Little Window to Odisha - Prabhat Nath

Web Space Dedicated to my Odisha and Odia Language.

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This is Prabhat Nath from Odisha. Currently I live in Hyderabad (India) and work as a Software Developer.
If you are not big enough to lose, you are not big enough to win.
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Monday, November 06, 2006
How to Start a BLOG

Many people used to Blog using many different Blogging sites and also I have seen many of my friends asking about how to start a Blog. So I have decided to write some basic and easy steps here.

A "Blog" is a web-based journal in which people can publish their thoughts and opinions on the Internet. Anyone can start a blog. Most of the cases it is free!

Get Ahead with Steps

Find a decent blogging provider that appeals to you. I use Blogger, Rediff iLand and
MSN Spaces. Some others include Yahoo 360, Livejournal.com, JournalHome.com, WordPress.com, TheDiary.org etc. Of course there are many. Most of these sites are pre-made with Templates or Themes that don't require much technical know-how.

1.
Once you sign up, you'll have a gallery of ready-made themes or templates to choose from. Select one and personalize it. Add your Name, Interests, Images, etc.

2.
Add blogging freebies like buttons, images, blog chalks, imoods, tagboards, guest maps, guestbooks, comment boxes for readers' input, etc. if the blogging site permits these all.

3.
Explore other blog sites that offer more features for a small fee, such as Typepad.com.

4.
Decide on whether or not you want your blog to be Private or Personal: do you want any Internet visitor to be able to read your blog, or do you just want your friends and family to be able to read it? Most blog sites offer the ability to password-protect your published posts so only those who you approve of can view what you've written.

5.
Decide on how you want your blog to look. You can pick a Theme, Color Scheme and Layout. Most sites come with a set of predefined layouts and schemes that you can choose from, or you can edit your own.

6.
After you've set up your blog, write a few posts to test it out, and make any adjustments to the layout or style that you see fit. At first, it will seem tough to figure out what to write, but once you get into a routine of daily blogging, you will find it addictive. Write about your day, your thoughts, events, ideas, fears, pleasures, the news, current affairs, art, or anything you are interested in!

7.
Visit other blogs to build a blogging circle. When you leave comments, add your blogging address so they can visit you, too! Also leave your message in the Guestbooks if any.

8.
If you want to make your blog look more attractive, there are some sites up that have many "skins" that might make it look better. One example is blogskins.com, which also comes with Photoshop and HTML tutorials.

9. Publish your blog by sending the URL to your friends or publish the URL on your website. Add the URL to posts you make on other blogs.

Tips you should not forget

  • If you update your blog frequently, more people will return on a regular basis to read it. Establishing a reader base will motivate you to write more and in turn more people will read your posts.
  • Get into a routine of blogging. Make it part of your day. Soon, you will notice things during your day and think, "Hey, I'll blog this!"
  • Personalize your blog. A pretty blog always catches the eye. Visit some other blogging sites like blogger.com for ideas; they have a list of their 10 most recently updated blogs.
  • You could Google for "blog Orissa" or "blog Mobile" (or anything else), depending on location, interests, etc. Circles of interest are the essence of blogging, and it can start to develop you as an authority in the blogospher on lawns or whatever area of interest you choose.
  • Keep the posts interesting. Try to avoid focusing on things that most readers won't find useful (such as "I went to the park today and saw Sabita.") Write about things you noticed, thoughts you had, and feelings or ideas. Blog about a recent trip to any place like Konark etc.
  • Spellcheck your writing before posting.
  • Some sites allow you to make money off your blog by using by placing Google AdSense advertisements. If popular enough, your blog could start to pay your bills!
  • Don't feel bogged down if no one visits your site for the first few months. As with communities this large, it will take some time for your blog to get noticed.
  • If you want a broad (international) readership, do not use too many abbreviations or slang terms that might not be easily understood by people who are not from your country/area.
  • Get interesting news from websites like Rediff GetAhead, Techtree or any other websites that you frequently read.
  • Blog on a specific subject. You can't please everyone, so target a specific audience (ie. culture, teens, computers related, gamers, etc.) and go with it.

Finally, I would suggest that you be patient with yourself. Writing is like anything else. The more you do it, the better you get. If you have a little talent, and stick with it, you’ll eventually get into the rhythm and joy of it.

Cheers!

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posted by Name: Prabhat Nath @ 5:21 PM  
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Name: Name: Prabhat Nath
Home: Location: Hyderabad, India
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