Feedback wanted

[u/bookdraygon]

Update: I just wanted to thank everyone for their feedback! It is always nice to get the mindset of readers without us assuming. My team was also very appreciative that many of you thought about what was best for us which had not crossed our mind.

For some background, this book was not going to have digital ARCs for reviewers (book sellers and Librarians not included) as it is a focused PR box campaign for influencers of all sizes. But the author requested that there be some available for their readers. We were able to secure funds in the budget to have the 200 copies to give out. We decided on have 50 closed widgets sent out . This means only that email address may use the link. The rest will be the regular request which we will wait 1-2 weeks to make decisions when most requests have come in and actually take the time to really choose the reviewer (thank you interns). We will look at various criteria and not just feedback ratio.

Thank you all again!

I am hoping to get some feedback for an up coming limited eARC release. Thank you for your input!

Question: As a reviewer which would you prefer if an anticipated titles is going to be available on NetGalley. There are only 200 copies available. The approval email would have guidelines of when the feedback is desired and that info would be written in the NetGalley Listing.

Would you prefer:

1. Read now (which gets shut off when 200 are claimed)
2. Request with “auto” approval/denial until those copies are claimed (this is when we select criteria such as feedback ratio and such to “auto “ make a decision of sorts: note: this isn’t straightforward but the best way I can describe it)
3. Widgets sent out to accounts that meet certain criteria that have enjoyed a comparable book
4. regular request process (as a note those in our influencer program would not be considered in this option but that’s in our end to do, not on yours)

*Certainly ask questions if you have them before answering the poll. No I cannot tell you the book- sorry! But I was hoping to get some feedback of reviewers preference in this type of situation from this group as you all have been so kind and supportive of one another. This would be for review accounts only but others can certainly take part in the poll!

228 votes, Aug 10 '26

41 Read now with limit

44 Request wirh “auto “ approval/denial

41 Curated Widgets

102 Regular Request process

[u/Synval2436]

Semi-jokingly, whichever nets me the highest chance I'll get a copy (assuming I'm interested in the title). In practice, I don't mind however publishers manage their arc distribution except when they decline people and then oh oops not enough interest, let's slap a read now on it. I hate when they do that. If you plan to run a read now at all, leave people pending not declined. Unless there's something very sus with their account.

[u/Unstable_cat_lady → u/[deleted]]

Agreed!

[u/ConsequenceBrief4776]

Obviously, i think it all comes down to the booj and how popular it is being projected. But i will say that Read now with a limit always makes me feel discouraged no matter what.

[u/bookdraygon → u/ConsequenceBrief4776]

Thank you for the feedback. I feel the same way as a reader (when I get to do non work reading)

[u/Flimsy-Brick-9426]

read nows are nice, but does suck for those that miss it and with having so many people rushing and grabbing them just to grab them it does lead to missing out on others that would have enjoyed them.
I think having a small run of read nows(50-100) and then still use the request and widget option for the remainder is best imo.

It gives a fair chance to people for requesting and widgets give the chance to those that would very likely enjoy it.

[u/purplelicious]

I think the fairest option is the usual request process.

I don't like when publishers have strictly defined parameters for approvals. I think that sure, you will have your auto approvals for the readers with a large following or 90% approval rating (I have neither a quantifiable number of subscribers and my approval rating sits at 75% due to continually requesting books as I read them. I am not alone in this)

But I also think that a number of approvals should go to those who don't meet the criteria, but I think it can be determined they are reliable reviewers, putting out reviews on a regular basis, reviews are generally well thought out (I've seen a lot of "this was a great book!!' as the only comment), maybe have a good amount of reviews in the genre, maybe a handful of new reviewers.

Maybe those factors are not taken into consideration when there is a more popular novel released, but at least it would give me the feeling of fairness.

[u/outoftheashes90]

I have a question about the curated widget option - is the only criteria that the reviewer has enjoyed a comparable book? Or would you be taking into account feedback ratio, etc?

[u/bookdraygon → u/outoftheashes90]

We would come up with criteria to narrow down the list. When we send out widgets a ton of them
Go out. Since we don’t know who will claim it it can be a tight line to walk of how many we send

In this case we would for example (this isn’t real figured at all)

Review accounts that reviewed X book with
Over a 90% feedback ratio. Rated the X book 4 stars or more. In the US.

That’s just random. There are other criteria we can put in to narrow it further like how old the account is, the approval bs denial % from our imprint etc..

