ARC Readers: How to Find Them, Build an ARC Team, and Get Honest Reviews

Lily Halstrom & the Storiad Team ·November 3, 2026

ARC readers are people who read a free advance copy of your book before it launches and may post an honest review when it does. For most independent authors, they're the most dependable way to avoid launching a book with zero reviews.

The hard part is finding them, especially if you don't have an audience yet. Then there's the second hard part: getting the people who said yes to actually read the book and leave a review.

This guide walks you through the whole process in eight steps, from setting a goal to building an ARC team you can bring back for your next book. Each step ends with a short checklist, and there's a complete checklist near the end you can save and reuse. If you want the wider picture first, our guide on how to get book reviews covers every review source, including bloggers and editorial reviews.

What is an ARC reader?

ARC stands for advance reader copy (you'll also see "advance review copy"). It's a finished or nearly finished version of your book that you give away before publication. An ARC reader is someone who agrees to read that copy, with no obligation to review it. ARC readers aren't paid. They get the book early and free, and many of them enjoy being among the first to read it.

ARC readers are often confused with beta readers and launch teams. Here's the difference:

Beta readers read an unfinished manuscript before your final edits. You're hoping for feedback that helps you improve the book.
ARC readers read a finished or near-final copy, usually 4 to 6 weeks before launch. You're hoping for honest reviews around launch day.
A launch team gets a copy around launch week, plus things to share. You're hoping for reviews, social posts, and word of mouth.

Your book usually needs beta readers first. If you're still at that stage, read about our partnership with BetaShelf, a tool built for managing beta reading.

Before you start: the ARC review rules

Most ARC mistakes come down to wording. Get it right once and you can reuse the same language for every book.

What Amazon allows: Amazon's Community Guidelines let readers review a free advance copy from an author, provided the author doesn't require a review or try to influence it.

What Amazon doesn't allow:

Requiring a review in return for the copy
Asking for a positive or five-star review
Paying for a review, or offering gift cards or other rewards
Trading reviews with other authors
Reviews from close friends and family

Words to use: "a free advance copy," "no obligation to review," "your honest opinion."

Words to avoid: "in exchange for a review," "please leave five stars," "reviewers will be entered to win."

Three more things to know:

Amazon reviews open on release day. Readers generally can't review a Kindle book on Amazon while it's on pre-order, so ask ARC readers to post on Goodreads first and on Amazon once the book is live.
Not every ARC reader can post on Amazon. Amazon requires reviewers to have spent at least $50 on Amazon.com with a credit or debit card in the past 12 months. Some of your readers won't qualify, and that's fine.
Disclosure is good practice. U.S. consumer-protection guidance from the FTC treats a free product as a connection worth disclosing. Suggest readers add a short line such as "I received a free advance copy of this book."

Step 1: Set your ARC goal and timeline

Start with a number, then work backward.

How many ARC readers do you need?

Not everyone who takes an ARC will review it. Some won't finish, some will forget, and some will review on Goodreads but not Amazon. Authors commonly report that somewhere between a fifth and a half of their ARC readers post a review. That range comes from author experience, not formal studies, so treat it as a rough guide.

Here's how to use it. Say you'd like 10 reviews in launch week. If roughly a third of your readers review, you'll need about 30 ARC readers. For a first book, 20 to 50 well-matched readers is a sensible starting point. Twenty readers who love your genre will do more for you than a hundred who grabbed a free book.

Track your own numbers this time. Your next launch will be easier to plan.

When to start

8 to 10 weeks before launch: start recruiting.
4 to 6 weeks before launch: send the ARCs. Allow up to 8 weeks for a long book.
Launch day: send the links to review.

If you're planning the rest of your release too, our book launch plan shows where ARCs fit.

Step 1 checklist

☐ Pick a launch-week review goal
☐ Set a target number of ARC readers (start with 20 to 50)
☐ Put your recruiting date, ARC send date, and launch date on the calendar

Step 2: Get your ARC file ready

Your ARC should be close to the final book. It doesn't need to be perfect, but readers review what they read, so fix anything that would distract them.

Add a short note at the front saying this is an advance copy, that small errors may remain, and that it's not for resale or sharing.

Next, decide how you'll deliver it. Avoid sending files as email attachments. They're hard to track, easy to forward, and readers often struggle to get them onto their e-readers.

Your main options, with prices at the time of writing (November 2026):

BookFunnel delivers your ebook to any device and handles reader support. Watermarked ARC delivery, which helps you trace a leaked copy, starts on the Mid-List plan at $200 a year. The $30-a-year starter plan doesn't include it.
StoryOrigin has a free basic plan. Its review-copy tools, including reader vetting, are on the $10-a-month plan.
The free route: a PDF with each reader's name in the footer. It's less convenient for readers but costs nothing and discourages sharing.

Prices change, so check each site before you sign up.

