What an ARC program is and why it matters
ARC stands for Advance Review Copy. An ARC program is the system by which authors distribute pre-publication copies of their books to readers in exchange for honest reviews. The goal is to arrive on publication day with social proof already established: reviews already posted, word-of-mouth already started. Amazon's conversion algorithms surface books with reviews over books without them. A book that launches with 30 reviews converts browsers into buyers at significantly higher rates than a book that launches with zero. The ARC program is the single highest-leverage pre-launch activity for most indie authors.
Building your ARC reader list
Your ARC list should be a curated group of readers who genuinely enjoy your genre, have a track record of posting reviews, and are interested in your specific book. Start collecting names six to twelve months before your publication date. Sources: your newsletter (ask directly), genre Facebook groups, Reddit reading communities, BookTok and Bookstagram micro-influencers, and dedicated ARC platforms like NetGalley. When someone joins your ARC list, confirm their genre preferences and their review platforms so you can match future books to the right readers rather than blasting everyone every time.
ARC distribution — platforms, formats, timing
Send ARCs four to six weeks before publication day. This gives readers enough time to read a full-length novel and post their review before launch. Distribute in multiple formats: EPUB for most e-readers, MOBI for older Kindles, and PDF as a fallback. BookFunnel is the preferred distribution platform for most indie authors: it handles format conversion, tracks downloads, and provides a clean delivery experience. Send a reminder email with the file, the publication date, and direct links to Amazon and Goodreads review pages. Make posting as frictionless as possible.
What to ask of ARC readers (and what you cannot ask)
You can ask ARC readers to: read the book before the publication date, post an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads on or near publication day, and share their review on social media if they enjoyed the book. You cannot ask ARC readers to: post only if the review is positive, give a specific star rating, or purchase the book to post a verified purchase review. The word “honest” is legally and ToS-critical. The moment you make a positive review a condition of the ARC, you have crossed into incentivized review territory, which violates Amazon ToS.
Following up without being annoying
The ARC follow-up sequence: one confirmation email immediately after delivery (confirm they received the file, remind them of the publication date), one reminder email one week before publication (include direct review links, make it warm and easy), one thank-you email after publication day (regardless of whether they reviewed). Three emails total over four to six weeks is appropriate. Do not send weekly check-ins; do not message readers on social media to ask about their review; do not publicly call out readers who did not follow through. Trust the process and build the list large enough to absorb the non-converters.
Using iWrity to run your ARC program
iWrity gives you a centralized workspace to manage your ARC reader database, track who has received which book, monitor review deadlines, and send coordinated follow-up sequences. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, email drafts, and calendar reminders across separate tools, you can run your entire ARC program from your writing workspace. As you build each new book in iWrity, your ARC program structure is already there: reader list, distribution timeline, follow-up emails, and publication day checklist, all connected to the manuscript you are writing.
