The study examines the early development of literary criticism writing in the German language during the Enlightenment. Unlike the usual approach, it does not limit itself to the genre of reviews, but selects texts based on content-structural criteria that critically reflect on aspects of the entire literary life. Literary criticism writing thus refers to the evaluative engagement with scholarly as well as entertaining literature, as well as with poetry and its contextual conditions. During the period under investigation, literary criticism writing is recognizable as a process in which the contemporary critical-scholarly impetus draws on established literary text patterns. Dialogue, apology, and satire are particularly productive models, as they provide opportunities for controversial expression of opinions.