Okay, so the interface Blogathon.org is … well, it works, but it’s not terribly user-friendly. Or, rather, it’s friendly enough, just not very informative as to what to do.
My apologies.
Here’s the process to sponsor me (or, if you are so inclined, anyone else):
- Go to the Blogathon Home Page. Or just skip to the next step.
- Go to the Blogathon Registration page, either with that link or by clicking on Register/Log In.
- Fill out the long form at the bottom: a user name of your choice, your e-mail address, your “real” name, and a password. You have to create an account so that your e-mail is protected (and they need the e-mail so that they can send you a note after the Blogathon). Click [Submit] when done.
You should get a “Thank you” message. Great, eh?
- Here’s the trick. You are not yet logged in. If you do anything else logical (like go to view the campaigns, find my campaign, try to pledge money) it will politely refuse to let you donate.
Log in, then, by typing your user name and password in the little pair of fields at the top of the page and click [Submit].
- Aha! Now you are logged in! You can pledge! Woo-hoo!
Go to the View Campaigns page and find my Campaign and click on it. It’s easy to find because “***Dave” sorts to nearly the top of the list (sneaky, eh?). Or, just click here.
- You should see a place to enter in a pledge amount, as well as whether you want to stay hidden to the normal viewer of this campaign (I get to see you name regardless, neener-neener). Click [Pledge].
- Congratulations! You just encouraged me in my sleep deprivation, as well as promised to do your part to protect First Amendment rights.
The trick really is that after you register you then have to log in. That’s not a good interface, IMO, and it’s worse because it’s not explained (either after the registration — “You must login now” — or on the campaign page — “To contribute, you must login first”).
Anyway, hope that clears things up, for all you folks who have been clamoring to know how to make a pledge (hi, Mom!).