The ARC reader agreement template (and the wording to avoid)

An ARC agreement is the short set of rules a reader sees before they join your team. It does two jobs: it tells readers what you hope for, so nobody is surprised later, and it says plainly that the file is for them alone.

The tricky part is the wording. Plenty of ARC agreements floating around say things like "in exchange for an honest review" - and that phrase is the one most likely to get a review taken down. The template below avoids it.

The rules your agreement has to respect

• You can't require a review. Amazon allows reviews of free advance copies from authors, but authors can't require a review in exchange for the book or try to influence the reader's opinion.Amazon
• You can't tie anything to the rating. In the US, the FTC prohibits incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment.FTC rule No "4 stars or above", no bonus copies for good reviews.
• Readers should say they got a free copy. The FTC's guidance is that someone who received a product free should generally disclose it in their review.FTC FAQ

What you can do: ask for honest reviews, say when they'd help most, and decide who gets future ARCs based on whether readers post reviews at all - as long as the rating plays no part. This isn't legal advice; if you're unsure about your situation, ask someone qualified where you live.

The template

Copy it into your sign-up page and into the email that delivers each copy. Replace the bracketed parts.

Why each clause is there

1. "Your copy is just for you"

This sets the expectation without a wall of legal language. "Each copy is individually marked" is worth keeping only if it's true - for example if you send fingerprinted files. If you don't, delete that sentence.

2. "Reviews are welcome, never required"

This is the clause that keeps you inside Amazon's rules. It also tends to help: readers who feel pressured put off starting the book.

3. "When a review helps most"

Telling readers when isn't the same as requiring a review, and it's the most useful thing you can say. Most ARC teams aim for the launch window, when reviews do the most for a book's page. Our ARC launch timeline covers when to send copies so readers have time to finish.

4. "Please mention the free copy"

Giving readers the exact sentence removes the guesswork, and steering them away from "in exchange for" protects the review.

5. "Team spots"

This is the line that lets you remove non-reviewing readers later without it feeling personal - they agreed to it up front. It's about whether a reader posts, not what they post. For the follow-up emails, see how to remove ARC readers who don't review.

6. "If the book isn't for you"

A reader who stops at chapter three and tells you why is more useful than one who goes quiet. Giving them permission to stop keeps them on good terms with you.

Phrases to take out of your current agreement

Putting it to work

An agreement only helps if readers see it at the right moments: when they apply, and when the copy arrives. In ArcRoster you can put it on your public sign-up page, and every reader gets their own fingerprinted copy - so clause 1's "individually marked" is true. The campaign dashboard then shows who has downloaded and who has posted, which is what clause 5 needs.