Step 2 checklist

☐ Finish edits so the ARC is close to final
☐ Add an advance copy note to the front of the book
☐ Prepare EPUB and PDF files (and print copies, if you're offering them)
☐ Choose a delivery method that doesn't rely on email attachments

Step 3: Create an ARC sign-up page

A simple sign-up page gives you a link to share everywhere and collects the details you need in one place. A Google Form works, and so does a form from your email newsletter tool or a page on your author website.

Ask for:

Name and email address
The genres they read
Their preferred format (ebook, PDF, or paperback)
Where they usually post reviews (Amazon, Goodreads, a blog, Instagram)
A link to a recent review they wrote (optional, but useful for vetting)
Permission to contact them about future books

Don't ask for more than you need. A mailing address is only necessary if you're sending paperbacks, and you can ask for it later.

Step 3 checklist

☐ Build your sign-up form
☐ Write two or three sentences about the book at the top
☐ State that reviewing is optional
☐ Test the form and save the link

Step 4: Find ARC readers (even without an audience)

This is where most authors get stuck. The usual advice, "ask your newsletter," assumes you have one. Here's how to find ARC readers either way.

If you already have readers

Send your newsletter subscribers an invitation with the sign-up link.
Add an ARC sign-up link to the back of your previous books.
Post the link on your author website and social media.

If you're starting from zero

Go where readers of similar books already are. Choose three to five books like yours in genre, tone, and audience. Look at who reviewed them on Goodreads, Amazon, book blogs, and Instagram. Readers who enjoyed those books are the most likely to enjoy yours. Check whether each person accepts review requests, then invite them individually.

Join genre communities. Many Facebook groups and Goodreads groups exist for ARC readers and for specific genres. Search your genre plus "ARC." Read each group's rules first, since many ban promotional posts outside set threads.

Post an "ARC readers wanted" call. Instagram and TikTok users search tags like #ARCReaders and #ARCCall. Here's a post you can adapt:

ARC readers wanted: I'm looking for early readers for [Book Title], a [genre] about [one-line premise]. It's out [date]. If you'd like a free advance copy (ebook or PDF), sign up here: [link]. Reviews are welcome but never required.

Swap newsletter mentions with other authors. On StoryOrigin and BookFunnel, authors in the same genre team up to share each other's books with their newsletter readers. It's one of the fastest ways to reach readers when your own list is small. Our list of book promotion ideas includes more ways to do this.

For nonfiction, look beyond book communities. Professional associations, industry newsletters, podcasts on your subject, and local groups are often better sources than general reader groups. A book on small-business bookkeeping will find more willing readers in a small-business owners' group than in a general book club.

Build a list of reviewers who cover your genre. Finding the right book bloggers and reviewers by hand takes time, but it works. If you'd rather start from an existing list, Storiad's media contacts database includes over 53,000 verified media contacts, among them book bloggers and reviewers you can filter by genre and subject.

Step 4 checklist

☐ List three to five comparable books
☐ Find 20 or more readers who reviewed them and accept requests
☐ Join two or three genre communities and read their rules
☐ Post your "ARC readers wanted" call with the sign-up link
☐ Look for a newsletter swap or group promotion in your genre

Step 5: Decide whether an ARC site is worth it

ARC sites (also called advance reader copy sites) fall into two groups, and authors often mix them up:

Sites that bring you readers. You list your book, and readers who use the site request a copy.
Tools that deliver and manage your ARCs. They send the files and track who downloaded them, but you bring the readers.

Sites that bring you readers

BookSirens: $10 per book if your book is accepted, plus $2 per download, or about $100 a year for unlimited books.
Booksprout: brings readers and also manages your ARCs. Free starter plan; paid plans from about $9 a month.
Hidden Gems: a $20 deposit covers about 10 readers, then about $3 per reader.
NetGalley: reaches readers, librarians, and booksellers. Several hundred dollars per book listed directly; less through IBPA membership or a co-op.

Tools that deliver and manage your ARCs

BookFunnel: $30 a year, or $200 a year for watermarked ARCs.
StoryOrigin: also runs newsletter swaps. Free basic plan; $10 a month for review-copy tools.

Costs are as of November 2026. Prices change often, so check each site before you pay.

Authors writing romance and fantasy tend to report the best results on these sites. If you write in another genre, look at the site's categories and recent listings first. Hidden Gems, for example, has separate categories for nonfiction, thrillers, and children's books.

You may also come across Reedsy Discovery. It charges $50 for a chance at a review from one of its reviewers, with no guarantee, so treat it as a discovery listing rather than a source of ARC readers.

Step 5 checklist: before you pay

☐ Are readers in my genre active on this site?
☐ Is reviewing optional for readers?
☐ What exactly am I paying for: readers, delivery, or both?
☐ Does the timing fit my launch date?

Step 6: Send your ARC invitation

When someone signs up or agrees to read your book, send a clear invitation. It answers their questions before they ask, and it sets expectations without pressure.

