I Want to Learn to Blog

Updated on November 10, 2008
S.S. asks from Troy, MI
26 answers

Any suggestions on how to start a blog? I want to journal about my motherhood experiences and keep a log of the ah-ha mommy moments. I want it to be used to help other moms and for my children to refer back to when they are parents. Any info would be great. Buy the way I don't want to pay a dime for this.

11 moms found this helpful

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So What Happened?

Many people recommended Blogspot. It seems user friendly. One great idea was to do more than one blog. Another great idea was to do one for your recipes. It becomes an online recipe box!

I really want to do one but hubby is concerned about security.

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H.B.

answers from Detroit on

There are several free blog sites you can use: WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, maybe even more. I personally use Blogger. I actually have a blog about life parenting teens there: www.hollybowne.blogspot.com.

The best part is, you do NOT have to be at all computer savvy to get started. If I can do it, anyone can! :)

Good luck!

4 moms found this helpful
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A.A.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Go to blogger.com and it will walk you through the process. It's quite easy actually...three simple steps. You just have to come up with a name for it and choose from their templates. You can make it as simple and complex as you want. I started a few months ago and I love it!

3 moms found this helpful

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L.W.

answers from Detroit on

There is a site blogger.com that shows you but you have to set up an account. I think this is google.

This is a video how to for google's blog

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&client=safa...#

And here are some sites to look at:

www.dumblittleman.com/2007/08/how-i-blog.html

How stuff works is a pretty good site
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/blog2.htm

This one is a little more involved but I thought it was worth the read.
http://www.2createawebsite.com/traffic/create-free-blog.html

And last but not least this one seems easy to follow:
http://michaelhyatt.blogs.com/workingsmart/2005/04/how_to...

You can get more info by googling how to create a blog. Lots of help out there...some easier then other. Let me know if you need more help.

7 moms found this helpful
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L.H.

answers from Detroit on

I just started blogging a few months ago myself. I use wordpress.com -- and yes, it's free! My girlfriend uses blogspot and for some reason she said if she had to do it all over she'd go with wordpress (although she's getting really into blogging, now, so perhaps what she wanted isn't necessary for everyone!).

It's a lot of fun -- good luck! And feel free to check my blog out: www.barefootinhighheels.wordpress.com

Thanks!

6 moms found this helpful
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R.H.

answers from Detroit on

It is quite easy actually. Some big blog sites are blogger.com and xanga.com

As far as setting up the site, the above mentioned will walk you through it.

As for actually blogging... you just start writing as if you are writing a journal. I would be careful whatever you do that you do not include any personal information. If you are going to make this public, as in absolutely anyone can view it, you want to be fairly anonymous.

Unfortunately there ARE crazy people out there. You want to protect you and your family from some psycho who may want to do you or your kids harm. It's sad we have to warn against these things... but stalkers, kidnappers, identity theft theives... they don't need much to go on. So, NO last names, no actual birthdates, try to avoid mentioning the city where you live, and if you can just avoid using real names at all that's better. I have a private blog on xanga, meaning I decide who sees it and who doesn't. But even there I don't use any of our real names. I typically refer to my daughter by her mamma given nickname... buppy. ;-)

If you're careful about it all, blogging is actually quite fun. I've met some great people through blogging.

3 moms found this helpful
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N.S.

answers from San Antonio on

create a myspace,it's a great way to find people like you - by age, kids, etc. and you can blog all you want. Go create an account and look around at other people's - you can dress it up, put photos, change out just about everything, and you can mark it private so no one can look at it but people you allow. Mark all your photos private or "me only" and you can do ditto for your blogs. I'm in my late 40's and use it to keep in touch with all my grown kids, and I can see all their friends, and cousins, and check out their pics, and I can't say enough about it!

3 moms found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Gainesville on

I use blogspot too! It is totally free and very user friendly. It has been a while since I last posted and I have not been as consistent as I was when I first started several months ago, but I love it, as it is a fun and easy way to keep my family in touch with what is going on in our lives, and gives me an outlet for all my fun mommy stories. Some posts are better than others, but check it out...

http://www.amandamom.blogspot.com/

3 moms found this helpful
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R.H.

answers from Detroit on

Hi S.,

Try https://www.blogger.com/ - super easy, simple and free.

Good luck!

--R.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Good for you! I started after my daughter was born and its been the best way to share stories and pictures with family.

I started on on blogspot, I have a gmail account, but I think you can start one even if you don't. Its free of course, and is very simple to set up and use. I upload pictures and video.

I'm not sure how it compares with other sites, I'm certainly not an expert, but I have lots of friends who use this site as well. Also people can "subscribe" to your blog and it shows up on their google homepage each time you post - if you're interested in that.

I've got two there, one to post recipes and the other for family news. hazardwetmorefamily.blogspot.com and martasrecipes.blogspot.com Feel free to check them out and see if this is what you're looking for. You can have multiple blogs with your account and set them at whatever privacy level you're comfortable with. I'd recommend moderating comments so you don't get a lot of spam or junk!