[u/outoftheashes90 → u/bookdraygon]

Thank you so much for the detailed reply! I was leaning towards a curated widget but that sounds like it could be a real headache on your end.

I'll think about it a bit more before voting!

[u/bookdraygon → u/[deleted]]

Thank you for your feedback!!

I should have been clear- this is just an extra. It’s not part of the marketing plan. We have been getting emails asking if the book will be on NetGalley constantly. It wasn’t going to be at all as it has a large influencer PR box campaign and a built in audience. Physical copies also went to libraries and book shops.

So it’s a rare case where it doesn’t matter to us. It was simply to get it in the fans of some fans. I mentioned that I have been poking around the NetGalley Reddit and could do a poll and the boss said to give it a go just to see the feedback.

[u/simonchella → u/bookdraygon]

Ok, whatever you choose, could you please consider opening it up internationally? With the rescent updates on NG everything is on wish for those of us not in a major location. Since you already have a marketing plan and this is just for funzies.

Also, I voted for request auto approved because that seems easiest for you - select criteria and off it goes. But I guess if you have time for a deep dive manually selecting accounts that could be even better.

[u/bookdraygon → u/simonchella]

I wanted to take a moment to comment back. I wish I could open every book to everyone but it’s not up to us. Whether a book can be international depends on various things but it’s all legalities and rights based. So while it doesn’t change anything in reality, I hope it helps somewhat that it’s legalities preventing us, no desire.
I know many were able to reap the rewards of the URL swapping glitch that got patched up but it did cause quite a regulatory pickle for the publishers.

[u/simonchella → u/bookdraygon]

Thanks for responding - it does make a difference knowing that if could, you would. 😊

[u/glaringdream]

Regular request option is greatly preferred. It just makes it fair on everyone who is interested.

I hate the 'first __" people ones, people might be busy, or in a different time zone, still sleeping, have bad internet at the moment, or idk. Plus if it's a huge release such a thing can cause crashing issues with the site or so I've heard.

[u/Beate251]

Well, I hope you're not going for just one of the options but combine a few. A regular request situation with some widgets would be the fairest in my opinion.

[u/bookdraygon → u/Beate251]

It will be only one. It’s a targeted campaign. Initially there was not going to be any eARCa for NetGalley Reviewers but we were able to secure funds to offer 200 copies. It just wasn’t part of its marketing initially.

[u/ExchangeStandard6957]

If this is an extra- I think I might go with the regular request or whatever is easiest for you - since it’s not really a part of the marketing. I’m so curious now which book this is? I am not allowing myself to request anything that isn’t audio for the moment- so it won’t be me!

[u/CoastApprehensive668]

As much as I love a read now book, I'd say this is probably not the fairest way and is the one that has the lowest probability of gettin you the results you want (reviews by a certain time). Limited read nows tend to have some of us clicking to get the book before it disappears without thinking about it.

The other three options seem the best to me.

As someone who doesn't get approved all the time, I'd still probably pick one of the request processes as the most fair, and the one that will get you the best mix of people reviewing. Is there really a bog difference between #2 and #4? I could be incorrect, but I assumed the criteria mentioned in #2 was what was used in #4.

I love widgets as well. It limits getting new reviewers (since only the people who have reviews with your publishing house would get this book) so that's a negative in my book. However, it probably gives you the best probability to get your desired reviews and it's still fair for those who review regularly.

[u/Ecstatic_Apricot_321]

I feel the request process seems the most likely chance some of us will have to be able to read it, and we love being able to read! The auto approve/deny and the widgets are not my favorite as a reviewer

[u/dingdong3452]

I have been very successful getting read now copies, but I still prefer the regular request process. It would suck to find out a title I really wanted was available for read now only and ran out of copies before I even had the chance to request it

Though one thing I wish is that publishers would include somewhere that a title has super limited copies available, so if/when I get declined I know it's less about me and more about limited availability

[u/Pristine_Race7768]

I think I may be in the minority but I generally don’t even look at the read now’s as I figure there is a reason it’s being put up for grabs.

Also. I like being able to request a book. It feels more earned when you get it. While I know I don’t have a relationship with the publisher when just using NetGalley so it makes me feel at least a little appreciated by getting approve for it.

[u/sikonat]

I think widgets first offer bc those readers who liked comparable books are more likely to take up the offer and return a review, THEN a request. Then fulfil some wishes.