Open a file and set your canvas size
Create an image or do whatever you want for your animation (in this case I made GIMP text using brush)
Make at least 3 layers but you can add more if you want (use the copy/duplicate layer if you want to work with the same text)
Use the Fuzzy Select to edit
Edit the text as you want (I used gradient for this)
Before you save it be sure to know where you will save the file
Save as *.xcf so it can still have the gimp layers (you can do this to edit it again)
Export as *.gif (GIF Image)
Click the "As animation" (there are other options but that depends on how you use it)

Anyone know how I can set a different duration for each layer? I only have a fixed time for that and I want layer 1 to be 2000 milliseconds and 4000 ms for layer 2.

You can right click the layer, and select edit layer attributes, and set the delay. After the layer name, just add (1000ms), or whatever the delay is you want. What you want probably wouldn't work right though. 1000ms = 1 second. A 2 second, and 4 second delay more than likely wouldn't look right. Too long of a delay. It seems like there's another way to set the delay for each frame, but I can't remember. I rarely do animations.

filters > animations > Settings > then change your delay there for your layer. You can experiment with that using the playback until it suits you.

Does that do one layer at a time Molly, or all layers at a time?

What is the default pace of the frames if you don't set up the ms?

I believe it's 100 ms.

Thanks, do you also know how to make an object move softly? I tried to make a rocket animation and it was awkward to look at. It does not look smooth enough. Do you know something that works like Flash but is more on a free software? TIA

Kenlee20,
can you post your rocket animation?
Usually to make it look smoother, you'd have to add more frames so it's not too choppy, you can do effects too such as motion blur to create illusion that the object is moving.
I am just curious to see your rocket animation. maybe if you post it, others can play with it(probably me too) and help you improve your animation.

I as a rocket that look like this and I tried to make it fire to the top. So I added a few frames to stop it from coming back.