<edit>Ahhh i reread and see you got an electric. Wood chips it is.</edit>
Wood chips? Come on lol.
I have used quite a few different styles of smokers so OP question really depends on what style you have.
I currently own a smokey mountain by Weber. Love this one. Have owned BGE, horizontal smokers, electric and gas. Each has it's own merits and pitfalls.
I use wood chunks. You can pick them up at Menards or Lowes. I use cherry, hickory, pecan and mesquite depending on what I am smoking, rub and sauce.
Good appetizer to try...
Take a jap cut in 1/2 lengthways. Add in some cream cheese that has some dry rub and some shredded cheese. You can also add smoked sausage crumbles or shrimp. Then wrap with a slice of thick bacon. Smoke that sucker for about 2 hours. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm .
On starting the lump charcoal, buy a chimney starter. You can pick one up at Lowes cheap. Load it with charcoal. Depending on how long the smoker will be running add UNLIT charcoal to the smoker first, then dump the lit ones on top. This is called the Minion method and will make the burn last longer. Also when starting it I would run the intake baffles open full until 50 degrees under your target temp. Then cut the dampers down to 1/3 open. Always leave the output stack fully open as if not it will create a bitter taste on the meat.
SMF FTW. Sounds like you found a great forum to start out on. Jeff rocks!.