Yes, you can define the publication date and time of a blog post. It is very easy to do right in Windows Live Writer.

Compose your post, proofread it as usual, set the category and tags, just as you would normally. But before you click the Publish button, find the publication schedule box towards the right, just above the post entry pane.

Click on the down arrow or the little calendar icon.

A calendar is shown on the drop-down menu. You can step through the months with the right and left arrows. Just click on the date on which the post is to be published.

There is more, of course. You can also specify the exact time of publication. Click on the hour or minute. The current value will be highlighted, selected, just as in normal text editing. Type in the new time.

For AM or PM just click on the present setting and use the up or down arrow key to change from morning to afternoon.

Then go ahead and click the Publish button on the Home tab of the Ribbon. The post is uploaded to your blog but publication is held.

Can you change your mind about the publication date and time? Sure. If yours is a WordPress blog, sign in to your Dashboard. Click the Posts tab on the left and again in the the expanded menu.

Your posts, including those for which you have delayed publication, will be listed. on the right side you can see the publication status, like this:

To change the publication date or time, click the Edit option underneath your post title, move the pointer over that area to see the options. On the right side the Publish panel displays the status and provides edit options.

Here you can change the various parameters including date and time of publication. Note that the WordPress time uses the 24-hour clock format. The time zone is specified in General Settings.

For other blogging services the procedure is similar.

For example for Blogger, click Edit Posts on your Dashboard. Click Edit in front of the post of interest. Click Post Options at the bottom of the edit window and you can set or change the publication date and time.

Now all you have to do is to get all your posts ready and scheduled and you can be off to your vacation, knowing that your blogging service will publish your posts on schedule and keep your audience happy and informed.

The gateway to my blogs and galleries is Café Ludwig

.:.

© 2011 Ludwig Keck