When you’re posting a blog entry using Windows Live Writer, you don’t want your text to be on a separate line from images, text should flow around the image. Achieving that is not too hard. It’s clearest to write all your text first, and then to insert the image. The image will insert at the spot where the cursor is; I recommend that you set it as the first character in your post while you’re getting the hang of it.

Notice that in this screen shot the image is selected and there is a new ‘format’ entry on the tool bar. Click on format

Also note that the text is not yet flowing around the image.

On the Format menu, choose ‘left’ from the Appearance dropdown. This will cause the image to ‘float left’ and the text will float to the right around it.

Sometimes we want to link to a video in our websites or blogs; frequently it’s on www.youtube.com. but we want to avoid the ‘large black square’ effect:

Not pretty. What to do?

First, download SnagIt. SnagIt takes way cool screen shots. If you don’t need it for this task, you’ll need it anyway so just do it.

Next, right click on this image and save it to your computer. Save it anywhere… but remember where it is. Your desktop or MyDocuments will be fine.

Now, open SnagIt Editor and click on the Styles expansion button

Now click ‘Organize Stamps’ …

and add the ‘play button’ image that you downloaded earlier.

Almost there. Go to www.youTube.com and play the video, then pause it. Take a screen shot using SnagIt:

Now, click on the ‘stamp’ button again and add your custom stamp.

Save this image. Add it to your website/blog. Link to www.youtube.com. All done!