Blogging

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   nmforneyposted 14 years ago

   I have written several post regarding politcal issues, and have been prompted by many to place my writings on a blog. I am up to challenges, but not very computer literate.  I can't seem to comprehend how to construct a blog.  I'd appreciate someone explaining how to do this in terms that I can understand.  I am a 71 year old Professional Clerical/Secretarial Office worker, and still in the work force as an Executive Administrative Assistant.  I'm interested very much in how to blog.  Thanks for your assistance.

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   1. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Mforney, HubPages is a place where you write articles (Hubs) on topics that interest you.  These forums are not the "main game", they're a place for "Hubbers" (the members who write Hubs) to congregate and chat. 
      
      Of course you're welcome to simply participate in the forums if that's what you want to do, but most people here do participate in the main activity of the site, so that's why people are probably suggesting that you "blog".
      
      Writing Hubs is not blogging, though.  It's akin to writing articles in a quality magazine - each Hub is a complete article, usually between 500 and 1,500 words.
      
      A blog is your own website, where you write frequent (usually daily) short posts about whatever you like.  A blog post is usualy much shorter than a Hub.
      
      As others have said, the easiest place to start a blog is at blogger.com.  However, since you've already signed up here at HubPages, I would recommend you write Hubs instead.

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2. 60

   Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

   nmforney, if you go to blogger.com you can set up a free blog, put Google ads on it if you want (you could always ask for help if/when the time comes to put ads on it), and start a pretty simple blog.  Setting things up there is pretty easy (nobody has to get "fancier" than they know how to, because they offer ready-made templates of your choosing). 
   
   The first thing they ask if you sign up is the name of your blog, so think that up ahead.  The sign-up process is really easy.  If you go with one of their ready-made templates (which, if you want, you can often customize) and with their default settings; you can pretty much just start posting. 
   
   The way, on that site, you add stuff (like pictures) to your blog is to first "view blog".  From there you select "customize".  From there you select "add gadget" and from there you select "picture" (or whatever else you want to add).  Then you can move things around by clicking your mouse (drop and drag).  That's kind of it in a nutshell.   If you get stuck you can always check with "help" or else ask somewhere like here.  If have a bunch of them (which can be found through my profile page).  Mine aren't the most "advanced" things in the world, but they look ok enough.  If you wanted to e.mail me with any blogger questions if I can answer them I'd be glad to.
   
   (There are lots of free blog sites, but I find blogger pretty easy to work with, and I like the options it offers.)
   
   Note:  Sometimes when people say "blogging" they just mean writing Hubs on here (or some other site).  If that's all you're interested in doing you could just write a Hub that says whatever you want to say, categorize it, and have a bunch of Hubs on your political views.

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3. 60

   Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

   I'd recommend writing Hubs too.  You don't get the colorful pages and some of the extras, but the money is better.    (Just so nobody thinks that after two years I don't know the difference between the correct use of the term, "blogging," and the often incorrectly applied use of the term when referring to Hub-writing, I do.  I should have included, "incorrectly say 'blogging'..".  Oopsie.    I don't want nmforney to think I'm giving bad information.     )
   
   nm, I just thought if someone was recommending you "blog" they may have been doing what a lot of people do, which is call any kind of online writing, "blogging".  After I wrote the whole thing about blogger.com it hit me, "Oh - someone may have just been calling writing on HubPages, 'blogging'!  The blogger.com info wasn't what she was looking." 

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4. 0

   Pacal Votanposted 14 years ago

   Blogger.com and wordpress.com are pretty straightforward.
   
   If you have any specific questions, feel free to drop me a mail.

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