Windows Live Writer is a desktop application that makes it easier to compose compelling blog posts using a number of different blog platforms.  One of the great strengths of Windows Live Writer is the support for third party features (plugins) that enhance the core functionality of the application.

LiveJournal is a popular blogging platform that allows people to write journal entries and share them with their friends, and is one of the blog platforms supported by Windows Live Writer.  LiveJournal users have the ability to easily link to their friends in their journal entries by adding a special "LiveJournal User" tag.  For example, adding the tag <lj user="marathonswimmer"> will insert a link that looks like marathonswimmer.

The LiveJournal User Plugin for Windows Live Writer allows you to easily link to LiveJournal users in your blog entry, no matter what platform you're posting on.

• If you're posting to LiveJournal, the custom <lj user="username"> tags are added to your entry upon publication.
• If you're posting to any other blog platform, the equivalent HTML is added to your entry upon publication.

Using the plugin is easy.  When writing a new entry in Windows Live Writer, click the "Insert LiveJournal User" link in the right-hand pane, or select it from the Insert menu at the top of the application.

      

A dialog box will open, in which you type in the username of the person you wish to link to.

Press "OK" to add the link to your blog entry.  You can edit the username after it has been inserted by selecting it in the document and changing the name in the Properties panel on the right.

    

The LiveJournal User Plugin for Windows Live Writer can be downloaded for free at the link below.

Update:  The plugin has been updated to properly install into Windows Live Writer beta 2 or later.

Note:  Due to the way WLW embeds Smart Content (such as LiveJournal Users) into a post, the content will appear on a new line.  This currently can be fixed by manually editing the post in LiveJournal after it has been posted, but I am in discussion with the WLW development team to find a solution for this issue.