Include:

The title, genre, and a one-line premise
Any content notes readers should know about
The format and how they'll receive it
The launch date and a suggested reading window
A clear statement that reviewing is optional

Here's a template you can copy and adapt:

Subject: Your advance copy of [Book Title]
Hi [Name],
Thank you for signing up to read [Book Title] early. It's a [genre] about [one-line premise], and it comes out on [launch date].
You can download your free advance copy here: [delivery link]. If you can, try to finish it by [date], so you're ready when the book goes live.
Reviewing is entirely optional. If you do choose to review it, I'd value your honest opinion, whatever it is. I'll send you the links on launch day.
Thanks for reading,
[Your name]

Step 6 checklist

☐ Personalize the template for your book
☐ Double-check the download link
☐ Send invitations as readers sign up
☐ Note who received a copy, and when

Step 7: Follow up through launch day

This is the step that fixes the most common ARC complaint: readers who take the book and never review. Usually, they haven't forgotten you on purpose. They got busy, lost the link, or weren't sure where to post. A few friendly, well-timed messages solve most of that. Here's a schedule you can follow:

When you send the ARC: a welcome, the download link, and the reading window.
Halfway through the reading window: a short check-in. Is the download working?
About a week before launch: a reminder of the launch date, plus your Goodreads link.
Launch day: "It's live," with direct links to the Amazon and Goodreads pages.
About a week after launch: one gentle reminder, with the links again.
Two to three weeks after launch: a thank-you to every reader, including those who didn't review.

Keep each message short. Make the review links direct, and test them before you send. After the one reminder, stop. Repeated nudges feel like pressure.

Track each reader as you go: copy sent, finished or not, reviewed or not, and where. A spreadsheet is enough to start. If you'd rather keep your contacts, emails, and responses together, Storiad's contact management and email outreach tools let you send follow-ups and track replies in one place.

Step 7 checklist

☐ Schedule your follow-up messages before you send the ARCs
☐ Prepare direct Amazon and Goodreads links
☐ Send one reminder after launch, and no more
☐ Record who reviewed, and where

Step 8: Turn your readers into an ARC team

It's tempting to treat ARC readers as a one-time task. Authors whose launches get easier over time keep the best of them as a team.

After launch, thank everyone, including the readers who didn't review. Then invite the readers who did review to join your ARC team for your next book. Keep short notes on each one: what they liked, where they post, and how quickly they read.

Quietly drop readers who took copies more than once without reviewing. There's no need to tell them or make a point of it. Just don't invite them next time.

Give your team small thank-yous that aren't tied to reviewing, such as an early look at your next cover or a mention in your acknowledgments.

Each launch, you should need to recruit fewer new readers than the last.

Step 8 checklist

☐ Thank every ARC reader
☐ Invite reviewers to join your ARC team
☐ Note each team member's preferences
☐ Remove repeat non-reviewers from your next invitation list

Your ARC reader checklist (save this)

Here's the whole process in one place.

8 to 10 weeks before launch

☐ Set a review goal and an ARC reader target
☐ Prepare your ARC file and choose a delivery method
☐ Build your sign-up page
☐ Start recruiting: comparable-book readers, genre groups, social posts, newsletter swaps
☐ Decide whether to use an ARC site

4 to 6 weeks before launch

☐ Send invitations and ARC download links
☐ Schedule your follow-up messages
☐ Send a mid-read check-in

Launch week

☐ Send a reminder a week before launch, with the Goodreads link
☐ On launch day, send direct Amazon and Goodreads links

After launch

☐ Send one gentle reminder about a week later
☐ Thank everyone
☐ Invite reviewers to your ARC team
☐ Record your numbers for next time

Frequently Asked Questions about ARC readers

Do ARC readers get paid?

No. ARC readers receive a free advance copy of the book, and that's all. Paying readers for reviews, or offering gift cards or other rewards, breaks Amazon's rules.

When should I send ARCs?

Most authors send ARCs about four to six weeks before launch. That gives readers time to finish the book without forgetting it by launch day. Allow up to eight weeks for a long book. Two weeks is usually too late.

Should ARCs be ebooks or paperbacks?

Start with ebooks. They're cheaper, faster to deliver, and most ARC readers prefer them. Offer a small number of paperbacks if you're also approaching bookstores, libraries, or reviewers who only read print.

Can ARC readers review my book on Amazon before it launches?

Generally, no. Amazon customer reviews for a Kindle book open on release day. Readers can review on Goodreads before then, so ask them to post there first.

What if an ARC reader leaves a bad review?

Thank them, or say nothing at all. Never argue with a reviewer or ask them to change their review. A few mixed reviews make your positive ones more believable, and honest reviews are the point of the exercise.

Do I need an ARC team for my first book?

You don't need a big one. A small group of 20 to 50 well-matched readers is a strong start, and it becomes the core of the ARC team you build over future books.

Start with a few right readers

You don't need a big following to get early reviews. You need a few readers who enjoy books like yours, an easy way for them to get your book, and a simple plan for following up. Start this week with your sign-up page and three comparable books.

If you'd like help along the way, Storiad is built for authors and publishers promoting their books, from finding reviewers and media contacts to keeping track of your outreach. You can also do all of this with a spreadsheet and a free form. What matters is having a process you'll actually keep using. Explore Storiad to see how it fits your book marketing.