How to Start a Blog: Guide for Grandma®

Everyone is talking about, writing about blogs, yet not all our family friends have a blog. So, this hub will explain how to start a blog in a very simple language as it can be understood by a kid or your own grandma. Guide for Grandma® is a registered trademark under which I plan to write few articles.

A Blog is a Diary

A web log (that is the real name) or shortly called as a "blog" is an online journal or a notebook on the web. A collection of events, thoughts, experiences shared in an informal, casual way on a personal website. In this online notebook, you can write about anything, share your photos, express opinions and offer tips or advice.

Just as you do with your personal diary or a notebook (from now on, we call it as a blog), you can choose to share with the 'world' (with any web user who may stumble on your notebook) or keep it yourself. You can even share your blog for selected people (just for your friends and relatives) by inviting them to view your blog.

If you are not providing any personal information, and if you think your writings (blog) will be helpful for anyone, you can keep it public so that any web user can read it and appreciate it.

You write entries (short articles) on your blog (online notebook) and they are commonly referred as "blog posts". A person who write a blog is referred as a "blogger" another funky word for writer or author.

Now, a person who reads your blog post can express their opinions on your blog, with a "comment". You can choose allow / disapprove a comment from publishing, that is called "comments moderation".

I will advise you to look around few blogs first. There are many blogs and you may ask our friends and relatives if they own one.

As a blog is organized as "a list of blog posts" - entries recorded datewise (chronological order), you can browse through all previous posts from a blog's navigation bar.

I would recommend www.blogger.com because it is free and you dont need to pay a penny for hosting and it is easy for beginners.

First thing is to visit www.blogger.com and click "Signup for a blog". Blogger is a free service and you can open as many blogs as you like (one for just posting your photos, one for writing cooking recipes and so on). All for free. Blogger is a service from Google and it is a very user-friendly so even a 8-year old can learn quickly.

Follow this video tutorial (click on the play button below) to a walk-through on starting a blog.

You can write anything on your blog and it depends on your personal wish. It is not advisable to divulge personal information such as phone number, address, age etc on your blog. You may leave an email (create another email id just for blogging purposes) for your readers to contact you.

Blogging (writing a blog) is a very good hobby to beat boredom, and you can gain friends from other corner of the world. Here's a suggested list of topics on which you can write your blog.

• Write your day-to-day activities, life experiences
• Express your thoughts, wishes and memories of life
• Your opinion on current news, politics and culture
• Write about what you know, what you have learnt so far
• Or just post your photos from your digital camera
• Any other creations such as paintings, artwork, knitworks (photos)

• Keep your friends informed about what's happening in your life
• A record for what you have been learning so you won't forget
• Just a list of messages that are of interest to you
• Books that you read (reviews and recommendations)
• Movies that you saw
• Television dramas or shows that you liked
• Your likes and dislikes
• Your good recipes

You can use your blog to inform your readers or entertain them or do both. So, decide what you want to write or post on your blog, and with whom you want to share your blog.

• Post a welcome note for your readers.
• Start writing few entries or blog posts.
• Announce to your friends your blog address.
• Add it to your email signature if you want.
• Join in a blogging community - there might be one in your own town.Search in Google.
• Visit other people's blogs and leave comments.
• Write more useful articles so your readers can learn.