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Get Paid to Review Books: 5 Book Review Jobs Sites That Pay Reviewers

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Writing book reviews is one of the best ways to get paid to read books online.

As a book reviewer, you’re tasked with reading and reviewing books, which in return can earn you a paycheck.

This blog post will show you five of the top-paying book review sites where you can submit your pitches and get hired for book review jobs.

To review books effectively, having a good education is important. EduBirdie can help you improve your skills and knowledge, making you better at reviewing books.

Book review jobs sites that pay reviewers

So, if you want to get paid to review books online , here is a list of five websites that you can explore to find book review jobs:

1) The US Review of Books

The US Review of Books has fair terms for reviewers, and the pay is usually between $25 and $75. To be accepted you’ll need to submit your resume, samples, and references. You’ll also be asked to do a sample review.

The site doesn’t have tough guidelines, the reviews can be half summary, half commentary. Most of the reviews requested will be around 300 words and you can expect to earn $25 for each. For longer reviews that are around $600 the pay can be as high as $75

The first review you will do will be treated as an application and you are compensated nonetheless, whether you’re hired eventually or not.

The pay might not seem much especially when you factor in the hours it will take you to read a book. However, if you are a faster reader, you can easily lock in $250-$750 doing 10 reviews a month.

Another added benefit of writing reviews for The US Review of Books is that you will be listed in its directory of reviewers that you can use as social proof and also get a backlink to your site.

The site pays via PayPal. US Review of Books encourages readers and authors alike to visit their website.

2) Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews isn’t transparent with their rates but some people claim that it’s usually $50 per review.

The media company has been in existence since 1933, so it is a legitimate company. That said, the reviews from Glassdoor seem to suggest that the editors will ask you to change your review if it’s negative, thus interfering with your work ethics as a book reviewer.

The reviews are around 350 words long with 2 weeks turnaround time. If you still want to apply, simply head over to this page and contact an editor.

3) OnlineBookClub

Though a popular book review website, many people do not recommend OnlineBookClub because of its tough and demanding guidelines with extremely low pay.

While they claim to pay up to $60 per review, most reviewers earn their lowest rates, which is actually $5 per review.

Reviews are easily rejected and can affect your review score. When you join, your score will be below 35, meaning that you will be bagging home $0 per review as they only begin to pay beyond the 35-point mark.

There are no clear guidelines on improving your score apart from the fact that you will have to engage in a forum and give shoutouts on social media. The editors aren’t as responsive either.

4) Booklist Publications

Booklist Publications is a book review website whose pay is not as appealing. Booklist pays $15 per review and only upon publication. This means that even if your review is accepted, you might have to wait a while

For published reviews, you will get one line credit and you can also be listed as a reviewer on their directory page.

To get started, you will need to fill in an application form answering basic questions and if you are fit the team will get back to you.

5) Women’s Review of Books

Women’s Review of Books is a publication of Wellesley Centers for Women, a part of Wellesley College, and reportedly pays $100 per review.

The publication specifically reviews books about women or written by women.

They expect their reviewers to have journalistic, academic, or strong book review backgrounds.

So if you believe that you can develop thought-provoking reviews you can start pitching your idea to them.

They pay on a review basis. To get started, send in a review pitch proposal about the book you want to review, its publication date, and your angle to the editors. You can find contact details on this page.

You will be paid upon review publication and you also get 12 months of subscription to their monthly issues.

You can also find more writing guidelines in this document . Make sure you adhere to them when writing the reviews.

Ready to begin your book reviewer job?

Book reviewing is a lucrative yet demanding career.

However, if it’s something you love doing and have a passion for writing, then book reviewing can be another source of income for you.

If this isn’t the case, I would advise you to look for other ways to earn money online such as freelance services, info products, or affiliate marketing.

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• July 14, 2024

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Get Paid To Write Reviews: 14 Top Sites

Get paid to write reviews by reading our guide with all the top sites for you to check out. Earn money and home and increase your skills today!

Before you purchase products or download apps, do you read the reviews? Most consumers do. A study published by Qualtrics showed that 93 percent of customers read online reviews before buying a product. Product reviews are important to people’s purchasing decisions, and review sites are everywhere.

Companies know that they will make more money if their products have positive reviews, so they’re willing to pay people to write product reviews for money. If you are wondering how to get paid to write reviews and blog articles, try applying to these sites for review writing jobs .

1. Writers Work

2. get paid to write reviews for amazon, 3. get reviewed, 4. crowdtap, 6. listverse, 7. capterra, 8. usertesting, 9. gartner peer insights, 10. harris poll online, 11. g2 crowd, 12. review stream, 13. inboxdollars, 14. swagbucks, final word on where to get paid to write reviews, is it illegal to write fake reviews, where can i write music reviews, how do you make money by giving reviews, how to get paid to write reviews.

Writers Work connects writers with companies looking for freelancers. With thousands of jobs available, it’s an ideal place for new and experienced freelancer writers to find work. The site has built great relationships with many established companies requiring writing , from general content to blogging to copywriting and reviews; endless opportunities exist. The average earnings on the freelance site are anything from $20 – $65 per hour, making it a lucrative option for writers to get involved in.

Writers Work contains freelance writing opportunities for writers who want to start their career

Many freelancers earn commissions from Amazon by writing product reviews. Amazon pays reviewers who successfully try a product and refer it to new customers. This process is a type of influencer work called affiliate marketing, which can be used through the Amazon Associates program. Whenever a customer uses your affiliate link, you’ll receive a small commission on the sale.

For example, if you were to try a product and then post about it on your blog or social media with an affiliate link, your viewers might then buy the Amazon product, which means you earn a commission. There are many different niches for bloggers to choose from, like food, fashion, beauty, tech, and entertainment.

If you want to write product reviews for money, one of the best places to look is Get Reviewed . The website will pay you cash for sponsored reviews and blog posts. If you want to participate in this program, you need to have a self-hosted website with a strong domain authority of at least 20 or above. To elevate your domain authority, focus on a specific niche.

Then, convince others to provide links that point back to your website. This will position your site as an authority in the field.

If you want to get paid to write a review on this site, submit your blog for consideration. After your blog is accepted, you will display your blog on the marketplace. Then, advertisers can view your blog and order a product review from you. If someone places an order for a review from your website, you will receive an email notification.

Based on the email request, you can either accept or reject their review request. You also negotiate the price of your review with the client. Once you and the client agree on a deadline and rate for the job, you’ll write the review and get paid! Typically, you get paid 14 days after the article has been completed. The site pays a paid reviewer by PayPal.

If you want a fun way to review products from your phone, check out CrowdTap . You can access the program through your smartphone. Then, you can look at their “daily missions,” which products they would like you to review that day. If you review their products, you will be rewarded for leaving a high-quality review.

