Completely Edited copies or Gallies That Need Some Light Work?

[C.B. Haight]

I have been working with a smaller publisher, and there have been a few setbacks in editing time. They are great and it really hasn't been there fault just bad luck, which would be no big deal if I didn't need to send out copies to bloggers in advance of the release date for a proper blog tour the week of release.The timing of the release is set perfectly so we don't want to push that back. My question is, when making contact with bloggers is a Galley copy (or Proof copy), that requires some light edits still acceptable, and do bloggers understand this when they get them? Or would it be better to do my blog tour later after release? Online marketing sites suggest sending out Galley copies in advance. I need some opinions here. HELP! 

[Darryl Erentzen]

Experienced reviewers understand that Gallies or ARCs are not completely ready for publication, and know that they need to ask permission to quote from them. Even bookstore employees know the score on this.

They're still VERY useful for getting reviews lined up to coincide with your release date, and free copies sent to booksellers can translate to hand-sales from enthusiastic converts.

Don't sweat it. Send them out to whoever should get them. Yesterday.

[C.B. Haight]

Thank you so much for the help it eases my mind.

[Pearson Oldmitz]

The plural of galley is galleys. You should have looked in a dictionary: yesterday.

[Darryl Erentzen]

LOL I never even heard of Galleys until recently. I always knew them as ARCs, as that's how they were referred to in a bookstore where I worked. I just took the misspelling - which I've seen in a lot of places - to be an insider's terminology.

Thank you for the correction.

[Grace]

Generally there's not a problem sending an ARC that still needs some edits.  I've worked with those before; usually there's a clear notice somewhere on the cover that it's an uncorrected proof and to ask before quoting to make sure that the quotation matches the final version.  It's not a big deal, and usually people who have been blogging for a while expect it.

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Books Without Any Pictures

[C.B. Haight]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate the insight.

[Lisa LaVergne-Pottgen]

Yes.  It is still okay to request reviews even if not fully edited.  I always ask if it has been edited first, because if it is unedited, I ignore editing errors in my review.  However, if it has been published and the copy I have is the retail copy, then those things do factor in.

[C. M. Albrecht]

Unfortunately, in my experience, most of these blogger/reviewers are very picky about what they will read and in what format.

Many want either a print copy, or a Kindle copy, etc. I don't know about other authors, but aside from the few print copies I own, I only have a final pdf copy sent from the publisher for one last check before going to press. I realize these books have to be formatted in a number of different ways, Mobi, Smashwords, B&N, Kindle, etc. I'm not that computer literate to know about all that and in the end, most of the reviewers I've checked on don't seem to include mysteries (What's the matter with them anyway? No mysteries? That's rude.) and if and when I do find a site that appears to be suitable for a submission, I learn that the reviewer is several months behind on reviews and/or doesn't accept any more submissions until further notice.

I did find a reviewer to review one of my books before publication, but they are few and far between. I hate to be depressing, but I'm depressed.

[Pearson Oldmitz]

Dear CB,

You really do need help: the plural of galley is spelled galleys. And the word is their, not there, as in "it really hasn't been there fault." Even the spell check on this site caught this mistake. If this is typical of your work no wonder the editing is taking so long.

Good luck  

[C.B. Haight]

No it was just very late and I was holding a sick 2 year old. Actually, it has taken long because the editor quit half way through, and left nothing to follow. Really, she hadn't done much at all. Then there was the problem of getting another editor to free up some time to work on it. I will have to avoid midnight posts in the future, as it seems my brain is mush by that point.

[Stormi Johnson]

As long as you are letting the bloggers know that it is an unfinished galley copy that are perfectly fine with them. I had those types out to reviewers all the time when I am working with authors and I have never had a problem with reviewers. :)

Stormi

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[Helena Gouveia]

I'm a blogger and I prefer Proof Copies, but I think in a view of a company the best is gallies. I don't really like blog tours, because in my view it is a mess. So many people getting it and we never know how long it will need for someone to finish and some people just don't send in the right day and such. So i support gallies.