URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
wordpress_button	WordPress URL	WordPress.com blog URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
twitch_button	Twitch URL	Twitch channel URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
telegram_button	Telegram URL	Telegram profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
bandcamp_button	Bandcamp URL	Bandcamp artist URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
quora_button	Quora URL	Quora profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
foursquare_button	Foursquare URL	Foursquare profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
deviantart_button	DeviantArt URL	DeviantArt profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
imdb_button	IMDB URL	IMDb profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
codepen_button	Codepen URL	CodePen profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
jsfiddle_button	JSFiddle URL	JSFiddle profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
stackoverflow_button	Stack Overflow URL	Stack Overflow profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
stackexchange_button	Stack Exchange URL	Stack Exchange profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
bsa_button	BuySellAds URL	BuySellAds profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
web500px_button	500px URL	500px profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
ello_button	Ello URL	Ello profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
discord_button	Discord URL	Discord server URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
goodreads_button	Goodreads URL	Goodreads profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
odnoklassniki_button	Odnoklassniki URL	Odnoklassniki profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
houzz_button	Houzz URL	Houzz profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
pocket_button	Pocket URL	Pocket profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
xing_button	XING URL	XING profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
mastodon_button	Mastodon URL	Mastodon profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
googleplay_button	Google Play URL	Google Play app URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
slideshare_button	SlideShare URL	SlideShare profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
dropbox_button	Dropbox URL	Dropbox profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
paypal_button	PayPal URL	PayPal.me URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
viadeo_button	Viadeo URL	Viadeo profile URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
wikipedia_button	Wikipedia URL	Wikipedia user page URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)
skype_button	Skype Username	Skype username (not URL).	Text	A plain text username	(empty)
email_button	Email Address	Email address for contact.	Text	A valid email address	(empty)
rss_button	RSS Feed URL	RSS feed URL.	Text	A valid URL	(empty)

Footer Options

Below is the complete list of Footer Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
footer_text	Footer Copyright Notice	Custom copyright notice text displayed in the footer. If empty, "Copyright © [year] [site name]" is displayed.	Text	A string (HTML allowed)	(empty)
hide_footer_widgets	Hide Footer Widgets	Hide all footer widget areas.	Checkbox	true / false	false
footer_content_image	Footer Content Background Image	Upload a background image for the footer widget area (flexible width/height).	Cropped Image Uploader	Integer (attachment ID)	0 (none)
footer_content_bg_size	Footer Content Background Image Size	Select the background size value for the footer content background image.	Dropdown	Auto Cover Contain	Cover
footer_content_bg_position	Footer Content Background Image Position	Select the background position value for the footer content background image.	Dropdown	Left Top Left Center Left Bottom Right Top Right Center Right Bottom Center Top Center Center Center Bottom	Center Top
footer_content_bg_attachment	Footer Content Background Image Attachment	Select the background attachment value for the footer content background image.	Dropdown	Scroll Fixed Local	Scroll
footer_content_bg_repeat	Footer Content Background Image Repeat	Select the background repeat value for the footer content background image.	Dropdown	repeat repeat-x repeat-y no-repeat	no-repeat

Archive Pages Options

Below is the complete list of Archive Pages Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
hide_cats_title	Hide Category Title + Category Description from Category Archive Pages	Hide both the title and description from category archive pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_cats_description	Hide Category Description from Category Archive Pages	Hide only the description from category archive pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_tags_title	Hide Tag Title + Tag Description from Tag Archive Pages	Hide both the title and description from tag archive pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_tags_description	Hide Tag Description from Tag Archive Pages	Hide only the description from tag archive pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_author_title	Hide Author Title + Author Description from Author Archive Pages	Hide both the title and description from author archive pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_author_description	Hide Author Description from Author Archive Pages	Hide only the description from author archive pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false
hide_date_title	Hide Title from Year/Month/Day Archive Pages	Hide the title from date-based archive pages.	Checkbox	true / false	false

