How do I start a blog under a pen-name and maintain my anonymity. How do you then get regular readers?

I want to blog about issues I don't want associating with my 'work' self. How do I choose a blog host that has a good anonymity record, in other words, I don't want it to be easy for people to match up my IP address or access my personal details.

Also, having set the blog up, how do you encourage high volume visitors?

I've only used LJ before and I want to try something a bit different, but anonymity is the biggest issue for me. Would welcome suggestions of good free blog hosts.

Use www.blogger.com. You write/blog under a user name, not your real name. Creating a profile with photo and all that is optional. You have to advertise your site if you want people to go to it regularly. You can advertise it on free things MySpace, or related sites that would contain your link (that might not be free).

http://story-bob.blogspot.com/ is a good sample, and you can find many ways about how to marketing your blog http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20060807084456AAVIMZ1&kid=Q7BKJkzbFFrZChAXs0I.&s=comm&date=2008-08-06+14%3A56%3A41&.crumb=

I find blogspot.com to be quite userfriendly and enjoyable.

Thankful For Fools

http://thankfulforfools.blogspot.com http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20060807084456AAVIMZ1&kid=MLlEBFrnD1mIzASPbg__&s=comm&date=2008-08-21+12%3A40%3A23&.crumb=

yea

lifetimesofscholar.blogspot.... http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20060807084456AAVIMZ1&kid=OJVLO3vEGGk_AuNgC1xo&s=comm&date=2008-08-24+11%3A12%3A49&.crumb=

blogger.com

You can hide any and all of your personal info by editing the template.

Bloggining your blog, by commenting on other's blogs who might have similar interests, or forums for example.

You could always mention it at any opportunity (if you're indiscriminate)...

check out http://the-egg-and-i.blogspot.com for an example of what I mean :)

Also, if it's any good, your blog readership will grow by e-word-of-mouth

www.blogger.com is good, Don't worry about your IP address, and give a fake name at signup.

To get visitors requires a lot more work, either advertising, or improving your google page rank which is determined by the number of sites linking back to yours. To do this submit articles to ezine submission services like www.goarticles.com, and others, leave comments in guest books and blogs, sooner or later your blog will be spidered by the search engines and the more you get the higher you will be in the search engines. Read up on website promotion from places like www.promotionworld.com etc..

try http://www.bizzyblogz.com

they keep EVERYTHING private and YOU can keep your blog entries and profile private or just friends.

Blogger/Blogspot WILL give out your info if requested.