Tuesday Talks | The Pros and Cons of ARCs

Janie and Janelle had the fabulous idea of creating the group Tuesday Talks where bloggers, booktubers, and book enthusiasts can discuss bookish topics each week. Check it out and join in the discussions!

The Pros and Cons of ARCs

For anyone who doesn't know, an ARC is an Advance Reader Copy. These can be obtained a variety of ways in both electronic and physical formats. In the digital age in which we live, digital ARCs are very easy to come by through sites like Netgalley. You can also get a number of ARCs from self published authors through their blogs or goodreads. After a while, they might even start seeking YOU out. 

So what are the pros and cons of ARCs? For me I think there are definitely more pros than cons. First of all you generally get to read the book before it's released (thus the Advance part) and don't have to wait nearly as long. You also get to read them before others, which maybe doesn't seem like a good thing (or a nice thing, since some people may not have an opportunity to receive an ARC), but can actually be a good thing from a reading standpoint. Not only are you able to read before there is a lot of hype surrounding a book (positive or negative) you also get to be one of those promoting the book if you really like it, which can be a lot of fun. 

In general getting ARCs can be a really great experience. I've had a lot of fun reading and reviewing ARC copies as well as other review copies. It also opens up a lot of opportunities as a blogger because authors (particularly the lesser known ones) will do interviews, giveaways, and many other things through your blog that helps you make more connections and is just really fun. 

Now for the cons of ARCs. Getting a book early then means you have to wait even longer for the sequel (if it's a series), which is not all that appealing. It can severely restrict what you read and when you read it. Often publishers and authors want your review to be released on release day (or very close to that date) which makes sense from a marketing perspective, but can be tough and stressful for readers when other reading or just life in general gets in the way. My main issue with ARCs though, tends to be with formatting. While I enjoy the books themselves, ARCs are not always formatted correct;y and can make reading a tad bit annoying. 

Honestly, I love getting ARCs. I try to limit myself on the number of books I take on for review so that I don't stress myself out, but sometimes I can't help it. And I've read some excellent books that I might not have known about otherwise. 

What do you think about ARCs? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!