I asked indie authors what they actually look for in ARC readers. Here’s what they told me.
One of the best things I’ve discovered during maternity leave has been ARC reading. It introduced me to brilliant indie authors, reignited my love of reading and gave me something to look forward to every week. I never expected accepting free review copies would become one of my favourite hobbies, but here we are.
Here’s how it works, and how you can get started.
What is ARC reading?
ARC stands for Advance Reader Copy. In its simplest form, it’s an agreement: a free book in exchange for an honest review. It’s not legally binding or anything, it’s a sort of gentlemen’s agreement, but one we take seriously! These are given out a few months/weeks before the release date.
Think of it as an early screening of a film. Readers get to experience the book before publication, and authors receive reviews that help launch it into the world.
These reviews help out authors, particularly indie authors. Having reviews next to the book helps its credibility and visibility on sites such as Goodreads and Amazon. It stops the book falling away into obscurity. It helps build hype.
As a reader you get a free book! Ideal!
I asked indie authors what they actually want from ARC readers…
I spend a lot of time talking about ARC reading from the reader’s perspective, but I wanted to hear from the people on the other side of the process. I asked a handful of indie authors one simple question:
What’s the one thing every ARC reader should do?
Their answers were surprisingly similar.
M.V. Jackson (whose ghost story It’s Because of Her I recently reviewed) was very clear:
I loved this answer because it reminded me that, before reviews or algorithms, there’s simply a person hoping someone will read the story they’ve poured months or years into. It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to forget that when you’re juggling a reading list.
Do I need any qualifications to ARC read?
Can you read? Do you like reading? Yeah? Yeah, you’re good.
You should know yourself as a reader and aim for appropriate books. The thing with ARC reading is that authors are looking for people that match their target audience so that the review will be relevant for people who might buy the book. So, for example, I personally wouldn’t read splatter horror and gore because it’s not really my thing. I know I wouldn’t enjoy it and would probably have a bad review. Rather than take that out on the book I just don’t sign up for those books.
I’d suggest having the following accounts for leaving reviews (click the links to see my profiles):
Lastly, having time helps. Because ARCs are given out with a due date in mind, readers should aim to finish their review before the release date.
Where do you find ARC opportunities?
1- Booksprout – I really like the variety and long lead times on Booksprout. They have a mix of genres to pick from and it’s really easy to submit the feedback form afterwards. Books I’ve read from Booksprout included The Grand Couvert.
2- Instagram direct- Many indie authors recruit ARC readers through posts and stories. Once you follow a few authors in your favourite genre, the algorithm starts doing some of the work for you.
3- Net Galley- I don’t want to say much here because I’ve not used it myself. But it’s one of the big players in the game.
4- The Niche Reader- This one is a bit more involved as it comes with forms and applications for books, but if you are looking to get paid for reading then the Niche Reader is a good call. They give away ARC reading and BETA books (paid). I’ve noticed they are really good for historical fiction.
Don’t over commit!
When I started applying for ARC books I thought the fact I didn’t have a massive social media following and no experience would go against me. I figured it was like job interviews- you could apply for 10 and get 1 or 2 back.
No.
Indie authors are way thirstier than that.
Apply for 10 and probably get 10. Then you’ve really committed to reading 10 books and writing 10 reviews quite quick. Better to apply for 1 or 2, wait a bit then apply more. It gives each book its due dilligence and time (at least, that’s how I feel).
Trust me, reading starts to feel like homework surprisingly quickly.
How do you stay organised as an ARC reader?
I have… a spreadsheet!
I keep track of the author, the socials, the page count, due date, my completion level, if I have a review written or posted Amazon. I used to just keep a note on my calendar, but the more I have the more I find the organisation helps, particularly when it comes to writing a blog post.
Communication matters
MV. Jackson shared her approach to helping readers with ARCs:
Can attest! She’s very on it. The best ARC’s I’ve been part of tend to have author’s who are clear in their dates and requirements. Find one of those are you are in for a good time.
ARC reading taught me how to review compassionately
The biggest thing ARC reading has taught me is how to read compassionately.
A book is someone’s time, effort and often years of their life. Sometimes it’s also the thing they hope might become a career. They have trusted me with this thing they are very proud of and I respect the hell out of that. With that in mind, not liking the book does not equate it to being a bad book- it means the book might not be for me.
One of the first authors I reached out to was H.P. Lane, whose novel Sea Blooms was actually my first ever ARC. She was honest about one of misconceptions of ARC reading:
What I most appreciate in ARC readers is thorough reviews. The best reviews to me are not necessarily the 5 star reviews (although I do of course love those, keep ‘em coming). Instead, I really appreciate the reviews that go into depth as to what the reader liked and disliked. With so many book options out there, it’s important to convey that information to potential future readers so that they can make an informed decision if they want to read my book (and hopefully they do choose to pick up my book!).
How to assign star ratings
5 stars / 4 stars
If I love a book, ARC reading and reviews are as easy as pie (for example, see Gravitido ARC Review: Genius, Stupid, and Completely Brilliant). For these, I post online and then tag the author in it. As a rule of thumb, these are 4-5 star reviews.
But not every book feels like a 4 star. That’s fair.
3 stars / 2 stars
This is where honesty and empathy have to go hand in hand. I’ll write the review and post it to Amazon or Goodreads thank the author but I wouldn’t tag them on Instagram. That all said, it’s important to be honest. If there is a part I dislike I will say so, as readers who are like me may benefit from that. The big thing is not attacking the author personally. (for example, I didn’t really dig A Deceitful Fate).
Thing is, authors don’t want you to lie and say it was 5 star if you didn’t really read it. A thoughtful three-star review is far more valuable than a dishonest five-star one.
1 star books and those we can’t finish
Ah the 1 star books. Let’s face it, if it’s getting a 1 I’m probably not finishing it. A dreaded DNF (did not finish)! These I keep quiet about, I’ll not post at all just because I don’t feel like it’s helpful. I’ve yet to come across a book so morally heinous I felt the need to warn people against it’s existence. I’ve just assumed it wasn’t for me and moved on with my day. That said, there’s only been 1 book I’ve DNF since ARC reading. It’s rare.
Overall?
Before I started ARC reading, I thought it was just a way of getting free books. It is that, technically. But it’s also introduced me to writers I never would have found otherwise, changed the way I think about reviewing books and reminded me that every book has a real person behind it. If you’re thinking about giving it a go, I’d absolutely recommend it. Just remember that when you accept an ARC, you’re not only getting early access to a book. You’re becoming part of someone else’s publishing journey.
Thank you to MV. Jackson and H.P. Lane for their help and words in creating this article.
My Recent ARC Reviews
- Gravitido ARC Review: Genius, Stupid, and Completely Brilliant
- Veiled Court Review: The Grown-Up Romantasy I’ve Been Waiting For
- The Grand Couvert Review: historical fiction gold with an evil cat
- Death on a Dinner Cruise Review: A Cosy Mystery Worth a Weekend
- A Deceitful Fate Review: Strong Ideas, Familiar Execution
- A Bargain with a Darkseer Review: Predictable, but Easy to Enjoy
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