Chat Between Chapters: ARCs

ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) – How do we feel about them?

 Julie:

Somehow I have gotten myself back into requesting ARCs and it has become a dangerous game. Who do I think I am expecting to read all these books before their release? I already missed several release dates because somehow I requested *counts* 20 ARCs in July – thankfully they are spread out and only *some* published in July/August and more are Sept/Oct so I have time. But what happened was earlier this summer I got enticed by an ARC I saw on Instagram in an ad, and I really enjoyed that book. Like really it is going to be on my top reads this year. And I have been chasing that high since.

But here is my complaint – authors can we please please give an estimate of how long these books are going to be? The tropes list that gets you to want to read it are great, but maybe give us a chance of knowing how long of a time commitment it’s going to be? I requested a book that turned out to be book 2, and the author was also giving book 1 for free so we can review both. Great! Book 1 ended up being around 400 pages and I devoured it pretty quickly might I add. But book 2? It’s effing 800 pages. WHYYYY are you doing this to me? I was not prepared.

So if you’re like me and feel bad for requesting way more books than it is physically possible to read – well, know that you’re not alone. You’re just another book hoarding dragon who wishes for immortality and the ability to freeze time and just read.

And Negalley – if you could stop emailing me weekly to make me feel guilty, that would be great.

Oh, and one more thing I wanted to say about ARCs… they are not supposed to be first drafts! I understand they are an uncorrected proof and will not be the final copy that is published. HOWEVER, there should be at least one round of edits before sending it out to book reviewers. They certainly shouldn’t read like someone typed up a storm of words and hit send. So very unfinished sentences, missing words, missing punctuation, wrong names used, etc. – that is something that should be caught and corrected before an ARC is shared.

 

Lynn:

Hah! Unlike Julie, I request very few arcs. I currently have one (which I also convinced Julie to read. Whoops!), but that’s it.

Here’s the thing with arcs. I’m not interesting in committing to have to read books in any kind of time frame. I’m enjoying my read what I want, when I want, era. And I don’t need anyone telling me otherwise.

I do see those NetGalley emails. And all of the soon to be released books. But I put them on my TBR to think about later.

 

 

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