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Get Paid To Read Books

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If you love to read, why not get paid to do what you love?

Thousands of people have turned their passion for books into lucrative side businesses, and so can you. 

The internet creates a vast ecosystem of publishers, copyeditors, publicists, designers, and book lovers.

Some passionate page-turners have even made a full-time job out of reading.

However, this isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme.

It can take a few months before you see a noticeable increase in your income.

Nonetheless, it’s a fun side hustle with a low barrier to entry.

In this post, we’ll cover a few sources where book lovers can make money reading books. 

Jobs That Pay to Read Books 

If you’re an avid reader, numerous jobs pay a pretty penny to read and review books.

Some jobs can generate some solid side income, where others can launch into a full-fledged business opportunity.

Some familiar places to earn extra cash from reading are:

Copyeditor

A copyeditor’s sole job is to check written work for mistakes, brevity, or any unnatural phrases that disrupt the content’s flow.

Not to be confused with proofreading (fixing typos, spelling errors, etc.), copyeditors look at the content’s grand scope and adjust accordingly.

Copyeditors may also need to research to ensure the piece is factual.

Freelance copyeditors can make a decent amount of cash depending on the kind of projects they handle.

Some clients pay copyeditors per word, hour, or a fixed rate per piece.

According to Salary.com, the average hourly rate for a copyeditor in the United States is around $33. 

Becoming a copyeditor is relatively simple.

All you need is a copyediting certificate to heighten your credibility before you start approaching potential clients.

You don’t need a copyediting certificate, but you’ll struggle to obtain high-quality clients.

Several universities and professional organizations offer courses to help you get certified. 

Translator

If you’re a bilingual book worm, translating books from one language to another can be an extremely lucrative side gig.

Authors and publishing companies are always looking to find reliable people to translate their written works to help reach a more international audience.

However, being a translator means you have to have incredible proficiency in both languages.

Not only do you need to be fluent in both tongues, but you’ll also need to understand idioms, slang, and other complex phrases thoroughly.

In other words, you’ll need more than just a few years of studying in college.

Most professional translators grew up learning two or more languages, and that’s the kind of skill level expected.

Another caveat of becoming a professional translator is that it can be tough to find long-term clients.

Most people need a translator for a quick project or a single piece of written content.

However, you can come across some serious dough depending on the scope of the project.

Some common places people find clients as a translator are freelance marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork.

You can also reach out to translation agencies that connect translators with business as a way to earn a steady income. 

Reading Books Outloud

Has anyone ever told you that you have a pleasant voice?

Do you enjoy listening to books on Audible?

If that’s the case, you can consider dwelling into the world of audiobooks and narrations to make a good amount of cash.

Reading books out loud is a suitable side hustle because it doesn’t require a lot of startup capital.

All you need to start are:

  • A good pair of headphones
  • High-quality microphone
  • Recording and editing software
  • A few voice snippets to present to potential clients

The type of voice recording projects you get will vary, and so does the pay.

On average, you can expect to earn $50 to $500 for narrating a book.

Some authors offer a portion of the book sales as compensation. 

Say hello to passive income!

eBook Conversion Provider

While authors do a great job telling stories, most of them don’t have the skills to convert their work into digital eBook format.

As a result, any book lover with a graphic design background can make a killing working as an eBook conversion provider. 

In essence, an eBook conversion provider is responsible for converting written content to be friendly for eBook readers.

As an editor, you might create an interactive table of contents, align images, formatting, etc.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of third-party software online explicitly designed to make eBooks.

Pay rates are up to the authors.

Some writers may offer $25 to $50 for a small eBook where entire novels can range up to $500.

Depending on your technical skills, this can be an excellent source of side income.

If you work with authors within your interests, you’ll also get to read tons of valuable content. 

Write Book Reviews

If you’re the type of person, who reads a book and tells a friend how amazing (or how bad) it was, why not get paid doing so?

Book reviewing is an excellent side gig if you don’t mind voicing your opinion.

As a paid book reviewer, you’ll be responsible for:

  • Drafting a plot summary
  • Writing insights about the storyline
  • Leaving your honest opinion about new books

Book reviewers can help authors learn more about what the general public thinks of their work and how they can improve and promote their stories. 

Places That Pay You To Read Books

Numerous websites hire freelancers to read books and write reviews.

While each site offers a chance to make extra income via reading, not all are created equal.

Some websites may only want sophisticated book critics to write an in-depth analysis of each story, where others will hire die-hard fans. 

Some bloggers with a large social media following can make a decent amount of money starting a blog and writing honest reviews about books, especially if they’re in the same niche as their website. 

To determine which site is more suitable for your goals and skill level, make sure to read through all of their guidelines before applying. 

The US Review of Books

The US Review of Books is more tailored towards professional reviewers.

They require incredibly detailed insights about each book so that authors can get professional feedback about their writing.

Reviewers submit their preferences, experience, and interests, and The US Review of Books sends them titles more aligned with their profile. 

If you’ve already written and published book reviews, this may be an excellent website to check out if you want to expand your work.

The review word count ranges from 200 to 350 words and requires the reviewer to analyze the plot, characters, and theme thoroughly. 

The US Review of Books pays its reviewers every month, so it’s an excellent way to make a good chunk of cash on top of what work you’re already doing. 

Kirkus Media

Kirkus reviews are extremely prevalent on Amazon and other online book marketplaces.

Reviews from Kirkus are considered extremely valuable, and several leading authors rely on them to promote their work.

What’s interesting is that these reviews are coming from the general public (like you). 

Kirkus requires its reviewers to draft up a 350 word review within weeks of starting the project.

If you can read and write Spanish, it’s a huge plus since they’re always looking for Spanish book reviewers. 

All you need to get started with Kirkus is a resume, writing sample, and a few bits of personal information.

If you haven’t written any book reviews before, try writing your first review about your favorite novel. 

Writerful

Writerful is an Australian-based company that provides authors with a vast range of resources, including book editing, review, manuscript assessment, and more.

Writerful connects book aficionados with authors to help create detailed criticism of their publications. 

While reading for Writerful, you can choose through numerous genres, both fiction and non-fiction.

However, they typically want readers writing book reviews published in English in the United States, England, and Australia.

The pay is decent, and you can earn more by writing more high-quality reviews. 

To apply, all you need to do is fill out the form on their website and write a little snippet about why you want to become a book reviewer. 

Online Book Club

Online Book Club is one of the leading book review websites on the net.

Reviewers get paid between $15 and $60 for their reviews.

When you first apply with Online Book Club, they give you a free copy of the book but don’t pay you for your first sample review.

If they like your initial piece, you’ll get paid for every other review you write.

The company pays its reviewers via PayPal, and they can choose through a vast collection of books to work on.

Reviewers also receive Amazon gift cards after submitting a certain amount of reviews on the platform. 

Conclusion

Without a doubt, it’s easy to earn extra money from your love of books.

All you need is persistence and patience, and you can expect to start earning from your passion.

Remember, it takes a while to start making a significant amount of income in this industry, but it shouldn’t be an issue if you’re already a regular reader. 

We recommend finding out your best skill set and then choosing a freelancing route that lines up.

The journey is fun, and you’ll learn a lot along the way.

We hope this post was helpful and that you’re ready to give one of the above options a try. 

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