Conferences provide very good opportunities to learn what people are working on and what is interesting or new. Conference attendance can often spark your interest in a particular topic or provide further ideas about what you could contribute. Conference attendance can also increase your visibility, especially when you ask questions, make good comments, and engage in conversation with others. As early in your graduate career as possible, make presentations at conferences. There are different ways of getting on a program.
Many conferences are desperate for good reviewers.
Another strategy is to write a book review. Don't be shy about writing to the editor of a journal that publishes book reviews and tell the editor that you would be glad to review books or a specific book. Include information about the areas where you have interest, knowledge or expertise. Another possibility for getting published is self-publishing. For example, you could post an article or draft on-line or in a Web page.