Best Jobs for Book Lovers
Reading books for leisure is one of the more common hobbies in the world. After all, “the more you read, the more you learn.”
And, when you love books and knowledge, how do you get paid for it? By becoming a librarian.
Becoming a librarian is one of the best jobs for book lovers. You not only get to spread knowledge and educate others by serving as a librarian, most librarians also get to read a lot of books during work hours that would otherwise take them months to read.
In addition to spending their work hours in a room full of books (and keeping a strict budget of buying more books), they also get to organize special book displays scheduled by the library board. They even get to interact with readers, recommending books that they would like to read.
Aside from being a librarian, you can also get paid to read books. Some of the best jobs for book lovers are to become a book reviewer, proofreader, book editor or writer, correspondence course instructor, or e-book author.
The following are some of the best jobs for book lovers. This is not an exhaustive list, but is something that you should consider as one of your career options.
Proofreader
Author
Of course, being an author is a book lover’s dream come true. Writers have all the time in the world to read books, stockpiling new titles for future writing opportunities. And if you’re lucky enough to be published, you can continue to work from home, reading and writing.
Teacher
While not every teacher is a voracious reader, many are. It is also a job that is enjoyable for the most introverted people, as isolating yourself in the classroom is sometimes the most needed way to recharge your batteries.
Many teachers are introverts because they are able to focus on their work without having to be social. A lot of teachers also, after having taught exhausted themselves, start to really enjoy the time that they have in class alone, reading something.
Librarian
Reading books for a living? Sounds too good to be true. But it’s not.
It’s hard to be a bookworm and a librarian at the same time. But try to avoid all the crime and mystery books. This job can easily become as addictive as the books you read all day.
If this is your dream, here is what you need to know. First of all, you will need a graduate degree, preferably a Masters in Library Science or the equivalent.
Working hours range from 20 to 35 per week, depending on the library. The pay is decent. The only drawback is that most libraries don’t offer a retirement plan.
Blogger
You can write anything under the sun. You can blog about books, apps, movies, food…whatever interests you.
All you need is something to write about and a willingness to write!
To get your first gig as a blogger, all you have to do is pitch yourself. No need to go through layers of bureaucracy here!
Businesses are desperate to get their message out there, and they will welcome your voice with open arms. Start off by building your body of work. That way, testimonials and links back to your work will appear naturally.
Make sure you read up on SEO and other digital tools. Making sure your blog ranks on Google is the way to attract new readers.
Editor
If you have a strong work ethic, you can volunteer to edit. Every book has an editor, and most have more than one. Engage with the author and offer your full time help with the editing process for the book that you’ve read, loved, and believe in.
Journalist
The job of a reporter is never done and is almost always exciting. When you spend your days looking forward to a new deal, insight into some country, or even to simply ask the president a question, your days will never become routine.
If you want to be a journalist, you need to be a great writer, have a photographic memory, and be honest. It’s important that you don’t get caught faking your facts or quotes. You should also have a passion for gathering information and being on the go.
And you’ll need to be ready to sacrifice nights and weekends. Since you’ll be reporting the news, you need to work around the clock.
Nonetheless, there are some very exciting moments in the career of a journalist. It’s almost like a second job if you’re a travel journalist.
As a journalist, you will need to be creative and an excellent storyteller. In order to make a good living, you will need to start your own blog, start writing for larger publications or for newspapers online and maybe even do some freelance work.
But if you love learning valuable things about the world and its people, you will love this job.
Literary Agent
A literary agent helps authors secure publishing deals for books, articles, poetry, plays, and more. They act as a liaison between publishers, authors and other industry professionals. A literary agent pitches ideas, collects and edits books, and negotiates contracts. And since employing book smarts means having a solid understanding of the industry, duties may also include script-reading, convincing movie producers to make book-based movies, and negotiating contracts for book adaptations.
To become a literary agent you must complete and pass the Association of Authors Agents Entry Examination and then contact potential firms to apply for work. Prospective applicants should have three to five years of work experience or have passed a law or business degree.
Screenwriter
The first thing you need to understand about a screenwriter is that they are not the same as a novelist. Novelists actually write the books that you read while screenwriters write the movies you watch. If you’re crafty with words, enjoy the world of story-telling, and have a flair for drama, this is the job for you.
