Starting a blog?

[MistyEyedWanderer]

I have been thinking of starting a blog, somewhere to dump ideas and information.  Not necessarily all about modelling.  But that doesn't matter, its a space to offload.
But I don't know what I'm doing, and want it to be low cost.  The object is not to make money, its somewhere to express and make contact.

Have anyone some how to's?

[TeeCee]

You could start here. Looks very informative and east to use. https://themeisle.com/blog/best-free-blogging-sites/

[LASteve]

I've used blogspot for quite a few years; it's free if you use the blogspot.com domain (you can buy a custom domain if you want). The editor is pretty easy and intuitive to use and it automatically creates an archive of older entries as you go. You can add additional contributors whenever you like. You can post rich text, videos, pictures, etc,

[Jim Easterbrook]

Blogspot is owned by Google, who have a history of closing things down when they lose interest in them. (Been caught twice now, so I should have learnt my lesson.) My blog is currently on Blogspot and I really ought to move it.

WordPress is the obvious alternative, and is standardised enough to move your blog from one provider to another if things go awry. I tried exporting my blog from Blogspot to Wordpress but the images didn't come with it - image hosting is yet another problem area where I don't want to have all my eggs in one basket.

These things are never as easy as they ought to be, are they?

[Bealman]

I'm (a) not sure I really understand the function of a blog, and (b) don't understand why anyone would want one.

This here forum is my blog, as far as I'm concerned! 

[MistyEyedWanderer]

None of this is aimed at anyone one kind enough to post here:   

The way I see it, is that I can put anything likely to cause snowflakes to melt in a private space.  We don't all have to agree, but are free to express it.  I'm not one to make  personal attacks, but the way I'm treated IRL its hard to tell the difference.  I'm not happy on this tiny island, but can't get away.  I aim to, and this is reflected in my modelling.
So many things have changed, so much trouble with health, and some serious isolation, make me feel I cannot tell anyone anything, without them getting upset about it.
It doesn't help that with my 'special' needs, my primary communication is writing, and even with that, not sure what words to express with.  Everything is largely tacit.  Is a model train forum the place to discuss surviving every form of trauma?  It would be great if it was, but I don't see it working any better than IRL with all the stares and rejection.

It's mostly the older generation, that identifies with what I have to say.  Truth seems too much for people to handle.  If I mention the slightest spiritual topic I am branded as religious.  I'd like to see people heal on a national scale, and it means mentioning things that are unpleasant at best, and unbelievable to most.  Unless it's happened to you, or more probably the goggle box tells you so, it cant be real.

It doesn't leave much to work with.  I hope this is well received by those who read it.

[PLD]

I'm (a) not sure I really understand the function of a blog, and (b) don't understand why anyone would want one.

This here forum is my blog, as far as I'm concerned! 

it's 'horses-for-courses'. Both have their place and do fulfill subtly different roles. Think of the Forum as a two-way communication channel and the blog mainly one-way.
For a model railway topic, if you're wanting feedback and interaction the forum is certainly the better option. For an on line diary or more cerebral musings where a response is neither expected or desired such as MistyEyedWander is proposing, the blog is the more suited format...