NetGalley for Beginners: How Our Book Blog Team Started Requesting ARCs

The first time our team opened NetGalley, we spent twenty minutes clicking around in confusion, requested three books at random, and then panicked when a rejection email arrived the next morning. We honestly thought we had broken some unspoken rule and nearly closed the account for good. What saved us was a single blog post from another reviewer explaining the feedback ratio — and once that clicked, everything else fell into place. If you are a book blogger staring at that request button and wondering whether you are doing it wrong, this is the guide we wish we had read first.

What Is NetGalley and Why Should Book Bloggers Care?

NetGalley is a platform that connects publishers with the people who talk about books: reviewers, librarians, booksellers, educators, and bloggers. Publishers upload digital advanced reader copies — ARCs — and approved readers receive them before publication day, usually as a download for Kindle, Kobo, or the NetGalley Shelf app. For a book blog, this is the difference between reviewing a novel six months after everyone else and publishing your thoughts the week the hype begins.

Availability depends heavily on where you live. From our base in Helsinki, we have seen Finnish publishers such as Otava and WSOY list selected titles on NetGalley, though the catalogue is smaller than what UK and US publishers offer. The good news is that geographic location does not lock you out of the wider platform — you can still request plenty of British and American releases.

How NetGalley Works for Reviewers

You create a free account, choose a reader type, and browse the catalogue by genre, publisher, or publication date. When you find something that fits your blog, you click “Request” and write a short note explaining who you are and where the review will appear. The publisher then approves or declines. Approved titles sit in your account until you download them, and each one comes with a deadline, typically tied to the publication date.

The Difference Between NetGalley and Edelweiss

Edelweiss is the other major platform, run by Above the Treeline, and it leans more toward the book trade — buyers, booksellers, and librarians. Its interface is denser and less friendly for beginners. NetGalley is generally the better starting point for a review blog, especially if you write about crime fiction and historical fiction, where NetGalley’s catalogue is deep.

Setting Up Your NetGalley Profile as a Beginner

Your profile is your pitch. Publishers see it before they see your request note, so treat it like the “about” page of your blog. Add your blog URL, your social handles, and a clear description of what you review. If you write about crime fiction and historical fiction, say so directly — vague profiles get skipped.

Choosing the Right Reader Type

NetGalley asks you to select a role during sign-up. The main options include:

• Book Blogger — for those with an active review site, which is us
• Librarian — for library staff who order or recommend titles
• Bookseller — for retail staff
• Educator — for teachers and lecturers
• Reviewer — for journalists and freelance critics
• Reader — a general category with the lowest approval rates

Pick the one that genuinely matches your situation. Claiming to be a librarian when you are not will not help you, and publishers do check.

Writing a Bio That Gets You Approved

Keep it short and specific. Ours reads something like: “We run mrsbloggsbooks.com, an English-language book blog based in Helsinki covering crime fiction, historical fiction, and blog tours. Reviews are cross-posted to Goodreads and retailer sites.” That single sentence tells a publisher what they need to know: who we are, where the review goes, and what we read. Link everything — blog, Goodreads, Instagram, X — because every link is evidence that you actually publish.

How to Request ARCs and Improve Your Approval Odds

Find a title, check the “Request” button, and write your note. That is the mechanical part. The strategic part is knowing which books to ask for. New accounts with no history should start with smaller presses and debut authors, where competition is lower and publishers are more willing to take a chance. Requesting five frontlist titles from Penguin Random House on day one usually ends in silence.

Understanding the Feedback Ratio

Your feedback ratio is the percentage of approved titles you have actually reviewed. It is the single most important number on your profile. A ratio above 80% signals reliability. Below 50% signals that you hoard ARCs and never deliver, and publishers will start declining you automatically. If your ratio dips, stop requesting and catch up on your backlog before adding anything new.

Tips for Writing a Strong Request Note

Three sentences is plenty. Mention why this specific book interests you, where the review will be published, and when you expect to post it. Reference your blog by name and include the URL. If you have reviewed a similar title before, say so — “we recently reviewed [similar book] on mrsbloggsbooks.com” gives the publisher something concrete to check. Avoid copy-pasting the same note into every request; it shows.

