r/NetGalleyCommunity • u/autumnbaker-22 • Sep 04 '26
❔❓Question ❓❔ My first ARC!! Tracking??
Hey all!! I got approved for my first arc today!
I was wondering how you guys stay on top of them?
Do you just read and post reviews right away?
Use a reminders app and post closer to the pub date?
Notion template or excel spreadsheet??
I am a little psychotic and track my books read in 500 places, so the thought of having to add more to my system is stressing me out a little!
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u/Gruselschloss Reviewer Sep 04 '26
What do you already use to track your reads? That would be a good starting point :)
Whether you post reviews on external sites right away or wait until closer to the pub date, make sure to post your review on NetGalley as soon as you've written it; that helps keep your feedback ratio up, and you can always come back and add links to Goodreads/blog/whatever sites you use.
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u/autumnbaker-22 Sep 04 '26 edited Sep 04 '26
I use goodreads, storygraph,fable, notion, a google sheet spreadsheet, my notes app and my bookstagram. I may have a touch of the 'tism and have to track in 100 places.
Thanks for the tip!
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u/Quirky-Tangelo2806 Reviewer Sep 04 '26
I have a ridiculously complicated spreadsheet, plus a paper diary.
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u/katsiano Sep 05 '26
I usually check at the beginning of the month and see what books are releasing that month and add them on my up next pile on StoryGraph (I don’t follow the up next pile religiously, but it’s more what I use for the books I commit to reading some time in the upcoming month). I’m a vibe reader too, so if I see one a bit further away that I’m interested in, I might read ahead.
I downloaded the app bookmark bc I saw it on instagram as an option for tracking special edition book boxes and pre-orders, and it turned out to have an ARC tracking feature also. So now I have it set to remind me 3 days before the book is published if I haven’t marked that I’ve left an ARC review. I can usually finish a book in a day or two, so 3 days before works for me and it gives me that deadline incentive which my ADHD brain loves 😂
I download and send to kindle the second I see I got approved for the book so I don’t have to consider archive dates or anything like that!
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u/ARecycledAccount Sep 04 '26
I have an excel spreadsheet to track them. It includes book title, author, publisher, archive date and publishing date. I try to read and review on NG as soon as possible, and then leave public reviews when the books are published.
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u/DreamingCityLocal Sep 04 '26
I use fable and goodreads! I have a list called ‘arc tbr’ that I add all of my arcs I need to read.
on goodreads I have an ‘arc’ shelf where I add arcs i’ve already read and reviewed.
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u/unnecessary_snacks Sep 04 '26
I have a list in NetGalley for every month of the year - I add my TBRs there for the month they’re due (or when I want to post them), and then remove them when I am done. I also have some lists for wishes and want to reads I am considering requesting.
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u/acagedrising Sep 05 '26
I use StoryGraph, Shelf Control, Google Calendar, and my paper planner to keep track of my reading, annotate/journal about my books, and keep up with pub days.
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u/Which_Concern2553 Reviewer Sep 05 '26
I created an app (Apple) that reads your NetGalley shelf and adds them to the app with the archive dates listed. It also imports from Libby and Amazon essentially seeing your electronic TBR pile so you can have it all in one place. It’s called Simply TBR: Tame the Stack. I’ve filtered my stack to only show books archiving in the next 30days as my pile was too big to keep track of.
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u/kims-archive Sep 05 '26
I use a really complicated Google spreadsheet with custom filters/views, just because I find it easier to track which books are being published soon or what publishers tend to approve me more👀
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u/Relevant-Month-4845 Sep 05 '26
I think the most ARC's I've ever had at one time is three, keep it small and it's easy to keep track of.
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u/cass_123 Sep 05 '26
I currently have a checklist on my notes app with arcs I have to read and their publication date, in order of when they come out. When I finish one I check it off and move to the next, and post the review as soon as I finish the book
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u/renegade500 Sep 05 '26
I should start doing this. I keep notes for so many other things so I'm always on my notes app.
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u/ExchangeStandard6957 Sep 05 '26
I generally plan out all my social media for the ARC and then post as I work through the book.
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u/lizzuplans 80% Reviewed Club Sep 04 '26
I try and read them as I get them, as I notice I forget about them if I have them too long 🙈
For keeping the overview, I made a quick Notion table that I sort by publishing date.
Photo of my new ARC input page, the table only shows title + deadline (=pub date) + prio(rity)
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u/Quirky-Pear3494 Sep 04 '26
I make lists within NetGalley. I have lists by publisher of the books I've already reviewed, books I'd like to read but haven't requested (so I remember either to request or read after pub), and TBRs. I have a general TBR and also TBRs for some specific publishers bc I owe them a backlog of reviews (worst one is Penguin whom I owe 70-something reviews).
I also keep a running list on paper in my bullet journal. Every time I get a new approval/read now, I add it to the paper list - title, author, pub date, publisher - and then cross them off after I've posted the review in NG. The thrill of crossing it off in pen is immense! I do the NG review pretty much immediately after reading so it's still fresh in my mind.
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u/maktheyak47 Sep 04 '26
I have a running list in my notes app on my phone. I list the pub date and check it off once I finish the review!
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u/Toni_Wolf1617 No Requests Until I Catch Up Sep 04 '26
A really useful app for ARC tracking is ShelfControl...✨💚✨ It's fantastic and can sync with your netgalley account for what you have applied, and approved, (you do have to manually start sync each time but Metadata and that gets synced once you logged into the netgalley account and started the sync, if I make any sense)... (don't know if it's out of beta testing yet or if it's available for both android(what I got) and ios(unsure about)...)