Do you know you can get paid to read books? Surprised? Well, there are in fact plenty of ways to earn online if you are a reader. I've listed some of the best options below for you to explore.
8 Ways to Get Paid to Read Books
Books are getting more expensive by the day, and if you're an avid reader, you know the pain this brings. Especially if you prefer physical copies to ebooks and can't wait for the cheaper paperbacks from your favorite author.
As an online side hustle, you can save up for books by becoming a professional reader. There are many options to choose from, including book reviewer jobs and jobs reading books aloud.
Don’t get excited just yet. With the long list of options and the huge number of platforms offering them, you can easily get confused, or worse, get stuck in a scam.
I'm here to help you out. Below is a list of legit options I've compiled for you to choose from so you can get paid to read books at home immediately.
Table of Contents
Start Book Blogging
If you're a book lover, blogging is an accessible way to make extra money from home. In fact, there are plenty more ways to earn money online. Check out my detailed email course to learn more.
There are two aspects to a successful book blogging. The first one is your website.
You should make sure that your site has an aesthetic and user-intuitive interface to makes it reader-friendly. Don't worry too much about this; you don't need excessive technical knowledge to set up an effective site.
There are many easy-to-use platforms you can choose from to start your blog. You can even start on social media, and as you gain more followers, you can build a site and link your posts to your website content.
The second aspect is the most crucial: your content. Your reviews should be engaging and informative. Most importantly, they should help the reader gain insight on the subject matter, niche, and author style of a book to figure out if it is right for them.
To make your reviews more compelling, you can check out the basics of literary criticism, evaluation, and deconstruction. If you already love books, learning these subjects will be a fun experience for you.
Also, don't worry if you don't see traffic on your blog right away. Just keep posting good content, and you'll eventually get the results you want.
After you gain some credibility, you can place affiliate links on your blog to earn some revenue.
Additionally, publishers and writers will also approach you to review their books and present them to the masses. You won't earn much in the first few months, but your blog will grow gradually if you're consistent.
The good news is that you can start a blog for little to no cost of $3.95/month with Bluehost. If you use my link, you'll get a free domain name along the way.
Get Paid to Write Book Reviews
Creating a blog is the best option if you want to make a living by writing book reviews. However, if you want to start writing reviews as a part-time hustle initially, you can begin by writing book reviews for websites.
Nowadays, many sites pay you to read books and write clear and engaging reviews.
Most of these sites pay in cash, while some also pay with rewards like free books or magazine copies. For a book lover, it's a win-win situation. Here are some popular book review sites you should check out.
Kirkus Media
Kirkus Media is a renowned online platform that offers book reviewer jobs for English and Spanish titles.
To apply for the job, you'll have to create a profile on their website and submit your resume and writing samples. You can also mention any reviewing specialties and talents you have so that they can evaluate you accordingly.
If you're accepted, they will assign you a book to read and review, with a write-up of about 350-500 words.
Besides that, you can get proofreading and copyediting jobs with Kirkus Media. This means you can apply for multiple opportunities on one platform.
Online Book Club
Online Book Club is another website that compensates you for your opinions and insights on the books you've read. In return for your thoughts, the site rewards you with free books and gift cards. Eventually, you can earn up to $50 per review when you become an experienced reviewer.
You see, Online Book Club provides a platform for aspiring writers as well. So, when you publish a review on their site, you can access all their reading material for free.
You won't be paid for the first few reviews you post, but consistent writers can get good incentives and reading opportunities.
The US Review Of Books
The US Review Of Books hires book reviewers, guest bloggers, and freelance writers. To sign up for the website's jobs, you'll need some work samples, professional references, and some previous writing experience as well.
Once you're selected, the site will assign you books to read and write reviews of. The best part is, the platform assigns books depending on the writer's preferences, so you'll enjoy your job while earning good money.
Apart from these book review websites, there are many others you can choose from. You can write reviews for magazines and other publications as well. Most magazines have a ‘reader's section' where you can submit your work and get paid for it.
Narrate Audiobooks
Did you know you can even get paid to read books aloud? These days, most people don't have the time to sit down with a book. With the increasing demand for audiobooks, the industry needs people who can record themselves reading books for the audio versions.
That's where you come in.
To make money reading books aloud, you'll need to have a clear, understandable voice. If you think you're up for it, you can land narration gigs on popular freelance sites like Fiverr and FlexJobs. You can also try ACX and Brilliance Audio by Amazon, where you can get paid to read books for Amazon.
There are lots of self-publishers and small publishing houses that offer good money for narration services. The books you read may range from fiction to non-fiction, depending on the company you're working with.
