Getting your rock writing published can sometimes seem like an all or nothing proposition -- a choice between a byline in a handmade zine or a rejection letter from Spin -- oblivion or ubiquity. But if the hugely popular pitichforkmedia.com has done anything for music journalism, it's demonstrated the immense clout an online-only publication can have, opening the floodgates to Web sites dedicated to music criticism and younger writers. While they may not be able to offer much in the way of financial compensation, sites like popmatters.com and prefixmag.com can provide a wealth of writing opportunities. Writing for Prefix over the last couple of years, I've reviewed countless records and live shows, and scored face-time with artists I'd never have the chance to meet otherwise. I only needed to provide a sample review to start contributing, and within a couple months I was snagging Q&As with The Libertines and The Arcade Fire for an online publication less than two years old. While Pitchfork can be picky, most music sites will take on any hungry writer schooled in pop music's diverse terrain. And with a .com byline, your readers will be more than just your buddies.