More about how to set up a blog
A little while ago I wrote about finding the right blog host and why it is a necessary step to take when you want to set up a blog. Why? Because, it seems as though you don’t have access to the things you need when you use a free blog host. So the best blog set up means having a host that you own (or rent from a hosting company).
In that post I mentioned that I’d write more about this as it seems like something a lot of new bloggers would want to learn about. It is so darn confusing! I remember feeling like my brain was going to explode at all the different things that I had to be across.
How to Set Up a Blog Properly
This is a really cool YouTube video that I found that goes over why you want to get your own host vs a free blog host. It also has links to tutorials on how to get the hosting set up, etc.
The Best Website Hosting
This is the website that I mentioned in the first post which is good for reviews as well as giving you some information about what you try to look for. Lots of good comparisons.
Blog Hosting Wikipedia
This is actually quite interesting. A Wikipedia article that goes over all the different hosting options that are out there if you are thinking about starting a blog. Not overly informative but a good place to start your research I think.
Web hosting services on Wikipedia
This Wiki is a little bit more in depth as it covers some of the features of a good host as well as the technical side. Too detailed for me but some tech-heads on there might like it.
WordPress.org
This is the actual blogging software that I use here on this blog. It’s a little bit confusing but basically you buy a host and then install this free software on your host. You can then login to your blog anywhere in the world and edit it and add photos and so on. WordPress is, I believe, the most popular hosting option in the world and is completely open source.
Brian Gardner
This guy is a theme designer and founder of the paid WordPress theme market. He works for Copyblogger which is a blog about how to write online. He is constantly changing his blog’s design and has really good tips on how to choose the right theme.
In the end I think the most important thing is to take your time and research the different options out there. You want to get a good balance between price and features. For example, how many domain names do they allow you to have, can you create your own email addresses, is there an installer present that allows you to install the blogging software that you want, etc.
It can be a pretty long process but you will be really grateful once you have it all set up and running. You have so much more freedom than on a free host and you’ll find that, with that freedom, you are able to be creative and change things like templates, designs, and tweak the look and feel until it is something that really represents you as a writer.
I hope these little tips help any writers out there who are thinking of starting a blog. It really is a life-affirming type of activity – seeing your work get out there and make waves online.
Finding your voice when you write for a big audience
One of the things that I have been struggling with is the concept of “finding your voice“. Kind of ironic given the name of the site!
But, one thing that strikes me again and again is how many people could potentially be seeing the things that I write. I know that no one is really reading the blog at the moment (let’s be honest) but I really hope that one day it will grow and maybe even produce some income. A professional blog!
So what happens when that happens? All of my thoughts and ideas and mistakes are there for thousands or tens of thousands of people to see. And that kind of freaks me out.
I keep trying to think: should I be humble, funny, nice, witty, angry… how do I write online so that I get noticed but also don’t feel like I am selling out?
I guess the answer is to just keep writing. Hopefully over time I can figure it out and find a niche or an idea that works for me.
And there’s always the “delete” button!
Finding The Best Web Host
Lately I’ve been delving more and more into the professional side of blogging. I have been interested to research what is the best hosting australia, from the local web hosting perspective and to see if i can establish who is the best host for people that want to setup a new website or blog. I’ve been wondering whether it is actually possible to make a living from a blog like a lot of people seem to be doing.
Well, it seems as though it is possible but there are certain boxes that you need to tick. And after finding this great domain name I realized that what I was missing was a web hosting platform that I fully owned and operated.
It was time to move away from “free”.
So, I decided to bite to bullet and upgrade my blog to its own server.
I knew absolutely nothing about website hosting and who the best hosts were. So, like any normal person I hit up Google and went searching around for reviews.
One site that I recommend, if you are looking too, is BestHost.com.au. To me they seem really professional and independent.
The other tactic I used was to just go to a bunch of hosting company sites, and try to compare them myself manually. But, I have to say that I basically just ended up comparing the price. And, I know there is a lot more to it. Which is why I ended up basing my decision on what besthost.com.au said was the Best Host for 2013.
So far I’m really loving the experience and I’ll definitely write more on the whole process for people who think they might want to get started this way as well.
California: From Disneyland to Abandoned Zoos
I would say California is an ideal destination for travelers of all types, ranging from large families to singles. A winter retreat in Yosemite is ideal for a romantic couple. A family of four will have a blast at Disneyland or one of several other theme parks the state has to offer. A night on the town in Hollywood or San Francisco is a good time for a group of singles.
One of the best things about traveling to California is that there is no best time to visit. Though the state’s busiest months are June, July, and August, travelers who wish to avoid crowds and overpriced accommodations will enjoy visiting during the off-season. The weather in springtime and fall are often just as good as the summer.
While sites like Disneyland and Hollywood are significant aspects of the ‘sunshine’ state’s rich culture, many sites that are ‘off the beaten path’ make great destinations. San Diego’s sandy beaches are great places to lay out in the sun or have a dip in the ocean. Monterey is a quaint, coastal town home to a large aquarium. Griffith Park, right in the heart of Los Angeles, is a fantastic place to hike and visit an abandoned zoo.
Questions…
A couple of people have been asking me lately why I am such a fan of lonely travelling…. and how come I can be a lonely traveller when I have a daughter? Well… without wanting to sound too depressed… nor wanting to induce the same state in my good reader(s) (Ha!)… there is a rather simple explanation for the “lonely” aspect of the traveller in me… I did not produce a miraculously conceived child 
… and she spends a good amount of time bonding and sharing life with her father. And during those sad times I pack my pack and hit the road. Alone.
Travel Bug
I have to confess that I am a nut for travel. I would say that I was bitten by the travel “bug” at a young age. I used to sit with atlases and travel books and dream of the open road. No place to call home, no problems. I have been to probably 35 different countries now, by my mid twenties, and do not want to stop. I am a san fran by birth, but a child of the world by nature. I love the idea that I could meet wierd and wonderful people just like me, but living a completely different life, anywhere in the world. We are all not so different as we might have been raised to believe.
I invite you to take a journey around the globe with me on this blog. I will write infrequently, and no doubt poorly. But, I will write honestly and hopefully with some interest. My next trip is to the heartland of asia, and I will be taking nothing more than my laptop and backpack for company. I am certainly a HUGE proponent of the lonely traveller. I feel that you close yourself off to many of the greatest experiences when you travel in groups, and I cant begin to tell you how much I loathe “guided” tours.