I always smile a little when friends and readers ask what our most popular posts are. Surprisingly, the post that's received the most views ever to date was a guide we threw together on a whim all about composting. It provided a quick run-down on composting basics: get a composter, put stuff in there, stir and repeat.
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A couple key things to know:

• You should avoid putting protein-rich substances like oil, meat or cheese in the composter.
• If your pile starts smelling bad and attracting a LOT of insects, you have too many food scraps in the composter. Add more brown yard waste (no fresh weeds that might take root!) and things like cardboard and shredded paper to help even out the balance of nitrogen-rich “green” items to carbon-rich “brown” items. It also helps to chop everything up as finely as possible before adding it to your compost pile.
• If your compost is soggy or slimy, it’s too wet. Fluff it up and shield it from additional water with a tarp.
• Bugs will naturally be drawn to your compost pile. Simply remove them by spreading the compost in a thin layer on a tarp before applying compost to your garden. Most bugs will bail quickly when they realize their cozy pile is suddenly completely exposed.

More here: http://www.somedayilllearn.com/2013/05/30/composting-guide/