How to get early book reviews, honestly

Beta readers and ARC readers are different

People mix these up, and it causes problems.

Beta readers read your book before it's finished. Their job is feedback: where they got bored, confused or hooked. Their copy will change, sometimes a lot. They're not reviewers.

ARC readers (advance review copy readers) read the finished, or nearly finished, book shortly before release. Their job is to read it and, if they choose, post an honest review once it's out.

You need both, in that order. Beta readers make the book better. ARC readers help new readers find it.

The rules first

Every major store and review site has rules about reviews, and they enforce them. Breaking them can get reviews removed and, in serious cases, affect your account. The details vary by platform and change over time, so read the current review guidelines for each store you sell on. But some things are wrong everywhere:

• Don't pay for reviews. Not with money, gift cards, or anything else of value. This includes services that sell reviews.
• Don't swap reviews with other authors ("I'll review yours if you review mine").
• Don't make a free copy conditional on a review, and never ask for a positive one. Ask for an honest review, if they'd like to leave one.
• Don't review your own book, or ask anyone to review it under a different name.
• Be careful with family and close friends. Some stores remove reviews they believe come from people close to the author.
• Don't offer giveaways or prizes in return for reviews.

Giving readers a free advance copy is common and, on major stores, generally allowed, provided you don't require a review or try to influence what they say. Many reviewers mention that they received a free copy. That's honest, and some platforms expect it.

Running beta readers well

Look for people who read your genre and don't love you personally. Friends are kind. Strangers who read twenty thrillers a year will tell you where yours sagged.

Give them specific questions. "What did you think?" gets "I liked it." Better:

• Where did you put the book down, and why?
• Was there anything you didn't understand or had to reread?
• Which character did you care about most? Least?
• Did the ending feel earned?
• For nonfiction: what would you have liked more of? What could be cut?

Look for patterns. One reader's dislike is taste. Three readers stuck in the same chapter is a problem.

A small group is enough. Run one round, revise, and if you can, a second round with fresh readers.

Finding ARC readers

• Your email list. These are the people most likely to read and review. Invite them first.
• Your back matter. If you have earlier books, invite readers to join your advance team at the end.
• Readers of your genre in the places you already show up. Reading communities, forums and social groups, following each group's rules on self-promotion.
• Book reviewers and bloggers who cover your genre. Read their submission guidelines and follow them exactly.
• ARC distribution services. Some services connect authors with readers who want advance copies. Check that they follow store rules and don't promise reviews in return for payment.

Running an ARC team

1. Use a short signup form. Ask where they usually review and what they like to read. It helps you choose readers who fit.
2. Send the book four to six weeks before release, in a format they can read easily, such as EPUB or PDF.
3. Be clear and low-pressure. Release date, where reviews can be posted, and that an honest review of any star rating is welcome. And that it's fine if they don't review at all.
4. Send one reminder near launch, with direct links. Most stores only accept reviews once the book is on sale.
5. Thank everyone, whether or not they reviewed.

Expect that not everyone will review. Life gets in the way, and some readers simply won't finish. That's normal. Recruit more readers than you need and never chase anyone more than once.

When the reviews arrive

Some will be lovely. Some won't. Both are part of having a book in the world.

Don't reply to negative reviews, don't ask for them to be removed because you disagree, and don't let friends defend you in the comments. Reviews are for readers, not authors. A book with only glowing reviews can look less trustworthy than one with a believable mix.

If a review contains something genuinely against the rules, like personal attacks or spoilers in a heading, you can usually report it through the store's own process.

Many authors find it easier not to read reviews at all after launch. That's a perfectly good choice.

Doing this in Authr

Before any human reads the book, the Beta reader agent can read it the way your audience might and leave comments where it got bored, lost or hooked. That's feedback for you, not a review, and it should never be posted as one. On Pro you can invite unlimited beta readers, real people who read and comment inside the book, and export EPUB and print-ready PDF for advance copies.