An ARC (advance reader copy) campaign sends free pre-release copies of your book to selected readers who agree to post honest reviews around launch day. To set one up for your self-published book, you need to build an ARC team, prepare a clean review copy, distribute it through a platform like BookFunnel or StoryOrigin, time your Goodreads listing and retailer pre-order correctly, and follow up with readers after launch. The entire process typically starts four to six weeks before your publication date.
What Is an ARC and Why Does It Matter for Launch Day?
An advance reader copy is a pre-publication version of your book sent to readers before the official release date. The goal is to have honest reviews posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and other retail sites within the first few days of launch. Books that launch with reviews tend to convert better in search results because potential buyers use review count as a trust signal when deciding whether to purchase from an unfamiliar author.
ARCs are not the same as beta readers. Beta readers provide feedback on your manuscript during the editing process; ARC readers receive a finished (or near-finished) book and commit to posting a public review. Some authors use their beta readers as the starting core of an ARC team, but the two roles serve different purposes at different stages.
The term “advance reader copy” is standard across traditional and independent publishing. You may also see it written as “advance review copy.” Both refer to the same thing.
How Do You Build an ARC Team from Scratch?
Your ARC team is the group of readers who receive your pre-release copy and agree to leave an honest review. For a first book, a realistic starting team is 20 to 50 people. New authors can expect roughly 20 to 40 percent of ARC recipients to actually post a review, so sending to 30 readers might yield 6 to 12 reviews on launch day.
There are several places to recruit ARC readers. Your existing email list is the highest-conversion source; if you have built a reader magnet and email list, those subscribers already know your writing. Social media groups dedicated to your genre (Facebook groups, Reddit communities, Bookstagram) are another source. Some authors post ARC sign-up forms on their website or include a call for reviewers in the back matter of a previous book.
When recruiting, be transparent about what you are asking. State that you will provide a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review posted on Amazon and/or Goodreads by a specific date. Avoid language that implies the review must be positive; both Amazon and the FTC require that reviews reflect the reader’s genuine opinion.
Who Is Eligible to Post a Review on Amazon?
Two of Amazon’s rules decide who can post a review at all. Both are easier to check before you send the book than after.
The first is a spending threshold. To post any customer review on Amazon, an account must have spent $50 on Amazon.com in the previous twelve months. That spend must be on a credit or debit card. A reader who does not meet it can read your book and want to help and still be unable to leave a review. This is one reason ARC campaigns return fewer reviews than copies sent.
The second is a conflict-of-interest rule. Amazon does not accept reviews of a book from anyone with a personal or financial connection to its author, and its community guidelines name friends, relatives, employers, business associates, and competitors. It also specifically bars two authors from reviewing each other’s books by arrangement. Friends and family are the first people most authors think of, and they are the one group whose reviews Amazon is most likely to remove.
What Should Your ARC Copy Include?
Your ARC copy should be a fully edited, proofread manuscript. Sending a draft full of errors undermines the purpose of the campaign; readers will mention the quality issues in their reviews. The only acceptable difference between an ARC and the final published version is minor last-minute corrections (a typo caught after distribution, a slightly revised acknowledgments page).
Include a brief note at the front of the ARC copy that identifies it as a pre-release review copy. A single paragraph is sufficient: state the expected publication date, note that the reader received this copy for free in exchange for an honest review, and provide the Amazon or Goodreads link where you would like the review posted. This front matter note also helps with FTC compliance, which requires disclosure of the free-copy relationship.
Format the ARC as an EPUB or a PDF, depending on what your distribution platform supports. EPUB is the format every current e-reader and reading app accepts, Kindle included. The delivery platforms convert it to whatever a particular reader’s device needs.
Which ARC Distribution Platforms Are Available?
Several platforms specialize in delivering ARC copies to readers. Each handles the logistics of file delivery, download tracking, and (in some cases) reader discovery differently.
- BookFunnel hosts your files and gives readers a download page that delivers the correct format for their device. It does not find ARC readers for you; it handles delivery to readers you have already recruited. Note which plan you need: the entry-level First-Time Author plan is $30 per year, but secure ARC delivery begins on the Mid-List plan at $200 per year.
- BookSprout is built around ARC management and tracks which readers have posted reviews. A free plan lets you build a reviewer team but not run a campaign. Paid plans start at $9 per month, which covers one active campaign and 25 copies. The $19 and $29 tiers raise both limits. Annual billing saves 17 per cent.
- StoryOrigin bundles review copy management into a wider marketing toolkit at $10 per month or $100 per year, with a free basic plan.
