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Thursday 14 January 2010

Slush Pile Reader

I can never resist the excitement of a new website: beta testers are the first to explore and comment, and are pleasantly settled in by the time the website opens to the public.

The latest, Slush Pile Reader, has just emerged from beta. Do take a look. It's a site where unpublished writers gain exposure for their work, and where readers select and vote for the best. This is how it works:

Step 1
Authors submit their manuscripts.
Step 2
Readers read and collectively decide which manuscripts should be published.
Step 3
Slush Pile Reader publishes, distributes and promotes the manuscripts that have been selected by the readers.

I'm really hoping it attracts lots of readers as well as writers, and won't fall prey to the appalling book-pimping that goes on at Authonomy.

10 comments:

  1. This sounds like a good idea and I'll have to look into it. Right now, though, I've quit worrying over the Autho process and have begun working in earnest on my WIP.

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  2. I saw from your blog that you're up at first light to write. That's the way to go - the best route to success.

    Even good writers' websites can be a distraction.

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  3. Hi Lexi
    I might register as a reader to vote for some of the books I liked from authonomy. I see there's a lot of overlap already.

    I can't be bothered to upload anything though; am jaded by experience elsewhere. Please, tell me I won't be hounded by people begging me to read their books? And I don't have to comment, right?

    Perhaps it's one to keep an eye on for the future. If they publish a book which becomes a success it could become a great springboard.

    Good luck with the solar panels, anonymous.

    K

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  4. I have removed Anon and his beastly solar panels. Honestly - off-topic or what?

    I wandered away from SPR for a bit when some people from Authonomy seemed to be bringing its ways with them; then noticed my book had gone up during my inactivity, which I thought an encouraging sign.

    The object of this post is NOT to induce anyone to pop over there and vote for my book.

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  5. Oh, I assure you I felt in no way induced! I'm interested in whether it'll work and am a great one for democracy. I do love being given a vote. So I'll go and take part in a very small way.
    K

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  6. Hi

    Aw the site is so so new you just want to give it a great big hug as it goes out into the big bad internet world!

    But seriously, I've had a browse through in their forums and it's good to see the couple responsible for the site being really hands on with all the questions and answers. I hope they continue to be so involved as the site progresses.

    May I make one tiny, tiny suggestion? Maybe they could expand on their bios abit more? Who are Johanna and Pascal Denize exactly apart from being Swedish living in San Fran? Do they work in the publishing field? Are they agents, etc? I think it'll reassure potential new readers/or those wanting to submit and maybe increase their legitimacy.

    Just a random thought really. Please ignore if it's totally unfeasible!

    I will watch with interest though. See how they go and maybe join in at a future (very future!) date.

    Good luck to all if you are not such a scaredy cat as me and are taking that step to joining either as a reader or potential published writer or both!

    Take care
    x

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  7. M & S started small, on a street market barrow. (I sometimes wish they'd stayed there.)

    Fair point re bios - I may suggest it next time I'm there.

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  8. I don't know about this one, Lexi. Seems like just another display site to me. They've been going since 2007, so they may have updated their site, but they're not that new.

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  9. Heard of it, but never had a look. Should do it.

    Hi, Lexi, by the way.

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