This Is How I Blog {The 2015 Edition}

What are some of your essential tools for blogging? Mine are listed below.

Computer – For most of the year, I was using the ASUS. In November, I got a Dell Inspiron 13 7000 series and I’m loving it so far. The 13 inch screen does take some getting used to (the ASUS was 14 inches).

Desktop – Clean and clutter free. I save images I’ve edited and are waiting to be transferred to my blog on the desktop, and then delete them later on.

Clean Desktop

Most Used Programs for Blogging

Mozilla Firefox (Free) is my browser of choice. I tried Chrome for a while, but ended up going back to Firefox.

Filezilla FTP (Free). To transfer files back and forth from my blog.

I use Dropbox to transfer images from my phone to desktop, which are then edited for the blog using Adobe Photoshop Essentials 14 ($59.99). It’s not only useful for editing images, but also for creating blog graphics.

Online Programs & Apps

Here’s How I Use Evernote As A Blogging Editorial Calendar. For most of the year, I used the desktop program, but recently, I’ve been using it online and the app on my phone. I haven’t even downloaded the program to my new computer.

App Love for EvernoteWordPress is my blogging platform, and I write draft posts directly in it. I have a self-hosted blog and use Dreamhost (Dreampress package). I also have the WordPress app on my phone, which is what I used to respond to comments on the blog.


When do you blog? I blog when I can find the time, which is mostly on a Sunday. I try to do a few posts at a time as scheduling in advance is an important part of my process. Using the Evernote app on my phone means that whenever I have an idea for a post topic during the week, it can be easily captured and written down.

While I don’t write blog posts much during the week, I do read a lot of other blogs using Feedly. I read through blog posts every morning before my day gets crazy – and I try to comment on as many as I can. I use the Buffer button right there on Feedly to schedule Tweets of blog posts I like, and I also “save for later” the posts that I want to add to my weekend links post or comment on later.

How do you keep up with social media? I don’t. I can’t. I have the Twitter app on my phone but don’t use it much. I also have the Instagram app, which gets more use. In fact, I’ve been making a conscious effort to capture at least 1 photo a day – still a work in progress.


Are you active on social media? How do you keep up?

Twitter
Email
Pocket
Facebook

// Comments //

  1. Tanya Patrice

    Dec 12

    @guitlessreading I didn’t have a smartphone also for a long time by choice. It was all the apps available that got me. At first I didn’t even use the phone part of it and just used WiFi and the apps, but then I didn’t want to carry around 2 devices.

  2. Beth F

    Dec 10

    I too am stuck with Firefox for browsing. I hate how slow it is and that it crashes every once in a while, but the other browsers are even more annoying! I love Evernote too, and use it for lots of things. Great list.

    • Tanya Patrice

      Dec 12

      @Beth F I ended up uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox and its worked well ever since.

  3. I’ve always admired how organized you are! I see Evernote all the time and since I don’t have a phone (yeah, and by choice) it’s a non-temptation. I see you love Smashing mag as much as I do 😉 As for social media, I don’t keep up either. I’ve scaled back so much and automated Twitter & Facebook. If I am on with spontaneous posts it’s likely I got the urge to go on.

  4. I struggle so much with keeping up with social media as well! The time it takes to really do it right is crazy and I don’t have it! I’m sent out about 2700 tweets and some of my blogging contemporaries have sent more like 10,000. Scheduling tweets has helped, but I’m still way behind.

    Andi posted about your Evernote post – I will check that out!

    • Tanya Patrice

      Dec 12

      @Sarah I honestly give up on Twitter. I will never have the time to spend on it.

  5. I keep hearing about Feedly- so I’m off to check it out!

    • Tanya Patrice

      Dec 12

      @Tamara its pretty much the same as Bloglovin’ only better 🙂

  6. Andi

    Dec 09

    Fab recommendations, as always! LOVE your blogging editorial post and called it out in my own post today.

  7. Fran Coleman

    Dec 09

    I’ve really been wanting to get a Photoshop program but I honestly have no clue how to use it. I simply adore the graphics you include with each of your blog posts and have always wanted to learn how to create something similar for myself. Even creating new headers for my blog .
    I have had Evernote for quite a while, but I don’t think I’m using it right. I just can’t get the hang of it. I have flip-flopped back-and-forth between Firefox and chrome. I have a Mac but I always go back to google or Firefox .
    A long time ago there was a program through windows where it was in sync with your blog and you could write up your blog posts using it and it would automatically transferred to your blog. It was a pretty cool program I used it a lot but they phased it out. They stopped updating it. I’m not even sure if you can get it anymore. I believe it was only for blogger though. Now I am word press so doesn’t really matter but I still thought it was a cool program.

    • Tanya Patrice

      Dec 12

      @Fran Ive experimented with desktop blog editors too but ultimately decided to just do it in WordPress since I almost always have internet access or access via the smartphone app.

  8. I love Firefox…I use a Mac and I know Safari is the preferred browser, but I love my Firefox.

    I want to check out Filezilla…sounds beneficial.

    I tried Evernote, but didn’t really use it.

    I use Facebook and Twitter but not on my phone.

    Thanks for a very informative post.

    Elizabeth
    Silver’s Reviews
    My A Month of Faves

    • Tanya Patrice

      Dec 12

      @Elizabeth The plugins in Firefox can’t be beat!

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