by Greg Schwartz

Created on: August 07, 2009   Last Updated: September 18, 2009

If you like to read, writing book reviews is a great way to earn extra money. You're going to read anyway - you might as well get paid for it. This article outlines some of the different ways you can get paid for writing book reviews, and also includes some helpful tips.

As long as you have a moderate amount of writing talent and a high-school-level ability to analyze literature, you should be able to write coherent, informative book reviews. A true book review is more than just the typical book report you wrote in elementary school - it needs to explore the book on a deeper level, discuss the positives and negatives, and maybe compare or contrast it with other books of the same genre or by the same author.

Before you get paid to write book reviews, you need to read some good reviews by others to see how it's done. Get a sample copy of a magazine that publishes book reviews (such as Rain Taxi or The New York Review of Science Fiction) or read sample reviews online. Book reviews vary greatly in quality, length, and content.

Now it's time to practice. Write a review of a book you've already read, analyzing the book's plot, characters, and theme. Pay special attention to character development and the author's use of dialogue or action. Once you're satisfied with the review, give it to someone you know to read and critique. Write as many "practice" reviews as you can; if they're good, you might be able to sell them later on.

Once you think you've more or less got the hang of it, here are some magazine and website markets that will pay you to write freelance book reviews for them:

- Black Gate
Black Gate is a magazine of epic fantasy. They pay three cents per word for all nonfiction, including book reviews. Check their website for current submission periods.

- Conscience
Conscience is a quarterly Catholic magazine that seeks book reviews 600-1500 words long. They pay $75 on publication, plus free copies of the issue your review appears in.

- Dovetail
Dovetail is written for an audience of Jewish/Christian interfaith families. Reviewers receive $15 plus a year's online subscription to the magazine in exchange for all rights to a 500-word book review. Issue deadlines are posted on the website.

- The Pedestal Magazine
The Pedestal accepts reviews of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction books. Query before submitting a review. Payment is two cents per word for reviews, which should be between 850 and 1,000 words.

- Star*Line
Star*Line pays one cent per word (rounded to the nearest

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