markcoatney:

Also! Don’t get too hung up on the format. Good writing can be published anywhere, and I think a lot of people spend too much time looking for some sort of legitimacy they think a print glossy bestows.

I (Eric) can vouch for all of this. A blog can be a perfect place to develop your voice, and editors are taking notice of good writers from just about anywhere now. This blog, which I started with another guy back in 2007, was my entree into writing professionally about college hoops at the highest levels.

Persistence is really the key. Write every day, and keep going even when you think nobody’s paying attention. It only takes one reader - the one who can offer you a job - to make a difference.