Anyone can run a blog (an online journal). From personal diaries to political commentary and technology observations, bloggers are making their voices heard around the world. Essential Blogging helps you select the right blogging software for your needs and show how to get your blog up and running. You'll learn the ingredients of a successful blog, and then get detailed installation, configuration and operation instructions for the leading blogging software: Blogger, Radio Userland, Movable Type, and Blosxom. After showing you how to acquire, set-up, and run these leading software packages, Essential Blogging takes you through the more advanced features, so that by the time you finish, you'll be up and blogging with the best of them. Essential Blogging covers:

the important components of a blog and a blog post

installing and configuring the tools

a survey of desktop blogging clients

advice and experience from real-world bloggers

hosted blogging with Blogger and Blogger Pro

desktop blogging with Radio Userland

server blogging with Movable Type

posting, editing, and deleting blog entries

adding pictures to blog entries

syndicating your stories with RSS

consuming RSS feeds with Radio Userland

customizing the appearance of your blog with templates

managing and customizing archives of blog entries

adding comments to your blog

self-hosting your blog vs using a blog-hosting service

going under the hood with the Blosxom blogging system Written by prominent bloggers and authors of blogging tools, Essential Blogging is a no-nonsense guide to the technology of blogging.