Search and 404 Pages Options

Below is the complete list of Search and 404 Pages Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
hide_search_results_heading	Hide Search Results Heading	Hide the heading on the search results page.	Checkbox	true / false	false
search_results_heading	Search Results Heading	Enter a sentence to display before the search query.	Text	A string	Search Results for:
no_search_heading	No Search Results Heading	Enter a heading to display when no search results are found.	Text	A string	Nothing Found
no_search_results	No Search Results Message	Enter a message to display when no search results are found.	Text	A string	Sorry, but nothing matched your search terms. Please try again with some different keywords.
error_404_heading	404 Error Page Heading	Enter the heading for the 404 error page.	Text	A string	Oops! That page can not be found.
error_404_message	Error 404 Message	Enter a message to display on the 404 error page.	Text	A string	It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try one of the links below or a search?
hide_404_search	Hide Search Box from 404 Page	Hide the search box from the 404 error page.	Checkbox	true / false	false

Other Options

Below is the complete list of Other Options available:

Option ID	Option Name	Description	Control Type	Accepted Value	Default
disable_fitvids	Disable FitVids.JS	You can disable the fitvids.js script if you are not using videos on your website or if you do not want fluid width videos in your post content.	Checkbox	true / false	false
disable_backtotop	Disable Back to Top Button	Disable the back to top button that appears on the site.	Checkbox	true / false	false
enable_widgets_block_editor	Enable Gutenberg Widget Block Editor	Enable the Gutenberg block-based widget editor instead of the classic widget editor.	Checkbox	true / false	false
disable_loading_animation	Disable Site Loading Animation	Disable the loading animation that appears when the site is loading.	Checkbox	true / false	false

Translation & RTL

Simple Writer is fully translation-ready and supports Right-to-Left (RTL) languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian out of the box.

🌐 Translating the Theme

The theme includes a simple-writer.pot file located in the /languages folder inside the theme directory. You can use this file to create translations in your own language using any of the following tools:

Poedit – Desktop translation editor (view tutorial)
Loco Translate – Translate the theme directly from your WordPress dashboard (view tutorial)

After translating, save your files as:

simple-writer-[language_code].po
simple-writer-[language_code].mo

Place them inside the /languages folder in the theme.

↔️ RTL Language Support

Simple Writer includes built-in RTL support. If your WordPress site language is set to an RTL language, the theme will automatically adjust layout direction, alignment, and spacing accordingly. No extra setup required.

If you're customizing your site with RTL content, make sure your text widgets, menus, and custom styles are also RTL-compatible for best results.

Performance & SEO Tips

Here are some best practices to improve your site's performance and SEO when using Simple Writer:

Use a caching plugin — Install W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, or LiteSpeed Cache to improve page load times.
Optimize images — Use plugins like Imagify or EWWW Image Optimizer to compress images.
Use a CDN — A Content Delivery Network (e.g., Cloudflare) serves your content from servers closest to your visitors.
Install an SEO plugin — Use Yoast SEO or Rank Math to manage meta tags, sitemaps, and structured data.
Keep WordPress updated — Always use the latest versions of WordPress, themes, and plugins.
Minimize plugins — Only keep the plugins you actually use.
Use quality hosting — A good hosting provider makes a significant difference in performance.
Set featured images — Always set a featured image for posts to ensure proper display in post summaries and when sharing on social media.

FAQ

In this section, you'll find quick answers to the most frequently asked questions about using the Simple Writer theme. If you can't find your answer here, you can contact our support team for more help.

My menus disappeared after theme activation. What should I do?

Go to Appearance → Menus → Manage Locations and reassign your existing menus to the correct theme locations.

How do I change the posts summaries thumbnail size?

Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Post Summaries Options and choose 760:450 or 760:Auto in the Posts Summaries Thumbnail Size option.

How do I add social media links?

Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Social Buttons Options and enter your profile URLs for each social network. The social icons appear in the header area.

How do I change the footer copyright text?

Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Footer Options and enter your custom text in the Footer Copyright Notice field.

How do I use a static page as my homepage?

