Top 20 ways to get paid to read books (book Review jobs)

 Top 20 ways to get paid to read books (book Review jobs)

Book Review

Reading books is a fabulous hobby. In fact, nearly all of the world's billionaires, including Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Peter F. Drucker, and Mark Zuckerberg, are avid readers. They read dozens of books every month. And these millionaires attribute their success to the habit of reading.

Unfortunately, the cost of books and a shortage of time prevent us from reading books. But what if you could read books and get paid for it too? Wouldn't you take the time and try harder to read books?

If this sounds interesting to you, here are 20 great ways to earn money reading books. As long as you have the necessary qualifications, of course, to apply for a book reviewer, editor, or proofreader jobs.

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Requirements to get paid to read books

The only way to earn money reading books is by working as a proofreader, editor, or proofreader. Without exception, the work is available only to graduates in English, Literature, Journalism, and Fine Arts.

And that's not enough: you will also need skills to write critical appraisals, edit and proofread a book.

Because reviewing, editing, or correcting books is a very serious matter. An incorrect revision can cause immense losses to an author and publisher. A poorly revised book may mean that the printer has to throw away all the copies and make new ones with the correct spelling and punctuation.

That's why businesses and organizations pay between $ 19 per hour and $ 200 per review to read a book. Therefore, most organizations and publishers impose very strict standards when it comes to getting people to read books for a fee.

It is possible to work full-time and part-time or even freelance as a book reviewer and critic, editor, or proofreader.

If you meet these requirements, here is a list of the top 20 ways to get paid to read books.

The 20 best ways to earn money reading books

Before applying for a job that pays to read books, here is something to remember. An editor might ask you to take a skills test.

And they will allow you to review books in only one genre, such as fiction, non-fiction, spirituality, children's, educational, and others. Only in rare cases can you earn money by reading two different genres of books.

1. Book reviewers for the media

On average, book critics or book critics as they are known to earn an average of $ 63,000 a year working with major newspapers and media companies. Their only job is to provide weekly or even daily reviews of newly released books.

The New York Times is the leading book critic. In fact, newspaper book reviews are one of the reasons thousands of books emerge as bestsellers in the world. Book reviews are critics of books in the media that are highly paid.

2. Work as a librarian

Another great way to get paid to read is by working as a librarian. This job definitely requires skills like a degree in Library Science. Of course, you can read books for free while you have some free time in the library.

At the same time, employers, publishers, and booksellers also pay you to read, review, and suggest whether the book should be kept in the library. This is perfectly legitimate. That's because authors and booksellers compete fiercely for their books at famous libraries, universities, and colleges.

3. Barnes & Noble Book Critics

Barnes & Noble prides itself on being the world's largest online bookstore, for one important reason. They publish many books on various genres by authors from all over the world. B&N operates in various locations in the US.

As a leading US book publisher, B&N also hires professional critics, reviewers, editors, and other staff to read its new or yet to be released publications. You can imagine the size of Barnes & Noble's business - at any given time, they have over a million titles available online and offline.

4. Upwork and FlexJobs.com

You can also get paid to read books as a freelancer. These jobs are generally available on freelance portals such as Upwork and FlexJobs.com, among others.

They are available for skills including editing, proofreading, rewriting, or even writing reviews. You may also come across works by certain authors who want excellent reviews of their books on Amazon and other websites.

While Upwork charges a fee ranging from five to 20 percent of your income for reading books, FlexJobs.com charges a membership fee payable by monthly subscription. There are other websites like Fiverr, Toptal.com, and Freelancer where you can find work to get paid to read books.

5. Online book club

Online Book Club is an American organization that offers free and inexpensive services, such as book editing, proofreading, and proofreading. Hundreds of writers submit manuscripts of their books for review to the Online Book Club, before they are released or for public reading.

You can apply for book critic jobs at Online Book Club. And while you wait for a paid review opportunity, it's also possible to read several other free books, in your favorite genre. This is an ideal forum for book lovers to read books awaiting publication and make suggestions if necessary.

6. Kindle Desktop Post Reviewer

Amazon, in its bid to offer paper and digital books, has this incredible service known as Kindle Desktop Publishing. It enables budding authors to self-publish books without the need for costly publishers and agents.

However, KDP offers opportunities for authors to find freelance editors, reviewers, and proofreaders to ensure their book is popular.

Generally, this is freelance work and an author may decide to hire their services. However, Amazon Kindle primarily relies on free reviews from readers to promote a book. That's why some authors pay to post a great review of their book on the Amazon Kindle.

7. Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Media offers the Kirkus Review service where both new and seasoned authors can seek independent opinions on their work for a fee. So, you can read some great books for free and earn money too. However, this feature is available only to professional book reviewers with a proven track record.

They also have book editing and revision services. Again, they only accept qualified and experienced editors and proofreaders because some of the best authors also turn to Kirkus Media for services. Apply through their portal with an example or skills test.

8. Explore book

BookBrowse.com accepts applications for book reviewers throughout the year. As the job requires, you will need some qualifications and experience to become a book critic with them. If you meet their standards, BookBrowse.com offers a signature on their posts and a small fee.

Another way to earn money is by entering their Win-a-Book contest. This contest is open seasonally and the prize, which is a free book, is the main attraction. Please read the BookBrowse.com terms and conditions before applying as a reviewer. They have strict quality controls.

9. Proofreadingservices.com

Proofreadingservice.com is the best website to earn money for reading books. As the name suggests, this is a web portal where you can get freelance proofreading jobs. That means you can bid to correct any book by a budding or new author. You can also choose to read educational books, comics, and other things.

