I’m not a writer and I don’t claim to be one. That, however doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate good writing. Any genre of writing can be found with a simple Google search. However, just because it’s online, it doesn’t make it good. And for those of you who still like a good paperback, just because it’s published, doesn’t make it good.

So how do you distinguish good writing from bad, and how do you find the good stuff? Find a literary journal you love and peruse it as often as possible, read criticism on the book you just read, and read reviews. Before you jump to the conclusion that a book has no redeeming qualities, read some criticism. Maybe you missed an integral symbol that unlocks a deeper meaning to the story, or maybe you misread an important passage.

For anyone who doesn’t have a favorite literary journal(s) yet, read through a few and pick your favorites. A number can be found online, and the library has just as many issues in print, and If you have no idea where to find them, this site: http://www.newpages.com/literary-magazines/ has an alphabetical list of every literary journal imaginable and a quick summary on each.

If you don’t like a piece of literature, that’s perfectly fine. Even the classics that everyone claims are “great!” you’re allowed to dislike. But if you’re going to dislike something, have an educated reason or two. Do you dislike the writing style, a weak character, the dialogue, the plot… the list can go on and on. Any reader can have an opinion, and you can to, but your opinion will be taken a lot more seriously if you’ve got logical reasoning to back it up.

Just because you’re not a writer doesn’t mean you can’t be a critic. And should you decide to try your hand at writing, at least you can be your own educated critic.