I decided to take a direct and straightforward approach to reviewing the 2024 ToolKit, as I've spent a lot of time being very frustrated with Netgalley and publishers since I started back in 2021 and over the last year I've met and talked to so many people who have experienced the same feelings, have dropped out because of those feelings, are afraid to sign up because of those feelings, are lost as to what to do once they come on here, authors who are afraid to sign up here, and people who just don't understand the purpose of Netgalley in general or think it is contributing to the issue of stolen books.

So as I read through the 2024 Advocate ToolKit I simply wrote up notes as they came to mind. Yes, this is probably going to come across as brisk and maybe brash, but I think some things need to be said.

1. While I love the new "About You" section, it's very bare bones and doesn't match what publishers have told me about the section in the past. I have a thought that maybe Netgalley should reach out to different publicists that work with Netgalley and ask for some of the things those publicists look for on profiles that we readers may not think to put on there. For example: Goodreads stats. One publisher told me I should put down how many titles I've read, how many I've reviewed, and my average star rating. I also think Netgalley should publish a tutorial on how which social media stats to look for on each app/website and where to find them, because just like Netgalley has different user types so does sites like Instagram.

2. While telling us readers what publishers are looking for via the Book Advocate Toolkit is great, there is information out there telling us different that Netgalley may not be aware of. Someone claiming to work as a publicist came into the Netgalley Reviewers group on Facebook within the last three months or so with screenshots that show they don't actually see our "About You" section at all when they are looking for early readers. I have one or more of those screenshots saved, but they only show pure numbers and basic stats like birth date and reader ratio. This is just to let it be known there is disinformation and crosstalk out there about what is or is not available for publicists to see when they are searching for readers.

3. Note: The Weekly Checklist also lets you know if books you have submitted a Wish for have become available for review. This is not stated in the Toolkit.

4. If you're going to assert that potential readers can search by ISBN, it would benefit everyone to state how many digits the ISBN number should be since there are two different ISBN systems.

5. Your FAQ is misleading and will give new members false hope. You're presenting a best case scenario when it's most likely publicists are working off of some algorithm that tells them which sort of readers to pick. I have a 60% reader ratio and rarely get turned down (let's face it, Berkley turns down just about everyone). I've seen members with 90% reader ratio get turned down for titles I get approved for. Some publishers don't have approval preferences on their profiles at all. Some publishers don't even have their own pages because they're a smaller imprint under a larger imprint. Some publishers don't even tell you why they rejected you.

6. There needs to be a section on the times when you don't initially get access to a book but then it becomes "Read Now" and then you can access the title. I forget what circumstances lead to that miracle, but it needs to be talked about. The issue of being declined for a title in any way and then not being able to access it as a "Read Now" title also needs to be rectified. It shouldn't be a double standard that one group of people who didn't have access to a title can then suddenly access it when it shifts accessibility.

7. There should be a section in the Toolkit that explicitly states how simply reiterating the summary of the book from other websites or the back of the book is not a review.

8. It's nice to see information on when to post your reviews in the ToolKit.

9. It would be nice to see a section in the ToolKit about how prioritizing your mental and physical health is okay and a valid reason to DNF titles. I've seen so many fellow reviewers who are afraid to DNF when they are ill or experiencing mental tribulations because they're afraid of how it'll be perceived, and no one should fear prioritizing their wellbeing over book reviewing.

Newcomers and long-time NetGalley-ers alike will find this guide helpful with how-tos, tips, and reminders for making the NetGalley experience optimal and engaging.

I've been a member of NetGalley for many years and have seen really helpful changes and new organizational options on the site come about. I'm always open for tips on ways to do it better and have more helpful tools at my disposal. The NetGalley's Book Advocate Toolkit was a review for me with not so much new info as reminders of what is available. I can see it being a good resource for those who are new or haven't had much chance to explore their options.

I liked the detailed graphics that pointed out what the description was saying and the bite-sized bits of information that made it an easy guide to read. Quick read in 30 pages.

All around good help and a gift to those utilizing the site.

Thank you so much for providing such a fantastic toolkit for us reviewers! Although I've been using Netgalley for about 10 years now, I still find these toolkit so helpful and informative!

This was really helpful! I've been a reviewer for a few years, but it's always a good idea to update skills and knowledge. Thank you!

This is a fantastic guide on NetGalley! I'm sad I'm finding it so far into my journey but still found useful advice here! I can't wait to implement some of the tips shared, particularly regarding my profile. Thanks, NetGalley!

For anyone new to NetGalley and book reviews in general, this is a wonderful resource to have. Absolutely take a read through this and get started on your NetGalley book review journey. Even as an experienced reviewer, there were a few tips in here that I found useful.

I appreciate these helpful tools. I was particularly interested in seeing an example of a review of a DNF book. Even though I have been reviewing on NetGalley for several years, there is always something to learn. Thank you for producing this guide.

I love this! My only wish is that I could have had it when I first joined Netgalley, great to have all of the info in one place. Thank you, Netgalley.

This was very helpful and informative! I used the tips here to strengthen my profile. I also learned of some great features on the website to help organize books that need to be reviewed, which will be much simpler than my current list in my notes app. Thank you NetGalley!

This is a must read for new & old netgalley users! It has helped me revise my bio and learn some tips and tricks.

A helpful guide for those starting to use this amazing platform. Small explanation and tips that will help you to get more ARCs to read and grow your account

This was so helpful! Definitely holding this close to reference again in the future!
I hadn't realised until reading this that I could withdraw a request or see if my review had been featured on the Book Details page.

Wonderful!! This kit has everything you need while reading great books.
It has great planning pages, fantastic stickers. It's a reader's fantasy coming true

This was a great resource for new and current reviewers on how to use Net Galley to the best function.
I appreciated all of the hints and tricks.

I enjoyed reading NetGalley's Book Advocate Toolkit. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

This is a useful publication from Net Galley. Lots of useful information for newbies to experienced Net Galley members alike. It contains examples of reviews and explanations of various areas of Net Galley. I wish it had been available when I first joined!

Loved having an updated Toolkit, thanks NetGalley! Gave me the inspiration to update my profile with current followers and important key words. Even though I’ve been a NetGalley member for a while I took the advice of book review suggestions and am now following the tips and it feels better and more concise. I found it useful to read about feedback ratio and what to do. I found the tips and guidelines useful and user friendly!

This was so helpful! Really insightful on helping me increase my approval rates! Thank you so much for the guide!

Thanks for all the tips! I have been reviewing for quite sometime but it’s nice to review NetGalley expectations

This is a great guide for NetGalley users, it doesn't matter if you’re new to the site or have been using it a while, there are lots of handy tips. I am currently updating my profile after reading this! I wish I’d had this when starting out a few months ago so that I could have my profile better reflect my personality from the start!

There are so many helpful tips to improve your NetGalley experience, as well as links to more comprehensive articles and more in depth explanations on how to use the app and website! One of my favourite things was the chat about when to DNF a book/when to use the "will not give feedback" feature!

I definitely recommend to everyone on NetGalley but especially anyone who wants to continue improving being a stronger book advocate.