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I'm writing to ask about an aspect of journalism I don't see mentioned here very often: arts, entertainment and criticism writing.

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I'm a student happily slaving away at my college newspaper. In addition to covering beat news, I also review film and music. It's a lot of fun, of course, but the assignments are also tough to write because they require creative and elegant prose. Doing it has strengthened my writing, and I've received some high praise for my reviews.

My question is whether I should keep pursuing criticism. I know everybody and their dog wants to get paid to write about art. I've also yet to notice a single journalism scholarship or award that recognizes well-written criticism. When employers say they want someone who can write about a variety of topics, that "variety" never seems to include the arts.

I'm wondering if I should just start focusing on the path that's certainly not easier, but at least more well worn -- that of hard news, including politics and the like (which I stress I'm also very interested in). It seems like a waste to entirely give up an area of journalism I seem to have a knack for, but I don't want to be impractical or unrealistic.

Thanks,

Confused

Do what you love and you'll love what you do.

There are a number of prizes and fellowships for arts writing and criticism. We can start with the Pulitzer Prize for criticism, awarded this year to Jonathan Gold of LA Weekly for his restaurant reviews.

Joe Grimm

Food writing, by the way, is probably even more competitive than arts criticism.

But, yes, your field is highly competitive. Competition can either beat you or make you better than you thought possible.

But don't be impractical. Instead, be very, very purposeful. Put more reporting into your arts stories than any other reporters put into theirs. Emphasize your reporting as much as you do your writing. Aim for the front page, crafting stories that lace together arts and society in ways that teach all readers. Treat the arts as news. It certainly is as enduring as most things we cover.

Not everyone has a dream worth fighting for. If you do, I would.

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Coming Friday: He's worried because he plans to leave his job, and his boss says he gets outraged if people give less than two weeks' notice.

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