Sneak peeks: The wonderful world of ARCs

The road to publishing feels daunting at times, especially all the necessary steps in self-marketing. So I was delighted recently to discover a marketing tool that is a hidden gem for book fans.

An ARC -- which stands for Advanced Reader Copy -- allows readers to request an author's book before or early after publication. In exchange for a free copy of the book, the reader agrees to leave an honest review of the book. Authors release a limited number of ARCs and readers are not obligated to leave favorable reviews (although out of respect for the hard work writers put in, I would opt not to review rather than leave anything below three stars).

ARCS can help generate early buzz for a book and give authors fodder for their social media accounts. Nothing beats word of mouth. I have often bought a book because someone in my writing group or Facebook reading groups have recommended it. And rarely will I try a new author without first reading the reviews, so it's easy to see why ARCs play a pivotal role in marketing for authors.

There are a number of websites and apps that offer ARCs. This mwediting.com article offers an excellent breakdown of 22 of those sites.

While I've been reviewing books I've bought for years, I just recently tried my first ARC. Earlier this year, on a recommendation, I read "Painting a Duke" by a relative newcomer Georgina North. The book was a delight, with all the hallmarks of classic Regency romance. I began following North on her Facebook page, which is how I learned she was offering ARCs for her new novel, "The Gentleman Spy."

Book Sirens was one of the sites offering ARCs for the book. I signed up and requested the novel. Within 24 hours, I was downloading a copy to my Kindle. Super simple. I had the book in hand a week before its official release. Then when I finished it, I wrote my review, which Book Siren will automatically add to Amazon and Good Reads once the book hits the market. Again, super simple.

The very next day, Book Siren emailed me a list of other books I might like. I can read an excerpt from each before deciding if I want to request another one. I have a feeling this will be another route for finding new authors, and it comes with the added benefit of knowing I will be helping out my fellow writers.