What is an ARC book? What does ARC mean in book publishing and reading circles? If you’ve spent any time in the book world, it’s likely you’ve heard the term ARC thrown around a time or two. ARC is one of those frequently-used book acronyms that it’s important to know, so here’s what it is as well as how to get ARCs of your own!
What are ARC Books?
What is an ARC copy of a book? Advance Reader Copies, also known as ARCs for short, are copies of unpublished books that are offered for free in exchange for a review. They are also sometimes known by a few variations, such as “advance review copy,” “advance reading copy,” and more to the same effect.
These copies are generally mostly complete electronic or print copies that are offered by a publishing company, the author, or a PR company to readers before the official release date of a book, with the purpose that they can read and review the work and help promote it to others.
Even better? As mentioned a moment ago, ARCs are free! Yes, you read that right. That means you can get copies of some incredible upcoming books to read at no charge. And since they’re generally the same in format and content as the final release version (maybe with some slight editing), you get to be one of the first to read new books the whole world is looking forward to reading!
Why Do Publishers and Authors Offer ARCs?
Sound too good to be true? What is an ARC in book publishing and why do they offer them? Well, Publishers, authors, and PR agencies offer ARCs for free because they are hoping to generate buzz about new books, catch proofreading errors before release, and generally promote the book to a larger audience for little cost.
In return, as readers, we get the chance to read new books for free. So for both publishers/authors and for readers, this can be a beneficial trade as both parties get something they want!
How to Get ARC Books
Do you want to become an ARC reader too? If so, there are several ways to get involved and get ARCs to read.
But first, in general you’ll need to have a compelling reason for publishers and authors to offer you free review copies—especially for books from more well-known or popular authors. A compelling reason could mean anything from having a thriving Bookstagram to having a large number of reviews of books already on Amazon, Goodreads, etc.
If you feel qualified and ready to apply for ARCs, here’s a few ways to do so:
1. ARC Review Websites
There are several ARC review websites that allow both new and established ARC reviewers to join and apply for new ARCs to read. NetGalley and Edelweiss are two of the most popular options that allow you to read and review eARCs (allowing you to download and get started on reading and reviewing as soon as you’re approved for a specific book!)
You can also find some ARCs other places, including Amazon First Reads and LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.
2. Enter ARC Giveaways
Another method you can use to get ARCs, and which doesn’t require as much presence in the book world to do, is to enter ARC giveaways.
Usually anyone can enter these giveaways, and winners will be chosen at random to receive eARCs or print ARCs to read and review.
Goodreads is one of the most popular options that offers giveaways of this type, so I highly recommend checking them out. Other sites you might want to consider entering include BookishFirst, Shelf Awareness, and Epic Reads.
3. Ask Publishers or Authors
A more time-intensive way to get ARCs is to ask publishers or authors directly.
This method will work best if you have a demonstrated presence in the book world and the book reviewing space already, through a successful Bookstagram or other means.
To utilize this method, you’ll also need to find the right contact information (do some digging to find who is in charge of ARC requests—a Google search can usually turn up an email or contact form) and then send a persuasive email telling them why they should care to send an ARC to you. It doesn’t really matter to them why you want the ARC, it more matters why and how you’ll be able to help them with their promotion goals.
4. Join Book Influencer Programs
Lastly, another way to get ARCs if you’re a book influencer is to join reading influencer programs.
Several publishing houses offer book influencer programs that you can sign up for to receive early access to upcoming books. A few to look into include the Random House Influencer Program, the Macmillan Influencer and Reviewer Program, and the Hachette Book Group Ambassador Program.
You’ll receive newsletters and information on where to sign up to receive ARCs from each of the programs you join, and then can read and review the ARCs you receive!