Advance reader copies

What is an ARC?

An Advanced Reader Copy (ARC,) is also known as an advance review copy. These are free. promotional copies of a book that is in the process of publication. The main purpose of these books are to generate more popularity for a book as well as gather early reviews before the official release. ARCs are distributed by publishers to influencers, booksellers, journalists, and many others. They can be printed and bound, or in an electronic format. There are a plethora of reasons for an ARC as it not only provides a first-look at an unreleased book, but it allows select readers to read the story before its distribution. The feedback from readers is very important for authors as they can find any last minute errors before the final print.

Types of ARCs:

In the case of Advanced Reader Copies, there are two main formats: print and digital.

Printed Arcs often come in a paperback format with cover art. There are usually only a limited amount of these copies so it is more difficult to distribute and acquire.

Digital Arcs have begun to become more popular as authors have the option to upload their ARC into a lottery, where readers can request to read and review the work. This is done through platforms like NetGalley and Edelweiss.

ARC vs. Galley:

A common term in publishing that ARC often gets mixed up with is galley. While Advanced Reader Copies are similar to galleys, a galley often lacks a cover or nice formatting. A galley will contain more text errors because they are earlier in the editing process and have not been proofread yet. Galleys are not distributed amongst readers like an ARC is and it rather is used for proofreading within the publishing department. While a galley can sometimes be used as an ARC, it is more common that a specific ARC will be made.