He held criticism posts at many English newspapers, including the News Chronicle, Truth and The Manchester Guardian among others; from 1978 to 1998 he also reviewed performances for The Times.

Goodwin wrote an early history of the Scottish Ballet and was coauthor for two books: London Symphony: Portrait of an Orchestra with Hubert J. Foss and a Knight at the Opera with Geraint Evans.

Encouraging in awareness and enjoyment of music as an art as well as entertainment I regard as essential among a steadily growing but hesitant and often suspicious public, for without it there can be no adequate discrimination.

"[4]As an author, Goodwin co-wrote the London Symphony: Portrait of an Orchestra (1954) with Hubert J. Foss, and cowrote with Geraint Evans the latter's memoirs, A Knight at the Opera (1984).

[3][6] Goodwin was a member of the Gulbenkian Foundation's Dance Advisory Panel from 1972 to 1976, helping found the International Course for Professional Choreographers and Composers.