The blogging platform I’d recommend is called Wordpress. I use Wordpress and I’ve been very pleased with it’s features and flexibility. It’s easy to use, and that’s always a plus.

There are 2 options:

1. Wordpress.com - Wordpress does most of the heavy lifting for you. Hosting, domain, security, backups, and themes are included.
2. Wordpress.org - You are in control. You find a host for your site, purchase your own domain, regularly perform backups/maintenance, and install themes and plugins. You have more freedom for customization.

If you’re interested in learning more about these options, take a look at this comparison.

The following chapters are for those who have chosen the .org route, and would prefer to take care of the details themselves.