I always see people talk about getting ARCs and I’ve been very fascinated, but how I can do this? I read hundreds of books a year and recently started reviewing some on Goodreads/Amazon. I don’t have a large following but I think it would be beneficial if I could get ARCs so my reviews could be seen earlier when people are still wondering if they should read this book when it first comes out.
I’m working on possibly making an instagram for a book platform but I just need exposure/help. I leave very honest reviews, the good the bad the ugly and the truth.
Any help is appreciated 🙂
p.s. I mostly read dark romance, fantasy, and TONS of indie authored books on KU!!
by Shy_Reads
6 Comments
Oh yeah a cloutchaser, how wonderful if there’s one thing the world doesn’t have NEARLY enough of now it’s ‘influencers’ and cloutchasers.
ARCs are almost exclusively used as a way to promote a book and you’re not going to get them unless you already have an established and relatively large social media presence.
If you’re just looking for free books then check out the library or enter giveaways.
If you’re not treating it like it’s your job then you’re not going to get any ARCs and even then it’s a gamble.
Sounds like you just need to keep at it. ARCs are only for promotional purposes, so the larger the following you build the more likely you’ll be to attract publishers. Build as large of a social media following as you can and you’ll get noticed eventually.
Go to a big library or literary conference and get a badge for the exhibit hall only. Those are usually $25-$50 instead of the full conference price of $200-$500. The publishers all have booths in the conferences and give away a ton of ARCs to get librarians/book buyers to buy them for their collections and stores. American library association conference is in San Diego this summer.
Source: am librarian.
I think Netgalley is the English site for ARC requests.
Work at Barnes & Noble, sometimes the employees get them.
But in all seriousness, I wouldn’t recommend applying there, unless you want ARCs that much.