By Cali Djaja
In the world of Bookstagram, the aesthetics of a book play a huge role in its popularity. This is why I think physical advanced reader copies, or ARCs, are more valuable to book influencers than their digital counterparts. Not only are they easier to photograph, but the books are also trophies, something influencers can show off to their peers and followers. These shiny trophies, however, are sometimes put on a pedestal and make people forget the real reason why they are sent out—to earn promotion and feedback for the author. The overly curated world of Instagram makes us think about whether these ARCs are being accurately represented.
The value of physical ARCs
Even though physical ARCs are highly coveted in the social media book-reviewing world, that’s not to say that e-ARCs have no value. They do, especially when it comes to getting one from a well-established author. Opening the email from NetGalley saying that you’ve been approved for an ARC by an author you really like gives you a boost of excitement. However, there’s always this longing to hold a physical copy in your hands. Additionally, physical books tend to photograph better than an e-book cover on a device.
It’s very common for physical ARCs these days to be ‘optimised’ for marketing purposes. The publishers know the main reason they send them out to influencers is to get the book promoted to their followers, and the prettier the book the more likely it is that people will buy it. And since ARCs are given out in limited quantities and only to certain influencers, they’ve turned into a rare commodity in the online book spaces. And because most influencers are handpicked by the publishing houses, they seem like ‘the chosen one’.
There are even instances of ARCs being sold for profit, and even though it isn’t illegal, it’s still frowned upon because ARCs aren’t usually in their final publishing stage. ARCs are not the final version of a book, often containing uncorrected proofs or unfinished elements, and are sent out only for promotional purposes. It’s essentially an unreleased book, so an influencer who does this may never receive an ARC from a publisher again. Selling them breaks the trust between publishers and influencers.
The importance of balancing aesthetics and authenticity
There’s an aesthetic that does well on an app like Instagram that focuses on visual appeal. Only influencers who have found and achieved this aesthetic will even have a chance of receiving a physical ARC from larger publishing houses. From this small group of influencers, only a small percentage actually receive them, and it’s usually those influencers who take the nice pictures but also post good reviews. Which makes me wonder, are book reviews that we see on Instagram authentic?
In a visual space like Instagram, books can be trophies. They are displayed on bookshelves as a testament to their reader’s taste not only in literature but also in recognising aesthetics. The kinds of books that do well on Instagram are the ones that are not only an enjoyable read but also have a beautiful cover. This is also why special editions sell like hot cakes.
If influencers know that when they criticise a book by a certain publisher, they’re less likely to receive an ARC from them, would that make them falsify their review and post one with a higher rating to seem more favourable to the publisher?
Typically, influencers are sent ARCs of a book a few days or weeks before the publishing date and are asked to post the review on the day or the week of the book’s publication. However, a lot of the time, influencers are asked to wait before posting negative reviews in order not to affect the opening day sales and reviews, because a bad review might push the book’s buzz down instead of propel it up. Is this still being authentic?
Furthermore, there are instances of influencers not disclosing a partnership, product placement or PR products in their posts. This misleads their followers into believing that they are promoting a book or product of their own free will and that it’s a testament to their taste and not because of a contractual agreement.
Influencers need to be able to do a balancing act of being aesthetic yet authentic so that trust can be formed between them and their followers. At the end of the day, even though the role of being a book influencer might be fuelled by the numbers game, the genuine appreciation and love of literature and books were probably why most influencers chose to open a Bookstagram account: to share their love for books, engage with like-minded people and build a community.
An ARC’s true purpose
While influencers are attempting to be aesthetic with their book pictures and are often applauded for it, it is what their followers look for and the reason they are popular. It’s important not to lose sight of the true purpose of ARCs, which is to promote new books and provide feedback to authors and publishers. There needs to be an emphasis on authenticity in reviews and discussions to ensure that the focus remains on the literary value of the work, rather than just its visual appeal.
Cali Djaja is a Master of Publishing and Communications student. In her spare time, she reads books and sometimes posts about them on her Bookstagram. She also loves writing fiction while accompanied by an iced oat matcha latte.
Image by Cali Djaja. Used with permission.
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