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Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 02:48 pm: | 
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I know we have quite a few reviewers over here, so please share your thoughts. How do you feel about people who sell ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies)?
This topic is getting pretty heated in another group I'm on and just wanted to see what the AALBC folks think.
-Tee |
NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 03:41 pm: |
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Girl I am tempted to sell some. Oooo, it's tempting, but I'll be good and not do that. Is it ever okay to sell them? Like for example, if you received one and read the book but no longer have any use for it, can you sell it then?
I was thinking that the policy mostly applies to bookstores - the publishing house doesn't want ARCs sold to the general public. (I think). |
akaivyleaf
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 04:02 pm: |
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After the book has been read and reviewed as intended I think it should be ok to delete the book from your personal inventory, so to speak. Its my understanding that the book isn't for retail sale, you won't find ARC's in bookstores and such but as private seller, selling it to someone else privately, I don't see anything wrong with that.
Is the problem with "selling" the ARC? Certainly nobody is getting retail prices for them. What about giving them away as they were given to us and charging for shipping.
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NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 04:15 pm: |
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Akaivyleaf,
I've given away a lot of ARCs. It's funny -- I have no problem buying them, but why do I feel bad about selling them. Does that make sense? |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 04:16 pm: |
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ROFL...um, for the record, y'all need my mailing address? I'll buy them. I hear what'cha saying though. I'm a collector, so I'll buy them, but I do get an attitude when I see folks on eBay selling them for high azz prices. I've paid as much as $30 for an ARC simply because I had to have it, but then I find myself wondering...did those folks selling it actually review it or did they just get it from the publishing house with no intention of reviewing it while some of us are actually PROMOTING & REVIEWING the book. Hmph...Ahahha, let me stop here.
NeeCee what'cha got? Can I come visit? ROFL.
-Tee
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NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 04:23 pm: |
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Tee,
I got some weird ones. That's all I can say.  |
Soul Sister
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 11:37 am: |
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I have seen them in bookstores on the shelf for sale. Some of my most favored titles have been ARC's of new authors - or books in genre's I would not buy -- and since I do not do the library these ARC's are great.
Would I sell my own? Mmmmmm, it depends if I needed the money -- thank God I don't so I donate them to the public library sale shelf (aint that weirder NeeCee) or give them away.
Right now I am on a book buy/acquiring diet - so the pickings have been slim - and that is a good thing at time? Right? But when I get my house --its ON. peace |
Yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 12:00 pm: |
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So Soul Sister:
What books are ya tryin to give away? I love free stuff, especially books...lol! |
NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 12:29 pm: |
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Soul Sister,
Wow! I didn't know a bookstore would sell an ARC.
I guess, the bottom line is people do want them and will get them someway, somehow. I am addicted to them, that's fo sho!
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Snake Girl
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 03:06 pm: |
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One ARC that is WORTH buying...is Toni Morrison's new one.
It's called "LOVE".
And I am so in love with this book that I cannot stop crying.
It comes out in October.
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Soul Sister
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 04:11 pm: |
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Hey,
There are a number of used books stores in the Washington, DC area that sell ARC's -- I believe the owners are reviewers so what the hey -- some of the titles have not even been opened.
Hey Snake Girl -- you have finished Toni's new one -- I ordered that for review too and aint seent it yet -- I am jealous and excited to hear that it's good -- I have never read her stuff -- so this should be a SUPRISE. |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 10:37 pm: |
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So Soul Sister, when they sell them, are they sold for the same price as the actual book? More? Less? Let me know please.
Again, for those giving away ARCs...my address is...P.O. Box 1362...ahahha.
One reviewer in a group I'm in said that she shreds her ARCs or burns them. I almost passed out y'all. Can you imagine?
-Tee |
Susan
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 12:21 am: |
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I've never sold or brought an ARC.
After reading the responses, I'm a bit confused and curious. Why would one think an item shouldn't be sold yet willing to buy it? If it's viewed as unethical to sell then why is it ethical to buy?
Susan |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 01:14 am: |
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Susan...my opinion? I would never sell an ARC because it clearly says on the front cover "NOT FOR SALE" on most of them. Have I bought them yes, yes, and yes and will continue to do so even though I get an attitude when folks sell them. I buy them mainly because some publishing companies, marketing directors, or whoever don't send my team of reviewers their books because Publisher's Weekly, New York Times, BIBR, Kirkus, or the likes isn't in my signature block...and I want to help promote the authors. So yes, if I see them and they're reasonable, I WILL buy them and either review them personally or get one of my reviewers to do it. I even had one person at a publishing house tell me "you're only a book club." To me, that's a slap in the face when I spend so much time promoting authors, getting them exposure and yes, reviewing their work and providing so many services free of charge. Luckily, an editor turned around and told me a day later "we appreciate what you and your team are doing for our authors and for the literary community." So...back to the question...in this case, I don't think there's anything wrong with buying an ARC. I see it as a form of marketing and getting the buzz out about an author's book.