Reading, Reviewing, and Cross-Posting Your ARCs

Once approved, download the file and read it like any other book. The difference is the deadline. Publishers expect a review around publication date, and late reviews are the fastest way to damage your ratio and your reputation.

Using the NetGalley Shelf App

The NetGalley Shelf app works on iOS and Android and lets you read directly on your phone or tablet. Alternatively, you can send titles to a Kindle via the “Send to Kindle” option, which is what most of our team prefers for longer novels. Downloaded files are watermarked and tied to your account — they are not yours to share, ever.

Where to Post Your Reviews

We always publish the full review on mrsbloggsbooks.com first, then cross-post a shorter version to Goodreads and retailer sites such as Amazon or Waterstones. Every review that mentions an ARC includes a disclosure line stating that we received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. That disclosure is not optional — it is both an ethical requirement and, in many markets, a legal one.

NetGalley Etiquette and Common Pitfalls for Newbies

Nobody hands you a rulebook, which is why so many new reviewers stumble. The unwritten rules are simple: do not request books you will not review, do not share ARC files with anyone, and do not take rejections personally. Publishers are managing limited digital copies and their own marketing schedules, not judging your worth as a reader.

What Not to Do on NetGalley

• Do not request ten books in one week with no intention of reviewing them all
• Do not upload ARC files to file-sharing sites or send them to friends
• Do not post spoilers in a review before the publication date
• Do not leave a one-star review simply because you were declined for a different title
• Do not forget the disclosure line

Handling Rejections Gracefully

Rejections are normal, and Finnish bloggers often face geo-restrictions that have nothing to do with the quality of their blog. Some publishers only hold rights for specific territories, so a title that is available to a reviewer in London may be closed to us in Helsinki. The fix is patience and volume: keep reviewing what you do receive, keep your ratio high, and the approvals will gradually increase.

Building Long-Term Relationships with Publishers

Consistency is what turns a NetGalley account into a working relationship. When a publicist sees the same blog delivering thoughtful, on-time reviews again and again, they remember the name. That is how auto-approvals happen, and it is how direct email contacts begin.

From NetGalley to Direct Publisher Contacts

We have built relationships with several independent publishers who now send us titles directly, bypassing the request queue entirely. The route there was unglamorous: review on time, review honestly, and reply politely when a publicist emails. After a year or two of that, you are no longer a stranger in their inbox.

How Blog Tours Complement NetGalley

Blog tours are the natural next step once you are comfortable with NetGalley. Tour organisers supply the book, the schedule, and often exclusive content, and they actively want bloggers to participate. Many of the publishers we first met through NetGalley now invite us onto tours, and the two channels feed each other nicely.

FAQ

Do I need a blog to join NetGalley?

No, but you will have far better approval odds with one. Publishers want to see where the review will appear, so a blog URL, a Goodreads profile, or an active Bookstagram account all help. Without any of those, expect a low approval rate.

Is NetGalley free for reviewers?

Yes. Creating an account and requesting ARCs costs nothing. You pay only with your time and with the commitment to review what you are approved for.

Can I use NetGalley from Finland?

Yes. You can register and request titles from anywhere, though some publishers restrict individual books by territory. Finnish publishers such as Otava and WSOY appear on the platform occasionally, and UK and US titles are widely accessible.

What feedback ratio should I aim for?

Aim for 80% or higher. Anything below 50% will noticeably reduce your approvals, and it takes sustained reviewing to bring the number back up.

How long do I have to review an ARC?

Most publishers expect a review around the publication date, and some give a specific deadline in the approval email. If you cannot meet it, contact the publisher rather than going silent.

Start small, request one or two titles that genuinely fit your blog, and review them on time. NetGalley is a community of readers, publishers, and reviewers rather than a free book service, and treating it that way is what opens doors. If you want more advice on running an English-language book blog from Finland, keep an eye on mrsbloggsbooks.com for our next tips post.