Sidestepping the Slush Pile

Harper Collins has announced the imminent launch of its Authonomy website.

No bad thing for the thousands of us prospective authors out there, who are currently caught in the catch 22 situation of submitting unsolicited manuscripts to publishers.

Seems we're damned if we do, damned if we don't.

Send in the script you've been labouring on for the last year, following the stringent guidelines set down by agents and publishers and it'll probably end up languishing on a slush pile.

If you're lucky it'll be plucked out by a publisher's assistant.

Alternatively, if you can't face the thought of rejection don't bother sending it at all, leaving it to gather dust in your own desk draw.

It seems more of a lottery than ever to get a book deal these days, but at least sites like Authonomy and You Write On.com allow your book to achieve its aim and reach an audience.

As for that elusive publishing deal.. like countless others, I'll be posting my work online for the world - and hopefully a couple of agents - to see and keeping my fingers firmly crossed.