In addition, I'm a hard-core collector. There are some books, I have the author's first draft--the manuscript sent to the editor, the galley, the ARC, and yep, the final book. I may be a wee bit compulsive, but I have a passion for books--I can't help myself. I know there's one book that I have at least 5 versions of because of this and the fact that the author kept going back to print.
So, as you see, my response is two-fold. No, I don't think it's fair of people to sell ARCs on places like eBay...but it's mainly when they get to ridiculously high prices. I recently lost a bid for a book that I really really wanted because it went over $8 (and the publicist wouldn't send it to me), but hardly ever will I go over 10-12 for an ARC; because inside, my gut tells me that person got it to review and just didn't review it or they got is somewhere free. (Should've seen all the ARCs that popped up on eBay after BEA).
On another note...if it's an ARC of an author that I just LOVE, yep, I'd spend my last dime on it. But, I'd never consider selling one. Give away? Yep, but only if I got too excited and had more than one copy. *grin*
-Tee |
Soul Sister
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 07:45 am: |
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Tee Cee,
The titles I have bought do not print NOT FOR SALE on the cover -- but clearly, there are others words there that mean the same thing.
The stores I have gone to are used book stores and the owners are possibly reviewers - this titles are NEW and CHEAP - they are usually under $10 and I have been introduced to a whole lotta new authors that way.
Is it unethical -- surely because they are not following the desires of the publisher - however, there are not many copies of these works, So no one is gonna get rich off of it - Ya see my point?Than again there are those collectors among us you know that some ARC's have wealth potential. So truly, that question is hard to answer but must be answered by all reviewers -
As for burning ARC's that is your option however, there are laws governing that too - hopefully her town allows that -- where Im at that would not be possible -- especially in an apartment bldg
Yukio -- if you are still following this post - -I have not run across items that I would be willing to give away because I specified to the publishers I wanted history, mystery and murder --however, should I get anything that is not in those genre's I will remember you
Errybody else -- love peace and soul. Im ghost
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Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 09:22 am: |
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Soul Sister, new and cheap is always good! And yes, I see your point. I do realize that I'm practicing a double-standard on the whole ARC situation, but I think we must all do what's comfortable for us. It sure would be cool if bookstores and the like just gave away those ARCs. That would make things easier on us...LOL.
I hear what you're saying about burning books, but what I meant was that I couldn't imagine writing in a book, dog-earing a corner, so when she said she burned them...whew, I couldn't imagine! There are so many people who don't have books...can't afford them or whatever. To burn them? But again, that's JMHO.
-Tee |
NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 10:15 am: |
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I think it would be great if someone could clarify what NOT FOR SALE means. I think it means to the general public, the book-buying public, whereas the publisher and author would lose the royalties or whatever.
I may write someone at a house just to see their response.
If the publisher doesn't mind reviewers buying ARCS for review (or collection) I'd feel just wonderful (and so would Tee). LOL. |
NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 10:18 am: |
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Also, I think once a person buys or receives a galley, or a new book, and if they want to sell it, it seems that would be their prerogative. If someone had a 1941 first run edition of a Richard Wright, and wanted to sell it, it seems they should be able to. I don't know if this is off-topic or not, but... |
Bayou Lights
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 12:32 pm: |
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Hey, All...
I don't think it's fair to the author to sell galleys/ARC's before the publication date. And, since quite a few of these still include typos/mistakes/deleted paragraphs etc it's not usually the best representation of their work. There are quite a few used bookstores in my old town and they wouldn't sell ARC's but they had them in a giveaway basket. On a lot of them the retail price hadn't been set by the publlisher yet, and they didn't go into the basket until the week of or week after the pub date. On the other hand, The Strand in New York city has a whole section devoted to ARC's, and I don't remember them being that cheap.
Bayou
PS: No one has given a real detailed report of BEA yet. Who are the authors you guys met? What books look good for upcoming season? How were the panels? |
NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 12:51 pm: |
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I would ask authors if they care or not that galleys or ARC's are sold IF the book is going to be reviewed...I think that is the difference, but I don't know for sure.
Lots of mixed information is out there on this topic.
Authors already know that review copies of books (possibly 50 to 100 or more) will be given out for the purpose of review, so this is a standard that shouldn't be bothersome to them as I understand it.
BEA was great. Lots of California-based writers were there. One good panel was the one that featured the editors of the imprints. They seem so passionate about what they do, and were eager to give out info about their upcoming books (too many to name, sorry). |
akaivyleaf
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 07:04 am: |
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I agree with NeeCee here in that these ARCs were printed up as "loss leaders" in the first place. The publisher/author don't get a profit from the printing of these books at all, so they aren't missing out on any royalties in the first place. They are already in the negative column so to speak and won't see positive until publication right?
