Are you a book lover? If reading and going through books are your passion, you can start several book business ideas that center around your love for books.
There are many business ideas that are related to books or book reading and designing. Hence such businesses will fulfill your passion as well as give you a good profit.
An advantage of the book business ideas is that most of these businesses can be done from home. You won’t need a big office space and a high investment in machinery.
If you have a good sense of designing and page make-up, you can take up book business ideas like cover design, make-up, or digital book designing. There are many opportunities for you.
Let us take a look at some prominent and promising book-related business ideas.
List of 25 Book-Related Business Ideas
1. YouTube Channel for Audiobooks
Audiobooks are much in demand now and people are fond of listening to audiobooks rather than reading them. Hence if you are an avid reader and have good knowledge of books, you can start your YouTube channel with audiobooks. You need to focus on a few things. Firstly, your voice and pronunciation should be good. Secondly, choose books that are pleasing to hear like thrillers or love stories. The publicity of books through your social media accounts is effective for the popularity of your channel.
2. YouTube Channel on Animated Books
Animated books are very popular, especially among children, and a good book business idea. Therefore you can start a YouTube channel for animated books for children. If you know graphic design it is an advantage. Otherwise, you can learn it. Choose popular fairy tales to start with. Social media and online publicity are important for the growth of your business.
3. Start a Blog on Books
You can start your blog on books as a book business idea. Many people love to read about books, contemporary publications, old classics, or critical discussions. You can choose any of the niches and focus on some USP of your blogs like the relevance of classics in the contemporary world or the subject matters of recently published books etc. Apart from social media and online marketing, affiliate marketing of recent books and publishers will fetch you good income.
4. E-book writing
If you are an aspirant writer and have ideas for books, E-book writing can be a good book business idea for you. Contact some of the portals that publish E-books with some samples or synopsis of your book and get paid for writing. However, you need to have a good quality of writing and choose a good subject for your book.
5. Review Books
The book review is a good book business idea. You can start your blog with a book review, or work as a freelancer for writing reviews. Another business option is starting a website on the book review. Good contact with writers and publishers and online and social media marketing are keys to the success of this business.
Read: How to Start a Book Review Blog & Make Money
6. Selling Books Online
Online bookselling is a profitable book business idea. You can start a bookselling portal along with an app and sell books online. There are large sections of people who prefer to buy books online. Keep your online bookstore updated with recent publications as well as timeless classics. Good online and social media publicity is very important for the business.
7. Translation
Translation has a very good demand in different areas of work like text and non-text books, official documents, etc. If you have expertise in two or three languages you can do the business of translation and get good payment. Freelancing is a good option. You can also work independently or with agencies and companies.
8. Editing and Proofreading Books
No book is ready for publication without editing and proofreading. Therefore editing and proofreading services have very good demand. Many online portals like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer have plenty of editing and proofreading jobs. You can register in this portal and get jobs. Otherwise, you can start your servicing wing or work for different publishers. This is a lucrative book business idea.
9. Publicity of Books
The publicity of books is an essential part of bookselling and hence a profitable book business idea. You can do this business of book publicity as an independent agent and earn good money. Book publicity can be done online through social media and online ads. You can also organize a book launching program or special publicity program at bookstores or through live streaming. Newspaper, magazine, and TV ads are also effective.
10. Book Club
Opening a book club is a good book business idea. You need to find some ardent book lovers in the area. Open the club and invite the book lovers for a discussion on a particular book. In this way, books will be discussed and later bought. This is a good medium of socialization along with the exchange of ideas and selling books. You can also organize virtual book clubs and sell books online.
11. Tutoring
Tutoring is a profitable book-related business idea. If you are willing to teach, you can start your tutoring business. Not only academics, but you can also teach business strategies, DIY projects, handicrafts, etc. Classes can be in your place or online. It pays good money. Online and offline marketing is necessary for the publicity of your business.
12. Scriptwriting
Scriptwriting for movies, dramas, and ad films has a steady market and if you have the flair for writing and idea for the scripts, this is a profitable book-related business idea for you. You can start your independent agency or do freelancing for other agencies and production companies. Publicity and marketing of your skill through personal contact and online portals are important for this business.
