James Wilding's Weblog

Looking for a simple WordPress theme recently, I stumbled on Manifest. Well, I love it. There are so many WordPress themes out there that (in my opinion) go overboard on the graphics, but Manifest  takes the opposite approach: content comes first (as you can see: I’m using it right here on my blog).

Jim Barraud, Manifest’s creator, describes the theme thus:

A clean and streamlined theme that focused on the content and not the distractions. It utilizes a single column, 500 pixel wide layout. No sidebars. No widgets.

There’s so much to love about that quote. Single column. Focus on content. No sidebars. No widgets. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity.

I’ve always loved websites and blogs which are pared right back to the bone — nearly too simple — for the simple reason that I spend so much time on the web! After surfing through websites which bash me round the head with flashy graphics, it’s such a relief when I come to rest at a site designed by someone who knows the meaning of negative space and subdued (if any) graphics.

And aspiring writers: this is the kind of presentation that you should be wrapping around your lovingly crafted blog posts: let your language speak for itself.

So: a beautiful, simple, elegant theme: download Manifest here.