Episode Details

Have ARCs gone from a bookish perk to a part-time job?

Welcome to another episode of Off The Shelf, our monthly segment where we dive into bookish trends, deep dives, hot takes, and all things fantasy!

In this Off the Shelf episode, host Britt is joined by Mythic Mic team member Amara and special guest Megan to unpack the increasingly competitive world of advanced reader copies, publisher influencer programs, NetGalley, street teams, and the book reviewer hustle.

From figuring out how to actually get physical ARCs to managing NetGalley ratios, follower counts, engagement, publisher emails, and the very real pressure to say yes to everything, the conversation explores what it takes to be an ARC reader today. The group also gets into the complicated side of street teams, including when supporting an author starts to feel like unpaid labor, what authors and readers owe each other, how to handle an ARC you didn’t enjoy, and why chasing every opportunity can quickly kill the thing that started it all: your love of reading.

We’re asking:

• Do you really need thousands of followers to get ARCs?
• Are street teams a fun way to support authors or unpaid labor for readers?
• What should you do when you receive an ARC and hate the book?
• How do you chase bookish opportunities without burning yourself out?

If you’ve ever wondered how people get those coveted physical ARCs, destroyed your NetGalley ratio by requesting everything in sight, joined one too many street teams, or simply wondered whether the ARC hustle is still worth it, this episode is for you.

CONNECT WITH THE MYTHIC MIC TEAM

🎙️ The Mythic Mic Podcast – @MythicMic
👤 Bethany Amanda – @BethanyinFantasyland
👤 Sara Santillan – @the_magical_quill
👤 Britt – @BrittBooksit
👤 Amara – @Bored_Military_Wife

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