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[Display Site] AuthorStand

Jozzy

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Hey all,

I found this ePublisher "AuthorStand" , and couldn't find anything about them. I did a search on AW and P&E, and googled them (even adding the obligatory "scam" to the search box to see what their PA quotient was.)

Anyone heard of them? The website seems clean enough, but the blog only goes back 6 moths. I am presuming they are just another new epub.

In a related topic, are there now so many epublishers that trying to track them by name a futile task?
 

CaoPaux

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It's a self-publisher/display site, a la Smashwords, et al.
 

Momento Mori

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AuthorStand Website:
2. Do I get to keep 100% of my publishing rights?
Yes. You keep 100% of your publishing rights. AuthorStand.com is a publication distribution website, allowing readers access to the works that you make available and makes no claims of right to publish any of the works available.

3. What do I get paid if someone downloads my book?
You set the price for your work. Keep in mind that as an unknown author, it is likely that you will not be able to charge the same amount for your work as a traditionally published book (yet!). You will get to keep 75% of the sales price after your initial 25¢ fee is subtracted.
For example, if you sold a book priced at $4.25, the payout would be calculated as ($4.25 - 25¢) x 75% = $3.00.
Other fees may apply if additional services are selected.

I don't see how those statements are compatable. If you are making your work available through AuthorStand for money and they are taking a 25c cut of the sale, then it seems to me that they are publishing it and that by making your work available through their site you are losing your first publication rights.

Any US lawyers out there who could explain why it might not be counted as publishing?

MM
 

JerseyGirl1962

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It's like Uncle Jim says: YADS - Yet Another Display Site.

Does anyone really think agents and editors at publishing houses have the time to go through this stuff? (This is not directed at the OP, BTW; he did the right thing by checking the site out first.) A solid - nope! This is an electronic slush pile, nothing more.

Avoid.
 

Soccer Mom

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I see them more as a vendor than as a publisher. They don't do anything to create the product. They just offer it for sale and keep a portion of the proceeds.
 

Sargentodiaz

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AuthorStand (merged with BR&BC thread)

I don't remember where or how I found this site but it's similar to Kindle and Nook - except books are uploaded and "published" in PDF format.
Also, minimum cost is $1.50.
Anyhow, if you're gonna go for the first two, why not try this?
 
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Anyhow, if you're gonna go for the first two, why not try this?

1) Ereaders do a fairly bad to at best mediocre job of displaying PDF, which means anyone buying an ebook in pdf format pretty much has to convert the thing in Calibre or some other software in order to put it on their ereader. Which means, in effect, that any retailer limiting themself to PDF only sales is basically dead in the water before they even start, unless they have some specialized, non-mainstream market which will deal with the annoyance of a PDF.

2) Kindle accounts for about 70% of all ebook sales, give or take a bit. Nook is somewhere in the mid teens, last I read. Hit those two, and you have 90% of all sales in the USA, roughly speaking. Hit Smashwords and through there get Apple, Sony, and Kobo, and you're very nearly at 100% of market share. The last percent or so is divided up among hundreds of other little sites that make hardly any sales. While I'm all for spreading things around a bit, at some point you're hitting diminishing returns on a level where it's just not worth it anymore. Not sure if this one is worth it or not (I'd have to look), but it's something you need to consider.
 

zegota

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I don't remember where or how I found this site but it's similar to Kindle and Nook - except books are uploaded and "published" in PDF format.
Also, minimum cost is $1.50.
Anyhow, if you're gonna go for the first two, why not try this?

It seems like a very odd site. Their heart is possibly in the right place, but I've never heard if it, and I'm doubtful that it has a huge readership. It seems very possible that it's just writers writing for other writers (note that it's called AuthorStand -- not StoryStand or something that would attract readers), which isn't bad in and of itself, but it seems unlikely to actually get you much success.

As long as there's a fee, there's not really a downside (unless an unencrypted document bothers you). But I don't see much of an upside.
 

Sargentodiaz

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The only thing I see about it is offering an easy-to-read method for PC and laptop users. PDF is workable for that kind of hardware.
 

jazzyjinx

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I'd like to know more about the contest part of AuthorStand. Anyone have any firsthand experience? It seems they also allow for feedback during the judgeing process. Afterwards, the author has the option of selling it as an ebook. Is this a legit contest?
 

gcookltx

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AuthorStand is a great site for new writers trying to get a little feedback on their stories. The contest is totally legit. I have won money and been paid promptly. The upside for the contests is a zero entry fee. The prizes are modest compared to other sites, but reference the first point I made, there is no entry fee. Because of that there are easily 500+ entries per short story contest and most are complete hacks. As far as selling on this site, good luck. The site is mired with people who have no other outlet for writing so the quality is very low. Most of the offerings on the site are free to download, a stipulation for entering the contests. If you are looking to swap reviews to get feedback from new writers this is the place to go.
 

Momento Mori

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HI, gcookltx, and welcome to AW.

gcookltx:
The prizes are modest compared to other sites, but reference the first point I made, there is no entry fee.

So how is the site making its money? Is it selling advertising space?

gcookltx:
Most of the offerings on the site are free to download, a stipulation for entering the contests. If you are looking to swap reviews to get feedback from new writers this is the place to go.

If the stories are free to download then it means that they're being published. Are you comfortable with losing first publishing rights in your work? Does the site reserve the right to charge for them later?

MM
 

Linda Phalen

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Hello, :)
I was a long time member of AuthorStand, and I loved the site. Very sadly it disbanded about two weeks ago. :( I had the most stories of anyone on there. It was a great place to write. I think this site will be fun too. :) I am happy to be here. :)
 

Linda Phalen

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Hi,
Are you aware that our AuthorStand is no longer! :( I am still feeling sad. I found this site and I think it will be a good place to stay.I wish you Good Luck with your writing skills. :)