I haven't really published in postgraduate journals, except for one general review of neurolaw - prefer publishing in more recognized journals. If that wasn't a difference, they wouldn't be called postgraduate journals?

Yes, the invites for conferences outside of my field particularly annoying!!! Not getting 5-6 a day thank goodness tho

Echoing the comments above, rejection can reflect simply the fact that your topic didn't mesh with the other submissions. There is also an art to writing an abstract, which you will pick up - have a look at abstracts that were accepted. At the end of the day, all academics have suffered rejections.

I'm guessing this happens a lot, but I just wanted to ask - have many people had emails from obscure journals offering to publish papers? And all from journals that want paying for the privilege?

I've done my PhD on the topic I chose and in the way I chose to do it.

PhD doesn't count as publication.

I organized a seminar. The first step was getting funding, the mechanism for internal funding will vary by institution. Then I simply sent out invitations to speakers who I knew could speak on the topics I wanted for the seminar. After that it was a matter of organizing the various things with some admin support for sorting out payment of conference fees and registration (and afterwards payment of speakers' expenses). Publicity, food & drink, CPD points where relevant, papers from the seminar, materials for the delegates, directions to the venue including posters around campus.

Ditto - you must submitted an abstract surely? I find presentations by early PhD students about methods etc a snore personally.

That looks just the thing! Thanks :)

I didn't think REF graded journals?

This is very interesting, I'm just writing up but already had articles accepted in decent journals (not sure what counts as "top" journals) and I would have assumed that the examiners set quite a high bar. Unwise to assume anything else probably, as complacency might make you fail even the lower standard!

Does anyone know an easy way to devise a simple Venn diagram?

Having a proven track record of publications will help persuade prospective employers you will help enhance their REF. I have been published, I have plans for other projects and consequently gained a post even before finishing my PhD. Of course it will depend on where you're aiming at.

There's a guy I met in London who's retired and done a PhD, and now is a "Visiting Fellow" - his PhD resulted in a monograph which I'm looking forward to reading.

That is the big problem with studying at home, isn't it - noise during the day. And when I'm doing things that require a lot of concentration, like reading cases, I find even a small amount of noise very distracting.
I had a day on campus yesterday, so got a fair bit done.