Blogs: How do I set up my own blog?

A blog is just another website – but it is very easy to update it yourself, so you can have a simple one up and running in 10 minutes! Here are 10 reasons why authors need to have a blog.Now it’s time to set one up!

There are a couple of options when setting up your blog.

I want a free simple blog so I can get started easily and quickly!

Two of the most popular free sites are www.blogger.com and also www.wordpress.com

The process is:

· Create a logon ID and profile page.

· Choose your blog name and details.

· Add extras to your site like links, pictures, widgets etc.

· Start posting to your site.

You can have your first blog up and running in no time! The first blog I started was for my first book and I still use it (although it is not my main site). You can see it here for “How to Enjoy Your Job”. I used WordPress.com as a site and added a custom header. Posting is very simple and easy.

The great thing about the free blogs are that you can get started right away and get used to blogging, as well as having no costs. However, there are restrictions as to how much customisation you can do i.e. no extra Plugin functionality.

I want a more comprehensive blog where I have control

If you are ready for a blog that is more comprehensive and where you can customise anything, then you will want your own hosted blog. This is where you use the same software, but on your own website. Your webmaster can incorporate a blog for you, or you can set this up yourself.

I created my blog The Creative Penn in one day using the following tools:

· Watch the 10 free videos on Become a Blogger – these videos show you step by step how to get your hosting sorted, upload your wordpress software and get blogging. I was able to proceed using only these videos. You can also get the roadmap to becoming a blogger.

· Cheap and easy hosting with Hostgator – easy to use and part of the videos so you can find your way around.

Using these tools, I was able to start posting within a day, and then improved my site over time by learning from the best bloggers in the business.

How do I know what to post on my blog?

It’s a good idea to find blogs you are interested in reading and see how they use theirs and what they include. If you want your blog to last a long time it needs to be something you are interested in. If you are an author, you will want to sell your book but your blog can be centred around you, or your book or genre. You can even have multiple blogs but remember they can take up considerable time if you are enthusiastic about posting!

You can go to Alltop’s Writing site to see some of the top writing blogs, or Alltop’s Publishing site.

You can also subscribe to my blog in order to keep up with what I am posting on a regular basis.

See also: 10 reasons authors need to blog – and coming soon: Top tips on making your blog one to read.

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