Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett have written a book that you should read if you're interested in blogging.

"Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income" is based on Darren's (and his partner Chris') personal experience building blog businesses to make $100,000/year or more.

Like Darren's popular Problogger blog, the book is casual, informative, supportive, and offers lots of specific strategies. It starts with the personal stories of how the 2 authors became successful bloggers. (Spoiler: They were not overnight successes and not everybody is going to make $100k!) This realistic approach continues throughout the book.

The Problogger book pays excellent attention to the business side of blogging. It helps the reader evaluate his/her own interests and potential approaches that may lead to lucrative blogging for that individual. The authors help you determine content niches appropriate to your expertise, select a software platform, and provide plenty of details on profitable writing strategies. (This includes screen shots and even details on getting paid by blogging for others instead of necessarily starting your own blog.)

Other business topics include marketing, SEO, and even buying and selling blog properties - much of which may be new to readers who are not already professional bloggers.

The book closes with heartfelt guidance to "Create Something Worthwhile". As blogging success stories themselves, Darren and Chris' argument to focus on continuously creating value for readers as a way to build your business is a positive and accurate message.

All of this practical, supportive detail combined with some inspirational support, make Problogger similar to my own book, Internet Riches, but focused specifically on how you can best make money by blogging.

The serious and thorough review that Darren and Chris provide of different strategies behind starting a successful blog make a valuable contribution to the emerging library of e-business texts.

Highly recommended - especially if you are new to the "business" of blogging. The Problogger book could be the virtual mentor you need to make it big as a blogger.