[barry-cotter]

Modulo the rare exception it takes time, bloody minded persistence, talent and a certain amount of luck. The more of the first two you invest the less the latter two matter, talent because the more time you put in the less your initial (lack of) talent matters and luck because if you spend long enough at it some will find you.

So really you need persistence because if you've got that you won't have a problem keeping it up for (time). Persistence is easiest when you're motivated; when you're doing something you enjoy or that pays well enough.

You're unlikely to get paid until you've made something impressive and people ask you to do it for them. So what you need to do is find something you think is cool and do something about it, publicly, over and over again.

Get a hobby and write about it (blog) or think of an interest and set up a forum around it (e.g. alternatehistory.com for what-if). Things that are harder to do are more impressive and get more attention and link love, e.g. a relatively professionally shot and edited 20min video put up reliably every week on... Chinese cookery, or a programming screencast.

Persistence is key. Calendar time, not wall clock time.