It’s not until disaster strikes that I realize just how long I’ve been blogging. After the Great Outage of August 2, in which Bluehost, HostGator, and a handful of other hosting sites went down, I spent a lot of time checking up on Otaku Journalist and making sure all was well.

I went back through the archives and as it turns out, I’ve been doling out journalism advice for nearly four years, since I was still in journalism school. The thing about a blog or any project that lasts this long is the early stuff starts to look ridiculous. There are so many things I wrote that I don’t even agree with anymore! But at the same time, a lot of these posts are things I still stand by years later.

Chances are you haven’t been here the whole time I’ve been blogging, so I’ve unearthed a few of my old favorites for you. Here are 15 of my favorite posts on journalism to date:

For students

Advice to a high school graduate – In which I share my unlikely career arc.

How to build up a writing career while you’re still in school – Building a portfolio, even if you don’t have any portfolio pieces yet!

What to do when you’re thinking about becoming a journalist – How to grow a network now so you can get paid later.

For amateurs

How to get hired as a journalist when you lack experience – The short answer: make yourself unforgettable.

Things nobody told me about becoming a freelancer – For one thing, being your own boss means paying taxes eight times a year!

When is it OK to write for free? – And when it’s essential you earn what you know you deserve.

On anime and fandom journalism

How serious is anime journalism? – You can tell I wrote this post fresh out of school. It reads like a term paper, but still raises some good points.

How to start a career in anime journalism – One of my most popular articles to date. I interviewed three leading geek journalists about their career arcs.

How to write anime reviews people actually want to read – If you’re wondering how the pros write critiques, I spilled it here.

Geeky new writers, here’s where to get started – Fandom sites that are looking for bloggers with talent and drive.

On convention reporting

Should journalists cosplay on the job? – Why I think being yourself leads to more authentic reporting.

How to be a model press attendee – I don’t usually share drama on my blog, but I wrote this one at 2 AM still fiery with rage.

How to get a press pass at an anime convention – Want to report on a con and attend it for free? Look here.

How to interview celebrities at a fandom convention – AKA how to act professional and not waste your most admired idol’s time.

When is it unprofessional for a reporter to act like a fan? – All about that time I met Antoine Dodson. And Chuck Testa. And Scumbag Steve. And, etc.