You'll need a wysiwyg html editor such as Dreamweaver - that means you don't need to learn how to write HTML - it does it for you. Reference material on the basics of HTML can be found for free on the internet!

So, to start:

1. Buy a domain name
2. Buy webhosting (www.anhosting.com is dirt cheap with massive storage - they also give you a free domain name so you can miss out 1. in that case)
3. Make a blueprint of your site on paper - you know, rough design, notes on content etc. Know what you want your site to look like so make notes of colour scheme etc.
4. If you're not good at creating a template then either download a free one or buy one. (http://www.freewebtemplates.com/ for example - or just type web templates in google).
5. Use Dreamweaver to compile your website.
6. The fist page of your website should be called index.html - you can call it index.php if you're thinking of using php scripts later on.
7. The folder on your computer with your website in it can be uploaded to your webspace via an ftp client. Again, these can be gotten free from the internet! Google free ftp client - Mozilla do a great plug in one for FireFox - google FireFTP!
8. The FTP client is the software that will transport the files from your computer to your webspace - you simply add the details of your webspace, username, password (supplied by your host). When you've logged your FTP in, you;ll see a file tree appear showing all the files on your webspace. You can drag and drop files from your computer into the relevant folders on your webspace.

Any questions just shout