How to Become an ARC Reader & the Dos and Don’ts of ARC Reading
Have you ever wondered how books rack up reviews on Goodreads before they’re even released? Or have you wished that your favorite author would give you a sneak peek at their upcoming release? That’s exactly what ARC readers do!
Getting an ARC isn’t about scoring a free book, though, although that’s part of the process. ARC readers are an integral part of the publishing process and they help authors succeed. ARCs are some of the best marketing an author can do, so it’s always great when readers want to take part! Whether you’d like to join your fave author’s street team, get ARCs through popular platforms like NetGalley, or simply become a reliable reviewer, here’s how to become an ARC reader—and how to do it right so that you’re invited back for future releases.
What is an ARC Book?
ARC stands for Advanced Reader Copy or Advanced Review Copy, depending on who you ask. The purpose is the same, though: authors and publishers send out ARC books to generate early buzz, get reviews, and build excitement in advance of a book’s release. I had ARC readers for my debut, The Half of It, and before release day I had 50+ reviews on Goodreads. As an indie and debut author, that was huge!
From the author’s perspective, ARC book reviews get people talking about the book, convince prospective readers to pick up a book (or determine if it’s not right for them), and can even connect authors with people who become die-hard fans. From the reader perspective, you get early access to books, you get to support authors, and you become part of the publishing process.
Readers are not paid to review (that’s illegal!), and they don’t pay to get the book, either. Authors and publishers send out ARC copies in hopes that readers will leave a review, ideally in advance or on the day of the release.
How to Become an ARC Reader
I ran two separate ARC campaigns—one on my own where people signed up through a Google Form, and the other through NetGalley. There were certain things I was looking for in readers as well as some things that were red flags. Here’s what I think is most important if you want to get started with ARC reading—the good news is, it’s quite simple!
Figure out which platform(s) you intend to use and start sharing your thoughts on there regularly. It’s super helpful if you prove that you are active with reviewing books, even if they aren’t ARCs. So if you haven’t already, start leaving thoughtful reviews of every book you read. Goodreads and Amazon are huge for authors, but social media is great too. You don’t have to do it all—pick one or two to start and focus on those. The size of your following matters way less than proving that you show up and review consistently.
Follow your favorites. Authors of all sizes will post that ARC applications are open on social media, in newsletters or on their websites. Keep your eyes peeled and jump at any opportunity to sign up.
Search for hashtags on social media. Search for #arcreaders, #arcreaderswanted #arcreaderapplications and other similar hashtags to find authors on the hunt for ARC readers.
Join ARC Teams and review sites. Sign up on sites like NetGalley, BookSirens, or Booksprout to see what ARCs are available and to apply for a copy. There are also dedicated reader groups for ARC readers on Facebook where authors may post about their ARCs. It’s really as easy as that! You may need some patience before you first ARC request gets approved, but if you’re posting about books on your chosen platform, eventually an author or publisher will select you.
Advice on ARC Reading from an Author
As an author, there are a few things that readers can do that will make us absolutely adore you and want to ask you to read an ARC for us, again and again. Here are some tips and tricks to ensure your success as you start out and to get authors to love you as an ARC member:
Be clear about the genres you read in your bio. I was always wary of reviewers who didn’t seem to read a lot of romance. Were they requesting my book because they were genuinely interested in it, or were they just going through to try and get a free book? In your bio (on whatever platform you’re using), mentioning your preferred genres is super helpful. Saying that you “read everything” isn’t terribly helpful; what genres do you enjoy the most and are most likely to request?
As you start ARC reading, only request books you’re genuinely interested in and that you know you can read in the timeline. There’s two reasons for this. One, it means that you’re not overextending yourself and leaving an author whose ARC you received without a review. Second, and just as important, it means that your first few ARC reviews can be (hopefully) glowing ones. Through NetGalley, I was able to view every user’s average star rating, and once a reader’s star rating was below 3.7, I started to wonder if they were the kind of reader who would never hand out a 5-star review, no matter what. You don’t owe an author a 5-star review, but if you seem like a particularly critical reader, it may mean you get access to fewer ARCs by default.
