iA Writer and WordPress publishing
iA Writer has some magic joojoo. I use this no gimmicks focused writing tool at work to record meeting notes and brainstorming sessions.
I’m playing with a publishing flow (for this site) which will allow me to compose my thoughts within iA Writer and publish directly to the site using a few handy keyboard shortcuts.
Credit to this iA Writer + WordPress workflow which I used as a base. I experimented [and failed] with Markdown.pl + Automator for conversion prior to sending the post to the site. If anyone has any tips on getting the workflow working correctly, please leave a comment. The current system works like this:
- Compose post in iA Writer
- Keyboard shortcut via Keyboard Maestro
- Part of the macro includes the posting workflow (select body, compose email and send to site)
I tried to mix in the shell script to handle the markdown -> HTML. For now, I’m using the handy Markdown on Save Improved plugin.
If crontab was configured correctly, this iA Writer to WordPress post should be published automatically.
Discuss - 2 Comments
Hi,
I first discovered iA Writer through the astroaficiando post you link to above. I was looking for a minimalist writing environment that ideally could be used completely offline (sometimes I’m even distracted by being connected at all, even without Safari or Mail open). I tried the solution, but I couldn’t get the Subject to work, and I also realised that some formatting would be less than perfect. Life moved on and I didn’t use the workflow and more or less abandoned iA Writer. The full screen option in WordPress filled in.
But last night I was looking again for a solution. I wish iA Writer would develop one, and I even asked them to, but they’re focus on doing what they’re doing: bare minmum text, and I love what they have provided.
Did you ever get further in your use of iA Writer?
What I really wish is that it had a real backend, like Mail, where I could save drafts, publish whenever I wanted, but that the writing environment could be invoked just as they have it.
Wish I was a real programmer!
BTW: Back in 2006 maybe I used a theme of yours for a site I had then. GridFocus? I really liked your work. At the time you were the first to take WordPress in the direction of elegant minimalism.
My use of iA Writer has remained the same. Although, I’ve started experimenting with Byword. Coupled with QuickCursor Byword can be invoked from any text area. I still enjoy WordPress but my time for playing with the project and building sites has waned over the past year or so. I just haven’t found the time outside of work. My goal is still to maintain a simplified publishing system using a static / markdown backend. Still a work in progress. I could always use one of the pre-existing services which utilize Dropbox as the backend for publishing.
Ahhh… Grid Focus. Hasn’t changed in a super long time. Another project that needs updating when I find the time.