30 things I've learnt from 5 years being published: no 15 – getting ARC copies is amazing - and stressful
September 6 2023 marks 5 years since my first novel was released 😲
I’ve now published 6, and have 2 more under contract.
To celebrate, I’m sharing a new post about what I’ve learnt from being published EVERY DAY throughout the month. This post is part of that series!
Click here for the rest →
If you’re a writer then you’re definitely a reader. If you’re not a reader, then I’d go so far as to say that you can’t be a writer. Sorry. The two are mutually inclusive.
I’m not going to bore you here with my story of how I was addicted to reading from the very moment I could, because undoubtedly that’s your story too.
Writers love books. We are obsessed with books. We have to be because why on earth would you try to write one if you weren’t? There are so many more pleasurable things you could be doing with your time, like walking on hot coals.
It was the greatest moment of my life (possibly) when I discovered that as a soon-to-be published author, publishers were going to send me free books.
I remember going in to meet my editor for the first time at the Hachette office in London, and walking around the editorial floor and spying a copy of the latest JP Delaney.
With my editor Cassie Browne at the Quercus offices
‘Oh you can have one if you like,’ my editor said, pressing it into my hand.
I was so excited I went home and texted everyone I knew.
A little bit later, I went to a party in the same office that my publisher was holding for all their authors, and I got a GOODY BAG (yes it was a cotton tote! Of course, it was a publishing event) full of books to take home.
It was The Dream.
And since then, one of the best perks of being a published author is that you are often asked if you would like to read early copies of other author’s books before they are published.
These copies are called ARCs - ‘advanced reader copies’ - or ‘proofs’.
It’s such a privilege to be sent people’s books in advance of publication and I never take it for granted. However, after a year or two, I realised I was going to need a bigger bookshelf (not least to house all my own author copies) and so I started requesting digital versions of ARCs instead.
And since the pandemic many publishers have moved to only producing digital ARCs, which makes sense as they’re quicker to deliver and better for the environment.
Also, there are strict instructions that paper ARCs should be destroyed after being read, which always breaks my heart a little as I toss them into the recycling bin!
(The reason behind this is because they are uncorrected versions and might have errors in, so it wouldn’t be fair on the author to donate them to charity or pass them on to someone outside the industry to read.)
Anyway, now I only accept digital ARCs which makes me feel better about it all.
Now, the only downside to this amazing perk is the fact that :
a) I am a ridiculously slow reader
and
b) I can’t get through all the ARCs I’m sent and spend a lot of time feeling very guilty about it.
Hence the second part of the title of this post. It can be stressful. As an author, you are programmed to want to help your fellow authors (unless you are one of the rare ‘dick’ authors that I blogged about here →).
And of course you want to read as many of these advanced copies as possible so that you can provide a ‘blurb’ or a short quote recommending it, that the publishers can use on the cover of the book, or in the marketing materials.
You have probably seen these little quotes before on books. Publishers use them to fuel the Hype Machine that they rely on to get books into readers’ consciousnesses.
But you might find that you don’t particularly gel with a book (which is totally fine and normal) or you don’t get around to reading it in time, so you miss the deadline for submitting your blurb.
When you first get a book deal, it can be tempting to request every single ARC you are offered - I certainly did - but I’m here to tell you that it’s OK to turn some of them down. The publisher will understand.
A polite but kind response - ‘I’m so sorry but my TBR list is too high at the moment so I’m not accepting any more proofs right now’ - is absolutely fine and no one will be offended or upset.
You can also request ARCs, so don’t be shy. If you see a book that people are talking about and you desperately want to read it too, contact your agent and see if they know the publisher. They can always request it on your behalf, or if you know the author/editor on Twitter, you can ask them directly.
So go forth and enjoy! Just don’t get too carried away like I did and accept every book you’re offered 😂
