I'm experimenting with blog writing software to go with my blog. I have just recently discovered that it is difficult for many of my clients to write directly in their blog because it is limiting in it's abilities to format. Many of my clients are professional writers and are used to certain functionality in using Word and other word processing programs. Because they are professional writers, they want their writing to look professional, especially when it is being presented on the web.

Pictures are also important to make the page engaging.

Right now I am trying out Windows Live Writer. It was a bit difficult to install this program. Frankly, I'm not even sure how I got it on here. I will have to do it again before I can tell my clients how to do it. It looks like it's a program on my computer, but these days it's becoming more and more difficult to discern, what is on the Internet and what is on your computer.

Essentially, what it is doing is tapping into the API capabilities in this Drupal blog and allowing me to make a blog entry and post it to the blog without going to my site in Windows Explorer and logging in. It is very much like I'm using Word except that it is creating an html entry rather than a Word document. Word documents, by the way, present difficulties when you cut and paste from Word directly into a web interface. The codes often make unpredictable results.

Here is a picture. It allows you to get pictures off the web or from your computer. There is a functionality where you can add a map.

Here's a map of Hollywood and Vine.

There is also insert video, insert tags, insert table and other things.

Spellcheck and some limited formatting are also available.

1. numbered lists
2. bullet point lists
3. block quotes

It seems pretty functional and easy to use. I am now publishing so I can see it on the web, as you are reading it now.