Configuring your WordPress Install

You need to configure some basic settings in your blog, such as the title, tagline, time zone, and your name. Click the Settings tab on the far right, and then browse through the available subtabs — General, Writing, Reading, Discussion, Privacy, Permalinks, and Miscellaneous. Select the options you want.

As you’re configuring your settings, be sure to enable permalinks and allow comments without moderation. Permalinks make your URLs intelligible names that reflect the title of your post, rather than something like ?p=123. Comments also need configuration. By default, comments must be approved before they appear on your site.

To configure your settings, at the very least do the following:

1. Enable permalinks by going to Settings > Permalinks. Select the Day and Name option (if you select another option, it’s more difficult to set your page URLs).
2. Enable comments to appear immediately by going to Settings > Discussion. In the “Before a comment appears” section, select only the Comment author must fill out name and e-mail check box.
3. Set the blog title and tagline by going to Settings > General. Usually the blog title and tagline automatically appear in your blog’s header.
4. Set the correct time zone by going to Settings > General and selecting the appropriate UTC number in the Timezone section.

More info: http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Quick_Start_Guide

Changing your reading settings

Setting your discussion settings