How to get a Job as a Book Reviewer
Getting a job as a book reviewer can be easier than you might think. If you are considering this prospect, however, there are some tough realities at work. The first reality involves money. Traditional venues for book reviews such as print newspapers and magazines are shrinking due to competition from the internet. These traditional venues sometimes pay fairly well for book reviews- but due to financial pressures, they tend to keep their reviewing inhouse these days. The internet of course has many opportunities to write book reviews. Want to review a book on the 'Net? Go ahead. But your financial reward is likely to be in pennies rather than dollars.
If you are interested in reviewing books for money, and you think that you have what it takes, contact someone at either a local or national publication and ask if you can send a sample. If you get a "no" response, you are no worse off than you were before. If you are not sure of the possibilities out there, check "Magazine writer's handbook" by Franklynn Peterson, as well as "Writer's Market," an annual guide to outlets that may be willing to use your work. As stated above, things have gotten very competitive due to the shrinking market for printed word product. Consider trying for unpaid local reviewing in order to hone your skills before you try for the Big Time. Consider practicing your reviewing skills on the 'Net, where opportunities are limitless but unprofitable, before turning to print media, where they are profitable but limited.
If you are allowed to send a sample to a publication, and if they like what they see and give you a chance, it is important to keep your focus and not be greedy. Do not review books unless you can bring something special to the task. Do not quit your day job, because your income is not going to be large from this. Always try to keep in mind the reading clientele of the publication. Do not pitch reviews of books that the clientele does not want to read! The editor of the publication will not appreciate it, because it's not about what YOU want to read. If you are able to hold onto that notion, and review a book that will be of interest to the clientele, then you have a shot.
The rest of your challenge is basic writing. Do you understand how books are written? Can you review a book without giving away so much that the reader loses interest, but still give enough information to get her interested? Do you have areas of expertise that you can bring to the reviewing job? You will turn in your best reviews of items that fascinate you as well as the clientele of the publication. But you do not need to limit yourself to your own "sweet spot" as a reader, as long as you can fully put yourself into the shoes of the person who is reading your review. Always remember the bottom line value of a book review- you are trying to tell them if they need to take the time to read the book themselves. If you are saving them wasted time of reading a book they will not like, they will thank you. If you are guiding them to a book they will love reading, they will thank you all the more!