Remember the expectations: you receive a book, you review the book. It really hurts as an author to know someone has requested my book, downloaded it, and then totally ghosted me on a review. Reviews for authors, especially indie authors, are essential to our success, so please don’t leave us hanging!
Review on time. Review on time. Review on time. Life happens, but try your best to get those reviews in early or on the day of the book’s release. Late is better than never, but do your best to keep on schedule.
Consider reviewing on multiple platform(s), always including Goodreads and Amazon. Look, we all have complicated feelings about the Zon, but for an indie romance author like myself, Kindle Unlimited is gold. Reviews on Amazon are incredibly helpful to authors, as are Goodreads reviews. Even if you have zero followers and you primarily review on other sites like Storygraph or Fable, consider putting up your star rating and a short review on those sites too. In general, the more visibility the better.
Be honest but fair. You may get a book that just didn’t work for you, and that’s fine. When leaving a review that’s less-than-stellar, write your criticisms in a constructive way. That lets authors and publishers who are considering you as an ARC reader in the future know that you read the book, gave it a fair shot, and will talk intelligently about a book you didn’t enjoy without just tearing it apart.
Leave more than a couple sentences. If you really want to stand out, be specific in your review. Don’t just rehash the plot, but write about what you loved, what stood out, what the author did well, and anything that didn’t work for you. A detailed review is something that other readers will really find useful, and in turn, authors find it useful too!
Be aware of review manipulation. Some authors may ask that you withhold negative reviews and message them personally instead, or post a 3-star or less review well after the publication date. As an author, I get where this request comes from, but it’s an icky practice, if you ask me. I want my book to succeed, but I don’t believe in influencing or manipulating readers’ feedback in any way. Reviews, even negative ones, are just part of the process of putting a book out into the world. If an author has stipulations for you to read their ARC, it’s up to you if you feel that’s ethical and are okay with doing so. I personally want readers to feel free to share their thoughts, because reviews are for readers!
Typos may appear in ARCs—don’t let them affect your review (although a little message might be nice to have). My ARCs hadn’t gone through my final final final proof pass, and there were 2 typos that I caught later and corrected for the final book. Those typos haunt me, but just know that Advance Reader Copies may have typos, and that shouldn’t influence your review. If, however, you’re working with an indie author, I find it incredibly kind to reach out about said typo(s). Sometimes it just happens that after editors and proofreaders and reading it a million times, we still miss something, so when you bring it to our attention, we can fix it before the release. This is by no means required or expected, but certainly nice!
You can promote a book in other ways too. Post quotes, aesthetic mood boards, or even just an excited “So excited to read this!” on social media. The Half of It has been included in some St. Patrick’s Day roundups, which I loved, and I had some folks make beautiful reels on Instagram for it. Those kinds of posts are wonderful to see!
If you’re leaving a negative review on social media, please don’t tag the author. While it’s a total treat to get tagged in a social media post where a reader gushes about their experience, it’s just plain rude and unnecessary to tag us in negative reviews. We know that our books won’t be universally loved and you’re more than welcome to express that, but we don’t need you pointing our what you hated about a book to our faces.
Don’t pirate, leak, or spoil major plot points. This should go without saying, but I’m gonna say it anyway. My book was pirated, and because The Half of It is on Kindle Unlimited, this can actually remove me from KU and prevent me from receiving any compensation on page reads. Please get a different hobby.
Send a link and/or screenshot of your review to the author. It can be hard to keep track of who followed through on their promise to leave a review, so don’t leave us questioning anything. Email an author once your review is up and let them know where they can find it.
If you want to be on the street team or considered for future ARCs, say so! Even if the author hasn’t said anything about a next book or a street team, let them know you’d be interested. It automatically puts you at the top of our list for those kinds of opportunities!
Why Authors Love Great ARC Readers
As reviews for The Half of It were rolling in, I was so touched by ARC readers having my book and sharing their thoughts on it. One of the best, most effective marketing plans an author can do is ARC copies of their book, so you are helping us authors in such a big way when you read advanced copies. Readers who consistently show up, leave great reviews, and genuinely engage with books are no doubt the ones who will get auto-approved for ARCs in the future!