[Display site] Authonomy / Inkpop

Just to throw oil on troubled waters - I was once watching a documentary about Jeffrey Archer (disgraced Lord and author) who is a bit of a fantasist among other things. Anyway back in the 80s he judged a short story competition. One of his books used the idea that was in the story that won but then there is no copyright on ideas. I don't remember the name of the book, the author concerned (who was interviewed) or the documentary. This was around the time he was thrown into jail for perjury, so they were having a right old dig into his background.

I could think of a lot of politicians who deserve to be in jail a lot more than Jeffrey Archer did. I actually have his, 'Kane and Abel,' but have never read it yet, I loved the mini-series adapted from it though.

My opinion of Authonomy hasn't changed, however, it does look like some good comes from it. See the email below I got today:


Dear authonomists,

We're delighted to annouce that HarperCollins have signed up 3 authors from authonomy for publication. Each of the deals is for worldwide rights and the first title will be hitting the shops in Summer 2009.

Coffee At Kowalski's by Miranda Dickinson - bought by Avon

Reaper: Coming soon to a family near you by Steven Dunne - bought by Avon

Never Say Die by Melanie Davies - bought by Harper True

For full information on the books, the authors and how it all came together, head to the blog now and visit the forum to discuss your thoughts.
Regards,
the authonomy team

Yes, I took a look at those. Slow starters, all of them.

Julie Worth said:

Yes, I took a look at those. Slow starters, all of them.

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What do you mean by slow starters?

M.R.J. Le Blanc said:

What do you mean by slow starters?

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Starting with a lot of telling, coffee and a basket of warm muffins, that's what I mean.

I bet they didn't even have to write the dreaded query letters either

One of the successful authors is a friend of mine from a writing forum.
I'm just so delighted for her! This news has absolutely made my day/month/year.

I know one of them too and she's already a published author--with an agent.

Anna Magdalena said:

I know one of them too and she's already a published author--with an agent.

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So if she's already published, and I presume still with said agent...

That seems off. Not that I'm not happy for her getting another book published, because I am. This is not a mark against her at all. But I thought the point of Authonomy was to discover and publish new talent. Someone with an agent probably would have already had an upper hand and not needed something like Authonomy even if it was a good service (which I'm not convinced it is). It just makes me question further the value and legitimacy of Authonomy if an already-published author with an agent is one of those three that got picked. That doesn't add up right.

Anna Magdalena said:

I know one of them too and she's already a published author--with an agent.

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That would be Lynne Barrett-Lee? She says she has seven published books under her own name, and apparently also ghostwrites. She and her coauthor removed their authornomy chapters a month ago when the book got an agent and publisher. So the news that she got a deal through this site may be--how shall I say it--a bit of marketing.

I don't think the announcement mentioned that the deals came about because of Authonomy--just that the four writers were Authonomy members, and got deals. Bearing in mind the way the announcement was made, most people are going to assume that there's a connection between the two, and I think it should have been made clearer.

Old Hack said:

I don't think the announcement mentioned that the deals came about because of Authonomy--just that the four writers were Authonomy members, and got deals. Bearing in mind the way the announcement was made, most people are going to assume that there's a connection between the two, and I think it should have been made clearer.

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The official story on the three books is here. One was previously self published with some local success, one was picked up by an agent who then sold it back to HarperCollins, and the third they don't say much about except it got a three book deal.

Talking of official stories, I've just found this recent comment online from Andrew Lownie, the agent who submitted Never Say Die to HarperCollins:

"My agency submitted Never Say Die by Melanie Davies and ghosted by Lynne Barrett-Lee in the normal way. The fact the authors had put it on Authonomy may have helped in Collins's decision but the editor was only aware of the script being on Authonomy after the submission. Andrew Lownie"


I added the bold.

So there. So much for a new way to submit!

I thought Andrew Lownie only dealt in non-fiction.

Correction - they mainly deal in non-fiction. They only have three fiction authors.

Never Say Die is non-fiction, gothicangel.

Anna, can you provide a link to Lownie's quote? I've tried Googling for it but am lacking Google-fu today (along with just about any other sort of fu, too).

Hmm. This is quite interesting. Doesn't sound at all like the deal came via Authonomy.

It's really disappointing of them to do this. Shows a real lack of respect for aspiring authors.

I'm aware of other claims by other display sites of sales ... where the sale itself came via the usual agent or direct submission path, with the acquiring editor unaware that the display site even existed.

Old Hack said:

Anna, can you provide a link to Lownie's quote? I've tried Googling for it but am lacking Google-fu today (along with just about any other sort of fu, too).

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Sorry, Everyone. Here you are. Andrew Lownie's words are the second comment.


http://www.mediabistro.com/galleyca...hree_books_from_manuscript_website_106575.asp

Authonomy's email seems very misleading now that the new information has come to light.

Thanks, Anna and HJW, for those links. I've blogged about this today.

The offer for this one book was certainly not due to its presence on Authonomy. I wonder about the other two now: can anyone find anything more about those?

From Authonomy Blog


22 January 2009 12:35

Matador Publishing said...

Steve Dunne did self-publish "Reaper" in 2007, but he didn't do it alone as the Authonomy blog suggests. In fact he self-published with Matador (part of Troubador Publishing Ltd),

(At the risk of veering off-topic, Isn't Matador/Troubador a vanity service, rather than a self-publishing service?)