Advance Reading Copy (ARC) Program For Reviewers and Bookstores

One of the key ways to get attention for your book is to have a third party endorse it. A favorable book review can be a wonderful "free" advertisement and provide the start of the critical buzz.

Another way is to get your book into the hands of local independent bookstore managers and book buyers. We have long standing relationships with stores all across the country who are interested in books from a wide range of genres. We will reserve five of your galley copies to send to stores that specialize in your genre or to stores that are in your zip code. Many stores have local author sections or may afford the opportunity for you to do an in-store event if they show interest in your title.

In order to get book reviews in newspapers and magazines, it's best to send out pre-publication "galleys" no later than 3-4 months before the publication date of the book. Because most publications and producers prefer to run their reviews and coverage as close to actual publication as possible, it's important to have a copy of your book in their hands far before printing of the finished book is available.

Publishing trade magazines (whose reviews carry much weight) such as Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal and Kirkus actually require advance reader's copies. By sending out advanced reading copies, you set the stage for several reviews to run in various publications simultaneously, which is a highly influential factor in book sales.

Furthermore, most national magazines and major reviewers work on long lead times, which means they arrange future issues months ahead of time. This makes it even more important to send out advanced reading copies. For example, if you've written a book on healthy living, you might want to consider a January publication date, when most magazines publish issues focused on health and weight loss. You'll need to have the bound galley ready to send no later than September or October the previous year, when editors are planning those features which will appear in January in their publications. If you present a book on fitness and weight loss to an editor in mid-January, it's simply too late; they're already planning their Mother's Day issue.

Galleys not only create the necessary momentum for a book's success, they are an essential point of professionalism in a book's promotion.

How To Qualify for the ARC and Bookstore Mailing Program

• You agree to set an official publication date, 4-6 months out from the time the manuscript is received. We will help you determine the best release date
• Your book must be accepted for publication under the BH, LSP or SP imprints (Bascom authors are required to print an additional 25 galley copies for use by our sales team.)

What you get:

• Modified cover design to indicate it is a reader's proof copy (galley)
• 30 media contacts and independent bookstores selected based upon the content and appeal of your book, and are targeted towards those upon who galleys will have the largest influence
• Mailing of all galley copies to media and bookstore list
• A copy of the mailing list will be provided to the author for follow up
• Packaging and mailing of 30 galleys (does not includes postage costs or cost to print the galleys)
• A professionally drafted galley pitch letter, completed after our publicist has strategized the best means of positioning for the galley version.

Cost: $699, plus actual printing and postage costs of 30 galleys

Getting reviews isn't guaranteed, but if your book has good sales potential, it's important to make an effort to try to get exposure this way.

If you would like to learn more about how this service works, please contact emily@millcitypress.net.