Learn how to get free books and use your platform responsibly, even if you’re just starting out.

 

Oh, to get free books delivered weekly to your doorstep and experience the ensuing serotonin injection — it’s every reader’s dream (or was that just me?)

 

I think the majority of us who start bookish social accounts hope to get access to free ARCs (advanced reader copies) and PR boxes, because while it is great and dandy to connect with fellow readers and share bookish content, free books tend to be another big motivator.

 

When I was new to the big world of bookstagram, it was my dream to get free books, but the path to get there was unclear and felt far away.

 

My eyes were green with envy when I saw how so many bookstagrammers with their beautiful and perfect wall to wall bookshelves got so. many. free. books. It looked like my version of heaven.

 

Fast forward some months, and I distinctly remember opening up my first little brown package containing a physical arc. I almost shed a tear out of pure unadulterated joy.

 

Even now it feels like Christmas morning every time I see those colorful PR packages show up on my doorstep. And for those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas like me, let’s call it a “little kid on their birthday morning” type of feeling.

 

Receiving free books is one of the perks about being a reader who is also a content creator, so regardless of whether or not you’re just starting out, this is completely possible for you!

 

If you want to become more of a “bookfluencer,” and have a dream of receiving free books, I’ve got you covered. 

 

Before we get started, I wanted to note that it’s really important to buy, read, review, and post about these books responsibly, as well as use your platform as a beacon for positivity and kindness. Authors and publishers dream that their books find the right readers and hope that their readers authentically share their love and support.

 

As a bookstagrammer, the heart behind this shouldn’t just be to get free stuff. We play an important role in a book’s success, so it’s good to remember that this is much bigger than “Yay, a free book!” 

 

After you’ve been chosen to receive a book, be sure to read it as soon as you can, review it on as many platforms as you can (your IG, TT, blog, Goodreads, Storygraph, etc), and post about it in some way.

 

I personally can’t create in feed content for the majority of books I receive, but I’ll always be sure to share at least 1 story on it. Moreso, after I read a book I always review it on Goodreads. 

 

It’s okay if you can’t read all the books or make content for every book you receive, but it matters that you do the best that you can.

 

Okay, I’m off my soap box. Roll up your sleeves and let’s get right to it.

 

Apply to influencer lists or publisher websites

AKA: the most widely known method you’ve likely heard about.

 

Many publishers offer influencer programs that allow you to get picked for receiving free books, and some imprints have their own programs while others are part of one larger print.

 

When looking into influencer programs, you can always start by looking into the Big Five: Penguin Random House, Hachette, Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, and Macmillan. 

 

Penguin Random House is home to Knopf Doubleday (Anchor, Vintage, Knopf, etc), Penguin (Berkley, Penguin Classics, Penguin Books, etc), and Random House (Random House, Bantam, Del Ray, etc).

 

Hachette is home to Algonquin, Little Brown, Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing, and Forever Publishing.

 

Harper Collins is home to Harlequin, Amistad, Dey Street Books, Ecco, Harper Books, Perennial, Muse, Voyager, HarperAudio, Wave, 360, Espanol, HTP Books, and William Morrow.

 

Simon and Schuster is home to Atria, Gallery Books, Scribner, S&S, and S&S Audio.

 

Macmillan is home to Celadon, Henry Holt, Flatiron Book, MM Audio, Tor, and St. Martin’s Publishing Group which houses 6 other publishers.

 

Most, if not all of these publishing groups offer influencer programs that you can get started in. The opportunities are quite literally endless! 

 

Sign up for PR lists or become a book tour host

This is a great way to get your foot in the door for consideration of e-arcs, digital and physical copies, and PR boxes to feature on your account. This is also a great way to connect with many indie authors (hi, indie authors, you’re the best) as this avenue is a way for them to get exposure and their books out into the world. 

 

PR media lists are a super easy way to stay involved. They’ll help you keep track of the promotional and marketing outlets that a publisher or indie author will use to help market a book.

 

If you have a well-branded bookstagram account, you run the higher likelihood of getting an inbound request to receive that book (but you can also always make a request to receive a book, which is what we call an outbound request).

 

You can do this by going to the publisher’s or PR company’s website and see what releases they’ll be sharing and how to apply.