Best wishes and happy blogging - its addictive. :)

3 moms found this helpful
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S.J.

answers from Detroit on

In addition to what the others have said, I'd add - give some thought to how much you want to reveal about yourself and your family before you start blogging. Everything you write is completely public. Anyone can read it. I've heard of strange people tracking someone down from the information on her blog. You don't have to be paranoid, but do be smart!

I choose not to use my children's names on my blog. I try to be careful about revealing enough information to let someone figure out where we live. Think about whether or not what you're saying will be embarrassing to your children if they read it some day.

For some of the technical basics, there's a site called bloggingbasics101.com that I've found helpful.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I use blogger.com. It's free and easy. Have fun!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.C.

answers from Lansing on

S.,

I know that blogging is all the rage these days and being in the over 50 crowd it took me a while to come to understand how people are able to post such personal information for all the world to read. As for myself I have kept personal journals all my life. I have guarded their content as I have viewed them as my most personal thoughts. I know that one day my children will read them which is fine for when that day comes I will be long gone. I began my latest journal addressed just to them. I wrote about the day they were born, how I felt about my pregnancy and made references that were specific just to them alone. Even though it's a little old fashion I think this form of recording your days with your children will one day be valued very much by them as adults. Being an older Mom I thought I would toss this out for you to consider since I found such great personal satisfaction in journaling. Whatever form you choose, recording those wonderful days is a great idea.

S.

2 moms found this helpful
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C.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi S.-

If you have security concerns you can do a few things.

Blogspot lets you make your blog private so that only invited readers can read. Or, if you make it public, you can simply not post any identifying info- e.g., no location, job name, children's names or face pictures. You can refer to the kids by pseudonyms.

Check out the blog http://zrecs.blogspot.com/ which is public but has no identifying info.

Have fun!

2 moms found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Jonesboro on

If you have a yahoo id, pay to make it plus. It comes with a blog. When your logged in yahoo, which you do anyway. Its same login for your blog. just go to your geocities and in the list you will see manage blog. Best blog option i would think, since its part of your stuff your already using. I use mine for our Church. I have different catagorys on there, for recipes, prayer requests, general, bible study, sermons, youth, and sundays adult class. You can chose color scheme and block anyone you want from viewing. You can save it in faves and make available offline, if you use dial up. You would have to do each catagory if you were gonna do that. Also though to keep it from taking up alot of room in your faves, you can make a folder and it all can be kept neat and tucked in there. If your server limits time spent online or have dial up, these are things id do. Hope this helps, send me a pm if you need more assistance.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.H.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I do blog spot and have for the last 2 years. I was concerned about safety as well but I have made the some rules about the blog that I have stuck to.

1. Don't write before something is going to happen or if you go away....
2. Don't write whole names...I write the first initial
3. If you write about a place shorten the name or just use intials...like say the zoo not the name of the zoo
4. Never post anything that you would think is inappropriate.....
5. With Blogspot you can control who looks at your blog...then you can write whatever you want.

It is very easy to set up...

If you want to check out my blog..you can let me know and I can send you a link

1 mom found this helpful
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A.D.

answers from Phoenix on

I started a blog soon after I had my son in January. I love it. It is like a journal to me, but it also lets other friends and family members read about us, when they don't see us all the time. If you need help starting one, let me know. I will help you.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.M.

answers from Lansing on

i have a blogspot blog. its super easy. and a no brainer. i also have a myspace where you can blog but blogspot is soo much easier. if you get a blogspot let me know i would love to read it!! good luck with your blogging its fun

1 mom found this helpful
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T.T.

answers from Dallas on

If you just want to journal without sharing with the whole world, use your word processing program (microsoft word). You can use different fonts and colors and add pictures or clip art. I would save it to a CD or disk for backup. You could get even more creative and use powerpoint for slide shows with music. This should make you and your husband happy.

I use powerpoint and make slide shows with music and journaling to send to grandparents once or twice a year...if you have a DVD burner you can burn a DVD that will play on the TV with no problem.

Good Luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.H.

answers from Detroit on

https://www.blogger.com/start

This is where I have my bog through, It's free for that but it does cost like $10 to buy your URL.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.J.

answers from Cleveland on

I also recommend blogspot and also think about your privacy, it can start out just family & friends reading and before you know it, you build a readership

http://ukraineadventure.blogspot.com

1 mom found this helpful
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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

S.,

I started a blog while pregnant. I used blogspot and it's pretty simple. Check my blog out and if you have any questions just let me know.
http://peanutmaes.blogspot.com/

Good luck and Congratulations,
C. M

1 mom found this helpful
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A.P.

answers from Grand Rapids on

My friend uses blogspot.com. It is free and she says it is easy. I am thinking of doing one myself.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.L.

answers from Detroit on

That sure is an interesting thing to do, I cannot help, but I sure hope you get some. I'd like to know.

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T.W.

answers from Washington DC on

I don't mean to sound stupid but what is a blog

T.

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T.B.

answers from Portland on

I started with blogspot which is VERY easy!!! After a while (and after I get used to it), I moved to wordpress that I like a lot better!
Check out mine if you'd like, maybe it can give you an idea too! http://momandmonster.wordpress.com

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