You get paid in a variety of ways. For example, some companies will reward you with product samples. Other companies will reward you with gift cards. You may also be given merchandise rewards you can redeem at certain brands and establishments.

This is one of the top review apps out there. There are other ways you can earn points as well. For example, you can complete daily polls, fill out surveys, and share your reviews on social media channels. You can get additional points if you share your reviews on your blog.

Another review site you may want to check out is called Ciao . This is a review site based in the UK, but it is open to the international community, including non-English speakers. They have various products listed on the website, some of which are Amazon products.

The website also has a rotating category of focus or high-authority products. These are products that they need reviews for, so they’re willing to pay extra money for writers. The payment for each review varies, but it is directly tied to the amount of traffic that a specific review generates.

You don’t have to make much money to request a payout. As long as you have a balance of five pounds or more, or about $6, you can request to be paid. It might be challenging to generate a lot of traffic with your first review, but you can make significant money online once you get a lot of practice.

If you are more of a long-form paid reviewer, check out ListVerse . This website will pay you money to make a “top 10” list. Often called “listicles,” this is an opportunity to get creative. You have a lot of control over the products you decide to review, and you can make several recommendations in a single article.

You may want to write a paragraph or two on each item before moving forward. After your list has been published, you get paid through PayPal.

Next, you may want to check out Capterra as well. If you have looked for reviews of specific products, including software programs, you have probably come across Capterra. You can also get paid to write reviews for them. Typically, you need to use the product before you write the review, which may require additional work; however, you can also get paid more for each review.

On Capterra, you get paid approximately $10 for each review that is accepted. Because they are one of the largest players in the industry, they vet all of their reviews closely to ensure they meet their requirements. You need to verify your identity using LinkedIn, and you might get asked to send screenshots of the software or product you want to review before they let you write the review. For this reason, they pay more money for each review.

If you are someone who enjoys testing websites and applications, you may want to take a look at a website called UserTesting . During the review process, you need to make a 20-minute video. Then, you’ll be paid $10 for each review you give. Try this website if you would rather talk about a product or service instead of writing about it.

If the platform can download the necessary recording software, you can record it using any device you want. This could include a desktop computer, a laptop, a smartphone, or a tablet. You will also need to record yourself testing the app or website in real-time. Companies will pay a lot for people who record themselves using their products or services.

Therefore, this could be one of the most lucrative ways for you to make money through product reviews.

Another website that will pay you a lot of money for each review is called Gartner. Gartner is a leading technology and software review company. The goal is to help users make educated decisions on the products they use. Even though you can only write ten reviews annually, the company pays you approximately $25 for each successful review.

Caveat: Gartner closely vets every review before it is published to ensure it provides customers with real insights into the product. The more details you can give about your experience, the greater the chance your review gets accepted. You need to know a lot before you write your first review on this platform. So, check out Gartner’s FAQ page to figure out how to take advantage of this opportunity.

You might also want to consider Harris Poll Online . They are one of the oldest research firms in the industry, and they have a sterling reputation. Most of the surveys and reviews you complete for Harris will focus on their current marketing campaigns.

For example, you might be asked to watch a series of marketing videos a company produces. Then, you’ll be asked to share your opinion. You might also be asked to recommend improving their marketing videos to better speak to someone like yourself.

Every time you complete a survey for this company, you’ll be given points to redeem for gift cards. You might also be given a bonus award if you win the raffle. You get an entry into the raffle with every survey or review you complete.

G2 Crowd is a crowdsourcing platform for reviews. The amount of money you can make on this platform can vary widely depending on what you review. The average review pays between $5 and $15, but you could earn up to $25 per review if you review specific types of software. The website has hundreds of thousands of reviews, so it is one of the most popular review websites on the internet.

Similar to other software review websites, there are strict requirements you need to follow to make sure your review is accepted. You’ll also have to verify your identity by tying your LinkedIn account to your review.

Review Stream will allow you to make money by reviewing just about every product. Furthermore, if a user likes your review, you could get paid a bonus. If you get a vote of confidence from a user, this indicates that the person found your review useful.

Even though you can write a review on just about anything, you can look at what is currently trending on social media. Generally, ReviewStream will pay more money for products and services that have become popular. Furthermore, if you write a review that matches the publishing guidelines of the platform, they might pay you more money. These reviews are also more likely to be deemed useful by users.

InboxDollars has an excellent reputation for paying users to take surveys, shop online, and read email newsletters to assess them for clarity and effectiveness. You can get paid to write product reviews and collect rewards easily on this platform.

InboxDollars partners with top research organizations that are looking for feedback and input from the public. All you need to do is sign up and give your opinions on surveys, and you’ll be paid cash when you’ve completed your task.

Swagbucks is one of the most popular loyalty and consumer rewards platforms online. It’s free to join, and members receive gift cards or cash for the everyday activities they complete online. Tasks include web searching, playing games, watching videos, and shopping online. You can also scan your receipts for cash back, making it easy to earn extra cash without completing hundreds of surveys.

If you’re interested in answering surveys and giving reviews for cash, Swagbucks also pays users to take surveys on topics like personal finance, favorite foods, vacations, and more. Swagbucks has already paid its members over 5 million dollars, solidifying it as one of the most reliable online paid review platforms.

These are some useful review sites to apply to if you want to write product reviews, book reviews, and more. Writing legit reviews is also a great way to get free products, as lots of companies will send you new products and samples to write about on a review website. You can also combine writing reviews with other proven methods that will help you get paid to write .

These sites are a good side-hustle choice before applying to the best affiliate marketing programs and publishing review content on your website.

FAQs About How to Get Paid To Write Reviews

Section 5 of the FTC Act 15 U.S. Code 45 makes fake testimonials illegal in the United States. It can also dent your customer’s trust in your business. It should be noted that a man was jailed after posting fake reviews on TripAdvisor.

Many music writers start their careers by launching their blogs. However, several magazines and websites accept freelance reviews. Two Story Melody gives a list of sites that accept music reviews.

There are several ways to make money by giving reviews, depending on the platform or industry you are involved in. Here are a few methods: 1. Sponsored reviews 2. Affiliate marketing 3. Paid survey sites 4. Blogging or YouTube channels 5. Paid review websites

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Blog – Posted on Wednesday, Mar 27

How to become a book reviewer in 12 steps.

Most book critics have a pretty thankless job. If they give a bad review, they’re often accused of sour grapes (“If they could write, then they wouldn’t be reviewers”) and when their write-ups help a book to take off, they almost never get the credit (“the author’s talent sold the book, not the review”).  Yet literary criticism is an essential driver in the book-world — now more than ever in our age of online purchases and algorithmic curation. Which means there’s no time like the present to learn how to become a book reviewer .

In this post, we’ll look at the value of book criticism and show you how to become a book reviewer with our 12-step plan.

Why is book criticism important?

