Windows Live Writer: Write blog posts offline

WHAT IS IT?: Windows Live Writer is a new tool from Microsoft that allows you to write blog posts offline using a simple tool.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MY BUSINESS?: Make blog writing easier and more efficient for you and your business.

PROS:

• Write your blog posts offline.
• I like how you don’t have to write blog posts in Word or another word processing document and pasting in Wordpress or trying to read your blog within that small Wordpress window.
• It’s simple to download and install and very simple to use. It’s compatible with most popular blog programs.
• Easy spell checker.
• I like to write a good deal of drafts and Live Writer handles it very simply.
• Cleanly synchronizes what you do within you blogging application and what you do in Live Writer.

CONS:

• Have not noticed any yet. I will let you know if I come across any.

BOTTOM LINE: This post was written using Windows Live Writer seconds after I installed it. I really like it so far. I would normally expect something this simple and valuable to come from a 2 person Gen-Y startup. I do have to give a hand of applause to Microsoft for really ‘getting it’ to create this application that’s useful to most bloggers rather than something that only helps bloggers that use Microsoft applications. Try it out. So far, I have not seen any down sides to using Live Writer.

Thank you to Connie Bensen for mentioning it to me.

Link to Connie’s blog post here.

James Key Lim