Discussion Posts - ARCs: Building Relationships with Publishers

Earlier this year, you wrote a really helpful post about contacting publishers in regards to ARCs. Now my question is this: will they respond to me, or just send the ARC if they approve my request? If they respond, is the person who answers me the person I go to next time I want to request an ARC from that publisher? Do I have to send a formal request each time, or can I simply email the contact and say I'd like to request a book? Thanks!   - From Marie



Wonderful question, and something that I think is still a big mystery for beginning bloggers and/or bloggers who don't request ARCs.  I read some ARC etiquette type posts when I started sending requests, but I learned a lot as I went on, like how to craft an ARC letter, who to email, who NOT to email...and to not flood people's inboxes with ARC requests.  So let me see what I can do to shed some light on this topic.


Some publishers WILL respond to your ARC requests.  Spencer Hill Press, the first publisher I ever contacted, responded.  Even though I was a brand-new blogger (with only about 150 followers and three months blogging under my belt) they were impressed with my reviews and took a chance on me, and I've tried to champion them and their books ever since.  Harper Teen has also just spoiled me rotten and been awesome answering my ARC requests, thanking me when I send them links to my reviews of ARCs they sent me, and so forth.  I've worked hard to built a good relationship with them, as well as with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and St Martin's Press.

Some publishers are harder to get responses from.  For example, Simon & Schuster, and Scholastic are SO huge and so busy that they will send me the ARCs I request (sometimes), but I rarely, if ever, get a personal response.  And I don't take that as a snub, because they HAVE been extremely generous at times with me.

Here are a few pointers I've learned.

• If you get a response from a person at a publisher, the BEST thing to do is thank them politely for their email and then don't be afraid to ask them if they can accept ARC requests from you in regards to other books.  Some publicists handle only a small amount of authors, while others are higher up in the ranks, so to speak, and they may be able to become your biggest asset with said publisher.  
• If the publisher is nice enough to send you an ARC...email them a "thank you" note via email with a link or brief text from your review once it is posted on your blog, Amazon, Goodreads, etc.
• Once you've started building a relationship with a publicist, some formalities do not apply.  The next time you see that awesome book you want to request from them, send them a polite email; ask them how they are, and update them on your blog stats (ie. so many followers, unique page views, etc) then tell them which book you're interested in.  ALWAYS thank them for their time and their help.  Just use common sense.  Don't send them a "yo, what's up joker?" email.  ; )  Here's an example of an email I've sent to a publicist I've worked with for awhile. As you can see, you don't strictly HAVE to go through introducing yourself and your blog every time.  You might include a line with something like, "I've requested from [publisher] before."

[Name of Publicist]

Hello there!  I hope you're doing well today.  

I wanted to request an ARC of Darynda Jone's upcoming YA novel, DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.  I've heard amazing things about her adult paranormal romance series, and I am sure her entrance into YA will be just spectacular.  I'm drawn to this novel from the synopsis - the mystery surrounding Lorelai's parent's disappearance, plus the addition of not one, but TWO mysterious guys who may have answers for her.  This book sounds really fun, but with a touch of darkness to it! 

An update on my blog stats: approximately 70, 000 page views, 789 GFC followers, and around 760 Twitter followers, so I can definitely get the word out about Darynda's novel if you have an ARC available.  I prefer physical ARCs but will also accept e-ARCS for sure!  Here's my mailing address if you are able to send a physical ARC.

Molli Moran
123 Anywhere Road
Anywhere, TN 12345

Thanks as always for your time!  I'll have a few review links for you soon! 


Hopefully this post clears up a few of the mysteries surrounding ARCs.  I want to share as much information as I can.  Too often, the book blogging community at large tends to cabbage up our information, so I'm hoping to change that.  I figure the more we ALL know, the more we can work together, and the more awesome we can become.

Have a question about blogging?  Was there something in this post I didn't cover?  Ask me here and I'll answer it soon!