By conservative estimates, over 600,000 books are published each year in the US alone. Even the most voracious reader could only read a tiny fraction of those titles. Without literary criticism, the only thing to determine which books receive exposure would be the marketing teams of Big 5 publishers who would — dollars to donuts — always choose the titles they think will sell the most copies.

In the film Ratatouille , the fearsome food critic Anton Ego has something of an epiphany in the final reel: “There are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new.” In many ways, that is the reason why literary journals, newspaper book reviews, online review blogs, and Amazon user reviews exist: all of these play an important role in championing new authors and new ideas.

As we’ll discover in the next section, the book critic’s job is not just to serve as an arbiter of taste, lording their influence over authors. When they’re doing their job right, they’re serving as a shepherd, not just for readers but for writers as well.

Why would you want to become a book reviewer?

Before we get into the topic of what a critic personally gets out of reviewing books, let’s expand a bit on the role they play.

First (and arguably foremost), a critic’s job is to guide readers . They need to present a book to the reader in a way that gives a flavor of what it’s like: they might choose direct quotes, isolate individual sections — whatever it takes to help the reader to form their own impression of the title.

The reviewer should also be well-read, so they can not only provide a personal reaction to the book, but justify that opinion as well. In an age of online ‘reaction videos’ where novices offer their knee-jerk opinions of music, films, and books they’re not familiar with, the critic should ideally provide a more rounded, informed account. They should be able to put a book into context, comparing and contrasting the author’s approach based on what works have come before it.

Some may see this as an elitist approach, but surely we read reviews because we’re interested in what the critic knows — not what they don’t know. Not to mention that authors hoping for reviews will appreciate a well-informed reviewer!

Book reviewers also have an influential platform . Whether they’re writing product reviews for an online retailer or penning 1,200 words for The New York Times , they can use their soapbox to shine a light on new authors. If we want to get lofty about it, you could say that it’s a critic’s responsibility to seek out and champion new talent: give them exposure that they wouldn’t get if we were to leave it to the marketing team at HarperCollins, for example.

In this next section, we’ll show you how you can get involved in the world of literary criticism and become a book reviewer.

How to become a book reviewer in 12 steps

If you're looking to become a professional book reviewer and reach a growing audience, you could do a lot worse than to follow these twelve steps.

Step 1. Read abundantly

If you don’t already read like a maniac , then one might wonder why you’d want to become a book reviewer in the first place. Reading certainly won’t get any more enjoyable when you’re faced with a deadline. Plus, as we mentioned before, one of the best things you can bring to the table as a reviewer is your understanding of the history and landscape of the genre. When you’re reviewing a new horror book set in small-town New England, you should be, at the very least, well-versed in Stephen King books.

While you're at it, read other book reviews as well. You might as well learn from the best!

Step 2. Start reviewing books for free (or for money!)

Guess what? You can become a book reviewer today! You just need to log into your account at an online book retailer and drop a review of a book you’ve enjoyed. You can even write quality commentary with the help of our book review templates .

Okay, this article’s done now. Turns out, we only needed two steps. Roll credits.

All joking aside, reviewing books on retail sites is not a bad place to start. It gives you an opportunity to exercise your reviewing muscles and have your write-ups seen and enjoyed by folks browsing for their next big read. You can get feedback on your review (“20 people found this helpful”) and even contribute to the success of a book you like.

Once you feel confident in your skills (and are ready to take the next step), you can look at some of the online platforms which are always on the lookout for reviewers.

One of the most difficult parts of being a first-time author (especially a self-publishing one) is getting editorial reviews in time for the release of their book. If you look at the product description of a book’s Amazon page, you’ll often see that they include an extract from a review. If it’s a prominent release, the review may be from a national broadsheet; if it’s a smaller release, it may be from a smaller online reviewer. A few services specialize in providing authors with paid editorial reviews, which naturally requires reviewers. Some of the services will even pay them for their reviews (with some significant strings attached).

So which review platforms should you consider?

Some of the best-known review services include Kirkus, The U.S. Review of Books, Online Book Club, and Publisher’s Weekly — all of which offer a small honorarium in exchange for reviews. The review copies of the book are free (ideal!) but almost all of these services will give the reviewer no exposure (not ideal — especially if you’re looking to build your own profile as a reviewer).

The team here at Reedsy recently launched Reedsy Discovery as an alternative to these services. The reviewers on the platform have to submit examples of their writing for quality control, but once accepted, they can access and review a massive pool of upcoming indie books from their chosen genre.

The edge that Discovery offers reviewers is visibility . Each reviewer has a bespoke landing page where all their reviews can be found, along with a bio, headshot, and newsfeed. Readers who like what any given reviewer has written can choose to “follow” them and receive alerts about new reviews. Overall, Reedsy Discovery aims to give critics a platform (and the social networking tools) to build their personal profile and readership, two things that will come in handy as your reviewing career progresses.

To register as a reviewer on Reedsy Discovery, click here .

Between these options, you should have a few places where you can start writing reviews almost immediately! If you'd like to double-check, we recommend taking this quick quiz to find out which review community is the right fit for you:

Which review community should you join?

Find out which review community is best for your style. Takes 30 seconds!

And then, before you take a step into the big leagues, let’s cover some best practices.

Step 3. Always follow guidelines

Following guidelines is a good reviewing habit to develop early on — it will save you from a lot of rejection and rewrites. Sites like Kirkus are notorious for requiring an exact format for each review, while Reedsy Discovery and a few of the other sites allow a bit more freedom.

As you start to work with editorial staff, this ability to stick to guidelines will help you with your reputation as someone whose reviews don’t require an immense amount of feedback and editing — something that time-strapped editors appreciate.

Step 4. Always think of the reader first

In your life as a reviewer, you will almost always have a choice of which books to write about. So if a book has been utterly terrible, you can always choose not to write about it at all. Instead, find another title that might actually deserve getting the push that your review can provide. Look for books that sound intriguing; then if you love it, find a way to convince your readers that they might love it too.

Step 5. Host all your reviews in one place

Any freelance writer (such as a reviewer) these days needs to have a strong online presence. If you’re looking to build your portfolio and profile, you need to keep most of your work in one location .

This might mean starting your own website or maybe a Tumblr page ( maybe ) as an easy, low-cost alternative. Reedsy Discovery effectively gives reviewers a homepage where all their reviews can be found (okay, the last mention of Reedsy Discovery for a while, we promise!).

Essentially, you just want to be able to send anyone a single URL where they can browse through your back-catalog of work. This will come in extra handy if you’re ever applying to a high-profile reviewing (or any other type of writing) job: your whole portfolio will be in one convenient place to impress employers.

Step 6. Become a specialist

It can be hard to sell yourself as a jack of all trades. If you tell an editor that you are the right person to review ‘anything’, chances are they’ll think you’re deluded.

