Who wouldn’t like to earn money writing about their favorite topics? Blogging jobs let you do just that. Here’s how to find them.

The “Blogosphere’s” Explosive Growth
Only a few years ago, blogs were largely unknown. (If you’re new to the concept, “blog” is short for “weblog,” an online series of articles, essays, or diary entries.) If someone wanted to share news, an opinion, or a wry observation on the way of the world, they sent an e-mail, or made a post to a message board.

Now, millions of individuals maintain their own blogs, where they post everything from daily reflections on the state of the universe to family photos, recipes, and get-togethers. And on commercial websites, blogging has become big business, generating millions of dollars in advertising and other revenue.

Who Hires Bloggers?
Some of the biggest employers of bloggers are blog networks. In some ways, these function as newspapers, assembling groups of writers to cover a range of topics or themes. (Blog networks are one reason that print-based newspapers and magazines are in decline. Why pay for “stale” news printed on dead trees, many people ask, when you can get it as it happens on the Internet – for free?)

Blog networks often pay their bloggers per post, or a share of the advertising revenue generated by the blogger’s pages. Bloggers are usually required to make a minimum number of posts per week, with a minimum length per post.

Bloggers are also employed by newspapers, magazines, TV stations, non-media corporations and others. However, these positions often require more experience than blog networks do, and in the case of media blogs they are often filled by journalists doing double duty.

Blogger Job Listings
Although the recession dampened hiring in the blogging sector, About.com continues to seek part-time bloggers (known as “Guides”), and Monster carries a number of openings as well. (Use the search term “blogger,” without the quotes.)

Problogger.net, maintained by Australian blogger Darren Rowse, also carries job openings, and we assembled more than 35 screened links to additional blogger employers here. 

Going Solo
Many bloggers get their start by simply launching an independent blog, using free or low-cost platforms such as Blogger or TypePad, with potential revenue from ads provided by Google AdSense, Commission Junction, or a similar service. (With revenue depending on the number of readers, effective marketing is key.) Other aspiring bloggers join blog networks that are open to beginners. One of the most popular is Helium, which also offers the possibility of revenue from advertising, writing contests, and other sources.

To find or start discussions about blogging and blogging jobs, visit Military.com’s forums.