Howdy, everybody. This is one in a series of posts about how I went about the self-publishing process. I am not giving advice, I am simply sharing what I did as a data point for others who are looking to publish their indie novels.
Note that while I have mentioned specific companies and technologies, this is by no means an endorsement of those brands. Again, this is just a recap of my process for ARCs.
Importance of Reviews
How many times have you looked up a book’s rating on Amazon, Goodreads, or somewhere similar before purchasing a novel? Given how many book review sites and apps now exist, we can safely assume that most readers do at least a little research before whipping out their credit cards.
Especially as a debut indie author, there was no guarantee that my work would be worth their hard-earned cash unless others told them the book was good. Stephen King? Probably a solid novel. Scott K Good? Who is that?
So I needed reviews ahead of the release date.
And based on my own habits, I assumed the three things readers most look for are:
Overall star rating
Number of ratings and reviews
Reviews from people they know
My first step was to have a good book so I could get good ratings and reviews. I did multiple drafts, utilized beta readers, and hired an editor. But I’ll talk more about all that in a different post. (Stay tuned!)
After writing a good book, I decided I needed volume.
Which is where ARC (Advanced Reader Copies) readers come in. There is a well-established practice of providing free copies of books to interested parties in exchange for honest reviews.
A handful of ratings doesn’t do as much as 100 ratings, and other authors had told me only about a third of readers who downloaded the book would actually read and review it.
So I needed 300 reviewers if I wanted any chance of 100 reviews by pub day, and I knew they needed enough time to read the book before I published.
How I Managed ARC Signups
There are services that manage this for authors like NetGalley and BookSirens, but I wanted to handle it on my own, by appealing directly to people who would be interested in my specific story.
Two months ahead of my publication date, I did the following:
Created a sign up form in Google Drive,
Ran an ad on Instagram,
Selected readers from the applications, and
Distributed digital copies of the book.
Created a Sign Up Form
I wanted to select people who I could verify were real humans, who were not trying to steal my copyrighted work, and who read my specific genre.
So I created a Google Form with basic information about the book and expectations for readers. I also explained that I would send more information to those selected to participate and that the form was intended to validate that the submissions were genuine.
The form included the following fields:
First and Last Name
Email Address
Link to Goodreads profile (or similar)
Instagram profile
TikTok profile
How many romance novels have you read in the last twelve months?
Have you been an ARC reader before?
Do you agree not to share my copyrighted work with anyone (human, AI, or otherwise)?
Would you like to receive occasional marketing emails from Scott K Good about upcoming book releases?*
Anything else you’d like me to know?
*Great way to build up your newsletter numbers!
Ran an Instagram Ad
I then created an Instagram ad that had a cover of the book and a request for people who wanted to support a queer indie author.
I posted it to my profile and boosted the post (I think it was $10/day for five days), and included the link to the Google Form in my ad. I also put the link in my Linktree, so people could find it easily on my profile.
Selected ARC Readers
Applications began to pour in, and I reviewed them daily.
Things that led to me approving readers:
Had an online presence I could verify
Read books in my genre, according to their socials and/or book trackers
Bonus points:
Had been ARC readers before
Used the open ended box on the form to tell me how excited they were
And each day, I sent out books to approved readers using Bookfunnel.
Distributed Books
I did some research on the various technologies available for ebook** distribution and ultimately landed on Bookfunnel.
Author Experience
Allows authors to distribute digital copies of their books to readers of their choice or to allow anyone to download, depending on settings.
Can create watermarks to protect your work from piracy.
Allows authors to send automated email reminders about reading and reviewing the book.
Can see how who has downloaded the book.
Reader Experience
Sends simple emails letting them know they can download the book.
Allows them to upload the book to the reader of their choice, including Kindle.
Sends reminders to download, read, and review.
Amazon doesn’t allow reviews until the book is published, so in my instructions, I requested that readers review the book on Goodreads and similar sites as soon as possible. Then an automated email from Bookfunnel sent instructions about reviewing on Amazon after pub day.
**I will write another post at some point about formatting books for distribution, but for now, just know that I used Atticus to create the EPUB file I distributed through Bookfunnel.
Results
On the day I released the book, I had almost 100 reviews on Goodreads, and I hit three digits within a few days of publishing. Amazon reviews poured in after that.
I can’t prove it, but I’d say those ratings have helped with sales. (Though I have been selling books in person and watched a potential buyer pull up my book’s Goodreads listing before making their purchase.)
And while they don’t come as fast as they did during ARCs, there has been a steady increase in the number of ratings and reviews over time.
Pro tip: Include a request for online reviews in your Author’s Note or About the Author section in the back matter of your book.
Summary
To recap:
Reviews are important for sales, so providing Advanced Reader Copies is highly recommended, especially for debut authors.
There are services you can use to manage the ARC process, or you can manage it yourself.
Select readers who enjoy your genre.
Good luck!
My Book
If this post was helpful, then I won’t object to you purchasing a copy of my book, The Tartan Thesis, an MM romance set in Scotland. It’s available on Amazon, Audible, and more. Signed copies are available to US readers on my website.
(And don’t forget to rate and review.)
Synopsis
Two academic rivals. One forced partnership. Zero chance of keeping it professional. Also, Highland cows.
After a disastrous first meeting off campus, Beau, a charming, fish-out-of-water Texan, and Torin, a guarded, razor-smart Scotsman, discover they’re pursuing their PhDs in the same Scottish History program. Their clashing personalities and growing insecurities turn every seminar into a battlefield… until the department chair provides an ultimatum: work together or get out.
Forced into a shaky alliance, they vow to call a ceasefire and actually learn from one another. As trust builds and defenses fall, they find themselves caught in a slow-burning connection neither of them is prepared for—or willing to walk away from.
With their academic futures at stake and romantic missteps haunting them at every turn, Torin and Beau face the hardest question of all: Can they build a future together, or will history keep them apart?
Perfect for readers who love MM romance, enemies-to-lovers, slow burn tension, forced proximity, LGBTQ+ romance, and swoony international love stories, The Tartan Thesis blends sharp wit, emotional depth, and undeniable and steamy chemistry against the majestic backdrop of Scotland.
