How to Get Free Books through ARCs

Do you want to read books before they are released to the public and pay nothing but your time and opinion?

Then you've found the right place to show you exactly how to do it!

(Trust me! I tried it, and it worked for me.)

What is an advance reader copy?

An advance reader copy, or ARC, is a free copy of an unpublished book that publishers send to a selected group of reviewers, librarians, book sellers or journalists before the release date.

The purpose of these ARCs is to gather early feedback from advance readers, build hype around a book, and ultimately boost sales through marketing. It benefits both publishers and authors as well as readers who are able to read early copies of a book for free.

When publishers do send you an ARC, they will expect you to write an honest review and promote the book on retail sites and social media (Amazon, Goodreads, blogs, etc.).

Where and how do you get ARCs?

There are many different ways to get ARCs, and I will touch upon a few of them, but my main focus will be Netgalley.

Publishers

You can directly contact a publisher to request an ARC of an upcoming book. The chances of being chosen are slimmer because they usually get a lot of these emails and will be looking for readers with a wide reach. Don’t let that deter you from trying your luck though!

Just make sure to be professional in your email and treat it like you were applying for a job.

Giveaways

Sometimes publishers offer giveaways on their websites, so follow them on social media to receive the latest news and announcements.

Goodreads has a whole page where you can view ongoing giveaways and enter them for free. From what I’ve seen though, they are only for US residents, so for readers that want to raise their chances, I would recommend Netgalley.

Netgalley

Netgalley is a free website where publishers and authors promote digital ARCs and where readers can access and request a huge database of upcoming books.

The process is straightforward and simple. All you need to do is sign up, create a profile, and start requesting.

How do you sign up for Netgalley and receive your first ARC?

First, you have to go onto the website and make an account.

www.netgalley.com

Once you’ve inputted the required fields (such as username, password, book categories, etc.), you will need to write a bio. This is very important because the publishers will use it to determine whether they wish to accept your request.

Keep it professional and concise!

Publishers want to see that you take their book seriously and that they can trust you to follow through with your promise of writing a review.

You should start with a one-sentence summary that describes your role (reviewer, book blogger, librarian, etc.) and your book tastes.

I’m a passionate book blogger that enjoys many genres, such as historical fiction, psychological thriller, and horror, but I also indulge in indie books that deal with female empowerment. 

You should include a book-related fact about you that might be relevant to the publisher. For example, do you run a book club? You should mention that. 

The next step is vital to the success of your requests.

Include where you will promote and post your reviews outside of Netgalley!

The more information you can include, the easier it will be for the publisher to accept your request. 

Here’s where I would promote and post my reviews:

Blog - The Shame Shelf: I will write a detailed review about the book and post it on my writing blog that I co-edit with my friend.

Goodreads: I will also share all my reviews on Goodreads.

Instagram: I will use Instagram to post pictures of my current reads and share them with the book community. 

There will be an option later in the profile set up page where you can add links to your website or social media accounts.

Include your stats!

Some publishers want to see that you have a wide reach, so it's good to include your follower count. Though, don’t be discouraged by this step because I started off with no audience, and I was still accepted for ARCs.

Include your email address!

Lastly, you should include your email address at the bottom of your bio just in case publishers have any more questions and they can reach out to you easily.

Additional tips

When I first started requesting ARCs on Netgalley, I sent out two requests. One was denied, and the other was accepted. This happened without any following.

Sometimes it’s all about luck and what the publishers currently need for their books. Sometimes they just want to get enough people talking to create buzz, and other times they seek popular reviewers to bring the book to a wider audience.

You will have better chances with indie publishers and authors, but I would still try your luck with more established authors.

I was recently accepted for a book by a bestselling author, so it is possible. 

If you want to increase your chances with a specific book, you should check out the publisher’s approval preferences.

To view that, you need to click on the publisher’s name which will take you to their page. At the top, you then click on ‘View Approval Preferences’.

A window will pop up that details what the publisher would like to see on your bio.

Other than that, don’t stress about it. You will get accepted at some point. You just have to be patient. It can take a few days for a response. In my case, one of the ARCs didn't get approved until a month after I had sent the request.

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We're always here to help.

Good luck on your ARCs!