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Book reviewer vs technical editor

The differences between book reviewers and technical editors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a book reviewer, becoming a technical editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a technical editor has an average salary of $61,717, which is higher than the $44,791 average annual salary of a book reviewer.

The top three skills for a book reviewer include fiction, literature and biographies. The most important skills for a technical editor are powerpoint, english language, and proofreading.

Book reviewer vs technical editor overview

Book ReviewerTechnical Editor
Yearly salary$44,791$61,717
Hourly rate$21.53$29.67
Growth rate-10%-5%
Number of jobs11,14278,423
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4044
Years of experience24

What does a book reviewer do?

Book reviewers are literature professionals who are responsible for providing opinions and criticisms about the books they read to the public. These book reviewers are required to provide the plot summary of a book to guide potential readers and then comment about the writing style of the book's author. Most book reviewers usually work as freelance writers, while others are employed by a particular publication to write objective reviews for their newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Book reviewers must also review audiobooks for the quality narration of their plots while conducting interviews with their authors.

What does a technical editor do?

A technical editor is someone who proofreads, revises, and edits technical documents. He/She or she checks for grammar, punctuation, and style to ensure that the technical content meets company standards. Some of the qualifications to become a technical editor include knowledge of technical concepts, prior experience in print or online publishing, a keen eye for details, and strong verbal and written communication skills. Someone having a bachelor's degree in English or journalism could qualify for the position.

Book reviewer vs technical editor salary

Book reviewers and technical editors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Book ReviewerTechnical Editor
Average salary$44,791$61,717
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $88,000Between $47,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City-Oakland, CA
Highest paying state-Connecticut
Best paying company-Apple
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between book reviewer and technical editor education

There are a few differences between a book reviewer and a technical editor in terms of educational background:

Book ReviewerTechnical Editor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorEnglishEnglish
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyNorthwestern University

Book reviewer vs technical editor demographics

Here are the differences between book reviewers' and technical editors' demographics:

Book ReviewerTechnical Editor
Average age4044
Gender ratioMale, 25.7% Female, 74.3%Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 9.6% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%12%

Differences between book reviewer and technical editor duties and responsibilities

Book reviewer example responsibilities.

  • Post a book review, including HTML codes (if applicable), on personal blog.
  • Write book reviews for prominent genre literature magazine
  • Review economics text books to determine level of mathematics require to comprehend material.
  • Participate in meetings with inter agencies and other entities as appropriate to facilitate and enhance the Medicaid eligibility determination process.
  • Participate in meetings with inter agencies and other entities as appropriate to facilitate and enhance the Medicaid eligibility determination process.

Technical editor example responsibilities.

  • Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.
  • Train course developers in advance features of FrameMaker and PowerPoint.
  • Remove PDF security from each document.
  • Update PDF variables for online help.
  • Research science, military, and historical-relate topics for DOD.
  • Create or obtain all necessary screen shots using SnagIt and Photoshop.
  • Show more

Book reviewer vs technical editor skills

Common book reviewer skills
  • Fiction, 35%
  • Literature, 27%
  • Biographies, 14%
  • Poetry, 12%
  • Non-Fiction, 11%
Common technical editor skills
  • PowerPoint, 16%
  • English Language, 11%
  • Proofreading, 6%
  • Subject Matter Experts, 5%
  • Training Materials, 5%
  • XML, 4%

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