Inside the Cover Book
Review
Review by Betty
Winslow
Dream Jobs to Go: Book Reviewer
By Deborah Bouziden
Intellectua.com
LCC
6947 University
Blvd.
Winter Park, FL
32792
Product code: djtg0018
2001
$12.95 / 34 pp.
This e-book works just like a website, with clickable links and pop up e-mail
message blanks, but it also prints out nicely, for those who prefer reading on
the fly (or in the tub). Oklahoma author Deborah Boudizen, who has written
hundreds of reviews and several books, knows her topic and doesn't pull any
punches. She's honest about the pay (slim to none, in most cases), the education
and training required (usually also slim to none), and the pros and cons of
reviewing. (My favorite? Stacks of free books that have to be read in a timely
fashion-- and from my reviewing experience, I'd say that it is both a pro and a
con!)
Bouziden also interviews three other equally-honest book
reviewers, who give a blow-by-blow account of their writing days, explain what
they like and dislike about the job, and tell what they'd do differently if they
were just starting out. Bouziden then explains how to break into the field,
includes a list of resources (for those who want to know more), and offers a
list of links that can be used to track down markets and locate new books to
read and review. Finally, and possibly best of all, she offers a step-by-step
outline of the reading and review-writing procedure.
If Bouziden's book has one flaw, it's that most of her information is geared to
online markets and reviews. This didn't surprise me-- it is an e-book, after
all-- but it does give the reader the impression that the most important review
markets are online. It's true that many (probably most) websites depend on
volunteered reviews and are always in the market for more. However, if you want
to make any money at reviewing, you will need to look for better-paying markets
(which are mainly print markets); at the most, what you'll get from a majority
of the online markets is a free book.
Of course, if you're a bibliophile (and aren't we all?), this is almost better
than pay. To have someone send you a free book and all you have to do is read it
and tell others what you think about it? Yes, please! This is why book reviewing
is considered a dream job. And for bookaholics, free reading material means more
money to spend on other stuff. Now, all you need to do is find a day job that'll
pay you to hold down the fort while you sit around and read...
Betty Winslow is a
staff writer for Absolute Write and moderates our BBs. Her bio is at
http://www.absolutewrite.com/site/betty.htm.
