Affiliate Marketing Secrets

I’ve been smashing my head against this screen for weeks now trying to figure out the intricacies of affiliate marketing, only to have to go to a guide, for a plugin, then have to go to a guide for the website for the plugin, then have to go through a guide about whether or not the website was right. (wordpress, pretty links for cloaking) and I’ve read Affiliate Project X twice, and it seems like legit stuff I’m just so stumped.
Would anyone who’s already successfully making an income be willing to take a fellow struggling working man under his wing for the occasional question? Appreciation doesn’t describe how I would feel if I could somehow connect with someone who is already making a substantial income online as an affiliate.