“It is with books as it is with people; a few good ones make all the difference.”

We happen to agree with Voltaire. New & emerging digital technologies have made it easier than ever before for writers to publish their works. But this ease has a downside — a flood of bad books (and ebooks), many featuring poor structure, bad grammar, sketchy characters, lousy plotting, misspellings, inaccurate information… you get the picture.

This is why Authorcloud was created. A service designed to provide discerning authors with advice, tips, support, and when appropriate, services, all designed to help ensure their literary  works, from cookbooks to crime novels, short stories to self-help sagas, are as well written, well-edited, and well-designed as possible. The general idea being that regardless of how a book is published, the quality of its content and the esthetics of its look matter. A lot! Here’s our founder, Randy Morse, talking about the importance of editing — check it out:

Want to know more about us? Well then simply click on, that’s right, About Us.

And for those of you who are familiar with the “old” Authorcloud, please bear with us. We think you’re going to like this new site, once it’s fully up and operating. In the meantime, if you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line, at info@authorcloud.com.

 

WRITERS, NEED SOME FEEDBACK? IT’S FREE!

The vast majority of writers work away in splendid isolation. They constantly waiver between elation (“I’m the new Margaret Atwood!”) and dismay (“My dog Scout could have written this”). Author discussion groups and bulletin boards are packed with writers, desperate for some feedback, some tips, perhaps even a bit of encouragement from their peers.

This is both good and bad. Good, in that shared experiences and insights can of course occasionally be tremendously helpful. Bad, in that what most writers want to talk about is… themselves, and their own work. It’s human nature 101.

So we’re going to step in with what we think is a pretty cool offer. If you’re a writer and would like some professional feedback, on a manuscript, an excerpt, or even an idea, email it to us, we’ll have a quick look, and tell you what we think.

For free. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Or as they say in the land of Strindberg, ingenting!

If American Idol featured writers instead of singers, that’d be us up there, instead of “them!” When we say “we,” we’re referring to a group with significant publishing experience, led by our founder, R.G. Morse, who has been in the business for 35 years. We’ll give you a brief, to-the-point, unvarnished opinion on what you’ve submitted, including any tips or advice we think might be helpful. Then it’s up to you to do with that what you will. Idol? Star? Best-selling author? Maybe.

Why are we doing this? Because we’re bored? Because we have nothing better to do? No, no, no. We’re doing this because we love writing and publishing. We’re doing this because we know how hard it is for writers to get professional, objective feedback from a publisher’s perspective (most never do). And (Full Disclosure!), we’re doing this because we know some of you may subsequently end up asking us to help you with the editorial, design, and coaching services we provide.

Understand that what you’ll receive won’t be a full-fledged reader’s report. Just a brief take from a seasoned publisher on what you’ve created (or intend to create).

If you’d like us to take a look at what you’ve written, simply email your file to info@authorcloud.com. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible, and away you go. It’s that simple. No funny business. No strings attached.

In the meantime, keep writing!

 

BONUS!

You know when you go to the movies and watch a show you really like, and stay to the bitter end watching the credits roll (What? That was filmed in Bangladesh? I could have sworn it was Uttar Pradesh!). And then, when all the boring copyright stuff starts to roll and you’ve just reached for the jacket draped over your seatback, when IT HAPPENS: a totally unexpected teaser from the upcoming sequel!!

Well, this is sort of, kind of, like that. Not a teaser, exactly, but a little bonus for those of you who scrolled all the way down to the end of this page. What you’re going to find below is a… fantastic, animated ode to the importance of writing, sort of a love song to the book. We’re proud to say we were recommending this  film (it’s also a really cool ebook) to people well before it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short (have they ever had an award for Best Animated Tall?)

So, well done. You deserve this. Pour yourself another cup of lukewarm coffee, and enjoy The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore…

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore