Open Live Writer

Windows Live Writer was a Microsoft tool that let you edit your blog content without having to access the CMS control panel. Although the project was cancelled in 2012, it's been brought back to life and can now be downloaded and used freely, as it's been converted to open-source.

What it does is simple. Once you install the program, it asks which content manager you use, be it Wordpress, Blogger, or any of the many compatible ones. By entering the URL and your login information, you can start creating new entries, save them as drafts, and even publish them right from your desktop, without ever using a web browser at all.

It includes practically all the basic features of the original editor: you can write, attach multimedia files, and use the same custom tags that you use in the original editor. All this wrapped up an interface that looks a lot like the old Office 2010. In short, it's a straightforward, practical tool that's ideal for creating content for your blog.