13. Copy Writing
Copywriters earn a good income. You can start your business as a copywriter for ads, audio-visual presentations, and websites and earn a good profit. Start your agency by providing copywriting services and use exhaustive marketing skills through personal meetings and online or social media to publicize your talent. Make small promos of your work for earning the confidence of the clients.
14. Freelance Journalism
Freelance journalism is a lucrative business idea for you if you are a reader and a news-savvy person. You can contribute regularly to various newspapers both printed as well as online and earn money on each article basis. Good news sense and finding out interesting and captivating news are the keywords of success in this business.
15. Storytelling
Storytelling is a good business directly related to books. If you are a reader and can interestingly narrate stories, you can start your business as a storyteller. Storytelling sessions are common in nurseries, schools, children’s camps, and daycare centers. With well-planned marketing, publicity, and the use of some props you can do good business as a storyteller.
Creating a storytelling mobile app can be an innovative book-related business in the coming days.
16. Book Rental
Book lovers are often short of funds to buy all the books of their choice. Hence book renting is a good business related to books. You need to have a good collection of books and rent them to readers for a specific time. In this way, you can earn a good income by renting books to several readers and charging a minimum security fee.
17. Typesetting and make-up of books
All books need good page make-up and typesetting for good looks as well as readability. If you are skilled in typesetting and page make-up, you can do this business as an independent service provider or work as a freelancer for different publishing houses and agencies. Your contact and online and social media marketing will fetch you more clients.
18. Illustration of books
Illustration is an integral part of all books. If you are an artist by profession or passion and a thorough reader you can earn a good profit by illustrating books, Illustration is specialized and high-paid work, especially for children’s books. Hence you can set up your business as an illustrator and get more clients through good personal relations and marketing.
19. Amazon Book Promotion
Amazon book promotion is a rewarding book business idea. As a passionate reader with ideas about different kinds of books, you can start an Amazon book promotion business and get a good income. The promotion can be through your dedicated website, blogs, or social media publicity which are very effective. You need a good marketing strategy for this business.
20. Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting or writing on behalf of another person is a popular book-related business model around the globe. If you can write well and can approach various topics and subjects, ghostwriting is a profitable business model for you. There are many online portals like Upwork, Freelancer, Truelancer, or Urban Writers that provide ghostwriting assignments to writers. You need to create your profile in these portals. You can also get ghostwriting work from different agencies and publishing houses.
21. Book Publishing
Book publishers earn a good profit from the sale of books they publish. If you have a good knowledge of books as well as the book market you can start your business as a publisher. In this business, you have to choose the subject of the books you publish very carefully and focus on the subjects or topics that are in demand. You also have to edit and typeset the books. Good sales of books will earn you profit and a good reputation as a publisher.
22. Book Printing
Book printing is a good business idea as printed books have good global demand. You need to have a printing setup and a basic knowledge of printing technology. It needs a good investment. However, the returns are also good. You need a good marketing team to get orders for printing. A printing setup can also print notices, brochures, magazines, booklets, etc, and earn profit.
23. Book Distribution
Book distribution is a prospective book business idea. You can set up your store for distribution, or distribute books to various stores, libraries, etc. through your distribution network. The larger is your network; the higher will be your income. You will need good marketing and logistic support for the book distribution business.
Suggested Read: How to Start a Profitable Bookstore Business
24. Buying and Selling Used Books
Used books have a large market and are demanded by book lovers around the globe. Hence it is a profitable book business idea for you. For this business, you need a good knowledge of the places and stores selling old books. For selling these books you can have your store or sell them online through your website. Research the books in demand and try to purchase old books accordingly. There is a good profit margin between the cost price and the selling price of old books. You have to market your service very well to get more customers.
25. Online Library
The online library is a prospective book business idea as numerous readers prefer to read books digitally. You can start your online library through a website and display the books in your collection. Readers will pay a subscription to be a member of your online library and separate charges for downloading each book. Online publicity and social media marketing are very important for your online library business.
This list is good evidence that your love for books and reading can be a good business idea. We hope this article on book business ideas will inspire you to a satisfying and profitable business.
About the Author: 99businessideas.com led by Rupak Chakrabarty is committed to helping beginners, entrepreneurs, and small business owners in starting, managing, and growing their businesses.