Screenwriters have three big jobs: writing the script, re-writing the script, and dealing with the execs. You’re basically a sort of Hollywood chameleon. The perfect screenwriter needs to be able to write for a variety of situations and people. You’re also in constant meeting with people telling you, “No.” Everyone in Hollywood has an opinion, and as a writer, your job is to find which opinion is best and deliver it in an engaging package.
As a screenwriter, you need to be able to handle being a creative and business person.
With so much to keep in your brain, I suggest starting small if you’ve never written a screenplay before. Work on a short film that you write, direct, and edit.
If you get offered a job as a script writer, learn everything you can.
Read the books Writing Nonfiction and Writing and Selling Your Script.
Casting Director
Casting directors are tasked with auditioning and hiring actors to bring the writer’s words to life on stage, on camera, or on the page.
This is not an easy task, as every actor they choose has to be able to portray the characters, bring out their actions, and embody their words without the producer or director having to strap them to a chair and get them to say them. Casting is a very demanding art and is an important part of any creative venture.
No wonder books that contain a lot of movie or stage play’s are usually large books, with many personalities and roles with a well-defined personality.
Technical Writer
Note: If you have an advanced degree, such as a Master’s Degree, this is a great field to go into as a Technical Writer.
What I love about this job:
- It’s a job that allows you to watch over your own work and use your creativity to put together manuals that make sense
- You don’t have to feel like you’re in an office environment
- Your work can be tailored to your individual preferences! Otherwise, the companies will only accept writers who fit the best person for the job according to their needs, and they usually look for a BA in English.
Pro Tip: Finding a Job. If you are looking at this online now, you need to decide whether you really need a job like this. If you do, take the first step and apply at as many companies as possible.
Blogging Jobs
Note: You can get a job as a blogger because it allows you to be extremely flexible with how you wants to work. You could also freelance and freelance.
What I love about this job:
You can take time to really get to know your audience
Podcaster
Have you ever thought about hosting your own podcast?
Becoming a podcaster is an amazing job for any writer, reader, or lover of the written word. Whether you have a career as a writer, blogger, or creative writer under your belt or a just a passion for books, podcasting is a great way to turn your written word into money.
There are tons of podcaster on iTunes, including fiction, non-fiction, and business podcasting. Whatever the case may be, finding a way to get your name and brand out there will help you grow your audience and your bottom line.
Bookstagrammer/social media influencer :
You will have to be a very creative individual with a lot of personality. Writers and book lovers are natural at this job as they can share their passion for books with the world.
Lawyer
Psychologist
Psychologists specialize in understanding behavior. The best jobs for readers deal directly with reading and behavior of others. Psychology tends to be deeply rooted in literature and many psychologists have backgrounds in English or literature.
While there are also plenty of psychology jobs that don’t require you to be a lover of books, the best jobs are generally found in areas that involve working directly with people.
The good news is that psychology educators have flexible schedules and easy access to psychology journals. Many teachers today actually spend a majority of their time reading and researching material for class.
The number of books that you read is directly related to your salary, which is why it’s so important to get the most out of your degree and try to get as high a paying job in the field as possible.
Career counselor Kira Vermond recommends checking out trade journals and looking for hires, which makes sense because psychologists make their living studying reading.
If you can’t find a job locally, spend some time studying and get a PhD in Psychology (or in an allied kins of literature). That will open up a whole new world of opportunities.
Parent
What is better than reading picture books to a group of children? Sharing your love for books. And what better way to do that than to be a parent librarian at an elementary school!
This position is specifically for people who are looking to be a role model to children and promote reading to new generations. Most school districts in the US offer this opportunity.
Director
If you’re a writer who can’t seem to get published, this is a great job for you. Often, your boss will also be a writer, so you two can collaborate, share ideas and support each other’s work.
The director of a writer’s workshop will depend on the size of the workshop and the volunteers that contribute to it. If you’re in a big workshop that’s well-established, you may need to manage a staff of people. If you’re in a small workshop, you may be it. Do your research ahead of time to see what you’re getting into and what you will be doing as director of a writer’s workshop.
You’ll have to work on a curriculum, manage submissions, schedule reading