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AuthorsDen

maggie2

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I found this site http://www.authorsden.com and wondered if anyone here has used it and if so whether or not it was worthwhile. I'd appreciate any information you might be able to share. Thanks.
 

stormie

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Well, I clicked on that link and found: It's free, someone mentions AW Watercooler forums (someone got published w/pay from a lead here), but it also advertises for Poetry.com. Seems anyone can post their work, which is nice if that's all they want--recognition. Don't know if there's a critique forum. Some of the posted writings I briefly read aren't well-written.

**Just went back to the AuthorsDen site. The critiques (if you can call them that) are at the bottom of the story or essay or poem or whatever. "I lo-o-ve it!" etc. Reminds me of another site, Poets.com. Same type of "critiques." I wouldn't bother with AuthorsDen.

My two cents!
 
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Sheryl Nantus

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depends on what you're looking for - if you're looking for a place to post your work free, push your self-pub books or those put out by PA and read the work of others, it's not a bad place.

but don't pay for it - they don't really give you anything more than a free webpage in the long run.

jmo.
 

Susie

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Hi, Maggie, I was on authorsden for a year or two until they changed over to paying. I can't afford to lay out extras for that, so I left. It's a good site if you don't mind paying every month.
 

tlblack

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It's free as long as you only want the basic listings. They have different membership listings for $$ as well as the free listings. I got the link from my former "scammer" agent after she sent my book to PA... It wouldn't surprise me to know that most of the book listings on the site are PA "printed." I guess I still have a listing there with my now former PA book. I tried to get them to take it off and close my account, but the last time I was there it was still active. That was a few months ago.

There is, however, a pretty good viewing audience on that site, but if you want your own "den" listed for all to see, you have to put out money for the better memberships. I believe, and feel free to correct me if I am wrong, that you have to have at least three things posted... books, poems, short stories, etc... before you get listed in the alphabetical listings. It may have changed since the last time I was there.
 

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Your thoughts on AuthorsDen.com as a publicity tool?

Hi!

I'm back to pick your brains on yet another publicity question.

Is authorsden.com good for publicity and a place that is taken seriously by the publishing world, or is it viewed as a sort of amateur/minor league site, and therefore not a particularly great place to be associated with if you want to be "taken seriously" as a new author?

Sorry if that comes across as sounding judgmental or anything, I'm just looking for really honest, uncensored opinions about this particular website.

Thanks!

- hopeful
 

hopeful

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Thanks, ResearchGuy!! I appreciate the frank response!

-hopeful
 

AllieB

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I agree. Most of the authors there seem to be self-published, from what I've seen. Nothing wrong with that, but I don't think the "serious" publishing world gives it any credence.
 

Sheryl Nantus

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aside from that, the website itself is quite "clunky" - you can't figure out where to go or what to do upon first glance.

it might have been useful at one point, but now I perceive it as nothing more than a self-pub hangout where they try to sell to each other more than to the public.

jmo, of course.
 

jchines

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I put up a profile there at one point, but I haven't seen any effect at all from it. (It's possible someone discovered my books through AuthorsDen and ran out to buy them, but I haven't seen a single web site referral or heard anyone mention finding me there.)
 

jamiehall

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Hi!

I'm back to pick your brains on yet another publicity question.

Is authorsden.com good for publicity and a place that is taken seriously by the publishing world, or is it viewed as a sort of amateur/minor league site, and therefore not a particularly great place to be associated with if you want to be "taken seriously" as a new author?

Sorry if that comes across as sounding judgmental or anything, I'm just looking for really honest, uncensored opinions about this particular website.

Thanks!

- hopeful

Authorsden.com is not a credit, and it is not anything to be mentioned as a credit in a query or anywhere else. It will not impress an agent or publisher.

Authorsden.com IS however, a fishing ground where scammers look for new victims. Be prepared to get targeted by phony agents, publishers, editing services and so on.

If you just want a website, having a website is good for authors. Authorsden.com is about equal to any other free site out there (except for attracting more scammers).

If you want to socialize, Authorsden.com MIGHT be fun for you because you can rub shoulders with others who are interesting in writing, but you'll also find a lot of bad advice there, because Authorsden.com attracts the inexperienced. But for just plain socializing, it might be fine.
 

flashgordon

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I'd agree, I wouldn't use Authorsden as a publicity tool. Anyone can put anything on it. However, it does give you links, and getting backlinks is always good in the larger picture. I put up a profile and links and that is all; never heard anything else from the site or any responses.
 

AuthorsDen

Upgrades and Successes

If you are looking for lots of people to learn about your book and read your related articles, stories, blogs, news, events and interact with your readers, then authorsden is for you.

The site offers 5 membership all geared toward getting authors in front of readers online. Memberships vary greatly everywhere from free to a small limited webpage, to Gold where author pages receive well over 100,000 visitors throughout a year and can easily buy your book via Amazon.com or autographed copies direct from you.

Here is what authors say about AuthorsDen.com
http://www.authorsden.com/support.asp?cat=4
 

AuthorsDen

If you are looking for lots of people to learn about your book and read your related articles, stories, blogs, news, events and interact with your readers, then authorsden is for you.

