Have you ever wondered how books already have reviews on their publication date? Or how authors get those glowing reviews you see on the back cover? Well, it’s because they sent out an ARC. So, self-published authors, you need ARCs too!
What is an ARC and How Do I Get One?
ARC stands for Advance Reading Copy or Advance Review Copy. These are promotional copies of books sent out to reviewers and industry magazines like Publisher’s Weekly prior to publication. They’re almost ready for publishing but not quite. Reviewers know that final edits will be made and even changes to the cover and the storyline can be expected before publication, so they don’t judge the typos—they get it. This is the liminal space between production and publication. Publisher’s seek out praise and endorsements to use in marketing and print on the final jacket—hence, the Advance Review Copy.
ARCs usually include marketing details and a disclaimer so readers know they are reading an ARC. They aren’t meant to be sold so they don’t typically include barcodes either. They are simply meant to be used as a marketing tool, to build buzz and get those all important reviews. And, yes, even self-published authors need ARCs.
You can get your ARC via publishing sites you’ll use to print and/or publish your book! More on that below.
Why Do Self-Published Authors Need ARCs?
Often, for a self-published author, the ARC is a final chance to get feedback and fix errors as well. Though this isn’t the intent of sending out your ARC, it can happen. But remember, you’ll first and foremost be relying on proofreaders, editors and beta readers to get your book ready for publishing.
But the real reason self-published authors need ARCs is because you don’t have a publishing house doing marketing for you. And the more reviews you have when your book comes out the more likely it will do well at launch.
You probably know that people are way more likely to give a product a chance when it has good reviews. The same is true for books. If you can get your ARC into the right hands, and receive positive reviews in advance of its launch, you’ll have more readers ready to buy your book when it comes out. Plus those reviewers are often excited about telling others about your book if their name is on the jacket.
What to Do With Your ARC
Well, authors need ARCs so they can get reviews and build a bit of buzz before their book is launched, right? This means you need to get your ARC into the hands of reviewers, bloggers, social media influencers and the like. Because the best time to start marketing your book is BEFORE it comes out.
You can also send your ARC to professional reviewing platforms like Indie Foreward, Reedsy or NetGalley. There are really so many options. Just search for self-published book reviewers and you’ll see what I mean. One word of caution–avoid reviewers that charge fees for a positive review.
NetGalley has a fee to list your book on their site for their pool of reviewers. That’s not the same as a reviewer asking to be paid for a positive review. Getting reviews should only cost you the effort and charm it takes to get them unless they’re from sources like Kirkus, Clarion, and BookLife or others mentioned above. These are pay to play but they’re also sources trusted by the industry. Reviewers from these outlets give your book an honest review and the option to publish these reviews on their websites. These reviews are done and seen by professionals such as publishers and librarians too. So they give your book a huge boost! If it’s in your budget and the reviews are from a reputable, trusted publication, by all means, go for it.
Other Sources for Reviews
If you’ve read my blogs before, or taken any of my personal branding classes, you may remember how I talk about finding your influencers. I also write about and teach students how to do the research involved. Well, this will all come in handy when you’re looking for your potential book reviewers.
Social media is a good place to start looking! I highly suggest you make a list or create a spreadsheet for this. The power of #bookstagram and BookTok are pretty impressive! Also, consider bloggers and other content creators you follow and subscribe to.
Goodreads is also a good place to reach out to reviewers. It’s another platform populated by book lovers and reviewers, so don’t overlook it. The point is to get as much attention to your book as possible, so don’t just rely on the professional sources!
This Takes Planning!
Find reviewers first! This needs to be done weeks and sometimes months before your actual pub/launch date. Indie Foreward Reviews require 4 months to turn around, for example. So it depends greatly on your own publishing timeline. Bloggers, BookTok and #bookstagram are review sources likely to require far less time, but I’d say it’s safe to expect 3-4 weeks to get a review. People are busy and they need time to read and carefully review your book.
There are Options
Another thing you’ll have to consider is if you’ll want to have a hard copy/print version of your ARC or you’ll stick with digital. Or both! It may be smart to consider both as an option due to specific requirements from various platforms. For instance, sending a digital copy to a social influencer or blogger is probably more acceptable. But having an ARC that can be held and photographed is also a plus. If you do go digital, include a thumbnail of the cover art, or provide an image of the cover.
Keep in mind printing time in your planning too! Will your book be ready in time to upload and order a printed proof? If you want a print ARC, you need to add a few extra weeks to your timeline for that process.
When it comes down to it, it’s all about your budget—which includes not just money, but time and energy—but self-published authors need ARCs whether digital or print. Getting reviews in advance and building hype around your book release start your book marketing journey with a bang! It makes sense, right? This is the kind of marketing publishing houses do for their authors, and we all know that works out pretty well. Doesn’t your book deserve the same?
