The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

HarperCollins author site goes live

03.09.08 Graeme Neill

HarperCollins has officially launched its Authonomy social networking site for aspiring writers. In beta testing since the spring, the site invites users to submit their manuscripts online. Each member is given a virtual bookshelf with five spaces to be filled by their favourite book projects from the site. The submissions are ranked by fellow users with the most highly ranked being considered for publication by publishers at HarperCollins.

Since the website was launched into private beta testing in October 20007, it has garnered more than 1,200 members. Victoria Barnsley, HarperCollins' chief executive and publisher, said: "I'm really impressed at both the quality of the writing on the site and at how supportive and constructive the group is. At HarperCollins, we are always looking for new talent and this is another way for us to find it. All our digital initiatives are aimed at one goal – expanding our talent pool and getting more great content out there for the reading public."

New research carried out among Authonomy members found that 44% of those surveyed took up writing because they would like to become successful and get published. However, a mere 2% said they were in it for the money. Authonomy's comparitively anonymous method of rabking titles was a favourite among users. Ninety seven per cent of those surveyed said criticism of their work from people they don't know personally was preferable than from friends.

The Financial Times reports that, while HarperCollins is not promising book deals, it has committed to read the 10 top-rated submissions to Authonomy every month and hopes other publishers will also join the site. By enabling readers and other would-be authors to read unsolicited manuscripts, rather than just a few “overstretched” editors, the publisher hopes to make the search for new talent more manageable, it reckons.

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