in Publishing
Proof copies for reviewers
Proof copies are sent before publication so that reviewers, booksellers and others can read in time. How and when they are sent matters as much as the book.
Before a book is published, early copies are produced and sent out to people whose opinion or support might help it. These are usually called proofs, or advance reader copies. They exist because the people who review, recommend and stock books need time to read them first.
A proof sent late, to the wrong person or without the right information does little. A proof sent well can be the start of everything that follows.
What a proof is
A proof is a pre-publication version of the book, usually printed in a simple format, sometimes with a plain cover or an early version of the final one. It is often uncorrected, which means the text may still contain errors that will be fixed before publication. For this reason, proofs are usually marked clearly as uncorrected and not for resale.
Proofs can also be supplied digitally, as a file sent directly or through a service designed for distributing advance copies to reviewers and booksellers. Digital proofs are cheaper and faster to send. Printed proofs are more noticeable and some recipients prefer them.
Who they are for
The usual recipients are literary editors and reviewers at newspapers, magazines and broadcasters; booksellers, especially those who may champion a book in their shop; other authors who might provide an endorsement; event and festival programmers; and, increasingly, readers with an audience of their own who review books online.
Each group has different needs. A literary editor receives many proofs and chooses a small number to review. A bookseller wants to know whether customers will want the book. An author asked for an endorsement is being asked for a favour and should be approached with that in mind.
Sending proofs to everyone indiscriminately is expensive and rarely effective. A shorter list of well-chosen recipients, each approached with a reason why this book might interest them, usually does better.
Timing
Proofs need to arrive with enough time before publication for the recipient to read the book and act on it. Reviewers at print publications often work months ahead. Booksellers deciding what to order need proofs before they make buying decisions. An endorsement needs to arrive before the cover or publicity material that will carry it is finalised.
As a result, proofs are commonly sent several months before publication. Sending them a few weeks before is often too late for the people who plan furthest ahead.
What to send with them
A proof should be accompanied by a short information sheet. It should include the title, author, format, ISBN, publication date, price and publisher contact details, together with a short description of the book and a brief author bio. If the book is part of a series or has a particular hook, say so plainly.
Include a personal note when you can. A short letter explaining why this recipient in particular might be interested carries more weight than a generic press release.
Make it easy to follow up. A clear contact name, an email address and a note of whether the author is available for interviews or events help a recipient who wants to take the book further.
Follow up once, politely, after a reasonable interval. Do not chase repeatedly. Recipients who are interested will usually respond, and those who are not rarely change their mind because of reminders.
Keep a record of who received a proof and when, and note any responses. That record becomes useful when planning publicity for the next book.
Proofs are an investment in attention. Sent early and to the right people, they give a book its best chance of being read by those who can help it find readers.