Authonomy

My latest web obsession... authonomy.com! This is a really neat website created by HarperCollins, the international publishing company to revolutionize the seeking of fresh talent. Basically, you upload at least 10,000 words of your manuscript and then other users vote on your book to help you rise up the ranks. Each month, the top five books get picked for a review by the editorial board at HC, and potentially publication. I've discovered that like many things, it's not just about being good, but also about networking. A lot of people will vote for your book in hopes that you'll return the favor.

Anyways, since I joined on Memorial Day, Eternal Memory has moved up past about 6,000 books in rank, and I'm currently sitting in the 700s. On the weekly chart for most popular books that week, Eternal Memory was sitting at number 2 earlier!! Very exciting. Since I don't have as much time to network as some of the other people, I'm not sure that I'll keep my rank, but it's fun nonetheless. More importantly, I've gotten some good, honest feedback which I can use to improve my pitch and first few chapters. So, I'm having a blast getting feedback and a little exposure. Way to go HC for the cool and very modern idea!