When I started blogging, I used Blogger’s built in editor to write and edit my posts. At first, it worked fine for me, but as I wrote more posts, I became more and more frustrated with it. For one thing, I could never get my formatting right. Blogger would put in extra spaces and lines where I didn’t want them. No amount of editing (even in Html) could get rid of them.
Then I discovered Windows Live Writer. You can download this program for free at Windows Live Writer . Now that I’m using Live Writer, I never have to go into the annoying Blogger Editor unless I want to edit a post that has already been published. Along with Blogger, Live Writer is meant to work with Wordpress, LIveJournal and TypePad.
Live Writer has an easy to use format that’s similar to Microsoft Word. This makes it so much easier to change things like font size and color and to insert items like pictures and hyperlinks.
Here’s a screen shot of Live Writer’s “Edit” tab. It’s functionally similar to Blogger’s “Compose” tab. Live Writer also has a “Source” tab for editing in html that’s similar to Blogger’s “Edit HTML” tab. One of my favorite features is the “Preview” tab below.
You get to see what your post will look like on your blog before you hit publish.
One of my favorite parts about Live Writer is the photo editing tools. You can resize, crop, rotate, tilt and add watermarks and cool borders. Here is an example:
Live Writer has definitely made my blogging life easier.
What do you do to make blogging easier?
March 4, 2010
Blog Tip – Windows Live Writer
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Thanks for this great idea, Carolyn..Now I can get rid of the insufferable Blogger's editor! I'm going for the change right NOW!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Carolyn! As a (brand) new blogger, I'm very appreciative for tips that make it easier. And I was suffering through Blogger's editor as well. Great tip! I'm going to try it on my next post.
ReplyDeleteI've just found your blog...it's great! Blogger's "updated" editor is a little better but it's still pretty frustrating to me. I'll have to check this out. Thanks for sharing the info! ☺ Celeste
ReplyDeleteI've tried using the Live Writer, but it doesn't want to publish my posts for me. It did the first one, then has refused since then. I used GIMP (free version that is similar to Photoshop) to edit my photos and so far that's been going well....even days when Blogger is being temperamental. :)
ReplyDeleteI've been using Live Writer, too, for the past few months and really like it. I do find that when I would edit a post {originally done in Live Writer} in Blogger it would make font size changes and sometimes spacing issues. Now I just have Live Writer retrieve the post {by clicking on it in Live Writer under the published section} and I make my changes and only hit "Publish". Don't hit Save Draft, as you would when first drafting.
ReplyDeleteI haven't figured out the putting my name on pictures yet, although I did look for that feature. Where do I find that Carolyn? I must be looking in the wrong area.
Im going to have to try that, I hate uploading pictures and then I find a gazillion lines between things, I started uploading pictures first all at once to limit that and then blog.
ReplyDeleteYou sure make it impressive! Is it a download though?
ReplyDeleteI have heard a lot about Live Writer. Thank you for explaining it. I assume that you just "upload" it to your blog, correct?
ReplyDeleteI really love your blog! Thanks for all your great posts!
ReplyDeleteoooo. I have gotta try this out. ta lots for posting it.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo features too!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting these tutorials. I swear I am one of the most computer illiterate people in the world, so these are for me. I'm clueless. Thank goodness for youtube!! :)
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