Create at least two pages (one for the homepage, one for the blog).
Go to Settings → Reading.
Select A static page under "Your homepage displays".
Choose your homepage and posts page from the dropdowns.
Click Save Changes.

How do I enable sticky sidebars?

The Simple Writer theme has sticky sidebars enabled by default using the Theia Sticky Sidebar library. No additional configuration is needed. Note: the sticky sidebar is automatically disabled on pages/posts using the full-width, no sidebar templates and on the 404 error page.

Troubleshooting

This section covers common technical problems you may encounter. If your issue isn't listed, reach out to our support team.

Post thumbnails are missing when sharing on social media

Install an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math and enable Open Graph tags. Always set a featured image for each post.

I get "The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive" error

Increase the upload limit via php.ini, .htaccess, or contact your hosting provider. Alternatively, use FTP.

Post summary images look broken or misaligned

Run Regenerate Thumbnails from Tools → Regenerate Thumbnails to ensure all images match the theme's expected sizes. Make sure posts have featured images set.

Widgets are not appearing

Go to Appearance → Widgets and make sure widgets are added to the correct widget areas. Consider disabling "Enable Gutenberg Widget Block Editor" in Theme Options → Other Options.

Support & Licensing

The Simple Writer theme is released under the GNU General Public License v2.0 (GPL v2). You can use the theme on unlimited websites and modify the code.

What's included in free support:

Help with theme installation and setup
Bug fixes and troubleshooting related to the theme
Guidance on using built-in theme features

What's not included in free support (but available as paid tasks):

Theme customization or resolving third-party plugin conflicts
Custom coding or feature implementation requests
Performance tuning, SEO setup, or server configuration assistance

If you need help, please contact us. We typically respond within 24-48 hours on working days.

Contact Support

Upgrade to Simple Writer PRO

For more features including color options, font options, layout options, and much more, consider upgrading to Simple Writer PRO.

Changelog & Versioning

The following is a log of all updates and changes made to Simple Writer. We recommend always using the latest version.

= Version 1.0.9 =

Cleanup: Removed obsolete IE polyfills (assets/js/html5shiv*.js, assets/js/respond*.js).

= Version 1.0.8 =

Fixed coding issues
Theme Customizer updated
Many improvements

= Version 1.0.7 =

Fixed coding issues
Many improvements

= Version 1.0.5 =

Fixed coding issues.
Customizer updated

= Version 1.0.4 =

Fixed coding issues.

= Version 1.0.3 =

Fixed coding issues.

= Version 1.0.2 =

New Customizer options were added.
Fixed coding issues.

= Version 1.0.1 =

Fixed coding issues.

= Version 1.0.0 =

Initial Release

Date Formats

You can use the following date format values to control how dates appear in various places such as custom widgets, post metadata, news tickers, and more. These formats follow the standard PHP date formatting rules used by WordPress. Refer to the table below to choose a format that best fits your design and content style.

Format Key	Example Output
H:i	00:50
g:i a	12:50 am
g:i A	12:50 AM
g:i:s a	12:50:48 am
g:i:s A	12:50:48 AM
d.m.y	27.11.10
Y.m.d	2010.11.27
Y-m-d	2010-11-27
Y/m/d	2010/11/27
m.d.Y	11.27.2010
m-d-Y	11-27-2010
m/d/Y	11/27/2010
d.m.Y	27.11.2010
d-m-Y	27-11-2010
d/m/Y	27/11/2010
m/d/Y g:i:s a	11/27/2010 12:50:48 am
m/d/Y g:i:s A	11/27/2010 12:50:48 AM
Y/m/d \a\t g:i a	2010/11/27 at 12:50 am
Y/m/d \a\t g:i A	2010/11/27 at 12:50 AM
d F	27 November
F, Y	November, 2010
F j, Y	November 27, 2010
d M Y	27 Nov 2010
M j, Y	Nov 27, 2010
M j, Y @ H:i	Nov 27, 2010 @ 0:50
l, F j, Y	Saturday, November 27, 2010
l, F jS, Y	Saturday, November 27th, 2010