Writing a journal article is a different skill to writing a postgraduate thesis or a technical report. Getting published is an important step in academic careers, so it is a key skill to master. It is obviously good to publish completed research, to disseminate the research to wider academic and public communities. Your first publications are often also your formal introduction to the academic community and can help shape the next steps of your career. The advice provided here offers pointers to support decision making in navigating a new academic activity for those without experience in article writing. It draws from personal career publishing experience and from the perspectives of the editors of this journal seeing a broad range of submissions.