ARC stands for Advance Review Copy. It is a free copy of your book sent to readers before the official launch date, with the understanding that they will read it and leave an honest review around launch day.
ARCs are how professional publishers ensure that a new book has reviews from day one. When a reader sees a book with zero reviews, there is a psychological barrier — "nobody else has read this, so why should I?" When a book launches with 15-25 reviews, it signals social proof: other people have read this and thought it was worth reviewing.
How to build an ARC team:
Option 1: Dedicated ARC platforms.
- NetGalley is the industry standard for reaching librarians, book bloggers, and professional reviewers. It is expensive ($450+/year for indie authors), so it is best suited for authors with established sales who want library and media coverage.
- StoryOrigin ($10/month) connects you with genre-specific readers who have opted into receiving ARCs. You set the genre, word count, and content warnings, and readers who match your criteria request a copy.
- BookSprout (free tier available) works similarly to StoryOrigin with a slightly different reader pool. Both are worth trying.
Option 2: Your email list. Send an email to your subscribers 6-8 weeks before launch: "I'm looking for 20 advance readers for my new book. You'll get a free copy in exchange for an honest review on launch day. Reply 'ARC' if you're interested." This is the warmest, most reliable source of ARC readers because these people already like your work.
Option 3: Genre-specific reader groups. Many Facebook groups and Reddit communities have dedicated ARC threads. Search for "[your genre] ARC readers" and you will find communities specifically organized around advance reading.
ARC logistics:
- Send ARCs 4-6 weeks before launch day. This gives readers time to actually read the book.
- Use BookFunnel to deliver the ARC. It handles file format compatibility and provides download tracking so you know who actually received the book.
- Send a reminder email on launch day: "The book is live! Here's the Amazon link to leave your review."
- Expect a 30-50% review rate. If you send 50 ARCs, plan on getting 15-25 reviews. That is a normal conversion rate.
Important: never require positive reviews. Your ARC request should explicitly say "honest reviews." Requiring or even implying that you want only positive reviews violates Amazon's terms of service and is ethically questionable. You want honest feedback — even the three-star reviews help with social proof because they make the positive reviews look more credible.
The ARC timing sweet spot: Send ARCs exactly four weeks before launch. Shorter than that and readers feel rushed. Longer than that and they procrastinate (and forget). Four weeks gives a committed reader plenty of time to read, sit with the book for a few days, and write a review before launch day. Send one reminder at the two-week mark and one on launch day with the direct review link. Three touchpoints total — that is not nagging, that is professional communication.
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