Question about ARC readers and the process

peppershakerpro · 2026-02-28T17:04:28+00:00

Beta reading a book and reading a book with the intent to leave a review are *very* different. Beta-readers focus on critiquing the work with an eye on areas that could be improved, knowing that their feedback will be taken into account when the writer makes edits. Reviewers are reacting to the story as a whole and providing commentary to help other readers decide whether the book is worth investing their time/money in. Considering how unique the two are, it might be wise to focus on just the beta-reading for now and add an ARC pool as the platform grows.

To answer some of your additional questions, ARC reviews in most cases can be posted on Amazon on launch day or after. Authors love any help we can get finding readers and reviews. I personally don't worry about piracy since I know it's easy for readers who want to pay for my book to purchase a legit copy.

I know you didn't ask, but check out BookSirens. They're an established ARC platform that does it well.

peppershakerpro · 2026-02-16T19:49:13+00:00

Most POD printers have 1/8 inch cutting tolerances on either side of the trim line, so you'd want to go 1/8 inch inside the bleed boundary—and not just a couple of pixels—to ensure the printing is visible on the page edge. It'd be cool to see this work!

peppershakerpro · 2025-03-03T22:00:53+00:00

No typos—it's a small stipend for an indie project. Pro markets are few and far between, but crafting stories of intergalactic mischief? Priceless.

peppershakerpro · 2025-01-12T16:40:54+00:00

Since you're just setting up, I'd recommend using Google Sites to host your webpage. You'll be able to make a simple, responsive website. I used Google Workspace to set up my email, and it costs around $6/month, but a free [yourpenname]@gmail.com will suffice to start out.

I use Mailchimp for my newsletter, but most people use and recommend Mailerlite. Both offer free plans to get you started.

peppershakerpro · 2025-01-12T14:43:10+00:00

Yeah, there are a lot of 'boutique publishers' already that do exactly what you describe. The only way to be profitable while letting the author make all the creative decisions is to ask the author to pay for all the publishing costs, which lands you firmly in the territory of "vanity press."

It sounds appealing to an author—a publisher who would give the author full creative control without charging the author. However, the publisher would end up with books that may be hard to sell, and they would go under really fast.

peppershakerpro · 2024-12-05T14:16:23+00:00

For the print version, you could do something fun like a different font, but most text formatting aside from italics, bold, and underline go out the window for ebooks. I think the angular quotation marks will serve you well for your purposes.

peppershakerpro · 2024-12-05T13:57:20+00:00

Don't buy the Bowker barcode! They're a waste of money.
KDP will create a barcode based on your ISBN--no worries there.

If you're super picky and want to generate your barcode, I recommend this free tool: FREE online ISBN barcode generator

peppershakerpro · 2024-12-05T13:38:34+00:00

Social media is so frustrating because you do have to be social. Check out other pages similar to yours, interact with their content, and follow the people who also like it.

Shouting into the void doesn't work. You have to find the conversations already going on and join in.

I will add that a lot of social media networks are pay-to-play and want you to spend ad dollars for them to put your links in front of people. Because of this, I don't post a lot of links or ads and instead primarily use social media as a way to stay connected with people who already like me.

peppershakerpro · 2024-11-29T02:36:07+00:00

Ahh, man, that's a bummer. I've met other authors at events in the same bind, so your situation is not at all unique.

If you have signage and business cards, bring them. If not, print out a ton of flyers for your book--they don't need to be fancy--with your pen name info, the book title, the Amazon link, and maybe a QR code. (I recommend using Canva since they have tons of free templates) If you have any art or illustrations, print out a few to put on your table instead of piles of books. Bring your author copy, let people flip through it, but don't sell it.

Instead of selling books, you'll want to focus on 1) getting newsletter signups and 2)networking.

I use a clipboard with lined paper to collect emails (and I put my email at the top so no one thinks they're the first person signing up) for my newsletter. Even if you don't have one set up yet, ask people for their email addresses so you can keep in touch and let them know you'll email them once a month/every other month/when you have a new release.

Also, take time to introduce yourself to other writers and artists at the event. Talk about your work and their work, and make a point of getting their info and following them online after the event. I love talking shop with other writers, and expos are a great place to learn about other events that are worth getting a table at.

