Well, I might not be able to make all your lives a breeze but I do have information that might help blog authors. For those of you who have already discovered Microsoft LiveWriter please bear with me! Have you checked it out recently? There are some awesome new tweaks that you can incorporate now!
Microsoft LiveWriter (LW). What is it? This program which is free to download from the Internet has been created to simplify and encourage blog authors who like to post on not only one blog but on a variety. Each blog, as you know, has a different look. That will be down to the fonts, settings, layouts etc. Also, when writing a post directly in the actual blog and you want to list a picture it has the annoying habit of receiving the picture but placing it at the top of the post so that you have to juggle the layout each time you do this! Grrrrrrr!!!!
So for this, life is simple and a breeze! I have been using the program for a while now and downloaded the latest version called Windows Live Writer 2009. Check this site http://windowslivewriter.spaces.live.com/ for good informative details about what LW can do for you.
Once you have downloaded the program all you have to do is register your blogs so that LW can remember each blog and all its settings without you having to do anything other than be creative with your words!
For this you will see at the top of your screen page the word ‘Blog’, second in from the right, next to ‘Help’. When you click on ‘Blog’ you will see a drop down menu showing View, Manage, Edit, a list of blogs you have registered and ‘Add Blog Account’.
The latter heading of ‘Add Blog Account’ is where you need to go. However, in order to complete the information input you will need to know a) the name of the blog b) your username (ID) and c) your password. Imagine entering a building full of filing cabinets and being told to file your book in the correct place! Well, it would be helpful to know which room, which cabinet to go to and which key to use to unlock it! You get my drift?
Once the program has recognized your information and found your blog a page will open displaying a title bar and blank page in the same format as your blog….. magic!
Now you can write to your heart’s content, edit, save as a draft, insert a table, a picture which you can place where and how you want from the tools provided on the right of the screen. Videos can be added too!! You can create albums or use different borders and effects. This program will work with most popular blogs like Windows Live, Wordpress, Blogger, Live Journal, TypePad, and many more. It will even help you with YouTube videos!!
LW will allow you to preview your post to see how it will look before you publish! Note on the pictures above I have tilted them and added a watermark. Neat isn’t it?
Remember to add your tags so people who search can find you. This is done in LW too. You will find the area for this under ‘Set Categories’ at the bottom of the page. There are many more aspects to the program but for the moment and for the sake of the content of this post I would stick to the blogging side of things.
I could go on and on and really bore you but I suggest you go see for yourself and decide. Life will never be the same. This clever tool helps encourage would be authors to write to different blogs because all the hard work has been taken out of it leaving it a pleasure to create with words and pictures!
This post was created using LW as proof of the pudding!