When I attempted a couple different styles from that comm, what I got was a total mess, not the layout I wanted.

That was a while ago, but I've been really discouraged about trying again.

What I'm trying to convey here is that the instructions are not available easily, and the ones I have seen -- scattered about in various places, in bits and pieces -- do not make sense for people like me.

dreamwidthlayouts even states in its profile that it is not a help community and that one must ask individual layout makers for assistance if it's needed. That's rather uncomfortable, asking a total stranger to help you set something up when that really isn't what they signed on for. It would be SO NICE if, instead of "ask the layout maker who may or may not be willing/able to explain all this" there was a link to "Go to [helpfulnewbiecomm] for beginner instructions and assistance."

So far, I can't find where "helpfulnewbiecomm" exists. Am I just missing it?