Check to make certain the flue of your fireplace is open. If not, the burning pine will fill the room with smoke very quickly.
Crumple several single sheets of newspaper loosely and lay them together in the center of the fireplace. Cover with a light layer of your firestarter wood.
Light the newspaper at two points in the back, then two points in the front. Always light back to front so you're not reaching over fire to light the back.
Blow gently on the budding fire until the firestarter wood begins to catch.
Add four pieces of kindling in two layers of two pieces, stacked perpendicular to each other. The top layer should run parallel to the width of the fireplace. Blow gently on the fire until the kindling catches.
Set a smallish log in the groove between the top two pieces of kindling, using a log with lots of bark or moss on it if possible.
Blow gently on the fire from time to time as it grows, and especially if it seems to wane. Once the kindling is fully engaged, blow vigorously until the pine log catches.
Once the first log is fully inflamed, add one or two more logs to the fire.
Blow on the fire or add more wood to keep the fire stoked until you're done with it.