Furthermore, to narrate books from home, you'll have to invest in some equipment. This includes a mic, a pop screen, headphones, and reliable sound editing software.
Audiobook narrators can make up to $50-$300 an hour, so once you start working regularly, you can quickly pay off your initial investment.
Become a Professional Proofreader
Another way you can make money reading books is by becoming a professional proofreader. Mainly, a proofreader has to edit and work on the overall quality of the book. It's hard work, and it's difficult to come by as well.
That doesn't mean editing work isn't available. There are lots of gigs for freelance editors online. However, to land a gig, you'll have to build your portfolio first. That's why getting the first few clients is a tough job. You can look for editing jobs at small publishing houses as well.
However, once you've gained some credibility, you'll be able to generate a good workflow and earn a steady income. You can even start your own book editing business.
To become a proofreader, you should have a good command of language rules, sentence structure, and grammar. Besides that, if you've got some experience in literature, you can become a developmental proofreader.
Along with grammar corrections and picking out language errors, a developmental proofreader provides insight into other aspects of a book. This includes assessing the overall flow, comprehensiveness, and plot construction of the book.
Become a Freelance Manuscript Reader
Although it sounds odd, just like freelance writing, freelance reading is an actual job that can help you make money reading books. That is, if you're ready to read and evaluate anything from articles to books and manuscripts.
You see, literary agencies are bombarded with manuscripts daily. To get through the pile of unread manuscripts, they hire freelance readers to evaluate whether the book or article is worth their time or not.
You'll have to go through the assigned manuscript and submit a report highlighting the critical aspects of the copy. This includes mapping out the basic plot and characters and a general analysis.
In the end, you'll have to provide your opinion for the manuscript, upon which the agency will work.
Most importantly, the job pays well. Agencies can pay anything from $25 to $100 per hour to freelance readers, depending on their experience and work quality.
Translate Books
If you know multiple languages and are passionate about literature regardless of the language, translation is the ultimate job for you. This is a great way to get paid to read books.
Nowadays, books from different genres, including fiction and non-fiction, are translated into multiple languages. This way, the writers reach a larger audience, and readers can benefit from global knowledge and experiences.
But, if you think you qualify for the job because you took a foreign language class in high school, that won't work. To translate a book accurately, you'll need to have a thorough understanding of both languages.
For example, if you grew up in a bilingual household, you could have the valuable skills needed in a professional book translator.
You can apply for translation jobs through agencies, and also post gigs on Upwork and Fiverr. Besides books, you can also get jobs translating other written pieces like newsletters, blogs, and webpages.
Furthermore, if you want to consider translation as a full-time job, you can take a fluency test from the American Translators Association. This will help you build your integrity as a translator so you can get more high-paying jobs and generate a steady workflow.
Start Your Own YouTube Channel
If you want to transfer your passion for books to a broad audience and earn money while you're at it, starting a YouTube channel is a great option. You can talk about your favorite books and show the world why you love reading by creating videos.
Initially, creating vlogs on YouTube may seem similar to book blogging, but it's not the same. Along with a great taste for books and a thorough understanding of literature, you'll need an appealing personality to create a successful YouTube channel.
No one wants to listen to long, boring scripts about a literary piece. That’s why, to make compelling videos, you'll need to incorporate captivating visuals and an interesting delivery style that keeps people coming back.
Nevertheless, your content remains the most essential part of your endeavor. Your reviews and opinions should provide value to your audience.
YouTube won't pay you initially, but as you get traffic on your channel, you'll earn well in ad revenue.
See Related: 3 YouTube Secrets You'll Never Hear from the Pros
Write Book Summaries
While books reviews mostly target people who read for pleasure, summaries can also be intended for people who want to study or research a specific topic.
Mostly, students and teachers are the target audience for book summaries. The summaries you write will help them select which book is right for them and which one isn't.
That's why they should be straightforward and clear, encapsulating the entire book in a few paragraphs. Unlike a book review, you don't have to provide an opinion or pass judgment about the book.
If you think you have what it takes to write book summaries, you can search for freelance jobs on abstract sites like getAbstract.
You can also post summaries on your personal blog or incorporate them into your YouTube vlog.
Conclusion
Apart from the options we've listed, many opportunities are arising for readers everyday. Keep in mind, although these options look easy and fun initially, all of them require thorough dedication and hard work if you want to become successful.
Once you choose an option and start generating a steady income, make sure you continue sharpening your skills. This way, you'll be able to upgrade your work quality and diversify your options as well.
Happy reading! Ready to get paid to read books? Get started now.