My Blog Tools

The magic of blogging is that most tools come free but nevertheless offer great features. If you think about starting a blog, I am sharing with you what is in my blogger’s toolbox.

• A moleskin notebook: it offers a flexible way to gather idea for articles, quotes and other material. Sometime, I write the first draft in my notebook, some other times, I just do a mind map or I list all the ideas that come to mind around the subject I am writing on.


• Microsoft Word: The reason I type first in Word is the possibility to save the draft and come back to it to add to it and move sentences and paragraphs around. I can also use the program to check spelling and grammar. I have created a template for blog entries with the different scripts I am using (like Technorati and Digg) and the link to resources I frequently use when writing (like Amazon).


• Blogger: A very easy to use blogging platform with excellent functionalities. The last one that really adds value is the possibility to write posts in advance and schedule their publication. No more excuse, even if you go away.


• A digital camera (or the camera on my mobile phone): I take photographs of my paintings, but also photographs for illustration purpose. My rule of thumb is to have at least one photograph per post.


• A photo editing software: Until now, I have used a program called Arcsoft PhotoStudio 2.0 that offers good basic functions. I just purchased Abode Photoshop Elements 6 (PC) and I am impatient to explore its possibilities.


• ResizR : a website to resize your photographs online.


• Blake’s Technorati link generator. You type the list of keywords for your article and the site creates the Technocrati html code for you.


• Feedburner: This free service let your readers subscribe to your blog with the option to receive your articles by email or by using an RSS reader.


• Google Analytics allows you see how many readers you have, where they come from, how long they stay on the site, etc. The data presented is impressive and you just need to be careful not to check your statistics every hour.

Related resources

• If you have questions and want to learn more about blogging, the best resource I have found is ProBlogger.
  

Artist blog Art blog Art marketing Blog tools Blog resources Moleskin Google analytics Feedburner Technorati ResizR ProBlogger