Things You'll Need:
- Internet access
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Step 1
Go to the OurChart website (see resources). The first thing you will want to do is create an account. You can access some features--ourblogs, ourforums, L-word insider and exclusive content--without creating an account. But if you want to create your own chart, you will need an account. So, look to the right of where it asks for a username and password, and click on "join now."
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Step 2
Next, choose a username and password. You will also be asked for your email address and birth date, neither of which are made public. Then you click on the box indicating you've read and accepted the Terms and Conditions of Use. Then click on "create new account."
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Step 3
Now that you have an account, set up a profile. Click on "My Profile" in the black task bar. Setting up a profile is easy, similar to setting one up on a dating site. You are asked about your interests and all of that. On this site, by the way, you needn't confine yourself to "female" or "male" when asked for your gender. For the profile, you can write as much or as little as you like. This particular profile has some interesting questions, such as what superpower you'd like to have.
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Step 4
Once you've completed the profile, add a photo. Click on the photo tab, and then "add a photo" to upload a photo. Once you do this, be sure you have clicked on "use as profile photo" if you want that picture to be the photo that people automatically see when they are looking at your profile.
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Step 5
Blog on this site if you want. Click on the blog tab, then on "add a blog entry." You will then see space to write a title and the body of the blog. The body needs to contain at least 10 words, which shouldn't be too hard to do if you are a blogging type of person. Once you hit "submit," everyone can see your blog entry and comment on it. You can also answer to the comments if you want.
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Step 6
Click on the "Friends" tab to see your list of friends. Don't worry, you won't be completely friendless to start off with. The OC editor is always automatically added to everyone's friend list. To find people you know who already have an account, you can look for them by doing a username search, then request to add them as a friend.
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Step 7
To invite friends who aren't on the chart yet to join, click on the question mark on the far right-hand side of the black task bar. You may have to scroll over to do this. When you do, you will get to the FAQ portion of the site. Scroll down a bit to where it answers questions about friends, then click on the words "send an invitation." You will then get a to form you can use to invite your friends to join the site. There may be another way to do this, but this way works.
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Step 8
To make new friends, visit the forums and post something there or answer someone's post. You can also search through the profiles. Do this by clicking "The Chart" at the top of the page, above the black task bar. Hopefully they will add more search criteria, such as age, but for now, you can search by zip code (very helpful if you're looking to make friends you can conveniently meet in the real world), gender and country. You can send a private message and/or a friend request to anyone who interests you as a friend or whatever. You can also search by first name, last name, user name and email, which I imagine would be more useful if you are looking for someone specific.
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Step 9
Click on the "View Chart" words underneath your profile picture (or where you picture would be if you haven't posted one yet) if you want to see you and your friends in the chart format.
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Step 10
Click on the "Settings" tab (the far right reddish-orange tab when you're looking at your profile) to set things up how you want. You can change your username and password here. Check the box marked "allow private messages" if you want others to be able to contact you privately. Messages are private. Notes are public, and anyone can see those. "Comments" means comments that you make in the forums. You can also set up email notification when you have new messages, and pre-approval before notes are posted.
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Step 11
Speaking of messages, check these by clicking on the "messages" icon in the gold-colored task bar, next to your user name and above your profile photo. This is worth noting because it is above the reddish-orange tabs where you can look at everything else, and you might miss it if you don't know where to look.
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Step 12
Another feature worth noting is the "Friends Plus" designation. You can categorize your friends as regular friends or "Friends Plus" which can be reserved for people you have dated or whomever you want.