Instead, focus on a few genres that you know intimately. Through your work, you want editors to know you as the go-to person for certain genres — so when a conspiracy thriller or what have you crosses their desk, they’ll know exactly who to assign it to (you).

Once you know your specialty, make sure you’re familiar with trends in that category, and review a lot of titles in those genres. When it comes to pitching to review the next big book in that niche, you’ll be able to point to your past work as why you’re uniquely qualified to take that job.

So now that we’ve built you a reputation, a small following, and a massive body of work, you may want to take the next logical step: writing a review for a paper or a big online outlet. To do this, you’ll need to get yourself on the radar of some editors.

Step 7. Put together a packet of your best reviews

If the editors of a magazine or paper have never heard of you, then your work is going to have to knock their socks off. The prime way to do this is to assemble a packet of your best work . Yes, you should already have your full portfolio in one place — but this will be a “greatest hits” compilation of sorts, so editors can see your maximum potential.

Perhaps choose a mix of recognizable, traditionally published titles and indie books, so they know you have a wide range. Then, as you start getting published in more prestigious publications, begin working those reviews into your pack, and continue the cycle as you write more and more. After all, it’s much easier to get published if you can show that you’ve already been published.

Step 8. Join an association

Being part of a community is an important element of entering any profession. And book reviewing is no different! If you’re based in the US, check out the National Book Critic’s Circle : membership currently costs $50 a year for freelancers and it gives you access to a bunch of great resources and access to its Emerging Critics Fellowship.

Step 9. Find out upcoming releases

Once you know what books are coming up, you can start creating a shortlist of books you want (and are suited) to review.

Step 10. Start small-ish

Even if you’re a freakishly prodigious writer, chances are you won’t be able to make the jump straight to The New York Review of Books . Instead, look for more modest opportunities at smaller local papers, online magazines, and certain literary journals . As you research, make yourself a “hit list” of possible review outlets, figure out which upcoming books might be suited to those outlets, and start pitching.

Step 11. Pitch reviews effectively

First of all, always make sure that you’re contacting the right person at a magazine or newspaper. Don’t send your pitch to the city editor or the sports desk — word will get out that you don’t know how to do basic research.

It’s also good to bear in mind that you’re not pitching the idea of a review: you want to pitch the story your review might tell . The editor might not have considered running a review of the book you’re putting forward, so you have to sell them on the idea: why should they print a review of that book? Is it newsworthy (e.g. does it cover a topic in the current zeitgeist, or that is about to have a major anniversary)? Is it the latest book in a category that’s about to explode?

Once you’ve convinced an editor that the book you’ve proposed is worth reviewing, you’ll also have to make a case for why you should be the one to do it. Of course, you’ll want to link to your review samples to prove that you can write and that you’re well-versed in the genre. This should demonstrate your understanding and passion for that type of book and prove that you’re the ideal candidate.

To see what that might look like, check out this post from writer Erika Dreyfus. She provides an example where she mentioned how her grandfather was a businessman in post-WWI Germany as part of her successful pitch to review a new memoir set in that era.

Also, don’t pitch too late. Magazines will assign reviews weeks (if not months) in advance, so get your pitch in there early.

Step 12. Always follow up politely

Some people call this “hustling,” but in truth, it’s basic common sense. Wherever there is a submissions process, you can bet that there’s some poor soul who has to go through hundreds of emails. Naturally, emails will get lost in the pile and forgotten. If you don’t receive a reply from an outlet after two weeks, drop them a short polite reminder .

And if the answer is “no thank you,” then be gracious. Just because they don’t want you to review this book for them today, doesn’t mean they won’t be interested in something down the line. Who knows: after a few pitches, they might remember you as the “reviewer who’s big on Civil War fiction” and think of you the next time something appropriate turns up. So make a good impression and leave things on a positive note.

Keep plugging away, never stop reading, and always review with an eye to championing new talent and broadening readers’ horizons. You’ll eventually get a lucky break — and when that happens, you’ll be ready to seize the opportunity!

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Where to Find Real Book Reviewer Jobs

So, you already do tons of reading. Why not get paid for sharing your thoughts on it, and even get the subject books for free?

It probably sounds like a fantasy. 

But, thankfully, there are numerous paid book review jobs that you can do from the comfort of your own home.

Besides getting paid for your opinion, the only other difference review jobs have from your regular reading is a timeline — most employers will provide a few weeks to complete the book. 

Though, this is a good thing; you get to spend more time doing what you love.   

Let’s get right into the sources of these awesome jobs.  

6 Places You Can Make Money Reviewing Books

1: online book club.

Online Book Club is a free reading website that’s been around for over 10 years. It pays its reviewers in cash. 

For the first review, you only get a free book and no cash payment. The company will use this to assess your capabilities as a books reviewer. It qualifies you for the paid review opportunities.

The pay ranges from $5 to $60 per review, and is made through PayPal. The exact payment will depend on factors like the length of the book. Plus, you get to keep what you read. 

The review does not have to be positive — only honest. It should come to at least 400 words, or 300 words for Children’s books.

When working on a review, you are required to:

• Confirm whether you have successfully downloaded the book within an hour of accepting to do the review. 
• Mark the book as read within 14 days of confirming you have downloaded it.
• Submit the review seven days after reading the book. 

You can become a member for free — get started by signing up on the Online Book Club website. You will then get access to the review team page.

2: Kirkus Media

Kirkus Media is a reputable review magazine, and it’s one of the best places to get review jobs that pay in cash. There are plenty of jobs that are posted all year round on the career page .

Each review is around 350 words and should be detailed. They’re due two weeks after the book has been assigned.

The subject books are free and come in different lengths, genres, and languages. They can be in digital, hardcover, or paperback format.

Kirkus media does not mention how much it pays, but book reviewers who have worked with the company claim — according to the reviews left on Glassdoor — that it pays more than most review publications . You will also get paid on time.   

For consideration as a reviewer, you will need to submit the following to the email provided:

• Writing samples
• A list of your reviewing specialties

3: Women’s Review of Books

Here’s a special one for the ladies — Women’s Review of Books . 

It’s a publication that specifically reviews books about women or that were written by women. Women’s Review of Books is based in “ Wellesley Centers for Women ” at Wellesley College.

You have to be exceptionally good to land a job with the Women’s Review of Books — the publication expects its reviewers to have experience as a journalist, academic, or a strong background as a reviewer.

They expect thought-provoking reviews that appeal to a broad audience. The number of words and timeline is provided when the review is assigned, but it is usually 1500 words.

Payment is made upon publication of the review.

Make your application by sending the following to the editor :

• Your resume
• The genre you would like to focus on

You can also pitch a review of a forthcoming book through the contact provided on the website.

4: The US Review of Books

Another place that you may get regular and paying review jobs at is the U.S. Review of Books . This website seeks to connect authors from different genres with professional book reviewers, like you.

