In all my time as a freelance writer, I’ve covered hundreds of subjects, from online auctions to prostate cancer. As you can imagine, some projects are much more enjoyable than others, and as my business has grown, I’ve been able to figure out that my heart lies with entertainment writing, mainly reviews. Roger Ebert is my hero. New release Tuesday is like a tiny DVD holiday every week. I don’t know who my state’s gubernatorial candidates are, but if you need to know who just directed John Travolta’s latest movie and how it compared to his last foray into the action genre, I’m your girl. Movie and TV reviews may not seem as prestigious as a political Op Ed piece or as lucrative as specializing in business content, but for a fan like me, it’s a perfect combination of my career with my passion. (Oh, and I really do know who the governor candidates will be in November, I just prefer to think about John Travolta.)

When I decided to embark on my journey into reviewing, my first step was to research the top entertainment and review sites and see not only what kind of pieces they published, but who the writers were and how one would go about becoming one. If the site seemed like a place where my more conversational style was a good fit, I wrote to the relevant contact to find out what the specs were for writing for that particular site. It’s important from the beginning, if this is what you want to do, to establish your voice and style early on so that you’re not just someone rewriting the press release sent out from the studios. You want to set YOUR reviews apart from the average Mindy Movie on the street, so here’s a basic—have an opinion. Don’t rely on the critical masses to shape what YOU have to say about a film or television show. I admit right here and now that I liked All About Steve, and I wrote it up with flourish, but critical darling (500) Days of Summer left me cold, which I wrote up with equal flourish. It helps to understand how particular directors tend to lean in their films, or if certain techniques are clichéd and overused, but at the center of a good review is a concise point of view that knows what it’s talking about and can back it up with the right amount of praise or vitriol.

Review writing isn’t just an opportunity to throw your opinions around all willy-nilly, however, and if you’re serious about becoming a critic, you need to know your stuff. This means research—you need to know basics, of course, like upcoming movies with big buzz and all the parties involved, but you also need to stay on top of casting news, rumors and happenings on sets, and the ever-changing calendar of release dates. Understand the ins and outs of the major studios, the smaller studios, and how to contact the people that will tell you what you need to know. This may not even be information you need for a review, but building your entertainment writing with a working knowledge of what’s happening industry-wise gives your critique a bit more weight.

But can you make a living ONLY doing entertainment reviews for Web sites? At first, probably not. Many sites, you’ll find, are reputable and well written, but offer no compensation save for a byline. Entertainment writers are often in it for the love of the thing, and for many that byline is enough. Others offer perks, such as free screeners or access to insider events, but again, no monetary compensation. You may need to branch out at first—write for local publications, review in other areas like books or music or food—you can even write up critiques of films you watch for fun just so you can have samples at the ready if needed. The thing to keep in mind is that these days, there may be more outlets than ever to espouse your opinion, but if you hone your style and respect the art of filmmaking, your love of cinema can translate into a rewarding career.