7 best websites to make money writing book reviews

Making money through side hustles is one of the best ways to supplement your income and build financial resilience. If you are looking for an easy and fun side gig to make extra cash, making money writing book reviews will be a great option to start with for book lovers. If you enjoy reading books, why not get paid to read books?

In this article, I have put together a list of the top 7 websites that will pay you to read books and how to get started with book review side hustles.

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How to become a book review writer?

Writing book reviews for money is like any other job. While you can read and get paid, you still need a work strategy, a schedule, and meet deadlines. The only difference between a normal job and making money writing book reviews is that your schedule is more flexible. Additionally, most book review companies let you pick your books which is essential if you want to enjoy what you do.

To make money writing book reviews, here are 9 steps to get started

If you are ready to start getting paid, here is a step-by-step guide to making some cash doing what you love.

1. Apply for book review jobs from book review job boards

The first step to becoming a successful book reviewer is to get hired as a book reviewer. You can either sign up and apply for a full-time job with a review website or work as a freelance book review writer.

2. Complete the online application

Most websites require that you submit a resume and a writing sample. You might also be required to write a review of one book they will give you to evaluate your writing skills. If you have written reviews before, essays, or own a blog, include these documents to strengthen your application.

3. Get the right education/certification

Some book review websites require a bachelor’s degree in English or literature.

4. Pick the right genre

To become a successful book reviewer, it is best to choose the right niche. Select books from a genre that excites you and you enjoy reading about. For example, if you like science fiction, write book reviews of science fiction. If you like children’s books, write reviews of children’s books. In short, write reviews of books you can enjoy reading even if you are not getting paid for it.

5. Practice your writing techniques

Writing is a skill that improves over time. To become a successful book review writer, continually write and share your reviews, gather feedback, and use it to improve your future reviews.

6. Share your reviews on social media

Once you’ve written your reviews, ensure they reach your intended audience. While the reviews will be published on the company you work for, you can increase your visibility and writing success by sharing them on your social media platforms, blog, and similar review websites.

7. Be honest in your reviews

Usually, people who read reviews are searching for honest truths about the books you reviewed. To become a credible book review writer, it’s essential to maintain honesty in your reviews. Your audience will appreciate your sincere opinions, even if they’re critical. Do not give positive feedback to make a bad book sound. The best way to write good reviews is to sound like you are talking to a person in real life.

8. Learn from other writers

If you are getting started, it is best to learn how other people write reviews and copy their techniques until you have developed your own. Most websites that pay you to write book reviews also save a large database of book reviews you can learn from.

9. Stay updated

Regularly read newly published books, keep up with trends in your chosen genre, and adapt your review style to the changing times.

How much can you make writing book reviews?

While there many companies do not have standard pay like a normal full-time or part-time job, writing book reviews pays well especially if you have experience. Most book review websites pay you per review and you can make as much as $60 or more per book review.

If you are getting started, however, you might not get paid a higher rate as it takes time to build experience and trust among your readers. But, the pay will still be great compared to regular full-time jobs.

According to ZipRecruiter, the national book reviewer’s average wage is $30hr with the lowest being $10.58 and the higher end being $48.56/hr. If you are looking for ways to make money writing book reviews, you can easily see that the money is there for you to grab.

Let’s jump right into the list of the best 7 websites to make money writing book reviews.

7 websites that pay you to write book reviews

As a book reviewer, your main job will be to read books and write reviews. The pay range will depend on your experience and the company you work for. The following are some of the best websites that will pay you to read books and write reviews.

1. Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews is one of the largest book review collections to make money writing book reviews. This platform offers you the option to review books from all genres including fiction, romance, nonfiction, etc. You also get to pick books of your choosing which makes it a fun way to make money online. Kirkus Reviews offers different editing services with different pay ranges. Additionally, reviews are typically 350 words and you get 2 weeks to read and write your reviews. Keep in mind that you might need the experience to stand out.

2. Online Book Club

Online Book Club is a free online community for book lovers with more than 10 years in existence. This website to make money writing book reviews has four popular features which include Bookshelves, Book, and Reading Forums, and Exclusive and original reviews from a professional review team. It is easy to get started with Online Book Club and the pay is great.

3. Booklist

Booklist is one of the leading websites to make money writing book reviews. Reviews usually range between 150 to 175 words and you can make $15 per review. While the pay is not the highest, making $15 an hour is good enough given the fact that you will be reading books you enjoy.

4. Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly is one of the leading websites for online publishing and reviews. If you want to get paid to write small book reviews, start with Publishers Weekly. Given its wide range of genres that include fiction, comics, fantasy, romance, religion mystery, science fiction, and much more, you easily will find something that resonates with your interests. Publishers Weekly is currently hiring for a wide range of positions that include Assistant Editors, Freelance Book Reviewers, Editorial Directors, etc. Visit the Publishers Weekly jobs webpage, to learn more about jobs at Publishers Weekly.

5. BookBrowse

BooksBrowse is another platform to find easy book review writing jobs. This site offers book reviews, reading guides, book reviews, and author reviews. The first step before you can make money writing reviews on BookBrowse is to read reviews on the site to make sure that you can write the same quality reviews. This is a requirement from this site. In addition to reading their reviews, you must submit a well-written review sample of at least 300 words together with your application. For more details, read about the application process and submit your Reviewer Application Form.

6. Upwork and Fiverr

Upwork is one of the largest job boards and freelancing job-related postings you can find anywhere online. As a freelance book review writer, clients will pay you to read their books and write reviews. Another compelling site to get paid to read books is Fiverr. Just like Upwork, Fiverr is one of the largest freelancing sites where you can take on book-reading projects and writing tasks from a diverse range of clients. Your pay rate will depend on your experience.

7. The US Review Books

This platform connects book authors and professional reviewers online. In addition, the site publishes those reviews to its audience and more than 21 thousand subscribers.

8. Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX)

ACX is a popular audiobook marketplace for narrators, book publishers, and writers. This platform was created in 2011 and has become a major player in audiobook creation. Books you narrate might also appear on other popular platforms such as iTunes. While this ACX is not directly about writing book reviews, you can still make money with it if you can manage to read books out loud. Just create an account on the platform, to get started.

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Can you make money writing book reviews?

Yes, you can make money writing book reviews. However, if you are new to this side hustle, your pay rate might be smaller compared to an experienced writer. Most websites might start you at around $10 or $12 and increase your rate as you gain more experience. To find success faster, write reviews in a genre in your area of interest and experience and continue to experiment with your writing.

Once you have built enough experience, you can easily make $30/ hour or get paid per book review. Some review companies can pay you $50 per review or more.