Using Windows Live Writer

For those of you who are newer to blogging, can I share one of my FAVORITE blogging tools?

Are you ready? It’s Windows Live Writer.

I promise you, it is one of the best things I ever installed on my computer and is compatible with several blogging platforms {Blogger, Windows Live, Wordpress, LiveJournal, TypePad, and more}…but sorry to those of you who are Mac users. It isn’t compatible with Macs.

Update: One of my readers {thanks, Stacey!!} emailed that there is a tutorial on how to use Windows Live Writer for a Mac!!

Which seriously is one of the reasons I don’t want a Mac. Which may make me re-consider the Mac issue in the future!

Why do I love it so? Let me give you a few {or ten} reasons:

1. I can blog anytime, anywhere without needing to be connected to the internet. All those post ideas swimming around in my head are saved as a draft in Live Writer and I can edit and add things when I think of more to add. This was a HUGE help to me when I was traveling and didn’t have constant access to the internet. I was able to write my posts and get them ready to go and then ‘publish’ them when I did have internet access.

2. I can post from multiple accounts. Live Writer allows me to create posts for all of my various blogger accounts. I don’t need to log into blogger, and with a simple click of a drop down menu I can switch accounts. This has been a huge help for me with this blog, the Totally Tots blog and what seems like a gagillion other sites.

3. I can create template posts and use them as needed. There are certain posts of mine that use the same format. I love that I can click a button to pull a template that I’ve created/saved and all the same information pops up quickly without my needing to redo it all. The templates are super easy to edit and I use this plug-in for my templates.

4. Photos and formatting is SO much easier! All it takes is a quick click of a button to add a photo, quickly resize it and even add watermarks and other special effects. When I publish a post, the picture automatically uploads to my Picasa or Photobucket account. This part alone has saved me so much time! I can even add alt text to a picture or have it link somewhere specific.

5. I can preview my posts. Live Writer offers the great feature of previewing your post so you can actually visualize what it will look like on your blog. This helps me see if there are any odd spacing issues before I actually post. Not that it’s ever stopped me from posting wacky stuff…but still. The option is there. :)

6. Editing after a post is up is simple! Live writer lets you ‘recall’ a post even after it has posted to your blog. Should I notice a spelling error {ahem} or anything else that needs to be fixed, I can do it quickly…and you all never even know!

7. Our kids can safely use it. Both of our girls have a hidden blog and they can type their posts {or assignments} using Live Writer.  I have Live Writer set up on the kids computer so that they can blog away and publish to their own blog without even needing to be on the internet.

8. It’s FREE! Did I forget to mention that? When you download the program it comes with extra ‘add-ons’ that are unnecessary, so be sure to uncheck all the extra boxes when you download it.

9. I can add links quickly and easily to photos, text…anything. I can even specify that the link opens up in a new window.

Do you all use Live Writer??? Are you on your way to download it now?

 

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