Sometimes you don’t want an excerpt to just be the first few words of a post , minus any formatting. A hand-written excerpt can contain html terms such as hot links. Here is an example:

[display-posts id=”235260″ include_excerpt=”true” ]

Gives this excerpt:

• The Online Newsletter of Alton and Petersfield Bellringers – post by visiting: Alton and Petersfield Email List

“post editor”

They are edited by clicking “more options” on the left of the screen, and using the EXCERPT box

“admin editor” (black screen)

Edit using the box under the “Writing Helper”.

There is more on excerpts here