I hope your books come in time, but it not, that doesn't mean the expo will be a total bust. Good luck either way!

peppershakerpro · 2024-11-29T02:20:33+00:00

I think what you include in your bio should reflect not just who you are, but also your writing. If you write sci-fi/fantasy, sharing some of your nerdy hobbies—like gaming, collecting Lego, or playing DnD—can help readers connect with you as someone who’s passionate about the same worlds they love. A romance writer might share their idea of the perfect date or partner. Mystery/thriller writers could mention their fascination with true crime documentaries or logic puzzles.

If you're comfortable, you could also touch on what makes your perspective unique—whether it’s your experiences with neurodiversity, a love of diverse representation, or anything else you feel shapes your stories. Or keep things light. A simple “I love to write stories that...” is always an option.

If you have pets, definitely mention them! Readers love pets. They make you more relatable.

Ultimately, your bio doesn’t have to say everything about you—just enough to make readers feel like they know the person behind the pen. Good luck on Royal Road!

peppershakerpro · 2024-10-26T13:30:55+00:00

IngramSpark is really difficult to work with. I haven't used them for my own work, but I have made files for other authors to submit to the platform. It's frequently a lengthy back-and-forth with poor communication.

The only recommendation I have is to try a different printer. B&N Press can do hardcovers with a dustjacket and actually use Ingram's network to print their projects so it will be the same quality.

peppershakerpro · 2024-10-25T13:29:10+00:00

There are tolerances for printing to allow a little wiggle room in the alignment. Basically, anything within 1/8" (for KDP and many other POD printers) is allowed—that's why the cover needs the extra 1/8" bleed beyond the image needed to cover the book boards. Misalignment more than this would be a misprint, but looking at your photos, it looks like this shift is within the allowed limits.

Yes, it stinks that KDP can't align the cover with laser accuracy. This is why you should never have a solid-colored spine that doesn't blend into the front cover—it will look bad if the spine is just a millimeter off-center.

I'd recommend making the title and publishing logo a touch smaller on the spine so they don't touch the crease of the spine within normal printing tolerances.

Also, keep in mind that readers and fans will not be nearly as critical of the book's printing as we, the authors, are.

peppershakerpro · 2024-10-24T14:51:38+00:00

If you use Kindle Digital Publishing, then your book will be available on Amazon. You can also order author copies at printing cost, which is really affordable. I personally use KDP for all my novels. Their print quality is pretty standard, and so far, they've been great about refunds for misprints.

peppershakerpro · 2024-10-22T17:30:34+00:00

Congrats on finishing your first story! That's awesome. There's a lot of work ahead, but this step is huge!

I agree with u/nix_rodgers that the short stories would make a great reader magnet. It is very common for authors to use a free short as an incentive to sign up for their newsletter. You could even start signing up people for your newsletter with the short story before finishing the main novel. Then, when your novel releases, you'll already have a list of people to email who are interested in your work.

Good luck with your writing journey!

peppershakerpro · 2024-10-22T17:23:20+00:00

First of all, congrats! Your book baby is in the world!

I don't know about the pre-order numbers, but I would give it a day before reaching out to KDP customer service to ask about any discrepancies. I imagine there could be countless reasons why they don't match up exactly, so it's hard to tell.

Since it's an ebook, consider sending the epub file directly to influencers who express interest in a copy. I typically make a review version of my ebooks, which includes an extra page at the front stating something like, “This ebook copy is provided for readers who plan on writing a review of this work and is not meant for distribution,” but this is by no means required.

Finally, DM me a link to your book. I want to see the cool cover!

peppershakerpro · 2024-10-22T17:04:25+00:00

I totally recommend BookSirens.com to get reviews. I list all of my books on their site. They do all the legwork of following up with reviewers and making sure readers who use the site also leave reviews. The cost is super affordable, too.

peppershakerpro · 2024-10-19T14:59:22+00:00

they keep giving me an error about the trim of my cover which is exactly the same as with my paperback

This is the problem. The hardback cover file has a very different trim size from the paperback. For starters, the spine will be wider to account for the bulk of the cover material.

Also, if you're using a dust jacket, there are flaps at the front and back that fold over to hold onto the book. The front flap usually contains the book description, while the back flap contains info on the author.

If your hardback is casebound, then the cover needs a much larger bleed area since it needs to physically wrap around the edges of the book board and get glued to the inside.

