Got something on your mind but no where to rant? Need to lament about your job, cheating ex or lousy stock broker? You should blog it.

No, that's not a mistake, I said blog it. As in blogging, the hottest new craze sweeping over the Internet.

Blogs -- the term is derived from the words "web" and "log" -- are like instant messages to the Web.

Many blogs are personal, "what's on my mind" type of musings. Others take the form of a frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.

A blog is often a mixture of what is happening in a person's life and what is happening on the Web, a kind of hybrid diary and guide site, although there are as many unique types of blogs as there are people.

Think of it as your own electronic diary, but unlike the one kept under lock and key beneath your bed, this one can be read by anyone on the Internet.

The blog movement is hugely popular and has become a cottage-industry of Internet users who are sick of editing complex HTML pages and then transferring them to a server just to publish their thoughts.

Blogging didn't become widely popular and easy until about 1999, when more savvy computer users started creating scripts that made the whole process easy and painless.

It's even been called the Napster of the journalism industry for its ability to instantly publish to a wide audience. Some bloggers even consider themselves amatuer journalists, although most reputable news ogranizations wouldn't touch the writing quality on most blogs with a 10-foot pole.

That said, CTV.ca has compiled a collection of essential blogging links to help get you started (be sure to mention how great CTV.ca is in your blog). Most of the services are free, but check first.

Blogger
This grandaddy of the blog movement dubs itself as the ultimate in "push-button publishing for the people." Using simple forms, users can keep a journal, what's new page, project page, or any other type of frequently updated web page. Blogger.com's owners claim 1.5 new blogs are created each minute.

Pitas
The first free build-your-own-weblog tool. Simplicity is the key here. Pitas has templates which can be customized from any Web browser.

GrokSoup
Another free blog service, this site takes the techno confusion out of the process. Their motto: Concentrate on creating a cool site, but leave content management and all that stuff to us. Oh ya, its creators claim to have "oodles" of easy tools to help get you started.

Free Conversant
This service isn't as easy to use as the others, but offers lots of control if you're, well, a controlling person.

We:Blog
Originally modelled after the popular site Slashdot.org, this free blog service is simple and super-flexible. You can customize the appearance of your site through the use of an HTML template, or just let the site do all of the work for you.

DiaryLand
Unlike the others, this site has a more family-focused approach to creating a blog. Cute icons and pastel colours make it seem inviting to the novice. Indeed, you don't need to know anything more than how to type and use the web.

Bloglet
Now that you have a blog, you want people to continue reading it, right? Get yourself a subscription service. This website offers a free e-mail notification that's compatible with Blogger.com and others.

Microcontent News
Run from Manhattan with lots of private money, this website is actually a blog on the blog industry. Editor John Hiler writed about news on neat blog techniques, personal publishing trends and other associated goodies dealing with personal publishing.

Okay, so now you know where to get started. But if you still find the whole blog movement somewhat murky, you could always try reading up more on the subject. Below is a selection of books aimed at helping both the experienced and novice blogger learn more.

Blogging: Genius Strategies for Instant Web Content by Biz Stone (due September 13)

We Blog: Publishing Online with Weblogs by Paul Bausch, Matthew Haughey, Meg Hourihan

The Weblog Handbook: Practical Advice on Creating and Maintaining Your Blog by Rebecca Blood

Essential Blogging By Benjamin Trott, et al.