Want the Ultimate Inside Scoop? Join an ARC Team

Do reviews matter?

Yep. Especially for indie authors who don’t have that traditional publishing mega-marketing machine to crank out publicity. It is critically important for us underdogs to get reviews on new books as soon as they launch. Hence, the “ARC team.”

As a discerning reader, you probably weigh reviews highly when making a decision whether to try a new author or rely on an old favorite. Hey, I get it. I do, too! Though I must admit, I now view them with a boulder of salt after receiving some wacky reviews like this beauty from “one-star Sue.”

Let’s start with the fact that this reader WON First Quiver in a Goodreads giveaway she entered [SIDE NOTE: These giveaways cost readers NOTHING, and they’re a great way to pick up free books!] based on the book’s description and was then upset to learn that my characters (Cupid and Pan, a pair of horny Greek gods in human form and at the peak of hotness) actually enjoyed sex:

Thankfully, this outlier stayed that way, and the book enjoys an average comfortably above 4 (out of 5) stars on both Goodreads and Amazon. Phew!

Who cares about those stars anyway?

“Social proof” is a powerful force. Like it or not, we’re all influenced by recommendations and impressions. Remember Siskel and Ebert, the originators of the “thumbs up” rating system? How many double thumbs down movies did you run out to watch? Exactly.

Aside from helping persuade potential readers to give this new writer a chance, reviews help drive early sales which, in turn, motivates Amazon to take notice and market on my behalf. And no one markets books better than Amazon!

What makes for a “good” review?

And by “good,” I don’t necessarily mean the reader LOVED the book (though one always hopes!). A lot of great readers shy away from leaving reviews because they either feel pressed to write a five-star sparkle-fest for a book that seems less than deserving, OR they feel pressured to write a scholarly or highly entertaining comparative literature analysis worthy of the NYT Book Review.

So how do you write a good review?

1. Be honest (but avoid overly harsh sarcasm if possible). The rule of thumb is you’re writing reviews for other readers, not the author. (If you and the author are relatives or close friends, you’re not supposed to post a review on Amazon anyway.)
2. Use the stars (rating) and the words (review) to your advantage. You can always just do one or the other if you’re feeling stuck.
3. Understand the impact of rating a book below 3 stars. I’m absolutely not suggesting dishonesty, but if you rate a book below its average, you will pull the average down. The fewer reviews, the more weight each rating carries. That’s just plain math. You can review a book without assigning stars on most outlets.
4. There’s ALWAYS something nice to say. You might have to dig deep to come up with the words, but there’s always a compliment to dole out. (Great concept, loved how this character redeemed himself, creative world-building, light and entertaining, etc.) Every book is not meant to be Great Literature. Use an appropriate “bar” as your measuring stick.
5. That old adage you learned in kindergarten holds true: If you don’t have anything nice to say, it’s just fine to say nothing at all.

If you follow these pointers, your review will most likely be appreciated by readers and authors alike. You might even get a bunch of free books thrown at you by publishers!

So how does an author garner these magical release-day reviews (a.k.a. unicorns)?

If you’re an author who wants people to leave an honest review of a 300-page book on release day, you darn well better give them the book ahead of time! That’s exactly what I do.

With book one, I used several websites where ARC readers hang out (Booksprout, Net Galley, and Reedsy Discovery Blog). I described my book so I could attract readers who are passionate about my genres (fantasy, romcom, myth retelling). Through this process, I was able to connect with dozens of readers I would not otherwise have met. Many of them left wonderful reviews.

From there, I set up a running spreadsheet of advance readers. Before launching book two, I confirmed that everyone on the list was interested in receiving the book ahead of release and willing to post an honest review before and at launch. The result was a small but mighty dedicated group of enthusiastic readers who helped grease the wheels on release day. I was surprised that many readers reported enjoying Into the Quiet (#2) even more than the first book.

Hopefully, that trend will continue because now it’s time to assemble Team Q3!

What is expected of the ARC team?

It’s a simple arrangement. I send out a free Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of my upcoming release (usually an ebook) about one month before launch. Everyone reads the book and fires up an honest (and ideally, positive) review.

Reviews can be posted immediately on Goodreads, social media sites, and blogs, but only after release on major retailers like Amazon, Apple, B & N, etc. [Fun fact: purchase is not necessary to post a review on any of those sites. Best practice is to include a simple “thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of the book.”]

ARC readers sometimes pick up typos that I’ve been able to correct before publication (THANK YOU!) and others have pointed out unclear wording or sensitive topics I may have missed. Some ARC readers take their enthusiasm a step further and become wonderful ambassadors for the book. Linking to their reviews on social media, recommending it to their book clubs, taking photos of themselves with the book – all extra, all very much appreciated.

I want to join the team!

Good news! I do have a few free spots for the upcoming release of Quite the Pair (Q3). If you’ve read the first two books in the Cupid’s Fall series, you already know what’s about to happen (SPOILER ALERT: Pan’s story). If you need more of those LGBTQ vibes of books one and two, you’ll enjoy book three. [If, on the other hand, you happen to share one-star Sue’s sensibilities, I’d recommend against reading a story about the god whose name is the literal root of pansexuality.]

A few important details:

• DATES: You’ll receive the ARC ebook approximately four weeks ahead of the book release date: Tuesday, October 5.
• THIRD IN SERIES: Quite the Pair can be read as a standalone, but for the best reader experience, I recommend reading books 1 and 2 first. You can get them here.
• STEAMY: Heat level is similar to books 1 and 2. That said, Pan IS the original horny goat, and he doesn’t hold back. If this offends, Q3 might not be the best choice for you.
• Haven’t scared you away? Awesome! Please fill out the signup form.
• Questions? Email me: beth@bethcgreenberg.com

If you’re excited about book three, I’d love to have you on the team.

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