Baking can be a very complicated science; measuring and concentration are the two most important ingredients. This is no reason to be deterred though, when just starting out baking; with a little determination and a joy for the craft, baking can be mastered following a few guidelines:

One important step that should be done every time you start to bake is to read through the entire recipe first! Everyone has had nightmares of getting half way through the recipe then realizing they don't have a certain ingredient; this means the recipe gets scrapped, or a run to the store is necessary. To avoid this common inconvenience, know what you need and make sure you have it and make sure nothing you do have has expired.