If you want to earn, then you need to learn first... so get moving and start searching and researching on SEO.
You want to earn money from providing SEO services or from optimizing your own sites for the search engines?
I would start with web design then SEO, then it will make more sense and come more naturally. but that's just my personal opinion. You can start learning on link building etc...off page optimization I recommend you also go on down to http://www.seobook.com/ and have a good read through...
Actually it's quite easy to earn some money online. What you need is knowledge and experience. Read a lot, work hard and you will become a good SEO someday. Here is a good starting point: http://www.seomoz.org/article/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization DigitalPoint is a great resource too
If you are new in SEO, yes nobody should pay you; because you have to offer something that others would pay to have. But you have made the first step, taking an initiative. Start reading the sticky posts; then other posts on forums. With time I am sure you could earn good money.
It isn't hard to apply SEO to earn $$. You can apply it to your own sites or sell SEO services to others. However you will need to spend time studying it first. Learn SEO then earn $$ from it.
There's no easy in this world.. everything deserves a hard work! if you want to earn money from seo, try to do some legwork.. read read and read! you must learn a lot! there are many blogs, article, and sites focusing to SEO on the web.. you can join forums to learn by reading threads.. there are also available seobook in which contains a tons of seo information..
well described answer.If you want to earn from SEO then put efforts to your own site let it rank and then visitors will play the role. Its simple to say above comments but difficult to do. I will suggest you to learn SEO then '"Learn how to market your product and services" then go ahead with earnings.
Design some of your own sites and get them ranked. Then when you want to provide a service to others you'll have a nice example to show off Matt