Four Fulfilling Careers For Avid Readers

• November 27, 2022
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by Roanne Jane, writer, blogger

Whether you like the feel of physical books or the convenience of e-books, there is nothing quite like reading something interesting or moving. And despite the world becoming increasingly visual, many people still love to read. Recent studies found that reading in the US experienced an uptick during the pandemic lockdowns with 75% of Americans saying they had read a book in 2021. Meanwhile, people are also picking up e-books more, with a recorded 30% compared to 25% in the previous year. With more people falling in love with reading, there will be more job seekers looking for a career that utilizes their new passion.

If you’ve wondered what else you can do with your reading skills, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’ll explore four fulfilling career options for avid readers:

Writers

This one is an obvious career path. After all, most good writing advice starts with an emphasis on becoming a good reader. Pursuing a career in written communication allows readers to effectively articulate their ideas, concepts, and narratives to a given audience across an extensive array of industries and mediums. Your passion for reading — and consequently, writing — can lead you to fields such as journalism, marketing, and research. If you’re interested in cultivating your writing skills, start thinking critically when you read. Learn what you like to read, and figure out if that’s something you would like to write as well.

Literary agents

Your reading habit can further lead you to a career as a literary agent, where you’ll be able to work with writers by connecting them with publishers. We’ve previously written about the pros and cons of traditional and self-publishing. While many writers today are pursuing the self-publishing route due to the rise of e-books, the demand for literary agents isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. As a literary agent, your job is to read stories from writers and decide which ones should get sent to publishers. If you’re able to read a lot and provide writers with feedback, this might be the perfect job for you.

Lawyers

This one may sound completely unrelated, but lawyers must do a lot of reading to do their job well. If you have a keen sense of justice and don’t see yourself writing or publishing books in the future, maybe law is the right career for you. Those working and studying law spend a lot of time reading legal code, court opinions, and case studies. On top of the reading, a big part of practicing law is writing, or rather, legal writing. If you have a passion for the job and want a career where reading takes up a significant part, then working towards becoming a lawyer may be perfect for your future.

Translator

Lastly, becoming a translator may be one of the more flexible options on the list — aside from writing. Translators can work in various fields, from politics to television and film, or even translating literary works initially written in other languages. If you like reading and speaking multiple languages, translating could be an exciting and insightful opportunity. These days the position of a translator has become a popular freelance option for digital nomads. There is always a need for translators, which makes it a high-paying freelance job compared to a traditional writing job.

As you can see, pairing your interest in reading with other communicational skills could land you on some fascinating career paths. The choice is up to you, so long as you allow yourself to take breaks so you can still read for pleasure and personal development.

About the Author

Roanne Jane left her marketing job to pursue a career as a freelance writer and blogger. Interested in the art of writing and English literature, Roanne spends most of her days reading and writing, with the goal of writing her own book someday. Roanne also enjoys the occasional true crime podcast when she has the time.