For bibliophiles, it’s a prestigious job. For some, becoming a professional book reviewer feels like belonging to an elite group, giving a preconceived notion of being bookworms without social lives. But kidding aside, not everyone is given the privilege to become a paid book reviewer. Getting paid to give your insights on what you have just read may sound rewarding, but it requires skills of putting into words a review that could make or break a book.

You might think that book reviewers are stereotyped critics like the Ratatouille character Anton Ego who writes scathing food reviews. Book reviewing goes beyond that. So what exactly does it take to become a professional book reviewer?

Read on. These tips could help you land that gig as a side hustle or as a full-time career.

1) Read

Read a lot of books whenever you can–the good ones and the bad ones. Take time to digest and see how an author put words together. Understand what he is trying to convey and how his work impacts contemporary society. 

Do you need to read fast? It helps, but it’s not necessary. Read according to your own pace. If you put pressure on your reading speed, it will compromise your comprehension. Reading should be fun; an activity where you put your heart into. If you want to read fast, you may work on your reading speed skills as you progress.

Reading plenty of books gives you an arsenal of information when it comes to recommending to others what books to read. You don’t have to spend money on buying books. Visit the local library or sign up for online public domain libraries.

Find your style

Like other forms of writing, you need to develop your own style in writing reviews. Does it sound like a lot of work? Here’s the only thing you need to remember: Do not strain yourself to develop or imitate a distinct style. We sharpen our writing skills through practice. In the beginning, you might find that you are consciously imitating the style of your favorite critic. Style doesn’t happen overnight. At some point in your review, your own style will manifest.

Look for established publications

The good news is, everyone has a book inside their heads. Many of us have dreams of getting published. Book reviewers are becoming in demand because of this. You only need to type “book review sites” on your search engine to see how many results it yields. Take time to peruse these sites. See what types of books or genres they review and study how their contributors write their reviews. If you’re a beginning reviewer, find out the webmasters and introduce yourself. State your intent of becoming a book reviewer.

Don’t expect to get paid immediately. Most review sites prefer to test writers on their reviewing skills. You might need to contribute one or more free reviews. Be open to the idea of reviewing for free. Some sites may pay immediately, but they will require you to take a writing test–a book review.