Get Paid To Read
If you are what I like to call a ‘serial reader’ you read a lot of books and probably have at least two on the go at any given time. Reading is fun, relaxing and you can do it virtually anywhere. If you are retired, or semi-retired, you’ve probably already filled in some of that extra spare time with a bit more reading than you originally intended but what if I told you that you could turn some of that reading time into a part time income earning opportunity?
Well, you can and it isn’t all that hard to do. If you are reasonably good with words and a bit creative you can easily become a book reviewer. Yes, there is still a need for such a service and there are a lot of places that pay for reviews that could bring you some extra cash from reading in you spare time.
Start a review blog
Trust me, writing book reviews can be worth your time but it won’t happen overnight. First off, assuming you are a decent writer, you may want to start slow to build up your skills and reputation as a reviewer. One of the best ways to do this is to start a blog online where you can write reviews of the books you are already reading. This will give you the much needed experience as well as providing you with international exposure for your musings.
Share your reviews
Once you get a few reviews posted, share them in any way you can from through your social network to social media sites that can help spread the word at little or no cost. I have one site linked to Twitter so whatever I post there automatically gets sent out through that social media site. You can also link your blog or website to Facebook or Google+ to bring you the exposure you need.
Apply for reviewing jobs
The next phase is to start to apply for book reviewing jobs. You can find a number of them listed online just by searching for ‘book review jobs’ where you can sign up at a few online freelance websites and apply for the jobs that interest you that are listed. Another way to get into the book reviewer business is to deal directly with various book review markets. Keep in mind that while you are just starting out you will probably be competing against a number of more experienced writers, but you will eventually get the chance to make your mark.
A few places to try include The Writer ($50 to $100 for book, video and software reviews), The Chattahoochee Review ($50 for reviews, up to $100 for specific kinds of essays), Astronomy ($200 for a 400 word review of specific books) and Home Cooking ($25 for cook book reviews). Again, you can search online for ‘book review markets’ for additional suggestions.
How to make money with your review blog
You may find yourself eventually scratching your head wondering what to do with that blog you started and may not need any more once you start finding book reviewing jobs.
Don’t get rid of it as your blog can be another source of extra income in that you can publish some of your reviews online by working directly with authors and charging them a fee for your blog review service. Believe it or not, even with the availability of online e-books that can be downloaded free or for pennies, there is still a need for book reviewers and this is where you would fit in.
Your blog could unlock some doors once you start to get noticed and the possibility exists that authors and book review companies may even seek you out for your service.
But until that happens, if you follow my suggestions you could easily make a few hundred extra dollars a month reading books for free once you get hired as a book reviewer. The best part is that if you are already an avid reader, wouldn’t it be fun to keep doing something you enjoy and making some money doing it?