The hourly rate for proofreaders in the United States ranges from $ 18 to $ 25 per hour. For the specialized review, it can go as high as $ 45 per hour. And you can check out books of various genres for free while making money. 

Although these jobs do not require special qualifications, an excellent command of English, perfect grammar, and punctuation are required.

10. WCW online

The Wellesley Centers for Women or WCW offers a service for women to review various publications and books while earning money for their work. The service goes by the name of Women's Review of Books. They typically review books by female writers, students, and aspiring writers, as well as scholarship and thesis applications.

According to various online sources, WCW Online pays up to $ 100 for an excellent review. The rate depends on several factors. This is a great website for women who love books and have the qualifications to earn money reading as a side job.

11. Hodder and Stoughton

UK-based Hodder & Stoughton has been in the book publishing business since 1868. It is part of the larger Hatchett Group, which is among the world's leading book publishers. They have published books by some legendary authors like Sir Winston Churchill and Enid Blyton, to name a few.

You can apply for a full-time job as a book editor and reviewer at Hodder & Stoughton, provided you have the necessary skills. They are a highly respected and extremely professional publisher in the world and therefore are inundated with submissions from budding authors. Therefore, they offer positions only when they accept newer book submissions.

12. Baker Publishing

Founded in 1938, the Baker Publishing Group is famous throughout the world for its religious books for the Christian faith. The group is made up of several publishers, each with its own specialization in Christian books. They hire book editors, reviewers, and proofreaders who are well versed in the Holy Bible and other Christian scriptures due to the nature of their business.

Baker Publishing always has openings for spiritually-minded individuals who can review, edit, or correct books that are used for Christian teachings and religious libraries. Most of his books are written by qualified clergymen. If you have that spiritual bent, Baker Publishing is a great place to work, enrich your knowledge of Christianity, and earn some money.

13. Penguin-Random House

The leading US publisher Penguin-Random-House requires a lot of people to read, proofread, edit, and proofread books. And it is one of the leading employers of people who have the necessary skills. They operate around the world and are renowned for offering affordable books in various countries.

Penguin- Random House is best known for its educational books. Therefore, experts in any field, including complex ones like medicine and engineering, can look to make money from this organization. You will have to apply through the Careers portal. You can join as a trainee, experienced or entry-level reviewer, proofreader, or editor in this super organization.

14. Government Publications Office

If you are a lawyer or have experience in some specialized fields, you can earn money reading books and other publications issued by the Government Publications Office of the US government, and the GPO issues books and publications for almost all federal departments and agencies. Therefore, there is no shortage of work.

This is a federal job. That means not only will you get paid to read books, but you will also be entitled to receive all the benefits of a federal employee. The GPO issues books and publications for various purposes, from creating public awareness of something or manuals and standard operating procedures for various organizations.

15. Net galley

Net Galley serves as a meeting point for authors, editors, and reviewers. Writers and publishers can submit their work online and request reviews and suggestions that can help improve a book. It is a very popular website for book lovers because they can read for free and earn some money.

To get paid to read books, see their website, terms, and conditions. The website is very easy to use. Therefore, it attracts tens of thousands of book lovers every week. Based on various reviews on this website, you can earn around $ 10 for reading a book and giving feedback.

16. Booklist.com

I'm not really sure how Booklist Reader enables people to make money by reading books. However, many bookworms testify that they get some money for reading and reviewing the latest books for various buyers.

The website for the book list itself does not include any of these possibilities. However, I suggest that you explore various possibilities to earn money here. However, the book list is a place for new authors to submit their work and seek reviews. The website lists several genres of books.

17. Start your own blog

Starting your own blog is the best way to get paid to read books is by opening your own blog. But I suggest this only if you really love books and are an avid reader who knows how to review books. Starting a blog can be quite easy if you read this tutorial online or watch a YouTube video that teaches blogging.

You can open a free blog or a paid one by purchasing a domain name and hosting. If you write great book reviews, it is also possible to make money selling books with affiliate marketing through your blog. And many authors and publishers may also pay you to post a blog review.

18. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace may seem like the most unlikely place on this planet to get paid to read books. Look again. You'll find authors, educators, and libraries in your own area who want reviewers, editors, and proofreaders to review books for various purposes. In fact, one of those jobs I came across was to compare the 1991 edition of a bestseller to the 2018 edition and mark the differences.

This type of job that you will find on Facebook Marketplace does not require you to be a professional reviewer or book critic. They are open to almost everyone who can read and is fluent in English. Libraries also look for book reviews before storing something on their shelves for readers, as I mentioned earlier.

19. Create a YouTube channel

You can also open a YouTube channel that talks about various books. Basically, it will provide video commentary on a book through author reviews and biographies, latest book releases, and other related stuff. Opening a YouTube channel is free. All you need is a Google account.

You can upload paid book review videos, own reviews, and comments, and monetize the vlog through Google Adsense. Vlogging also doesn't require a lot of special skills as a book critic. However, if you have good knowledge, the chances are that your YouTube channel will be very successful.

20. Elsevier

Elsevier is the largest web portal for research-based books on specialized fields of medicine. It is an organization that has been helping medical fraternity around the world since 1880. In fact, Elsevier accepts only the best and proven medical research and books for its website. Only members can download them, for a fee.

To ensure that only the best medical and research books are online through its portal, Elsevier hires a team of highly qualified medical professionals as reviewers. If you are a doctor, this is an ideal place to learn about the latest research and books in your field by reading them for free and earning money as a reviewer.

In conclusion

In conclusion, I will add that book review, editing and proofreading are not mere work-from-home ideas or side jobs to earn quick money. Instead, it is a serious profession that needs a suitable degree and, above all, a passion for reading. Apply only if you meet these requirements.