A Newspaper Critic's Job is Multi-Dimensional
By Jewel Bush
The Courier, Houma, La.

St. Petersburg, Fla. Sept. 20 -- Sometimes he's a reviewer and previewer. Sometimes he's a beat reporter or consumer writer or profiler.

In "The Craft of Arts Criticism," a seminar at AASFE's 57th annual convention in St. Petersburg, Fla., Roy Peter Clark of The Poynter Institute discussed how journalists can switch between roles, writing in a more interesting, more egalitarian and more authoritative voice.

As a reviewer, Clark, one of the country's premier writing coaches, said make sure readers have a clear sense of your opinion of the work being critiqued. He also suggested writing the lead in the tone of the work being reviewed.

For example, if a movie is light-hearted, begin the article that way and if serious, start on a serious note.

When writing about a movie, Clark said take the film in twice. Doing this, he said, helps a writer better understand the project.

Consumer writers should address all aspects of an entertainment experience, he said.

If writing about a film, Clark recommended journalists assess comfort levels, pricing and outside interference. Do the seats in the cinema squeak? Are ticket costs reasonable? Can you hear the film next door?

To make stories stand out, Clark said get as much access and opportunity as possible.

Another witty role of a newspaper critic, pointed out Clark, was that of the court jester, which he said means to have fun with the form of the review.

Jewel Bush is a features writer for The Courier in Houma, La. and a 2003 AASFE convention fellow. She can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .