But the basic process is pretty simple. You pile up the charcoal like a pyramid, set it on fire, and let it burn until coals are formed (about 15 minutes or so). Once you have a good set of coals going, spread them out over one side of the grill, leaving the other side bare. This gives you a direct heating side and an indirect heating side. Brown your vittles on the direct heating side (about 3 minutes each side) and then move them over to the indirect heating side to finish until the internal temperature hits your desired doneness level.

Using a starter fluid can leave a residue of gasoline smell. A "chimney" starter is better, expecially for a small grill. It looks like a large tin can with the top and bottom cut out, and you can get one at Lowes or Home Depot. Or you can make your own from one of those large commercial tin cans.

You set it on the charcoal grate of your grill and put tightly wadded newspaper in the bottom and pile the charcoal on top. Light the newspaper from the bottom and let it burn. Thet will start the charcoal. Leave it in the chimney until it is mostly gray and than simply lift the chimney away from it, using an oven mitt, and letting the charcoal fall out.

Spread it as Major Nikon suggests.

The charcoal gets going faster in the chimney than it does in a loose pile, and it eliminates the use of flammable liquids.

I don't like the 'binding' chemicals in briquets and the lump lights easier.
I think you can find "Cowboy Charcoal" at Lowes.

It's very easy to overcook things on the grill. I suggest getting an instant read thermometer and cooking chicken breasts to 165º F.

Another trick is to brine or marinade inject your chicken breasts before cooking, or you can just do a salt rub about 4-8 hours before you cook them.

Stuff the bottom with newspaper, fill the top with charcoal, set into the grill and light the paper. Coals are good when they're showing white ash over most of the surface. Put on an oven mitt and pour the coals out of the chimney into the grill.

I did my best grilling on a little hibachi. No, it wouldn't feed a crowd, but it fit on a fire escape or metal table on a balcony. My favorite thing to grill was fresh sea scallops brushed with a little garlicky Italian dressing and skewered with onions and mushrooms. Extra points if I'd bought them off the boat and shucked them myself.

The points above about cowboy charcoal and investing in a meat thermometer are good ones, especially the latter. Finding bloody and/or translucent chicken next to a bone is the worst.

Hold your left hand with the palm facing you.

Touch each of the tips of your fingers to the tip of your thumb in turn.

Feel the pad at the base of the thumb as you touch each finger in turn. Notice the difference in firmness between each finger.

The firmness of the pad for each different finger is the same firmness for each stage of done-ness for a piece of meat. From the index finger to the little finger; rare, medium rare, medium, medium well.

Poke the meat with your finger, and compare to the appropriate finger of done-ness. Do not poke holes in your meat, that will let the juices out.

Always let a piece of meat rest after cooking to let the heat and juices distribute through the whole piece.