I think as a starter every newbie should know about three things regarding bitcoins except for mining. First thing is that you can earn bitcoins through many bounties and campaigns. Second thing is to trade Bitcoins about other cryptocurrencies. Third is to gamble the profit and try to make a fortune or loose whatever you have.
I really don't suggest going into earning immediately. People should look at cryptocurrency as a technology that could solve some economical problems, and not look at cryptocurrency as a moneymaking scheme.
I would first go into understanding what blockchain technology is, then learning about bitcoin wallets and how to secure them.
Here's a good source of guides for OP:
www.coindesk.com/information/