That being said... ARCs are a tool to "get the word" out so I don't mind spreading my copies around and I sell them for the cost of shipping, or give them away. |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 10:00 pm: |
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Hello All,
I would have chimed in earlier, but today is the first day that I've been able to post. Personally, I keep all of my ARC. I wouldn't dream of parting with them. The ones I don't like, I pitch. I feel responsible for them in the fact that I'm being let it in on a secret. It's a matter of trust between me and the publishing company. The author/publisher has to know that I won't reveal their work to anyone else who could rush the same book to the bookstores before the original is set to appear. I can understand why one reviewer would burn the ARC. I don't go that far, but I don't read ARC outside of my home though. And only to an industry insider would I loan one out. I don't have any problems loaning it out after its publication, but by then, the ARC has value. And the more people read it, the less value it has.
There have been books where the ARC was better than the 1st edition. There are times when sub plots, lines, etc have been deleted from the ARC and isn't in the 1st published edition. From a book collector view, ARC are more valuable than even a 1st edition because of the number of ARCs printed versus the 1st edition. I've seen ARCs sell for 4 to 5 times more than a non read 1st edition. I've gotten extrememly lucky on a few occassions to have gotten the author's signature and date in an ARC. Jewel Parker Rhodes' Douglass' Women is a perfect example. When Mrs. Rhodes was here in Indianapolis, I took my ARC for her to sign. When I presented it to her, she asked me where did I get it, because when the ARC was printed, there was a mistake on the cover (Anna was missing). The mistake was caught and rectified by the time the book went to press and hit the bookstores. So, I thank Miss Jewell very much, carried my signed ARC home and bought a copy of Douglass Women, because my ARC is now a collector's item. But what of the ARC that rotten. Who want's them? *eyebrow raised* |
akaivyleaf
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 16, 2003 - 04:30 pm: |
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Really Thump? You don't take the ARC outside of your home? I had never thought that seriously about them. Well that's not what I'm trying to say. Like I said in an earlier post, I thought them more of a marketing tool, the more people who read them can encourage others to read the book at the time of publication. I have one ARC now that I know will have to change from this version to its final printed format and I'm interested in seeing its evolution so I'll have to have the final version. The thought never crossed my mind about beating the author to publication, stealing the works etc. I guess I've been a bit naive' about it.
I realize the collectibility of ARCs, but shrouded in secrecy wasn't my line of thinking. |
NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2003 - 12:18 pm: |
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Everybody:
Speaking of ARC's what was the first one that you ever owned? Do you still have it?
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Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2003 - 10:06 pm: |
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Hello All,
Akaivyleaf: Yep, its true. If the ARC has several months yet before its publication date, I will not take the ARC out of my house. I'm glad that I've always follow this practice because last year I was sent several ARCs by a small publishing house. I read and wrote a review for one of the ARCs and was about to publish it when I happen to mention to the author that I was about to submit the review of his book to be posted on the site, only to be told that the book wasn't going to be published. Whew, talk about dodging a bullet. Now, just think what could have happened if I was passing the ARC around and talking about it? It would have been a diaster for the author. I know my security precautions may sound a little silly, but I think some measure of consideration should be applied. |
Michael T. Owens
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 20, 2003 - 07:42 pm: |
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I just found an ARC of my book on sale online. My first reaction was one of shock (being that "Pick-Up Lines" is my first novel)...After thinking about it for a few minutes, my reaction was, "HEY,HEY! ALL RIGHT! Somebody's hocking my book! Cool! To me, it's kind of like people selling bootleg CDs. I welcome the selling of ARCs to some extent, it's just another method of giving authors more exposure. The truth is, I don't think it can't be stopped anyway...
Michael T. Owens
http://www.michaeltowens.com
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NeeCee
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 08:45 am: |
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Hi Michael Owens,
It's good to hear an author's perspective on the practice of selling ARC's. For some reason, many authors, veterans and new, are not aware that these copies are available online. So when we bring them to a book signing, the author is always shocked and will ask, "Where'd you get that from?" |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 11:44 pm: |
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Hello All,
Since we are talking about book collecting and all, I found an article on the Alibris site. Alibris is a hard-to-find book site that I had visited in a long time. When Tee started this thread it brought back some hidden desires. Many, many years ago, I fell into this book subscription program from a company name The First Edition Library (FEL). FEL published first edition facsimiles of modern Amercian classic books. The books are exact replicas, even down to the mistakes, that comes in hardback slipcovers, and many of them will have information cards explaining the history of the first edition, what makes it unique, etc. So, I was looking to buy a few more of these replicas on the Alibris site and ran into this article on book collecting. I found it interesting. Here's the link in case you want to give it the ol' look-see: http://www.alibris.com/articles_features/articles/lopez.cfm
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Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 03:49 pm: |
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Thanks for sharing Thumper. I have a strong dislike for Alibris. They seem to charge RIDICULOUSLY high prices for books, so I refuse to go to their site anymore. :-(
-Tee |
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