Sarah's writing journal

From a New Writer email:

Arts Council website boosts budding authors
An opportunity to see your own work in print in a new X-Factor-style scheme called YouWriteOn.com, whose Bestseller Chart launches this month. YouWriteOn.com is aimed at publishing books by new authors and distributing them through major booksellers. New members join YouWriteOn for free. They review and rate the opening chapters of each others work before the site randomly sends them on to other members. Each month the five highest rated writers will enter the site’s Best Seller chart and receive a free critique from literary professionals, including established authors and a leading London literary agent.
The author with the highest rated opening chapters will win the site’s Book of the Year Publishing Award and the completed book will be distributed through major booksellers including Amazon, W.H. Smith and Waterstone’s.
Edward Smith, the Development Manager of www.youwriteon.com, said: “The website is a great way for new authors to develop as writers with the help of their peers and guidance from literary professionals. It will help talented new writers to get noticed and published. The Arts Council are really behind the project as a way for new authors to get a voice.”
YouWriteOn’s innovative ratings system was devised by professional authors, including Phil Whitaker, whose debut novel Eclipse of the Sun was shortlisted for the Whitbread.”
Edward Smith said: “We plan to launch new successful authors as all our members will be able to self-publish their completed books through the site. Already many members reviewing new authors’ submitted chapters have said that they would buy the completed books. Our aim is to help all writers develop, and to help talented writers get noticed and published."
www.YouWriteOn.com