Some of the models being adopted right now in book publishing are really interesting. HarperCollins have just announced that they are setting up an online community for aspiring authors (and avid readers) to create a profile and upload their unpublished manuscripts for it to be read, discussed and recommended. For authors it's an opportunity to get some support behind them, have their work voted for and recommended. For Harper Collins it's a rather neat way of testing out unpublished work.
A friend of mine has just written a book (which she describes as a bit of a girly read so not one for the chaps). We all know how hard it is to get a publishing deal but as well as pursuing all the usual routes, Daisy (for that is her nom de plume) has just set up a website, put up half the manuscript for download so people can get a real taste of it, supported that with a blog, and then created an "I want to read the end of Daisy Bennett's book" Facebook group. I'm posting about it here for 3 reasons: she's a friend and knowing Daisy the book will be brilliant, I think it's interesting what she's doing, and I have a huge admiration for anyone who can write a novel.
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