The reviews should be 250 to 300 words, insightful, factual, and unemotional. They should be written according to the guidelines provided by the US Review of Books. 

The timeline provided for each review is 2 to 3 weeks.

You may get hired as a freelance reviewer by sending an e-mail to the editor using the address provided on the website . 

It should include:

• Two professional references
• Samples of your best work

If hired, you get to choose your preferred book titles from the list of books published on the website. Then, you’ll get assignments based on your preferences and qualifications.

The payment amount is not specified. According to reviews on Glassdoor, it is competitive with frequent raises . 

Payment is on the 5 th day of every month, and this is usually compensation for the reviews completed in the previous month. 

5: Booklist Online

Booklist Online is a review magazine by the American Library Association that helps librarians select the best books. It publishes about 8,000 book reviews per year.

The magazine outsources some of the work to freelance reviewers.   

The limit for each review is 175 words, but book reviewers may extend up to 225 words for exceptionally good books. 

The reviews must stick to the magazine’s writing style and provided guidelines.

Booklist Online pays $15 for each approved review. But even if it’s rejected, the magazine will still appreciate your effort with $5 per review.

You may become one of Booklist Online book reviewers by sending in your samples. Choose a category that you would prefer to work in and make your application to the editor .  

6: Freelancing Websites

Freelancing websites connect independent contractors with employers in need of book reviews.

These websites contain thousands of job listings for reviewers; a good example of a reputable freelancing website is Upwork .

Here are two examples of review jobs on the website:  

PeoplePerHour is another reputable freelancing website where you may find remote book review jobs. Here’s an example of a job opportunity on their website:

The pay varies across employers.

In the case of Upwork and PeoplePerHour, you will need to create an account on the website. You can then send a proposal to the employer, which should include the amount you will charge for the task.

There are commission fees that both Upwork and PeoplePerHour charge on freelancers’ earnings.

You can also try freelancing websites like Guru and Fiverr.

How Can You Make Some Extra Money as a Book Reviewer?

As you apply for these paying book review jobs, work on creating your own book review blog. It should focus on one genre where you’re the most well-read — such as music, children’s books, or others.

Here are three ways a book review blog will help you:

• It will establish you as an expert reviewer in a particular genre.
• You can use it to showcase your book reviewing skills to potential employers.
• You get to build relationships with authors and publishers, and they will help in reviewer job applications where professional references are needed.

In addition, you can earn from this blog through affiliate marketing . This is where you earn commissions by promoting other people’s products. In this case — books.

Get started by signing up with an affiliate program, such as:

• Book Depository

You will get an affiliate link from the program. Every time a user clicks on the link on your blog and makes a purchase, you get to earn a commission.    

You can learn how to best optimize your website for search engines using the Small Revolution SEO Copywriting Course. 

Our SEO Copywriting Course is designed to nurture highly sought-after copywriters. And what could be better than becoming your own website’s copywriter?

With this course, we will turn you into an expert in drawing traffic to your site. Plus, you’ll also learn how to keep your followers interested in your site using great content.  

Ready to Begin Your Book Reviewer Job?

You most certainly can earn a decent income from writing book reviews. But, like any other remote job, you have to learn the technical and behavioral skills needed to succeed.

This is where Small Revolution comes in.

We have created a resourceful online learning platform — it has a library of articles and courses that will make you a better reviewer and remote worker.

Begin with our comprehensive SEO copywriting course first. With it, apply SEO techniques to create an authoritative book review website in the niche of your choice. 

Then, you may use it to prove your book reviewing skills as you pitch potential employers. 

Katrina McKinnon

I'm Katrina McKinnon, the author behind Small Revolution . With two decades of hands-on experience in online work, running eCommerce stores, web agency and job boards, I'm now on a mission to empower you to work from home and achieve work-life balance. My passion lies in crafting insightful, education content. I have taught thousands of students and employees how to write, do SEO, manage eCommerce stores and work as Virtual Assistants. Join our most popular course: SEO Article Masterclass

6 of the Best Ways to Get Paid to Read Books

Need some extra cash? Get paid to read books by writing books reviews for magazines and publications. Here’s how it’s done.

Arvyn Cerezo

Arvyn Cerezo is an arts and culture writer/reporter with bylines in Book Riot , Publishers Weekly , South China Morning Post , PhilSTAR Life , the Asian Review of Books , and other publications. You can find them on arvyncerezo.com and @ArvynCerezo on Twitter.

View All posts by Arvyn Cerezo

It’s true that reading books is beneficial in so many ways, including improving our mental health . But there’s an unpopular benefit that reading books can also provide: money. Indeed, reading can become an income stream, turning passion into profit. Ever wondered how to get paid to read books?

While there are several, broad avenues to do that — such as getting a job in the publishing industry , becoming a book editor or proofreader , narrating an audiobook , developing ebooks for a living, or becoming an audiobook proof listener — I’d narrow in on the easiest route, something that could be done right away: book reviewing.

I’m a writer and journalist regularly reviewing books for Publishers Weekly , and I’ve been doing this for four years now. Although the pay isn’t that great, it helps me hone my writing and reviewing skills. It also helps me build connections within the publishing industry. But a gig such as this might as well be a full-time job itself; reading a book for review purposes is a different thing from reviewing a book for leisure. There’s a lot of things to consider, and it might not seem that enjoyable at it appears.

But if you’re interested to become a book reviewer and get paid to read books along the way, I have a list of six ways for you to try below. The list includes writing for traditional magazines and publications that are proven to pay freelancers after a published review. Maybe after trying these gigs out, you might get interested in working in publishing. So, to test the waters, a book reviewing side hustle might be ideal.

Here’s how to get paid to read books through reviewing gigs:

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Writing Book Reviews for Publishers Weekly

PW , the industry magazine, pays $25 per review that runs about 180–200 words. You can choose how many books you can review in a month. In my case, I recently switched to one book per three weeks because of my schedule. But before, I used to do two books a month. In addition to that, you can decline a book if you don’t feel like it, but I’m not sure if it’s the case with every editor.

There are also opportunities for other kinds of writing, such as a Q&A and an author profile, which you can pitch to your editor.

Publishers Weekly accepts reviewer applications occasionally. All you have to do is send a CV and a sample review à la PW . They don’t assign a byline, however.

Writing Book Reviews for Kirkus Reviews

This magazine also accepts applications for freelance reviewers . However, it won’t be for traditionally published books, unlike with PW . Instead, reviewers would be working on self-published books for the indie section of the magazine called Kirkus Indie.

The review runs about 350 words and is due two weeks after the book is assigned. They pay $50, but it could go upwards to $75 if they see some great writing. For picture books, they pay $40 for a review of 250 words. As with PW , they don’t give a byline.

