A more helpful way or learning how to serve a volleyball, with confidence you'll get it over.

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[edit] Steps

If you are a right handed person do the following steps. If you are a lefty do the opposite of these steps
Line up both of your feet about shoulder distance apart with your right foot ahead of your left. Your shoulders and hips should be aligned with the net.
Put your arms straight in front of you (do not bend your arms)
Hold the bottom of the ball with the palm of your left hand and the top with the palm of your right hand (your elbows and arms shouldn't touch any other part of your body).
Cock your serving arm back next to your head and toss the ball up with your palm of your left hand (not fingers) about 2 feet in the air, step forward with your left foot, and hit the bottom of the ball with the palm of your right hand (this will give it spin causing it to go higher and farther). Your hand should be open and wrist straight.
After striking the ball use your momentum and run to your defensive position.
Think of these steps in your head when you serve, toss, step, hit and follow through.

[edit] Tips

Perfect your underhand serve first, so if you have a bad overhand serving day, you are always confident with that!
Practice makes good(no one's perfect), so practice this a lot!
Try different variations to the above steps; different things work for different people.
Don't punch the ball ("shot put"), swing at it.
If you're having trouble with your serve, try practicing just the toss. If you throw it up and just let it drop, it should land directly in front of your right foot, which should still be in the position in front of your right foot, before the step. Practice this fifty times a day and your serve should seriously improve.
Using your momentum can help a lot especially if you have a small body. Really just whail on the ball. You need a lot of strength to get your serve over the net.
If you feel like you would be more comfortable taking a few steps or jumping while serving, you should try a jump serve.
Make sure not to "slap" the ball. Hit it hard with the palm of your hand.
Get comfortable with how the ball will go where you toss it. For example, when you toss the ball far out in front, the ball will travel flat. In order to serve a nice loopy, short ball, toss the ball a little closer to your shoulder. Balls that drop inside the 3-meter line is extremely deadly for the opposing team.
You should be able to hear a solid thud when you hit the ball if it is a good serve.
Make sure you follow through, sometimes if you don't the ball may travel a different direction.
Taking a big step will really increase the power of your serve.
If you are having trouble, ask a coach or older, more skilled volleyball player to help you and critique your serve.
It may take a while to get your serve over, in the long run it'll work out and you'll be the best
For arm strenght you can try doing push ups, to serve a volleyball you need a lot of arm strength and push ups can really help you
If you can't 'slap' the ball and get it over the net, try using your fist. Toss the ball up, and instead of slapping it, make a fist and pound the ball. It has helped my serve a lot.
If you do use your fist, make sure you hit it with the front part of the fist. In other words, hold your hand like you would slap the ball, but curl your fingers.

[edit] Warnings

This may cause stress on your arm, so warm up before serving.
The rule has changed about letting the ball drop after initiating a serve. You may let the ball drop once the whole time you are serving, once the ball drops, you may not let it drop again until your next rotation around.
This method might not fit everybody's style perfectly. If you need to take a few steps and serve in a smooth motion, do it! The only way you can get called on a serve would be for a foot violation.
It really depends on the rules you are using and the age. If you are playing club, the rule is different about letting the ball drop. For 14 and under competitions, you can toss the ball and let it drop once for every time you complete a serve. For 15 and up competitions, you must hit every toss. You can not let the toss hit the floor or it will be a sideout. The rule for the NCAA is the same. If you toss it, you will hit it.
If at first your arm is sore from hitting the ball, try some ice!

[edit] Things You'll Need

Volleyball
A volleyball net, preferably, or at least a wall which you can serve against for practice.
If possible, a partner, preferably someone better than you are, to help you get the ball and tell if you are doing it correctly.