Your love of eating out may have hit your wallet a little harder this year than expected.

This is a great way to Eat, Drink, and be Merry on someone else's dime. Being a food critic or "restaurant reviewer" is not as easy as it seems.

You may be an excellent writer and have a better-than-basic knowledge of the food world. The hardest part is trying to sell your articles and ideas for profit.

In case you have limited writing skills and food knowledge. Here is where you should start.

Take a writing class- The local community college may have classes on writing. You can take some of these classes as you need them without enrolling. Read works from other food critics.

I personally enjoy Ruth Reichls' style. I find that when reading the thoughts of others, it enhances and expands your own vocabulary. Check out other food writers in your area. The local major cities newspapers have food columns mostly published on Wednesday (I wonder if that is some sort of standard across the country).

Read.., more than scanning the words.., try to get a feel for the writer's style. Then develop your own style. Blog about food experiences that come naturally to you.

You must have a passion for food. I can't begin to tell you how hard it is to try and write about something that you have absolutely no interest.

Food writing is not a HOT trend, so you are not going to be able to retire with this business alone.Your readers will be able to tell if you are not sincere.If you do love food and you do want to pursue this business, but have only a little knowledge of the food business. This is the next area that you should study.

You have to search out all the culinary knowledge that you can get your hands on. Subscribe to food magazines food magazines like Gourmet or Saveur, and Food and Wine.

Search Food reference books. My favorite is "The Flavor Bible" (Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg) and of course the old stand-by "The Food Lover's Companion (Sharon Tyler Herbst). There are also loads of online Food reference sites like Epicurious Food Dictionary. Epicurious Food Dictionary

These are good reference tools to have on hand when you are at a loss for food terms and definitions. They would be with me all of the time.

It helps if you have an adventurous palate. Don't be afraid to try out new foods-even from different cultures. Look at restaurant menus. Most reflect the use of culturally diverse ingredients. You have to be on that bandwagon to be an effective food writer. Get to know your community. You can see the local trends and feel the "local flavor".

Write sample reviews. I would shoot for one every day. Then you will have a nice portfolio to submit when you approach editors.Keep in mind the season or time of year. Write about your own food experiences. If you don't have many, now is a good time to develop some new experiences. Start by eating at local restaurants (no chains, please).

Take a friend or two to an unexplored new restaurant in the city.Each of you should order something different from the menu.Get into everyone else's plate and try a bit of everything. You have to develop the skill of detecting subtle flavors and seasonings in the dish.Make mental notes.., don't whip out your pen and paper in the restaurant.., wait until you get home or in the car.

If you can do so without being noticed, take a small digital voice recorder with you and talk about the items you are experiencing. Take mental "snapshots" of everything around you. Be mindful of the atmosphere (ambiance) as well as the service you and your friends receive.

Caution: If you are not careful, this business can reek havoc on your body. You just want to taste a bit of the food, not clean your (and everyone else's) plate.

Remember, yours is a covert operation. Your reviews are to be done anonymously. No one should know who you are or what you do. Once your cover is blown, they will try everything to make you happy. You want to be a regular customer, not a celebrity. So learn to be a master of disguise.

Also,for obvious reasons, never accept free drinks or free food. When you are ready to begin, start calling around. You may have to take a few freebies just to prove that you have a real talent.If you find a local newspaper that has no food column, talk to the editor.

This is where some sales skills come in handy. You have to convince the editor that the publication needs a good food section, and you are the one that can deliver.

If you find that it is a near impossible task to get hired by someone else, it's time to take matters into your own hands.Start a website or blog about food. Publish yourself! It helps if you have the name of the city as part of the domain name. You can make extra money using affiliates and sponsored ads on your site.

Well.., That's the basic overview of becoming a food critic. Persistence and perseverance with a little creativity will get you where you need to be. /p>