Get Paid to Read Books (Amazing Jobs for Passionate Book Readers)
“Is it possible to get paid to read books?” is a thought that has come to mind of every bibliophile at least once. It’s completely normal to want to turn a hobby into a profession. Having a job that doesn’t make you feel like you’re at work is a dream come true for anyone. That is why we’ve decided to explore possible options book lovers have if they want to make the most of their passion.
Can I Get Paid to Read Books?
Yes, you can turn your love for reading books into an actual paying job. However, these jobs will most likely require you to do more than just read books. In most cases, you’ll need to have another skill to monetize your passion. For example, you will need to have writing, editing, or narrating skills.
Writing Book Reviews
If you’re an avid book reader, you’re probably familiar with book reviewer jobs and how vital the reviews they write are. A little over 30% of adults in the United States find new books through TV or newspaper reviews. Even more people search for new titles via online channels. Book reviewers are getting more and more recognition each year, so getting into this industry is an excellent idea for most books lovers.
To get into the book reviewing industry, you should simply create an account on a book reviewing website, read a book, and provide a summary and review. By doing this, you’ll be able to help new authors gain recognition, and other book readers find a new title to enjoy while earning money.
While we’re on the topic of reading books for money, you should know that these jobs mainly pay only $5 to $60 per review. Therefore, book reviewing is probably not a good first choice, but it’s an interesting side hustle to make some pocket money.
It would be smart to do some research on the popular online book reviewing platforms in case you want to learn more about how to become a book reviewer. To make your job a bit easier, we’ve compiled a list of the most famous reviewing websites you could check out.
1. Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews magazine works with book reviewers on a freelance basis. You can check out its careers page for more information. From there, you can send your resume and writing samples to the email address provided, and Kirkus Reviews will get back to you.
Once Kirkus hires you, you’ll get paid to review books every once in a while. The title can belong to any genre and be in either paper or digital format. You will then have two weeks to write a 350-word review and send it back.
2. BookBrowse
BookBrowse is a book recommendation and review website. It offers a good variety of options for the most passionate bookworms. Since it regularly posts book reviews, it’s always in need of new reviewers. Like Kirkus, BookBrowse hires people on a freelance basis. However, its reviewers write an average of one review per month.
This is more than just reading books for money since you have to write a review and what BookBrowse calls a “Beyond the Book” article for each book it sends you. This article provides more information on some aspects of the book, helping readers understand the context or gain perspective into the author’s world.
If you want to join the team of book reviewers at BookBrowse, you can check out the review application form here.
3. The US Review of Books
The US Review of Books is another website that helps you get paid to read books and write reviews. You will need more experience if you want to apply for this one as you’re required to send at least two professional references and a sample of your work. You can send your application either by email or regular mail.
Once you’re hired, you will periodically receive several book titles you can choose from. Then, The US Review of Books will choose what titles go to each writer. While you won’t be choosing a specific book, you will be able to shortlist the titles, which makes reading books for money more fun with this company.
When you receive your titles, you will be given two to three weeks to submit a 250 to 350-word review. A standard review may include a summary, your insights, some quotes from the book, and interesting facts about the author. You will receive your check every month for all reviews submitted during the previous month.
4. Booklist
As part of the American Library Association, the main purpose of Booklist is to connect librarians to new book titles and upcoming authors. That is why most of its book reading jobs involve more recent titles, which is excellent as you’ll get a chance to expand your library with exciting new titles.
Booklist wants its reviews to be short but impactful, ranging from 150 to 175 words. Reviewers get $15 for every review. The payment is given once the review is published, so if it’s published at a later date, you may not get paid until then. There is also a $5 “reject fee” every time you reject a title, but Booklist does its best to provide you with titles you’ll like.
With Booklist, you can get paid to read books in English. For starters, you can check out its write for us page to see if you qualify.
5. Women’s Review of Books
As you can probably guess by the name, Women’s Review of Books is a book reviewing website for women. It is looking for experienced reviewers who will read and share their thoughts on titles that are mostly written by women.
Every review on the site has to be in service of consciousness and action. Thus, all writers need to have astonishing resumes and know what they’re writing about. That is probably why this website is among the highest-paying ones, with reviewers earning $100 per review.
6. Online Book Club
If you’re a first-time book reviewer, Online Book Club is a fantastic website to make money reading books. It has clear requirements and writing rules, making it easier for you to write a review. Its reviewers get anywhere from $5 to $60 per review, depending on their experience. However, the first review you submit will not be paid.
The advantage to joining this website is that you’ll get an actual free copy of the book you’ll review. That alone can be a huge perk for bookworms.
Bonus Idea: Upwork
Upwork is a great place to look for freelance reviewing gigs. It’s especially good for beginners who want to get paid to read books online but don’t have work samples to show yet.
