I am writing this post using Windows Live Writer 2009. Normally, I write WordPress posts in Firefox using the admin interface inside of WordPress. That is not the best environment sometimes – especially since you have to be online to use it.
I looked at these type of desktop-based web publishing tools a couple of years ago and they were not great. I’m looking again because I noticed that Microsoft released a version of Live Writer for 2009 (I guess I missed it).
First task will be to insert a picture of this window. I’ll do a screen capture and jam it into the post right here.
Cool – that worked well (at least here in the editor). I was able to load a GIF, resize it and place it in the text. There are image editing choices and the like available. Looks promising.
Spell checker works as expected.
I am able to insert a hyperlink to the download location for Windows Live Writer without any trouble at all (as expected). One neat thing is that it will allow me to link to previous posts, which is something that you should always try to do. It even lets me set the link to nofollow.
Surprising, there is a preview tab – and it knows what the post will look like on my blog. Check out this screen shot:
Wow – for a 5 minute review I am pretty impressed with the ability to create a draft. Now I will hit the publish button and see what happens….
TaDa!
That just worked.
One thing that I see in here that I like is the ability to insert a table. Here is a table of projected revenue for the MasonWorld Empire for 2010.
| Revenue | 1Q2010 | 2Q2010 |
| MasonWorld.com | $2M | $7M |
| Other Sites | $4M | $12M |
Neat. Might have a keeper here.
What do you use to write your posts? Leave me a comment and let me know.
I use WLW and love the way it works. Gives so much flexibility in writing a blog.
BUT…I still don’t know how to control “Permission”. Example, I write a blog two times a week. And I write for a select list of people (the number grows word-of-mouth). How do I send them a short note on their email carrying the subject of the blog every time I post an article?
Even after 10 years I’m ignorant about computing…
I have always used Writer since its first beginnings. It is unique. Its also one of the best programs to ever emerge from the Live stable. Its fantastic. There is nothing like it on the Internet.
But strangely it doesn’t get bragged about by Microsoft as much as it should in my opinion, hence why you have only just become aware of it.
TG
And the advantage of this vs just writing in Word and pasting is the publish button? Is that it?
Oh you can do so much more in Writer for your blog posts than you can using Word. Word is after all a word processor, whereas Writer is tailor made for blogging. Text wrapping around your posts, different fonts, preview, save to draft, tables, photo manipulation such as different borders, tilt, sizing, photo effects etc, easy video insertion from YouTube or your own video files on your computer, I could go on and on, in fact, I feel a series of posts coming on about Writer and how to use it in your blogs!
TG
Mark has shared relevant information for blogger so that they can use Windows Live Writer 2009 to make new dimension to their work.
Great, pls tell me one more thing… Need an Outlook-style calendar (month-view is fine), where I can track & plan editorial calendar. I don’t see anything like this in WLW, and it seems like an obvious need. Rather not have to go outside the app and use another. Thanks.
My Writer how-to blog posts are now available at http://technograns.wordpress.com So far I have done two, how to set up your blog in Writer and format the text and any chapter headers and also the second post is about inserting photos.
TG
Windows Live Writer is a great tool to work with, the extensions are the most attractive thing. Being able to cut and past is very nice tool. Somethings Windows Live Writer can’t do natively, but others have worked in some awesome tools.
Note worthy, Windows Live Writer can be made portable and taken with on a jumpdrive; for those who need it. Some slight changes and you’re a go.
Hopefully, some thing that needs to be fixed is the pasting of images in Windows Live Writer as PNG; PNG files are twice the size of any JPG file. I suspect a new release from Microsoft anytime now, if they are going to stay on an annual release schedule
Nice article.
Thanks,
LHenryJr.
http://www.lehsys.com