The site reaches over 1 million readers each month (over 12 million yearly) and offers 5 membership all geared toward getting authors (you) in front of their correct readers online. Memberships vary (greatly) everywhere from free to a small limited webpage, to Gold where books receive well over 100,000 visitors throughout a year and readers can easily buy their book via Amazon.com or autographed copies.

Here is what authors say about AuthorsDen.com
http://www.authorsden.com/support.asp?cat=4

AuthorsDen works directly with well-known authors and their publishers as well as aspiring writers. Again with the focus of online marketing and helping authors reach as many of their readers online as possible.

What AuthorsDen does provide: Every effective online marketing for authors.

What AuthorsDen does not currently provide: Publishing and pre-publising services like getting an agent, publisher, editing most anything related to author activities needed before the book is published, with the huge exception of early marketing for soon to released books, which starts on AuthorsDen about 6 months before a members title is released.

In short,
AuthorsDen focuses specifically on marketing authors and does this extremely well.

Hope this was helpful.
 

Mac H.

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If you are looking for lots of people to learn about your book and read your related articles ...
Wow. I'd seen it around, but I'd never really checked out the site before.

How embarrassing.

What's on the front page when I visited?

1. The top item of the lists of FEATURED STORIES was :

opening of my forthcoming book

...
APeggy, honey, could you help me with this tie?. Josh asked, standing before the mirror and fiddling with the knot. ...AI=ve had a lot of practice helping you with these knots over the years, haven=t I?.
That's exactly how it appears on the screen. It may have been a great story, but it was unreadable.

2. I checked out the topmost news item.

It was a message that one of the writers on the site had been offered the special opportunity of joining 'the International Society of Poets' !!!!

It really seems sad. How can they hope to aim the site at readers when they have zero quality control?

Mac
 
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ResearchGuy

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. . . The site reaches over 1 million readers each month (over 12 million yearly). . .
How do you define "reaches" in this context? How do you define "readers" in this context?

What evidence can you provide to support the assertions?

Just wondering . . . I am an avid, wide-ranging reader and buy many, many books, am a member/officer of three writing-related organizations, and have never heard of "authorsden" other than on this thread.

--Ken
 

NealeSourna

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I went from free site to gold and back down to free, with my income fluctuations. It's like any site or any major publishing firm for that matter, there is good stuff and bad. People edit and design their own sites so you get what you get. One thing that is exceptional about them is that Google and other search engines hit it a great deal, so if those kind of contact numbers help you market yourself, then it's cool. And free. I had no problem with upgrading and then downgrading.
 

flashgordon

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I use AuthorsDen right now simply for free promo and links. You can get a free profile, upload some work (there is a limit I think) and put your books and links up all for free. I don't bother with the more "exclusive" pay profiles since I don't see any value in the site as a shopping resource or for much else. There are a lot of other sites out there like this, basically I just use them for the free links and free promo. I don't expect any sales to come through them or traffic, but they do help with your overall search engine ranking plan.
 

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I'd skip it. Get a free Web page account at Google using their Google Pages service. You don't want to be one of a mass of authors; you want to stand out.
 

Mac H.

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The great thing about the Google Pages free website, is that there are ZERO adds on it.

Seriously. None.

100% free and no popup, no google ads. Only your content.

You can even register your own domain and redirect it to Google Pages for your free hosting.

Mac
 

Beast

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Authorsden

Interesting discussion. I am a gold Authorsden user of some 3 months standing - here's what I find;

1) Great web site facility with good hit rate - I have averaged 54 per day over the past 2 months 18 days, giving me some 4, 200 hits to date. The site has everything you could wish - voice facilities, blog, news, images, and much more.

2) Great social site - wonderful for interacting with other authors ranging from published to self published to amateur poet to ... just about everything.

3) All of the review postings seem to be from other authors rather than readers (the site has 2 categories of subscriber). However, if you want to share and discuss your work, it's great fun and provides some measure of what's hot and what's not (at least with that audience).

4) Despite a rave review from Odyssey Reviews I posted form my POD novel, I have not seen a huge upturn in sales, but I certainly got a little peak. I got to Amazon rank 63,000 for a brief time and the following genre ratings:

#19 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Metaphysical
#20 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Fiction > Visionary Fiction
#30 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Sacred Writings > Kabbalah

I think that's quite good. The problem is, it wasn't sustained.

5) Many of the writers on this site just want some fun (and that's great), but there do seem to be some well accredited publsished authors too.

6) Many exceptionally talented writers (published or not) appear on the site - reading their work and making their acquaintance is a privelige and pleasure.

7) Like many persons, I find that I have so little time available to write. Somehow though, Authorsden provides motivation to at least write something - even a short poem on a regular basis.

I hope this recounting of my experience to date is useful to you.

Beast
 

Beast

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Authorsden

Sorry, I forgot 1 key point:

During my months with Authosden I have not received one single scam email or other communication as a consequence of my membership - not one.

We may debate why, but I speak the simple truth. (Maybe my rather scary photo puts them off!).

Beast