 

Publishers and authors want to get their books out to as many people as they can, so there’s nothing wrong with being the one to email them to request being considered for a PR opportunity when the book releases.

 

Book tours on social media are promotions for (usually) newly published books where content creators share content about a certain book on certain days to get a specific book more visibility.

 

You can apply for book tour hosting at @Papermyths, @Coloredpagesbt, and @Bookofmatchesmedia.

 

When emailing publishers…

 

• Make sure you state that you’re open to receiving an e-arc if they can’t send a physical copy.
• Include your name, address, blog and/or social links, audience stats, and links to other books you’ve previously reviewed from the publisher (similar to a media kit).
  
  
• Include WHY you’re interested in the arc you’re requesting and why you want to be considered for an opportunity, as well as how you plan to share the book. For example, include that you want to share it to your IG and TikTok to your x amount of followers.
  
  
• Be genuine in your request and why you’re reaching out.

 

A few lists I personally love and recommend looking into include @Valentine_PR_, @Good.Girls.PR, @Lovenotes.PR, and @Thenerdfam. Many of these groups send a ton of fun goodies.

 

I personally love thenerdfam for fantasy romance reads and gorgeous PR boxes, and valentine PR has some of my favorite romance authors in their catalog.

 

Search key hashtags

Utilizing social media through hashtags and keywords is also a great way to find authors and publishers who are looking to give books away.

 

A few to use when looking for authors or PR who are looking to send books out include #arcreaderswanted, #arcreaders, and #arcreadersneeded.  

 

Support your favorite authors

The best way to get free books from authors is to support them by following their social accounts to see when they present opportunities.

 

Authors often hold giveaways for their books and some authors are even open to gifting their books in exchange for posts on your platforms. If you’re considering asking an author for a book of theirs (arc or not) to post on your booksta, be sure that your interest is genuine, and that you understand and respect that some authors love doing this while others don’t.

 

It’s also important to remember that no author or publisher is obligated to send you a book. Don’t get me wrong, I still love supporting authors by buying their books…I buy lots and lots of books (let’s consider it a self care expense), but many authors are also looking for street teams and arc readers to help promote their books on your platforms.

 

There are also tons of paid author collaboration opportunities, but I’ll save that for another post!

 

If you’re interested in applying for opportunities with specific publishers or authors, you can look at their bios or websites to see if they have a search for arc or street teams open. You’ll be able to directly apply there.

 

If they don’t have any openings or applications, you can pitch to them via email.

 

When emailing authors, the same rules apply: 

 

• Make sure you state that you’re open to receiving an e-arc if they can’t send a physical copy.
  
  
• Include your social stats and contact/address info. You can choose to include your media kit as a bonus, but it’s not necessary.
  
  
• Include why you’re interested in the arc you’re requesting or why you want to be considered for an opportunity.
  
  
• Be genuine in your request and why you’re reaching out.

 

Build out your brand and funnel opportunities 

Building your brand and creating an engaging bookstagram account is going to be the best long-term route in increasing your likelihood of being considered and chosen for collaborations and PR opportunities.

 

To make sure your IG is optimized for new visitors, you need to make sure you have:

• A memorable handle that relates to you and is easy to remember. I recommend avoiding numbers and symbols so that you’re easier to find.
  
  

• A well-lit photo of you for your profile so that people know and trust that you’re a real account. (People are more likely to trust and follow an account with an actual person behind it).
  
  
• A clear and optimized bio to tell visitors about you, your niche, and why people should follow along. I recommend adding keywords that relate to your account in the name field.
  
  
• A cohesive aesthetic or vibe and sustainable content strategy that allows you to grow and gain visibility.
  
  

 

I also recommend engaging with other accounts often and showing  up as yourself to make connections and foster friendships. Bookstagram 101 — my best selling program — teaches you everything you need to know about growing an authentic account and connected community if you’re not sure where to start!

 

While receiving free books is amazing, and while many authors and publishers seek to partner with bookish content creators, it cannot be overstated that we as Bookstagrammers have the responsibility to do our part in a book’s success.

 

Want to stay updated on all things Booksta? Grab my free Bookstagram Engagement Booster Guide here and stay tuned for all the bookish tea, tips, and resources (we’ll be official book besties)! You can also head over to @bookedtildawn where I help bookstagrammers and authors grow accounts they love.

 

Always cheering for you, friend!