Anyone here in Publishing?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 5:07pm

Is it possible for ordinary Joe Schmoes like myself to get advanced copies of books?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 5:09pm

It's "advance" not "advanced."

And, no, only liberals get them.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 5:13pm

u mean Harry Potter?

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 5:18pm

You can write the publisher - of course you may have to tell a little white lie like "I am planning on doing a review", but you could get them. Also try asking at your local bookstore. I was in author promotions for Barnes and Noble and A Different Light and they were sent to us all the time. So many in fact that we either donated them, or gave them away. Also be aware that advance copies are sometimes galley's and have mistakes and edits in them.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 5:24pm

You can also buy a lot of advanced stuff on ebay.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 5:25pm

"Advance," people. Not "advanced."

Sheesh.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 5:27pm

"u mean Harry Potter?"

No. I can wait for that.

It's more of a $$ thing. I see all these interesting books in the store but can't pop $30 for them. And the New York Public Library isn't in any hurry to buy them. Sometimes I can pick them up discounted at the Strand, but once again run into the $$ problem.

[fflagg]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 9:14pm

1. try the Strand in NYC
2. EBay
3. Amazon cut out bins
4. I am in publishing and you are not going to get comps for books. If you claim to be reviewer many houses want a fax on your magazine's letterhead as proof or some clips of your work.

Them's the breaks.

Or get a library card and support your public library!

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 9:27pm

Make friends with someone who works at a bookstore. I was a bookstore employee for many years and received numerous advance copies.

[rgaywrites]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 10:45pm

You can check out used bookstores, attend Book Expo (which just passed) or know someone who works for a publisher or reviews books for a publication. Joe Schmo is pretty much SOL.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 10:52pm

I work in the printing industry. My company prints all the Harry Potter books. Everything is under lock and key...good luck trying to get an advanced copy.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 12:53am

I got an advanced copy of The God Delusion. I am now God.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 9:23am

OR... You are now delusional.

Updated On: 6/16/07 at 09:23 AM

[Elphaba]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 10:43am

no, not for ordinary schmoes like you. I am in publishing, have been for 17 years....and review copies are no where near as easy to get as they once were.
Ours can only be had by known reviewers, or professors, etc.

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 11:28am

I'm in publishing and I have family in publishing also, but I don't think advance (not advanced!) copies are all that great, truth be told. The covers are a plain color, there are still editing errors, and the typesetting hasn't yet been corrected - there are bizarre paragraph and page breaks.

That said, you pretty much have to know someone on the inside. Even then, you aren't going to get the most popular releases - the bigger the release, the more closely it is guarded.