Anyone else on Authonomy?

[Jj, Co-Moderator]

It's a website that allows authors to share their work with other authors and readers. Books can be backed and placed on watchlists to help increase awareness and possibly get considered by Harper Collins for publication.
www.authonomy.com
Let me know if anyone uses the site. We can back each other's work.

[Sharon]

how does this work?

[Jj, Co-Moderator]

Here's the rundown.

Get Read. Get Noticed. Get Published.
authonomyTM is a brand new community site for writers, readers and publishers, conceived and developed by book editors at HarperCollins. We want to flush out the brightest, freshest new literature around - we’re glad you stopped by.

If you’re a writer, authonomy is the place to show your face – and show off your work on the web. Whether you’re unpublished, self-published or just getting started, all you need is a few chapters to start building your profile online, and start connecting with the authonomy community.

And if you’re a reader, blogger publisher or agent, authonomy is for you too. The book world is kept alive by those who search out, digest and spread the word about the best new books – authonomy invites you to join our community, champion the best new writing and build a personal profile that really reflects your tastes, opinions and talent-spotting skills.

The publishing world is changing. One thing’s for sure: whether you’re a reader, writer, agent or publisher, this is an exciting time for books. In our corner of HarperCollins we’ve been given a chance to do something a little different.

We’d really love your help.

Want to know more?
Head over to our FAQs for the full low-down on the first phase of the authonomy site – or trip along to the authonomy blog for the latest updates from the horse’s mouth.

[Madison, Co-Moderator]

Sounds fantastic! Thanks Jj.

[Jj, Co-Moderator]

If you decide to sign up, look me up and do a friend request.

[Daniel]

I'm on authonomy. I put one of my books up there entirely free and put sample chapters up of my other book. I find it draws some attention to my books. Must most interactions are of the quid pro quo kind. If you have the patience for reading books on your computer screen it's a good way to get some reviews for your book.

[J.C.]

I am on Authonomy, placed the first seven chapters of my new release on there.

I've received some great feedback, but not much attention. It appears you need to constantly spam your entry to get enough people to notice you and add you to their shelf. I don't have the time to devote to it.

I've actually been thinking of yanking my book off of there.

Here it is if you'd like to check it out.
http://authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bo...

[Holly]

I'm on authonomy, but find that goodreads is a better tool for connecting with readers. I agree with JC: it's very time consuming and you'd need to constantly spam other writers to actually get on the Editor's Desk. I can't even tell you how many messages that I'd get (I backed your book. Will you back mine?) and by the time I got the message, the user had already removed my book from their shelf.
I think Authonomy is great if you are working on new fiction, but if you've published the work, it's a bit of wasted time.

[Madison, Co-Moderator]

Ummmm. I signed up for it but it is not as user friendly as Goodreads. Very time consuming. I'll try to get more into it just to see, but this is still my #1 Author Hangout, definitely.

[Sharon]

I'm glad to have seen this discussion. I was planning to go on Authonomy but think I'll skip it for now. I'm already on NothingBinding, Author's Den, Editor Unleashed and GoodReads ... I hope that's enough, LOL!

[Bernadette]

Sharon wrote: "I'm glad to have seen this discussion. I was planning to go on Authonomy but think I'll skip it for now. I'm already on NothingBinding, Author's Den, Editor Unleashed and GoodReads ... I hope tha..."

I just deleted my Author's Den account. I didn't find that site helpful at all.

[Jaimey, Co-Moderator]

I have an Author's Den account but after I put in all my info, I stopped doing anything with it. I'm not on Authonomy. I was thinking about it but I'm not sure I can take on yet another account that requires constant change to be effective. I joined redroom some time ago and was annoyed when I realized I couldn't have a lovely author page with blog and whatnot because I'm self-published and self-published authors just don't count. :o)

[Holly]

Author's Den seems limited and I wonder if anyone has found success with it... I do like that you can include articles and other media.
I like Redroom but don't like that I can't use my blog's RSS. Goodreads is by far the most author friendly, reader friendly, user friendly site so far. Plus, it's free and they don't shun the self-published! Love it!

[Susan]

I've actually considered deleting my Red Room page, especially after they rejected my author's application on shady grounds. I'm not doing enough community service? Excuse me? Seen Win a Book? If that's not designed to help the writer's community, what is??

I blasted them in a survey yesterday for their double-standard, too. They are the ONLY site out there that takes the standard of the RWA/SinC/other writer's groups that says that self-published doesn't give you author status. Wake up. Smell the coffee, boys and girls. Publishing's changing. Even well-respected agents are saying that self-pubbing is the way to go, to build up your sales record.

Gah.

Sorry for the rant. Red Room's a very sore point with me, given that they were written up in Publisher's Weekly and their very friendly attitudes toward self-publishers was a highlight.

One thing I've learned: to many readers -- readers, not book bloggers, not writers, just people who pick up books because they like to read -- a publisher is merely someone who puts a book into their hands. The name of the that publisher doesn't matter.

[Holly]

Couldn't agree more, Susan. Yesterday, I completed my Redroom survey in a like manner. Hope that they get the message.

[Susan]

*sigh*

I'm doubtful they will...

[Jaimey, Co-Moderator]

Susan wrote: "Red Room's a very sore point with me, given that they were written up in Publisher's Weekly and their very friendly attitudes toward self-publishers was a highlight."

So basically, they should be praised because they don't bar us from the site altogether. Typical.

[Bernadette]

Susan wrote: "One thing I've learned: to many readers -- readers, not book bloggers, not writers, just people who pick up books because they like to read -- a publisher is merely someone who puts a book into their hands. The name of the that publisher doesn't matter. ."

Well said!

[K.G.]

Red Room is useless in my opinion. Sour grapes? You bet! Six novels and 100's of poetry pieces including an epic of over a hundred pages that has been read in 30 countries and "they" don't think I'm an author! They are a joke. Goodreads is a great community with wonderful people.

[Susan]

I went and dug up the article. It's from March 2, 2009 and says: "The RedRoom site is divided into a soft hierarchy of different kinds of authors—published, unpublished and self-published—and focuses on their specific needs, Madison said."

Kg, you may have sour grapes. I'm yowling about getting people to sign up under false pretenses. MY specific needs are simple: to be easily found in any author's forum. As an author. They clearly have no interest in providing that.

[K.G.]

You are 100% right Susan. However, when you hit a best seller list, you will be their new best friend... Coo'd and Woo'd to toot their site. The main reason I signed up there, and every where was the advice of an internet marketing guru. He told me personally that I should be registered at every site I can find. If for no other reason than to insure that someone else doesn't sign up under my name. Best advice I ever got for free, too.
Again, you have every right to howl.

[Susan]

Yeah, but just because someone hands you the keys to the kingdom doesn't mean you need to take them and do they key-giver's bidding.

I do agree about registering at all the sites, if only to help brand your name. I've actually seen West of Mars in spots. Wish I could trademark it, but I can't.

(btw, checked out Book Army? It's another book social networking site like this one, based in England. They give away free books. A lot.)