A blog of your own

With all this new traffic from many folks who've never seen a blog before, I thought I would point you to a few tips on how to start one, should you be so inclined.

Food Blogging 101
Adam wrote this fun piece a while back. He gave a good overview of what to do and not to do, in that hilarious style that could only be from that Amateur Gourmet.

Food Blog S'cool
A brainchild of our Sam, Food Blog S'cool is a collective space where food bloggers talk about everything from the technical side of blogging to how to get more people to read your blog. There is also a good calendar of events if you want to keep up on the memes, cook-offs and whatnot. A very good resource for new bloggers.

Blog Tool: Typepad
As for blogging tools, I whole-heartedly recommend Typepad, which I have used since they were in Beta. Typepad, unlike Blogger, is not free, but it's far better in my opinion. It is simple enough to be able to get started very quickly, even if you've never done it before, and yet flexible enough that I can tailor it to my needs as my blog evolves. The lowest tier subscription is just about $10 a month, which is really not that much at all for what they offer.

Comments

[Linda]

But, if you're not sure you want to commit to a blog and are just trying it out, blogger is a good way to go. :)

[Yishay Mor]

If you own some web space, you can install MovableType (typepad's software) http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/pricing or WordPress http://wordpress.org/ for free. WordPress is a bit younger than MT, but IMHO has most of its features.

[Matt]

Blogger works just as well for beginners, or you can even use blogger space and make your own design. I have no experience with MovableType, but most professional websites seem to use MovableType.

The posting on Amatuer Gourmet is certainly useful. I think the best thing is to just look at as many food blogs as possible and take ideas from them.

Matt

[Mithrandir]

The majority of MT blogs I've visited are somewhat unattractive, especially the new ones. MT can be a fine blog engine, but it seems to require the attentions of an advanced user. Plus, it has a price tag, which is a barrier to entry.

b2evolution, on the other hand, is a very nice blog engine that even looks good out of the box. Plus, it's free software, which is important.

I recommend that those who have their own hosting check it out.

[Kate]

Thanks for the helpful hints for newbies. I've just looked at the Food Blog S'cool site and it has lots of information that's going to be useful as I attempt to lauch myself into the world of food blogs.

[Doree]

Perfect timing...I finally got around to starting one myself! Thanks Pim!