Anyone use authonomy?

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

I've just taken the plunge and put some of my writing on there. Not sure how useful it'll be and also I'm a bit scared.

[TunipTheVegedude]

Chickens, I didn't know what Authonomy was, so I googled, and found this rather negative blog post about it.

I do think good critiques are like gold dust - and wonderfully useful in helping you develop as a writer - but I'm not convinced that's the place to find them. The way the site works means that many people critiquing you will have an agenda.

Good luck though, I hope you do end up getting useful feedback. (And if you tell me who you are on there I would love to read it!)

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Hmm. Been on there for just under a week, and it definitely has its limits. Lovely though it is to be flattered, I'm not sure how useful it will be. However, I'll leave it up there for a bit. There are some extremely determined people on there quite willign to murder their granny for a shot at the editor's desk.

[TunipTheVegedude]

LOL! Why in God's name are they so keen? It doesn't sound like the editor's desk gives you much of a chance of getting published, any more than any other slushpile. And surely if people get there by schmoozing and gameplaying they can't kid themselves that they've got there because their book is brilliant? Why don't they just put their energy into writing better? (Or self-publishing, if they think they are already writing at the top of their game.)

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Egos are planetary on the forum. You also get spammed by people. A lot. And there are an awful lot of Twilight knock offs floating about. But also some good stuff. There's a lot of coal to mine before you dig up a diamond, though. I am fascinated and terrified in equal measure.

[TunipTheVegedude]

Have you had any critiques with useful comments in?

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Nah. The odd suggestion about grammar, but that's about it. On the whole it's all ego stroking and 'Your book is so utterly wonderful I might wee myself. Perhaps you'd like to read mine? Which is a '50 Shades Of Shite' rip off or a new take on vampires. No, really

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

I did for about a week, then I removed everything and haven't been back since. The moment I registered I started receiving requests from writers for my 'support', meaning I should put their book on my shelf so that they could get it noticed by the editors quicker. It was a complete waste of time to be honest. I also write children's fiction and found the minimum word count an absolute pain in the arse. You're better off trying to find a local critique group or trying to find a critique partner.