“Reviewing for Kirkus Indie was fun. I got sent a steady stream of books to recommend, usually 1–2 per month,” shares Sarah S. Davis, former Kirkus Indie reviewer and a Book Riot contributor. “I did have an opportunity when I first started to list what genres were my preferred genres to recommend. You don’t get to choose which book you get, but they will often give you a sub-genre or category that you connect well with. For example, for me that was books about health, psychology, and spirituality. My friend who reviewed for Kirkus, however, ‘specialized’ in geotechnical thrillers.”

To be considered, submit a sample review in the style of Kirkus.

Reviewing for Booklist

Booklist is a magazine catered toward librarians. They also occasionally publish reviews in their print and online versions. Just like the magazines aforementioned, Booklist is also constantly looking for reviewers.

For a word count of 150–175, the pay is a meager $15. If you reject a book, you get $5. Nonetheless, the best thing here is that the reviews are signed. That means you get to have a byline attached to the review, whether in print or online. In some instances, however, the payment could be delayed because the review is scheduled for a later issue. But once it gets published, you get to be paid.

Here’s how to apply as a Booklist reviewer . Once accepted, you’d become an apprentice reviewer.

Writing Audiobook Reviews for AudioFile Magazine

AudioFile is a magazine that regularly reviews audiobooks. If you’re an avid audiobook listener and feel like recommending best new titles, then this is for you.

AudioFile assigns a couple audiobooks in a month, and you have to write a review of about a hundred words. They pay $10 apiece, which is disbursed twice a year. Because of this payment scheme, it would take a long while to receive the payment. Still, you have the freedom to choose the genre of audiobook you want to review, such as young adult, fantasy, classics, literary fiction, etc. In the review that appears in print and online versions, you get to have initials as your byline, but you don’t get to have your name printed in full.

Reviewing an audiobook, however, is an altogether different realm. Make sure to read the magazine to get familiarized with the style.

Writing Book Reviews for Online Book Club

This is a forum that publishes book reviews, and they always accept reviewers. Since it’s a forum — not a magazine or a publication — you get to choose what appears as your byline. Pay varies per book, but it usually ranges from $5–60 per review according to their website.

“Reviewing books for the Online Book Club was a good experience because I got to read books and give my opinion about them, which I enjoyed,” says Yolimari Garcia, a former reviewer. “You can choose which books you want to review from a list. However, you can only pick the books with higher payments if you have a high reviewer score. I reached the highest level, which was six. A level-six reviewer is allowed to be an editor, which I was too.”

According to Garcia, the reviewers receive feedback from the editors, who also assign ratings based on the Review Team Guidelines. The objective is for the high-quality reviews to receive a high score and those with low quality to receive a low score. Some reviews cannot be published because it is clear that the writer did not read the book or adhere to the rules, according to Garcia.

“You can review as many books from the list as you can in a month as long as you follow the Review Team Guidelines and meet the deadlines…The payment is lower if you are a low-level reviewer and higher if you are a high-level reviewer,” she adds. As with other publications that publish book reviews, Garcia says that “don’t expect to make a salary” and “see it as a hobby, a side gig, or a medium for gaining experience writing professional book reviews .”

Here’s how to apply as a reviewer for Online Book Club .

Pitching Directly to Magazines and Publications

This is the recommended option if you’ve already gained an experience writing professional book reviews or if you have a stellar writing portfolio. Many publications allow unsolicited pitches to editors; The New York Times , The Guardian , and other major outlets may accept such pitches.

The rate is significantly higher, reaching as high as $800 for a 1,000-word review . However, since this is the high-paying path, it’s also the most difficult one. It takes a lot of effort to craft the perfect pitch to an editor, and sending the pitch doesn’t even guarantee an assignment. It might depend on the quality of the pitch, the publication’s editorial calendar, the strength of the writing portfolio, relevance of the book, etc. To get paid to read books in this manner, one must already be an established literary critic. Think of it as the be-all and end-all of reviewing.

For more tips on how to pitch an article to a major publication, here’s a guide .

There are several ways to get paid to read books, but book reviewing seems to be the easiest path. Because of the nature of this gig, though, you might want to supplement it with other book-related jobs. Here are audiobook narrator jobs for beginners and other jobs for book lovers !

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How To Get Paid To Read Books (Plus 5 Legit Companies That Pay for Reviews)

Turn the dream into reality!

If you’ve ever dreamed of a world where someone would pay you to read books, we’ve got good news! There are multiple ways to get paid to read books, whether you make a career out of it or just do it to pick up some extra cash. In fact, these options can be the perfect choice for teachers looking to change careers or those who need to make a little money on the side . Here’s how to live the dream.

Can you really get paid to read books?

Short answer: Yes, you can! Longer answer: You can make money, but you may not be able to make a living. If you’re looking to get paid to read books as a career, you’ll probably need to pursue jobs in publishing, which can be hard to come by. Expect to earn a related degree and work your way up from the very bottom. Penguin Random House has much more information about how to get into publishing here.

It’s much easier to get paid to read books if you’re willing to do some smaller jobs instead. Many companies will pay you to write book reviews, though only small amounts at first. Plus, there are other gigs, like audiobook narrator or book translator, which you might be able to pick up on an as-needed basis.

One note: Many people dream of becoming librarians because they can’t imagine anything better than spending their days surrounded by books. And while there are many rewards to becoming a librarian, getting paid to read isn’t usually one of them. This varies, of course, depending on your position. But in general, how much time does the average librarian spend reading on the job?

“The answer is zero,” shares one former librarian. “Unless you count reading spine labels as you’re shelving.” So if you’re looking to make money just for reading, take a look at one of the jobs below instead.

What types of jobs are available for avid readers?

Lorenzo Cafaro via Pixabay

Whether you’re looking for a career or a side gig, here’s what you’ll want to know about some of the most common reading jobs.

Book Reviewer

Pay range: $5–$50 per review for beginners

This is one of the easiest ways to get paid to read books. There are a variety of companies that will pay you for your thoughtful reviews, though the per-job pay isn’t amazing. If you’re a prolific reader, though, this can be a nice way to pick up some extra money regularly. Check out our list of companies that pay for reviews below.

If you’re an accomplished reviewer, you might consider pitching your reviews to bigger outlets, like newspapers, magazines, or websites. You could receive hundreds of dollars for your reviews—if they’re published. Learn how to pitch an article to a magazine here.

Publishing Acquisitions Editor

Pay range: $47,000–$85,000 per year

Not all jobs in publishing actually require a lot of reading, but acquisitions editors definitely spend their days turning pages. Their main job is to read manuscripts from authors (solicited or unsolicited) and make recommendations about which of them to publish. These jobs aren’t necessarily glamorous, but they’re a bookworm’s dream. And as you might imagine, they can be very hard to land. Find out more about becoming an acquisitions editor here.

