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ambermg

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Authonomy?

Anyone have any experience with one of these types of sites? I'm curious to know if anyone really gets published by utilizing these services....
 

rebekahmichel

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Question about Authonomy

I recently joined Authonomy and uploaded the first 6 chapters of my memoir. I've been getting tons of positive feedback, but my question is can you rely on this as an indicator of how well your book will actually do? It seems like a lot of people are just trying to push their own book and so wouldn't they just want to butter you up so you will in turn go to their book and leave positive comments?
 

rebekahmichel

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Okay just finished reading this entire thread and after careful consideration think I will take my (partial) book down from authonomy. It was fun while it lasted though, I did get some constructive criticism from a psychologist and made a huge change in my book thanks to her that I think will help (I added a prologue). I do think the website is useful for that (feedback from everyday people).

The idea is great, but as I first suspected too many people are abusing the system by only leaving feedback so they can get feedback in return, and I suspect there are probably people who give your book 1 star without even reading it because they figure every book they give 1 star to will be another book that's beneath theirs.

Guess I'll have to get discovered the old fashioned way.
 

Bookbug99

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Old Hack

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The problem with that, Starchaser, is that most people who use Authonomy do so with a view to showcasing their own writing. They don't go there to find good books to read. And in my experience, many of the positive comments about others' works are left in order to encourage the recipients to read the works of those commenting.
 

MickRooney

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The problem with that, Starchaser, is that most people who use Authonomy do so with a view to showcasing their own writing. They don't go there to find good books to read. And in my experience, many of the positive comments about others' works are left in order to encourage the recipients to read the works of those commenting.

Authonomy is an author community, not a writing or reader community. It's a vacuum and microcosm of the self-publishing community, suffering from the same straightjacket and comfort-blanket birth many new authors succumb to. Authonomy has its place and purpose provided an author understands that many members are there for profile, exposure and personal gain, and not necessarily to perfect writing craft and grow readership.

Authonomy has become a numbers game, or rather, where you are in the queue to be read and reach the editor's desk. It's stacked in favour of the author prepared to play the voting and numbers game whatever the cost. It's Big Brother and Black Friday all rolled into one - everyone jossling and pushing to get to the front of the queue when the doors finally open. If you are looking for a good beta-reading group, you will find better here on AW or elsewhere If you are looking for a path to publication, likewise, there are better places to expose your work and energies - whether that is a local writers' workshop or submitting to agents and small publishers.

Don't get me wrong. There are many terrefic writers over on Authonomy, obliging and not part of the literary and clumsy marketing scum (author to author), but as a member of Auhonomy for a couple of years (non-active now), there's also a lot of wash, bluff, self-prunning and chest-bearing.

Authonomy was an interesting and gallant attempt a few years ago by HarperCollins to try something different - to merge social media community with the submission proccess, but it failed dismally, despite HC's carion cries to the contrary. If anything, Authnomy has become a sitting target for self-publishing providers and marketers.
 
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The problem with that, Starchaser, is that most people who use Authonomy do so with a view to showcasing their own writing. They don't go there to find good books to read. And in my experience, many of the positive comments about others' works are left in order to encourage the recipients to read the works of those commenting.

This is true. Still, I did not get into writing for commercial gain or to make money to begin with. I am only using this to give people the option to read my material for free. If they like what I have written then maybe they might be compelled to support me and buy my E-Book or paperback. If they are put off by my writing and would not dare consider buying it then I am OK with that too.
 
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Terie

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I know for most people that write this type of mindset is hard to understand. I think artistic expression is more important to me than appealing to the Game of Thrones and Twilight fans.

Good grief, Starchaser. Is it even possible for you to post here at AW without insulting other writers?
 

craziichas

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Authonomy

Unsure if this is an okay to post this, I didn't see a better place.


So authonomy...who's a member? Who loves it? Who hates it?

I've been a member since 2011 and I have a love hate relationship with the site and its members but I'm curious if any of you have been to it or have opinions on it.
 

Bufty

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That was quick- :Hug2:. As you can see I had already changed my mind about posting in the thread.

Discussion of other sites can become contentious.

Because I wanted to know who here has had experiences there and their thoughts.
 

Bufty

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We know you weren't. Looks like there is a thread already - glad your post has found it's home.

My bad then. The mods can delete the thread, wasn't trying to start anything.
 

CaoPaux

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I have just connected a thick trail of dots which were lurking in my inbox without me even realising it.

In October, Authonomy invited me (and, no doubt, squillions of its other members) to be a beta-reader of its new site, bookarmy.com.

Bookarmy allows you to type in the name of a book you like, then provides other similar titles (based on its users' suggestions). It doesn't only show real, commercially-published books: it's got the wonderful Crack of Death, and Atlanta Nights--both gloriously bad books that were written as sting manuscripts to show that PublishAmerica will PublishAnything. And anyone who's a member can suggest links between books: all you do is search for a title you like, then add books which you think are similar to it.

That means that all sorts of self-published or vanity-published titles will appear on there if their writers register, and start building links. I've just linked Atlanta Nights to Crack of Death, to get things started. It's very easy to do.

But there's far more to it than that. HarperCollins has Authonomy, a site dedicated to writers, but can't make revenue from it; and they have BookArmy, a site dedicated to readers, who might be interested in reading new books, but can't make revenue from that one either.

They can, though, if they put the two sides together. By allowing the Authonomy writers to produce POD books, and the Book Army readers to buy them, they can earn from both sides. They have found a way to make money out of the slush pile. It's brilliant.
Belated note that BookArmy closed in '10: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/harpercollins-stands-down-bookarmy.html
 

Samsonet

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I just wanted to bump the thread to remind people that the site is down, and there's an email address to contact if you need to retrieve your work. The address will work until the end of December.

Of course, I hope everyone backed up their work beforehand, but just in case...