Anyone who has seen the movie "Julie and Julia" has in essence taken Blogging 101.
In the movie, Julie Powell, played by Amy Adams, begins a blog based on her decision to cook the 524 recipes in Julia Child's cookbook in 365 days.
Her plan included a desire to make money blogging by becoming a published author.
Her quest contains the essential elements for success as a blogger.
Her ultimate success serves as incentive and motivation to carry through the decision to blog.
The first step toward a plan to make money blogging begins with an idea.
What do you have expertise in? It may be something in which you have formal training, job experience or serious interest like a hobby.
Blogging can also start with something you are interested in and want to learn more about.
Deciding to blog for a specified time, such as a year, is actually a good way to give structure to your commitment.
Once you have made the decision to blog for a specified period and announced it to others, you have built accountability into your plan.
On the days you are tempted not to blog, just thinking of explaining that to the people you have told why you did not blog might keep you going.
In order to make money blogging, consistency is actually more important than rigid frequency.
The blogging world is littered with blogs that were begun with all good intentions--we all know what road is paved with good intentions--only to be abandoned when the initial burst of enthusiasm had to be replaced by discipline and determination.
Successful people, including those who succeed at blogging, tend to be marathoners rather than sprinters.
The story of the tortoise and the hare applies to blogging.
Two to five blogs a week, week in and week out, are better than a burst of daily blogs that may not be sustainable and will be abandoned to everyone's regret.
If you enjoy writing and have a gift for it, one way to make money blogging is to blog for others.
There are many people in various professions who know they "should" blog but who know that they won't blog.
Just find one of these busy people, talk with them on a periodic basis, taking notes as they speak with you.
"Ghost" write the blog for them and collect a fee, as any ghost writer does.
You can start offering your service for little money, even trading your blogging services for the expertise or knowledge or service provided by the person you are blogging for.
You gain valuable experience in blogging.
They provide you an endless source of ideas, and your expertise as a blogger grows all the time.
As "Julie" did in the movie, a years' worth of your blogs can be turned into a self-published book, enhancing your reputation as an authority.
This credibility can get you speaking engagements, work as a consultant, more blogging assignments, and other new ways to make money blogging.
All you have to do is start.