It’s April 2020, a month since the whole world shut down. I started up a writing Instagram as well as a book editing one. Of course, though, I purged the book editing one and focused completely on the writing one. And you know what I found out? I found out that there was a whole other world of writing and book editing that I barely scratched the surface with.

And one of those things I learned about, were ARC readers.

ARC readers are the people who read a book right before it’s published. Typically two weeks to a few months in advance, depending on how long the work is. It’s an exchange and typically is free, from what I’ve experienced, at least. The author provides a copy of their book in exchange for an honest review from anyone who they either ask personally, or ask through posts on social media. That, and when the book is published, there will already be reviews to entice future readers.

It’s one of the crucial steps that indie authors take and are often cautious about.

Of course, though, there are ups and downs to having ARC readers.

The ups are that you have people already interested in your book or series, and that they may want to read more of your work in the future. You also get to meet more people, like fellow authors and writers, establish a presence in the writing community, and see how your book grows over time. That, and you can receive honest feedback that can you view your book in a different light. It may also be something that can aid your writing and growth as a writer.

The downs, that I see often, is that an author will provide a copy of their book, but the recipient may either not have enough time to finish the book, or just ghost. But as we all know, harassing readers is not the way to go, and if that happens to you, just let it be. Same if you are left with a one star review. You can’t nitpick every little thing, and you to understand that everyone is human, and that we’re doing our best. Doesn’t it mean it might not sting a little, but you have to move on, and keep on going!

And being an ARC reader also has its ups and downs.

The ups are that you get to read a book before it’s published, and talk to the author about the things you liked. It also may give you the opportunity to polish those review writing skills, and go from there. Honestly, in my experience, I enjoyed being able to read various novels across a variety of genres–from dark and gruesome fantasy, to heart wrenching and relatable modern tales–and being able to communicate with the authors who I now consider my friends.

Also, because I’ve read so many books as an ARC reader, it’s helped me hone my review writing skills, and get back into what I love just as much as writing books–reading a collection of books that may or may not be growing. (My TBR list is way too long).

The only downs could be that you simply run out of time, or your plate is too full. Shit happens, and all that can be said is just being honest and moving on. That, and if you can, purchasing the book when it’s published could help support the author. Or spreading the word of its release date on social media or through word of mouth.

All in all, ARC readers are an essential part of the self-publishing process, or any publishing process for that matter. They can help authors grow and connect with many others, as well as push a book beyond the world of a computer, and into a world with people waiting to read the next best thing.