Publishing Copy Editor/Proofreader

Pay range: $41,000–$96,000 per year

If you’ve got an eye for detail, these could be the jobs for you. Copy editors work with a book while it’s still in progress, reviewing for consistency, errors, continuity, factuality, and legal liability. They help authors make changes as needed throughout the editing process.

Proofreaders review a final copy of a manuscript before it goes to press. A proofreader compares the edited manuscript with the proof copy, word for word. They catch any last spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors, and fix any awkward word or page breaks. Discover the differences between copy editors and proofreaders here .

Audiobook Narrator

Pay range: $10–$500 per finished hour

Audiobooks are very popular, and those with strong voice-acting skills can make good money by recording them. Some narrators even do their own recording, editing, and more. For fiction books, the process often involves multiple narrators, with a regular audition process. You may work at home if you have the right equipment, or you may need to come into a recording studio.

Note that audiobook narrators are usually paid per “finished hour,” which refers to the length of the audio files you record. For an 18-hour audiobook, you may spend double that or more in preparation, rehearsal, and recording, so figure your salary accordingly. Want to get started working in audiobook narration? Look into ACX, Audible’s audiobook creation marketplace.

Literary Translator

Pay range: $22,000–$100,000 per year

Many books are translated into multiple languages and sold around the globe. If you’ve got strong world language skills, you could make money by translating those books for publishers or authors.

This job involves more than just word-for-word translation, since many words and phrases don’t have direct cognates. Translators have to use their knowledge of language to ensure the translated book retains the same tone as the original, making it a real art form. See tips on becoming a literary translator here.

Companies That Pay You to Read and Review Books

Karolina Grabowska via Pexels

You won’t make a bundle writing book reviews for any of these companies, but it can be a steady way to earn some much-needed extra cash. Some require experience and an application process, while others are easier to get in on. Here are the details.

Pay rate: Not specified

BookBrowse asks that applicants have some experience in writing the types of reviews they’re looking for. Their website says reviewers write about one review a month for “a byline and modest payment.” See if BookBrowse is a good fit for you here.

Pay rate: $15 per review (~150 words)

Libraries depend on publications like Booklist to help them choose new additions to their shelves. The pay is low, but the reviews are also quite short and you’ll receive a byline credit. Learn more about writing for Booklist here.

Kirkus Reviews

Pay rate: $50 per review (~350 words)

Kirkus hires reviewers for Kirkus Indie, the book review magazine’s section dedicated to self-published authors. If you’re interested, find out more here.

Online Book Club

Pay rate: $5–$60 per review

For the first review, OnlineBookClub.org gives you the book for free. After that, you’re eligible for paid opportunities (which also include free books). Learn how the process works and apply to be a reviewer here.

Publishers Weekly

Pay rate: $25 per review (~200 words)

This publishing powerhouse looks for reviewers who can handle books across a wide array of subjects, from cookbooks to psychology, romance to sci-fi. Submit an application via their website to be considered for review gigs.

Do you know of other ways to get paid to read books? Come share your thoughts and ask for advice in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, 38 companies that hire former teachers in 2023 ..

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Because we can all use some extra cash now and then. Continue Reading

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The Work at Home Wife

Helping you work at home and make money online

Get Paid to Read Books: 8 At-Home Jobs for Book Lovers

August 28, 2024

If reading is your great love in life, why not turn it into a side hustle and get paid to read books?

One of the best things about the book publishing business is that thanks to the internet, it adapts well to copy editors, designers, and even editors looking for a home job, as well as voice talent for narrating audiobooks.

And if you’re simply a book lover who gets excited about free copies of new young adult lit or interesting nonfiction, you can turn your passion for reading into pocket change by writing a book review.

So settle in, my excellent bookworms! I’ve got some great ideas that’ll let you read books and make money in a remote job .

Make extra money with book review opportunities

If you aren’t necessarily looking to pay all your bills by reading books, you may be able to find work as a paid book reviewer or at least get a free book in exchange for an online review. Here are some sites where you can provide paid book reviews or get a new book.

• Online Book Club requires your first review to be unpaid, but you’ll still get a free book to review! After your initial review, most projects offer $5 to $60. As you can see, book reviewing really isn’t a gig that compensates well for the time involved. You really need to love to read — and quickly — and consider any compensation a bonus while having fun .
• Kirkus hires freelance reviewers and expects a 350-word review within a 2-week time frame.
• Booklist accepts freelance book reviews – assigned reviews only. Freelance opportunities are limited but pay $12.50 for a blog post and $15 for a full book review.
• The US Review does pay reviews, though their website does not say how much. Reviews must include a short book summary, be turned around within 2-3 weeks, and follow a style guide.
• Bethany House specializes in Christian books and is specifically looking for reviewers who have an existing online platform like a YouTube channel, a book blog, etc. There is no mention of compensation, but you may be able to use your affiliate marketing link within your review on your own website or channel.
• Writerful will allow you to submit an honest review of any book of your choosing. You just won’t get paid as a new reviewer, so expect to put in some time on the site. Paid book reviewer opportunities are offered if you become a trusted, experienced reviewer. These paid opportunities compensate $10 to $50 per review.
• Moody Publishers is another publishing house specializing in Christian titles. They do not pay for your reviews, but you will receive free books.

If you need to earn a living from your side hustle , you’ll probably have to do more than review books. Here are some additional opportunities that pay more and will still have you reading.

Also see: How to make money as an Amazon reviewer

Become a narrator

Audiobook narration is an industry that has been picking up steam in the work-at-home world in recent years. With so many books now being consumed through Audible and similar services, even self-publishers are publishing their works on various platforms.

To become an audiobook narrator , you’ll need a great voice, the ability to perform in different voices (training as a voice actor helps), and editing skills (most narrators do their own post-production file editing). You can mark up the manuscript or printed book with tips to help you avoid problems when narrating.

Audiobook work also requires the right equipment, such as a microphone, a pop screen filter, good-quality headphones, a tablet or e-reader, and recording and editing software. Learn more about becoming an audiobook narrator here .

Copy editing and proofreading jobs

Large and small publishers — not to mention websites, magazines, and corporations — often outsource online proofreading jobs as well as copy editing jobs. If you’d like to copy edit for a traditional publishing house, it will most likely require you to have a professional copy editing certificate, which you can get by completing a copy editing course. Universities often offer these courses, and many can be completed online.

If you aren’t able to get a certificate right now, don’t worry! You can still land a professional proofreader job or copy editing position from someone else, such as a website or corporation. To apply for a copy editing or proofreading job, simply demonstrate your superior grammar and spelling skills! If you are looking at some resources, two that were helpful to me were this free workshop with the basics of getting in the proofreading business and The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications by Amy Einsohn. (Be sure you pick up the latest edition.)

With a little bit of luck, you can score an editing work-from-home job . These opportunities are not that common, but you’ll periodically find websites or online publications looking for assistant editors and even managing editors. A small traditional publisher may also work with remote editors. Bookjobs.com is one great place to keep an eye out for book editor openings; you can also keep a tab on Indeed, and make it a habit to regularly check the Careers page on your favorite websites.