- BookSirens connects authors with its own pool of reviewers. It charges a $10 listing fee plus $2 for each reader who downloads the book, or $100 per year on its author plan. Paying per download suits a small campaign.
- NetGalley reaches a large pool of active reviewers: librarians, booksellers, educators and media. A single title listed for six months costs $575, which puts it beyond most first campaigns.
What Are You Actually Paying an ARC Platform For?
The useful question is not which platform is best but which of three jobs you are paying for. Some services only deliver files to readers you have already found. Some also track who has posted a review, which saves a spreadsheet. Some bring their own pool of readers, which matters a great deal if you do not yet have a team and not at all if you do. None of them is the right choice for every book.
What Is the Right Timeline for an ARC Campaign?
Sequencing is where many authors get confused, especially around how Goodreads listings, retailer pre-orders, and ARC distribution interact. Here is a typical timeline working backward from launch day.
Six to eight weeks before launch: Finalize your ARC team. Send sign-up forms or invitations to your email list and social channels. Set up your distribution platform account and upload your ARC file.
Four to six weeks before launch: Distribute ARC copies to your team. This gives readers enough time to read the book before launch day. At this point, your book description should be finalized, because you will need it for pre-order setup.
Three to four weeks before launch: Set up your pre-order on Amazon KDP. Amazon allows pre-orders up to 90 days before publication. When you create a KDP pre-order, you must submit your final manuscript file at least 72 hours before the release date, or Amazon may remove the listing and restrict your pre-order privileges for one year. Draft2Digital allows pre-orders up to 12 months in advance. Also create your Goodreads listing around this time; the book needs to be findable on Goodreads before launch so ARC readers can post ratings and reviews there.
One week before launch: Send a reminder to your ARC team with the specific links where you want reviews posted (Amazon product page, Goodreads page). Confirm the publication date and thank them for participating.
Launch day and the first week: Monitor incoming reviews. Send a brief, polite follow-up to ARC readers who have not yet posted. Make sure your Amazon backend keywords are optimized so that the early review momentum translates into discoverability.
How Do You Follow Up with ARC Readers for Reviews?
Following up is essential; without it, many ARC readers will read the book but forget to post a review. The key is to be polite, specific, and brief.
Send your first follow-up email on launch day or the day before. Include direct links to the Amazon product page and the Goodreads book page. Make it as easy as possible: the fewer clicks between reading your email and posting a review, the better your conversion rate.
If a reader has not posted after one week, send one additional reminder. After two follow-ups, stop. Repeated emails will irritate readers and make them less likely to participate in future campaigns. Some readers simply will not post, and that is normal; the 20 to 40 percent response rate accounts for this.
Track who posts reviews and who does not. Platforms like BookSprout automate this tracking. If you are using BookFunnel (which does not track reviews), maintain a simple spreadsheet. Over time, you will identify your most reliable reviewers, and these readers become the core of your ARC team for subsequent books.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to give away free books in exchange for reviews?
Yes. Giving away free advance reader copies in exchange for honest reviews is standard practice in both traditional and independent publishing, and Amazon’s community guidelines name it explicitly. Its guidelines say customers may “review free books (advanced reader copies) from authors or publishers.” The same passage adds that the author or publisher “can’t require a review in exchange for free books or try to influence your opinion.” The distinction Amazon is drawing is between giving someone a book and buying an opinion. The FTC separately requires reviewers to disclose that they received a free copy. That is what the note in your ARC front matter is for.
Can ARC readers post reviews before the book is officially published?
On Goodreads, yes; readers can rate and review a book as soon as its listing exists, regardless of publication date. On Amazon, reviews can only be posted once the book is live for sale. This is why Goodreads is valuable for pre-launch social proof and why your Goodreads listing should be created before ARC distribution begins.
How many ARC copies should you send for a first book?
For a debut title, 20 to 50 ARC copies is a reasonable target. With an expected review rate of 20 to 40 percent, this should yield 4 to 20 reviews around launch. As you publish more books and build a reliable ARC team, you can scale up.
Do you need a different file format for ARC copies versus the published ebook?
Not necessarily. Most ARC distribution platforms accept EPUB files and convert them to the reader’s preferred format automatically. The content should be identical to your final manuscript. The only addition is a brief ARC disclaimer in the front matter noting that the reader received a free pre-release copy for review purposes.
What happens if an ARC reader leaves a negative review?
Nothing. Negative reviews are part of the process. ARC campaigns are explicitly for honest reviews, and attempting to suppress or remove negative feedback violates both Amazon’s review policies and FTC guidelines. A mix of ratings also looks more credible to potential buyers than a wall of five-star reviews.
