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Apr 24, 2013

The Race for ARCs

Be honest, some of you started book blogging for the ARCs didn't you?

I had a book blog before I realized that you could get ARCs for what you write about books, but I wasn't very active at all.

It was when I became a librarian that I started being more interested in what was being written on blogs about books. And when I realized that there were things such as ARCs and that they were mailed to bloggers I started being a more active blogger.  And I went out and found my ARCs and contacts, I didn't wait to be discovered.  Now I am in a position where I can pretty much get any ARC I want (I will admit I know that being a librarian helps the most), but you know what, I don't want very many of them anymore.

I have enough to read.

I am lucky in that I get to order YA and MG books for my library.  And I lots of what I order are on my to read lists.

I do "flip" through every egalley I get to see if it is the right fit for my library, but I cannot read and review them all.

But here's the truth of it all, has there ever been a book that you really want to read, that you were unable to read at some point?  It might not have been before it was published, or even the day it was released, but you've been able to read it at some point, right?

So if you are a new book blogger looking for an ARC, I wish you well!  But remember, you got into this for the love of reading and books.  All books, even "old" ones!

(For the record, my very first ARC was one I won at a Borders teachers event, it was Catching Fire and I won it the Thursday before the release date.  It was very thrilling.  The first one I got in the mail was A Spy in the House: The Agency by Y.S. Lee--and that was even more thrilling!)

(Also, for all my preaching I do still get egalleys, but rarely request physical galleys anymore.  I do get some mailed to me as a surprise, always exciting, but I did break down and request FIRE & ASH by Jonathan Maberry because I simply love that series!)

5 comments:

  1. I didn't start for ARCs but there was a time that I envied others for them and wished for my own giant box of books to arrive weekly. I however quickly realized how much pressure that box adds to many blogger's lives. I'm happy to not be one of them now. ; )

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    1. I am surprised you aren't getting boxes of books with how active you are! It does add pressure and makes me feel like I cannot read for fun. And it all should be fun. I still do envy, sometimes, but then I look at my stacks of TBRs and see what is on my nook and then I just chill.

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  2. I don't get all the print ARCs I request. I think it's because I can't review all the random books I get sent in exchange for them. I do get them for my author interview though. If I have to trade off the ARCs I want for a big box of books, I have to accept less ARCs. I work full-time, have a family, and am an aspiring author so I can't promote that many books.

    I am starting to request more electronic ARCs and may start reviewing more at once with an e-book giveaway because I like to do giveaways with my book promotions.

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  3. It is thrilling to get ARC's of new and exciting books but I d definitely blog because I love reading! I have yet to get on NetGalley because I'm scared to be overloaded. I have enough to read with my own elementary library books, my public library books, and my book club books + the few ARC's that get from Little, Brown, and Co.

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  4. One of my first ARC's was Magic Thief Book 2 Lost by Sarah Prineas. I was so excited to win. The giveaway was from Harper Collins back when they had a first reads program. Shortly after that, I found my way to Goodreads and won a few first reads also really started reviewing and even started my own blog. I was so new that I spent most of my time reading other peoples blogs and didn't put much out there. Eventually, I felt more confident and started blogging my hope was to connect with people who liked middle grade books like me. Now I just review what I like to read whether it's from the library, from a contest or a book that I went out and purchased.

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