Or you could develop your own freelance editing business , selling your services to authors seeking a professional evaluation and polish of their manuscripts. This will take some time and legwork on your part. You’ll need to build your business from the ground up: decide your rates, design your website, and gather customer testimonials. Then you’ll need to land clients!

You may want to look for editing jobs via other services while you work on your own base of operations as a freelancer. You can find a remote editing job on various low-paying job boards (such as UpWork) or via better-paying Virtual Assistant companies (like Time Etc). This work-while-you-build strategy serves two purposes: First, it brings some money in, and second, it lets you collect testimonials about your performance. Be careful when employing this tactic, however. Make sure you don’t poach customers from another service or violate the terms of your agreement with any virtual assistant platform.

If you are fluent in a second language, you may find online opportunities for translation jobs . These gigs are plentiful on sites like UpWork in addition to translation services and marketplaces such as:

Today Translations

Translators Base

Layout and design

There are a lot of emerging opportunities to work with writers who are self-publishing these books. While these folks may have a great story to share, they may not be as passionate about formatting their book or graphic design needed to create a compelling book cover.

You can learn how to do book layout and editorial or graphic design for free at sites such as The Book Designer . And many great desktop publisher computer programs, such as Adobe InDesign, Quark XPress and Microsoft Publisher, can help you with the actual book layout.

Then just hang out your shingle as a designer or formatter! You can create a website to advertise your book layout and design services, network with authors and publishers on social media, and look for designer gigs in all the usual places.

Some smaller publishing houses even hire freelance book designers, giving you the opportunity to establish a lucrative business relationship. Or you can actively seek out self-publishing authors getting their books ready for print-on-demand and ebook stores like Kindle. (The latter will likely be your primary clientele.)

Become a book publisher

This is the ultimate “get paid to read books” job.

Let’s say you’ve been building all the skills I outlined above. You’ve maximized your opportunities in the book business. You can recognize good writing. You’re a good copy editor and overall editor. You know how to make a book look beautiful on the page and on the screen. So why not start publishing books yourself? Go into business to create your own publishing company!

If you’re a writer, you could start by self-publishing your own work. Once you’re established as someone who can turn out a beautifully designed and cleanly edited product, you can start looking for other authors to publish. You’ll need some start-up capital to land your first author, but you’ll have all the skills and a golden opportunity to create a book that you believe in. And be sure both you and the author make some money, of course!

Also See: Can You Really Make Money with Low Content Books

Marketing and public relations

One of the key tools in your arsenal is knowing how to market yourself, your skills, and your products. Not only is this crucial to making your own freelance editing or publishing business work, but you can also turn book marketing and public relations into its own business! With so many self-published authors new to the field every month and traditionally published authors who are struggling to come up with their own PR strategy, there are tons of opportunities to step in and help them out. You can become their freelance book marketing and publicity pro, who lines up blog tours, plan author interviews, and really gets the word out about their books with viral marketing .

Where can I find these jobs for book lovers?

• Kirkus hires book reviewers as well as several of the positions mentioned above.
• Freelance Writer’s Den offers a job board specifically for writers and editors.
• Publishers Weekly offers several freelance publishing positions, such as book reviewer and editor.

Are you a book lover who’s excited about these opportunities? I’m excited for you! There is so much remote work for you to turn your love of reading into a livelihood, and now you know how to look for it. Whether you’re reviewing books for extra cash or narrating the next best-selling audio book, I’d love to hear from you about any and all jobs you land and businesses you begin from here!

About Angie Nelson

Angie Nelson began working from home in 2007 when she figured out how to take her future into her own hands and escape the corporate cubicle farm. Angie’s goal is sharing her passion for home business, personal finance, telecommuting, and entrepreneurship, and her work has been featured on Recruiter, FlexJobs and Business News Daily.

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The arts rarely have anything good to say about critics. That they’re not generally the hero of many stories is, at the very least, understandable. More often they’re portrayed as joyless, cruel and a little pathetic; themselves failed artists who live to take down others, or, worse, sycophants in search of a famous friend.

Without getting into any sort of philosophical, or even factual debate about the nature of the kind of person drawn to criticism (besides perhaps a staunch antipathy to either job security or amassing wealth), it is safe to say that the drama critic of “ The Critic ” takes all the worst stereotypes to hysterical heights.

Set in the 1930s in London, Ian McKellen is Jimmy Erskine, a veteran theater critic whose reviews can make or break a play or a performer. He has a monastic devotion to telling the truth, as entertainingly as he can, and knows what he must sacrifice to do so.

“The drama critic is feared and reviled for the judgement he must bring,” McKellen says in an ominous voiceover. “(He) must be cold and perfectly alone.”

When one woman dares to chat him up after a play, offering her take on the material and performances, he swiftly tries to have her removed from the restaurant claiming he must be protected from the general public. When an actress, Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), confronts him about his wildly inconsistent criticisms of her (how can she be both plump and emaciated, she wonders), he refuses to apologize. And he scoffs when the new boss at the newspaper, David Brooke (Mark Strong), implores him to tone it down: “Be kinder,” he says. “More beauty, less beast.”

But what starts as satire spirals into a wildly messy tragedy with contrivance upon contrivance. This is a film that could have listened to its anti-hero’s advice to the flailing actress: Do less. That someone as great as Lesley Manville, as Nina’s mother, gets a mere handful of scenes and is only minimally consequential to it all is telling. It strives to be an intricate spider-web of compelling, intersecting stories, but few characters are fleshed out enough for us to care.

“ The Critic ,” handsomely directed by Anand Tucker (“Hilary and Jackie,” “Leap Year”) and written by Patrick Marber (“Closer,” “Notes on a Scandal”), is very loosely based on Anthony Quinn’s novel “Curtain Call,” itself more a murder mystery than this ever allows itself to be. Instead, the film is about the desperate lengths a man will go to when his job and freedom are threatened. Erskine is the kind of gentleman critic whose power and authority have gone unchallenged for so long, he’s become delusional beyond recognition. His words don’t just destroy, though. They’ve also inspired. Even the actress he obliterates time and time again admits as much: She tells him it was his writing that made her fall in love with the theater.

There are some fun ideas here, and good performances. McKellen is having a wonderful time living inside this charismatic monster who you are with until you’re really not. Erskine is also gay; an open secret that becomes a liability with his new boss and the rise of fascist thought around him. But none of it really adds up to anything poignant or enormously entertaining; its darkness is both lopsided and superficial, as most become casualties of Erskine’s aims. Theater critic as tyrant is a juicy premise; “The Critic” just can’t live up to the promise.

“The Critic,” a Greenwich Entertainment release in select theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “some language and sexual content.” Running time: 100 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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