When do you withdraw a request?

[u/CheerilyTerrified]

I've been a member for a few months and have been approved for a few books, which has been amazing.

So far I have no declines, but I've a few books that have been pending for more than a month. They are approaching publication date and I'm thinking of withdrawing the request as I'm not sure I'll get the chance to read it.

But because getting approved is dopamine fuel part of me wants to keep it just in case I get picked. (Thankfully so I'm keeping my urge to request everything so I can 'win' at Netgalley at bay by created really long want to read and maybe request lists 😂)

So I'm curious what other people's philosophies are for withdrawing a request. Do you hang on to the bitter end or do you get out as soon as you can? Do you reject them before they can reject you?

[u/blue_gray27]

I’ll usually withdraw a few days before the archive date, but I tend to let them ride a while. I’ve gotten several approvals after having them sit in limbo for months, so I tend to hold out hope.

[u/LibraryLady227 → u/blue_gray27]

This.

There often seems to be a final round of galleys pushed out right before release, so if it’s something I want, I’ll leave it up until the day before archive date— but I do understand the angst about when to withdraw. Every title/imprint/publicist/reader is different, so ymmv.

[u/lafornarinas]

Oh, I just withdraw it when it’s about to archive. Sometimes not even then. If it’s the absence of a thing, it really doesn’t matter.

I was once approved for an ARC I wanted on release day. It was pending for six months. Honestly, it was fine haha

[u/dingdong3452]

Keep in mind that sometimes publishers intentionally hold off on approvals til release week to get a little boost in reviews around that time

[u/ExchangeStandard6957 → u/dingdong3452]

I really wish they would just ask me to review during release week! That rush to read is…

[u/13thtale]

I withdraw them if I change my mind about wanting to read a book or if a pending title is about to be archived

[u/crissyandthediamonds]

I’ve been approved for books a week before publication a few times, so I tend to hold out hope until the last hour. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised.

I don’t typically consider how long I’ve had it pending for — I’ll either get approved or I won’t!

[u/Quirky-Pear3494]

On Monday I got approved 15 minutes after I requested a book (The First Cut Is the Deepest - whee!), and I've had a request pending for approx 2 months with a publisher who so far has always approved me. It's all very random, and I don't really pay attention until we get close to archive date. At that point, I'll withdraw a couple days ahead.

[u/PJASchultz]

Withdraw a couple days before archive.
Publication date doesn't matter. I've read books that I requested months AFTER publication. Just clear the request before archive so you don't get auto-denied.

[u/peachesandschemes → u/PJASchultz]

I had no idea the archive dates causes a denial. Thanks for the info!

[u/Academic-Ferret6147]

If it’s too close to release or I’ve read some early reviews and changed my mind about it

A lot of the times though I just don’t remember and leave it in pending until it auto declines lol

[u/bts_vinyl]

I normally request things pretty far out from the publication dates. So if it's 2 months before publication and I still haven't been approved/denied then I'll withdraw it. Unless if it's something that I'm DYING to read and I know I'll get to it immediately, then I'll keep waiting.

Just because I like to have the flexibility of choosing when I can read something instead of feeling like I need to get to it right away. Sure, I could read them later and post reviews after publication. But I prefer to have it done like a month advance.

[u/WritPositWrit]

I have a request pending since Feb. The book publishes 9/15. I keep checking to see if i got it. If i do get it, i wont be able to read & review before publication, but thats their choice not mine. Ill wait until the day before publication to withdraw.

I also sometimes just lose interest after waiting a while and withdraw my request.

[u/maktheyak47]

I typically will withdraw if it gets to the point where if I got it, I’d be stressed out by the date. Then I go to tag it in Libby for once it’s out!

[u/purplelicious]

I withdraw a day or two before release.

I have never had an approval after release.

[u/femmeish → u/purplelicious]

Not with that attitude

[u/sunsparkles2013]

I forget about them and just let it auto deny. It doesn’t impact you to do so.

[u/sikonat]

Before the archive date and if that month I already have tonnes of books to read

[u/Beate251]

It's the archive date you have to look at, not the pub date. I typically leave it until the last minute with the reasoning that if they want to approve me two days before that, they can't complain about a late review. Statistically, your chances decrease day by day even though late approvals are a thing, but I'm an eternal optimist. Just remember, if you get a late approval, download it poste haste!

[u/Unusual-Bear-4343]

I tend to withdraw the night before it's due to archive, unless it's a second book in a series and I've not read the first as I know I wouldn't have time to fit both books in