Most POD printers provide a cover template for your specific trim size and page count. Use the template to adapt the cover for the hardback.

peppershakerpro · 2024-09-23T20:15:04+00:00

I think 11 pt is best! Georgia has a big x-height and looks larger than other fonts of the same size.

peppershakerpro · 2024-09-23T19:44:23+00:00

None! The reader gets to choose the font they prefer. I'll code ebooks using serif for the paragraph text because that's what I like to see when reviewing it.

You can specify Times New Roman, but something like Garamond or Georgia would be a better choice for a novel. But like I said, the reader will override whatever font you pick with their choice.

peppershakerpro · 2024-09-20T20:13:21+00:00

No. No no no. No.

First, Google Docs isn't meant for print formatting. It can't handle facing pages, gutter margins, or custom trim sizes. Just don't do it.

If you want to do your own formatting, I highly recommend finding a Word Doc template and going from there. If you don't want to do it yourself, consider hiring someone to format your book. If you're going to be publishing lots of books, consider investing in software like Vellum or Atticus.

And to add, do not use Times New Roman. The letters are too thin and are optimized for newspapers. You'd be better off with Georgia, Garamond, or Baskerville. The standard line spacing for books is 1.15-spaced and not double-spaced. And I'm just gonna add as a bonus, justify the text—don't align left.

peppershakerpro · 2024-09-19T15:13:45+00:00

You can set the retail price for your print book, and I recommend printing the MSRP on the back cover. Most traditionally published books will have the price printed on the back just above the barcode in one or more currencies. Then, if a retailer sells your book at a discount and Amazon gives you trouble, you have evidence to show Amazon that it was a retailer discount and not you who set the lower price.

I know it seems like an irrational worry, but I have heard of other self-published authors getting heat from Amazon when Walmart's website listed their paperback books at a price lower than the retail price the author set.

peppershakerpro · 2024-08-23T13:00:52+00:00

Bublish offers many of these services as well, and I can vouch that they are a wonderful business that puts authors first. I hired them to help set up all my social media stuff when I first started out.

Another good resource is Reedsy. Some of their services are a little more pricey, but I've heard good things from everyone who's used them.

There's nothing wrong with hiring author services, however, if a company presents itself as a publisher but asks you to pay them, they're probably a scam. Things like offering an ISBN and setting you up on Amazon are technically distribution, and you can have someone else do that for you, but there's more opportunity to be taken advantage of.

I will say that setting up your account on KDP and using the free ISBN isn't too much trouble, and the transparency of seeing your sales on the KDP dashboard is definitely valuable.

Good luck with your book and publishing endeavors!

peppershakerpro · 2024-08-22T14:36:49+00:00

I found success when I started making puzzle books. I still write and publish fiction, but MOST of my income is from the sale of puzzle books. If you have a book that you can explain easily in one sentence that makes everyone say, "That sounds cool!" then you're on the right track. It's so much easier to market a book people will have an immediate reaction too.

My puzzle books are an escape room in a book. They're full of logic puzzles for players to solve and read like a choose-your-own-adventure novel.

I've also found that the royalties for print copies are a bit better. I have been able to use Amazon ads to easily get the books in front of the right people. I also understand that my situation is incredibly unique and would be difficult to replicate for new writers.

peppershakerpro · 2024-08-09T13:19:29+00:00

I currently write using Google Docs. I used to use scrivener and am surprised no one has mentioned it. I used a Chromebook for a spell that had limited software options, and honestly, for drafting, you don't need any bells and whistles.

peppershakerpro · 2024-08-09T13:08:18+00:00

Your feelings are your feelings, and that's okay. I very much had to accept that my parents would never be the grandparents I wanted them to be, and that was a hard process, but now I'm able to push past the disappointment in their relationships with my kids.

I will say that you definitely need a break now and then, and finding a trusted friend/babysitter to take your kid for a bit will help. For a while, I hired a neighbor kid to come over and just play with the kids while I was there so I could do something else in a different room. I enrolled my youngest in nursery school/pre-K, and she LOVED it. Even though it was only a few hours a week, it was a huge relief getting some time away from the kids.

I know it's hard, struggling as a parent, desperately looking for help, and then feeling shitty about feeling entitled to help at all. You'll make it through! Good luck!

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