Back in the day, if you were pitching yourself for a writing job, it would be in hardcopy. So it comes as no surprise that in 2015 the equivalent is your online portfolio – your blog or website. When pitching a story to an editor, they’ll more than likely Google your name, check out your work before agreeing to take you on. So let’s show them exactly what you’re capable of.

Blogging is also self-publishing – you’re in control, you can publish when, where, and what you want. It’s a way of putting your work out into the public arena, practice your writing, find your voice, figure out what you like writing and writing about.

Blogging is also a great way to set yourself goals, and work towards them. It’s an impetus to finish that piece, start a new one, and get outside your comfort zone to write about a topic outside of your experience.

So, how do you start?

Though there’s a ton of blogging platforms out there, we recommend WordPress, Tumblr and Wix. There’s a ton of great free, easily customisable templates, which makes getting started easy. The hardest part will be choosing what to call it, and well, writing it.

But before that, have a think about what exactly you want from your blog. Do you want to publish your original work? Do you want to use it as a portfolio for work published elsewhere? Do you want to document the process of a project? All of these questions will dictate what type of template and design your blog will have. And is it just text? Practise your skills behind the camera and get creative.

There’s a whole wide world of blogging and bloggers out there – check out the Australian Writers’ Centres’ Best Australian Blogs, this freaking excellent article on Brainpickings about why you should keep a diary. Inspired yet?