How do I go about doing a provisional patent

First of all, there is no such thing as a provisional patent; there is only a provisional patent application. A provisional patent application is merely a way to get a filing date and within one year it must be converted into a non-provisional patent application or it dies and it is as if it never existed. The cost of a properly prepared provisional patent application is not a great deal less than that for a non-provisional patent application. As for preparing one yourself, if you have no experience with patent applications, Lincoln's words regarding the person who represents himself having a fool for a client holds true. The patenting process is not for the uninitiated and even if you manage to get a patent, it could be worthless.

I am told this is a good book for trying to file a patent application on your own. http://www.nolo.com/products/patent-it-yourself-pat.html If this doesn't work for you, you will need a patent lawyer.