I've decided to take the plunge and build my own web directory. However, I know very little about the setup process and what software/templates are available. Would someone be so kind as to list the best directory scripts and templates (or template sites)? Also, any tidbits of advice would be helpful. Thanks!
I have a made a blog post to answer this question, http://www.directorytotal.com/how-to-start-a-web-directory/ I hope this one helps.
Try this blog post http://www.authoritydirectory.com/blog/your-guide-to-starting-a-quality-directory/
I dont want to say "best script" because i believe the owner should decide upon the best script to suit their requirements. Some just want a few features, or you may be looking for a feature that no script has, in that case there are always coders who can do a private job for you. I would recommend if your going to go paid, then do that from the beginning, dont start a free one then switch to paid afterwards. Dont ask other what prices you should charge, just weigh up what you think yours is worth. Try and be as unique as you can, there are masses of templates for free but you may be looking for a unique design, in that case there are some designers out there providing the services for a unique look. Avoid a category dump if you can, that way you dont end up with a category structure the same as hundreds of other directories, and you wont get problems of categories disappearing when you try adding others.