Although it simply serves as a hobby for many, reading books can actually be a lucrative way to make money.
By leveraging the skills you’ve likely acquired through years of reading, you can get paid for tasks such as reviewing books, proofreading texts, and recording audiobooks.
This article covers the 9 most profitable ways to get paid to read books online.
Key Takeaways
- Some of the best ways to get paid by reading books include reviewing books, becoming a professional proofreader or editor, translating books, and getting paid to read books for Amazon as a narrator.
- If you want to earn passive income by monetizing your love for books, consider writing an eBook or starting a book review blog.
How To Get Paid To Read Books in Canada
Try one or several of these bookworm-perfect gigs to earn additional income doing what you love!
1. Get Paid To Review Books
If you love sharing your thoughts about books, their themes, characters, and overall impact, consider becoming a freelance book reviewer online.
Websites like Kirkus Reviews and Booklist are always on the lookout for new book reviewers, and luckily, you don’t necessarily need a journalism-related degree to get accepted by these book review websites.
You may be asked to provide samples of your previously written book reviews, though, so try to create several ones before applying.
Each book review you submit can pay $15 to over $50, depending on which platform you write for!
2. Become a Proofreader/Editor
Does the thought of reading books before they hit the bookstore aisle and contributing to the publishing process of books excite you?
In that case, becoming a proofreader or editor might be ideal for you.
Although these two roles vary from each other, proofreaders and editors, for the most part, are both responsible for catching grammatical or typographical mistakes present in texts before they’re published.
Apart from being enjoyable for bookworms, these jobs often pay well, with proofreaders having a base salary of $23.50 in Canada.
3. Record Audiobooks
The voices you hear in audiobooks are from people who get paid to read books out loud. The good news is that you can also join this money-making venture!
The requirements for becoming an audiobook narrator typically include acting out characters, differentiating characters’ voices, and producing high-quality audio recordings.
Of course, all of these can be developed with enough practice and research.
One of the best platforms you can work for as a book narrator is ACX, a company owned by Audible/Amazon, which allows narrators to work directly with authors who need a narrator for their books.
4. Translate Books
Being fluent in another language and loving books opens up the earning opportunity to be a book translator.
Translating books isn’t just about the literal translation of sentences; it also involves capturing the overall writing style, theme, and essence of the original language the book is written in. Luckily, those are skills that are already familiar to book readers.
When you’re ready to give this career a try, list your translating services on Fiverr or apply to job postings on platforms like Upwork to start landing projects.
5. Sell Used Books Online
Selling some books from your beloved collection doesn’t sound ideal, but if you’re in need of extra cash, this is one of the fastest ways to earn money as a bibliophile.
When selling used books online, you can either sell through general marketplaces like Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace or use book-exclusive marketplaces such as Abebooks.
6. Start a Book Review Blog
Do you often get the urge to share your opinions after finishing a new book?
Then, instead of simply chatting to a friend or two, why not create a book review blog so others can also know your thoughts about every book you’re enthusiastic about?
Not only will this side hustle scratch the itch of expressing your thoughts about your favourite reads, but it can also generate high passive income, as blogging is known for being one of the best online revenue streams.
7. Write an eBook
If you think you have what it takes to write your own book, consider writing an eBook that you can then sell directly to sellers or publishing companies.
Technically, writing an eBook still involves re-reading it multiple times, so I guess there’s no harm in including this side hustle on this list.
Apart from being able to write about anything you want, becoming an eBook author also offers a lucrative earning opportunity. Since a single eBook can be sold unlimited times, there’s the opportunity to earn thousands or even millions over time.
8. Work in the Publishing Industry
For a more stable source of income, consider working part-time or full-time in the publishing industry. There are various roles to explore in this field, so try to determine which career path is most aligned with your skillset and interests.
Some of the most in-demand roles in the publishing industry include:
- Book editors
- Marketing managers
- Graphic designers
- Production managers
Not all of these roles will require you to read constantly, but they’ll all keep you close to books, giving you plenty of chances to read while on the clock!
9. Become a Beta Reader
Beta readers typically read finished manuscripts before any other type of professional editing is done to provide authors with overall feedback from the point of view of a regular reader.
Unlike editors who are professionally trained to analyze structure and grammar, beta readers give comments more like an honest friend does when you share your work. For example, they may point out any inconsistencies in the book, which the authors themselves may not notice because they know the book so well.
Most book enthusiasts already have the necessary skill set to become beta readers. So, if this gig is of any interest, try to offer your services to independent authors through social media groups or freelancing platforms like Fiverr.
FAQs
Does Amazon pay you to read?
Amazon pays people to read out loud through its ACX platform. As a book narrator, you can earn hundreds to thousands of dollars per audiobook you complete, depending on your agreement with the book author.
Does Audible pay you to read books?
Yes, Audible pays you to read books through its ACX platform. ACX serves as a marketplace for authors and audiobook narrators to collaborate.
How much do Audible narrators get paid?
Audible narrators, regardless of experience, get paid at least $100 to $225 per finished hour of their audiobooks, depending on whether they’re paid through royalty share deals or pay for production deals. But there’s lots of room to earn more if you negotiate your rates.
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