Step by step guide for creating a forum with smf?

[noland]

Hello everyone!

Questions.  Ive finally gotten smf up and running correctly - thank you everyone!

Now.

Does anyone have a direction to point me for a list of what to do to create a professional feeling forum?
1- 100 list - do this then that...etc

I couldn't find a beginners corner in the smf community with a how to section.

My topic is dowsing and all its uses.
My initial content will be a small pdf library of pdfs I learned with/from and have permission to distribute.
- links to youtube videos that Ive learned from - with highpoint explanations of all the relevant stuff in the videos broken down onto a new downloadable pdf.
-links to podcasts - with the relevant points broken down - in order to train yourself how to do it as well.

I'm building the site to train others to dowse with pendulums - and will use the training conversations as content to get the users speaking to each other.

Questions

How do I divide it all up into relevant categories?
What is recommended?
Has anyone compiled a list of the basics to build a relevant forum from the ground up?

Gratis!