What’s more, you can find your future referees there without having to spend months working for them. The downside is that you’re likely not going to have a stable income and a steady stream of titles to review. You’ll also likely be spending some time looking for clients. Despite this, Upwork is a good place to look for one-time gigs that will help you practice your reviewing skills and get you started.
Narrating Audiobooks
Narrating audiobooks is another amazing job opportunity for those who want to get paid to read books. You will be able to go through tons of books monthly, and your only task will be to read them out loud.
In 2020, the global audiobook market size was valued at $3.3 billion, and it continues to rise to this day. So, you can be certain that you’ll find your place in the audiobook world!
Unfortunately, this job is not for everyone as you’ll need to have a clear voice, proper diction, and good speaking skills. If you have all of these qualities, you ought to make it in the audiobook industry and get paid to read books aloud. Your earnings can go from $50 to $350 an hour. The salary will depend on your experience and how big the publishing agency is.
1. Voices
Voices is one of the largest voice-over marketplaces on the web. It connects freelance narrators and voice actors to people who need voice-overs for various reasons, including book narration.
Voices hires voice-over talent from more than 160 countries with over 100 different languages and dialects. With Voices, you’ll get to work with some of the biggest companies in the publishing industry.
What you should keep in mind when applying is that this site provides all kinds of voice-over gigs, not just audiobook narrator jobs. Thus, you probably won’t have as many gigs as you might expect, especially in the first few months.
2. ACX
Unlike Voices, ACX is a company that focuses solely on making audiobooks. ACX works by giving narrators a platform to promote their work and apply for potential jobs. That means you’ll have to audition for the titles you want to narrate.
Once you get an offer, you will be asked to narrate the first 15 minutes of the manuscript. If the rights holder approves it, you get to finish the project. In addition, there are two ways you can get paid to read books out loud with ACX. You could either have an hourly rate or choose to share 50% of the royalties with the rights holder. This means that you’ll get half of the sale amount whenever that audiobook is purchased. That’s pretty cool, right?
3. Findaway Voices
Findaway Voices is another audiobook website that connects authors and publishing agencies to narrators. It works similarly to ACX as you’ll have to find the gigs yourself from a recommended list of titles. Then, you need to audition by sending a recording of you reading a portion of the book. The author or publishing agency will then choose a narrator. It can take some time before you get a gig and get paid to read audiobooks, but on the upside, Findaway Voices pays their narrators very well.
Bonus Idea: Freelance Websites
Just like with book reviewers, audiobook narrators who are starting their careers will benefit from joining a freelance website. This will help you build your portfolio and work on your narrating skills. Some popular sites you can create an account on are Upwork, Fiverr, and People Per Hour.
Becoming an Influencer
You don’t need to have an employer to make it in the book reviews world. If you have a knack for sharing your thoughts and opinions about a book, you can become an influencer and earn money by reading books and reviewing them online. Who knows, you might even be able to grow your following on social media platforms.
There are many successful book-reviewing blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels. That’s because there is a demand for this kind of content. You’ll just have to find something that sets you apart from others.
An influencer often has multiple platforms to reach their audience. Still, we recommend that you choose one platform before branching out. Choose a platform that you believe you can excel in.
For instance, if you’re good at writing, starting a book review blog will be a good way for you to get money for reading books. On the other hand, charismatic individuals with a clear and compelling voice will probably be better off creating a YouTube channel or doing podcasts.
Before you dive into this, you should bear in mind that creating a successful book reviewing platform comes with challenges. On the bright side, you might be able to make money over time with sponsorships and ads.
Copyediting
Copyediting is a bit different from other jobs on this list as it requires advanced skills and at least some relevant experience. As a copyeditor, you will be getting paid to read books and correct grammar and spelling mistakes. Furthermore, you will also need to examine the book’s consistency, story flow, style, formatting, accuracy, font usage, and more.
If you want to try being a copyeditor, you can always start looking for freelance jobs on popular freelance platforms. That will give you a chance to build your portfolio and hone your copyediting skills.
Once you get the hang of it, you can start looking for part-time and full-time positions at publishing agencies and other websites that pay you to read books and edit them. According to the Editorial Freelancers Association, the hourly rate of a copyeditor is anywhere from $31 to $60, depending on experience.
Final Thoughts
There you have it — plenty of options if you want to monetize your passion for reading books. As you can see, some of these jobs won’t work as a standalone career, especially if you’re just starting, but they’re a great way to earn extra money while doing something you love.
Aside from the jobs that help you get paid to read books, we also listed specific websites you could check out to make your search easier. Hopefully, you’ll find the perfect job that matches your skills and discover some amazing books and authors along the way.
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