The best way to land a paying video game journalism job is to be a good writer who’s reliable, communicative, creative and knowledgeable. Other than all-around awesomeness, there are a few extras that will give you an edge over the competition.

• Have a diverse portfolio with different types of articles published on many different sites.

• Learn a foreign language, especially Japanese.
• Find a niche (i.e. role playing game expert, MMO master, indie gaming guru, etc.) and master it.
• Have your own personal blog and update it as often as possible.
• Know how to sell yourself with confidence, not bloated ego.