Turning Disappointment into Reader Buzz
Every author and publisher (and bookstore!) dreams of having a book that’s in such high demand that people have a moment to yearn for their very own copy.
Recently, the team at Saga Press embraced that reality with a sense of humor. At San Diego Comic-Con, they wore t-shirts reading “We’re sorry we declined your NetGalley Request for A Forsaken Prophecy“—a playful nod to the thousands that were eager to get their hands on the book.
One of the most common questions the NetGalley team gets is, “Won’t my readers be upset if I decline their request?” And the answer is, well… sometimes. But, for many publishers, declining requests is a necessary part of the ARC process depending on how many free/review copies they are able to offer. We know that readers’ enthusiasm is something to celebrate, and something you can continue to nurture with these strategies:
Declining Doesn’t Have to End the Conversation
NetGalley is designed to help publishers put advanced copies into the hands of the readers who are a strong fit to advocate for that particular book, which often means making difficult approval decisions based on the audience that reader can reach, or their reviewing history.
While most members understand that not every request will be approved, they also appreciate transparency, kindness, and opportunities to stay engaged with the book.
To continue the conversation, publishers can craft a thoughtful decline message, which directs readers what to do next. For highly anticipated books, a custom decline message may point readers to where they can pre-order the book, follow the author on social media, or even contain a registration link to an event or signing for the author. A thoughtful decline today can still become tomorrow’s sale, review, or recommendation.
Give Readers Another Way to Engage
If you’re declining someone’s request for a DRC, offer another opportunity to engage with the book or author. All NetGalley titles come with a Detailed Activity Report containing the contact information of every person who was declined (when opted-in), making it easy to connect with engaged readers, even if you aren’t able to provide them with an early copy.
For example, you might invite them to:
- Download “extras”, like bookmarks, teaching guides, or book club kits
- Read an excerpt or access an interview by the author
- Follow the author on social and/or attend an upcoming author/bookstore event
- Watch a video filmed by the author made especially for NetGalley members
These tactics continue to build anticipation for the book while readers wait for it to go on sale, and hopefully create a fan from your efforts to engage along the way.
Send Them to Booktrovert
One of the easiest ways to keep disappointed readers engaged is by pairing your NetGalley listing with a Booktrovert campaign.
When the book is approaching its pub date, run a Booktrovert Sweepstakes to give readers a chance to win a digital copy. Then email the NetGalley members who were declined to encourage them to enter for another chance to get their hands on the book! (When setting up your Booktrovert campaign in just 5 easy steps, you decide how many copies to offer, and fulfillment is all digital and automatic.)
This creates a positive experience instead of a dead end:
“Thanks for your interest in [Book Title]! While we were limited in how many NetGalley requests we could approve, we’d still love to give you another opportunity to read the book. Enter the sweepstakes on Booktrovert before [campaign end date] for your chance to win a free copy!”
It’s a great way to reward enthusiasm while keeping distribution selective.
Declined Today, Dedicated Fan Tomorrow
Many readers—and especially NetGalley members—care loudly! See also: BookTok crying. To help provide context when they aren’t able to get their hands on the hottest new book, we make sure to help members understand why requests aren’t always approved and remind them that a decline is never personal.
We encourage readers to keep supporting the books they’re excited about, whether that’s by pre-ordering, requesting the book from their library, or entering a Booktrovert Sweepstakes if available. When publishers communicate thoughtfully and readers understand the process, today’s disappointed requester can become tomorrow’s biggest advocate.
