The themes are being given away by Blogging Mix, and its really quite a simple contest. You can find out more details of the contest here, but all you really have to do is link to the contest, review the theme you would like to try to win, and leave a comment… it’s that simple!

Now which theme am I going to aim for? Well, after a tough decision, I figured the one that I would most like is Brian Gardner’s Revolution Magazine Theme. You can catch a preview of it below.

It really is a great theme, with a clean, magazine style look, allowing you to feature categories as well as posts. It even has a spot for a featured youtube video. I think that this would be really great for my movies blog, Intermission at Work. It needs a redesign! I love how you can have many different categories, with the most recent posts, as well as the large images to go with the posts. Trust me, I’ll be putting up more images as soon as I get my hands on a copy of photoshop… I’m just waiting for a Mac Version. (Mac Fiend here).

Well.. it may not be the greatest review, but it sure is a great theme.. and I hope I win it! As for the contest, it ends on January 28th, so you still have time to get your entries in. This is a great way to obtain a Premium theme if you don’t yet have the resources to purchase your own!

Now.. what is so great about this theme that made me pick it over other themes? Well, when I first heard about it, I was a bit skeptical, as the creator, Ben Cope, took a while to get back to me about using his theme. It took a bit of email tag back and forth before we finally got things set up. Now that things are set up, I can honestly say that using this theme has really been a dream. I know it sounds kind of corny to say things like that, but it really is true. Allow me to explain a bit more about the theme.

The Wordpress Dream Theme is a Premium Theme, as I’ve mentioned before. Being a premium theme, you would expect to pay for it, and you do. Up front, the price tag is not particularly cheap. At $247, it is out of range of some bloggers out there. However, there are many reasons why it is worth it to pay the premium for the theme. The main reason that I would like to emphasize is the customer service that the Ben Cope provides for it. when you purchase the Wordpress Dream Theme, you not only get this wonderfully designed theme, but also the services of its creator! Ben will walk you through everything from setup, to customization and more! He even helped to design the logo for this site!

Having the services of the theme creator is invaluable. He knows everything about the theme, so he can help you customize it properly. He can answer any questions that you might have about the theme, and solve technical issues fairly quickly. I have been so impressed with the services that Ben has provided since I started using his theme. He has gone beyond my wildest dreams in terms of the things he has done for this blog! I only wish that I knew about the theme sooner so that I could have started using it sooner! While other premium themes have been helpful to me, I can say honestly that this is one of the best experiences I’ve had while blogging!

Again, the Wordpress Dream Theme may not be for you. However, if you’re looking for a well designed theme with all the support you could possibly need, then please check it out. It’s something that you definitely won’t regret. Remember, your Blog’s theme is very important so do yourself a favor and pick the right one to start. Redesigns can come later, but if you’re not happy from the get go, it can really hurt your chances of survival in the blogosphere!

It can be easy to just pick any theme out there and start writing. While I agree that content is king, I believe that you should really consider how your theme will affect your overall goals. Some of the things that I considered in using this theme are:

• The Look - How did it look? Do I like it or do I hate it? If you can’t stand the way your blog looks, chances are that people who read your blog will not like it either.
• Functionality - What functions can the theme serve? Are there any built in features that I will use? An example of the features I like for this theme are the integrated tabs in the right hand column. It’s a great way to navigate through a blog.
• Can I customize it? - Customization is extremely important when you are making your blog. You want it to stand out, and a theme that is easier to customize will be very beneficial. Make sure that the code to the theme is commented in a way that makes it easy to read and change if you want.
• Will I need to make a lot of changes? - If you do, then the theme probably is not for you.

Another question you should ask yourself is if you want to pay for the theme or not. More than likely starting bloggers will not want to pay for a theme. This is perfectly fine! There are plenty of great - looking free Wordpress themes out there! When you have established yourself a bit more, you may consider using a premium theme.

A premium theme is one that is most likely valid html, with a very slick design. Some examples of places to get premium themes are: Unique Blog Designs and the Revolution Theme. Both of these places offer great premium themes at great prices. I have purchased themes from both places and am very pleased with them. However, I need to let you in on a little tip I have. While the themes purchased from these sites are great, customization can still be a bit daunting. Yes, you can ask them for help afterwards, but they are busy people, and might take a bit to get back to you. This is why I suggest getting the Wordpress Dream Theme. Please read my review of the theme here for more information.

There is a lot of information that can be thrown to you about themes, and I hope that I have not overwhelmed you. Feel free to ask me any questions you need answered about themes, and I will do my best to help you. Also, please offer up any information you might have in a comment, as I’m sure there are plenty of other readers out there looking for a tip!