FAQs

John, Robert and Rowena answer some frequently asked questions. Feel free to pose your own questions on the forum or via our contact us page.

John, how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

Both Robert and I had written books and discovered for ourselves the vagaries of trying to find an agent or publisher. We both agreed that what most writers want, first and foremost, is a way of letting people read their work, and comment on it. We soon realised that the internet provides us with a very effective way of doing that.


But, Robert, aren't there already lots of other sites doing the same thing?

There are certainly a lot of other sites around, but we haven’t come across another one which offers writers what My Book Live offers them


So, what is the essential difference?

There are several differences, but the principal one is that writers receive helpful feedback from the site, by means of statistics and reader reviews, which help them perfect their work.


How does that help the writer?

Because the statistics which are fed back to the writer show where readers lose interest and ‘drop out’. This gives him or her the opportunity to make modifications, or even consider major rewrites, and then compare subsequent statistics with the original ones, to see if the changes they’ve made have really worked. We have evidence to show that even a change of title can dramatically influence a book’s appeal.


John, do people really want to read online?

The Artists’ and Writers’ Yearbook for 2009 states that almost 75% of readers of e-books do so online. In any event, visitors to My Book Live have the choice of either reading online or downloading and printing what they want to read and, with some titles, there will be downloadable audio options too, for people who prefer to listen rather than read.


Robert, how many readers do you expect to visit the site?

That’s obviously very hard to say, but our marketing effort will certainly be targeted at both writers and readers, and not just in the UK. The site only went live in July 2008, so it’s still very early days, but we’re encouraged by the number of people who have visited it to date.


As a writer, how can readers review my work?

There are a number of ways, which is one of the reasons why we think the site is unique. Apart from the stage-by-stage statistics, which show how many readers move through the reading process as far as the full text, readers are also invited to write reviews, which are available to all to read, and to score the work from 1 to 5 stars. There is also a Forum section, which can be used to discuss a particular piece of work, or to make general comments about the site and its contents.


So, John, who can publish work on My Book Live?

Anyone and everyone, although we retain the right to remove any work which could damage the reputation and credibility of the site.


Is there a minimum age limit?

We considered this point very carefully before deciding that it should be open to everybody to use, regardless of age. We want to encourage new, young talent, as much as we want to encourage more experienced writers, the only proviso being that for children under the age of 16 we expect them to have parental or teacher permission.


Rowena, I'm not very experienced with computers. Is it difficult to put my work on the site?

No it’s not (although you would expect me to say that, wouldn’t you!) I have tried to make it as easy as possible for everyone to use, by including step-by-step guides in our Help section. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the medium, texts and pictures must be converted to specific formats in order to make sure that they display correctly on screen and don’t misbehave. Our help pages take writers through the whole process, but if anybody prefers they can simply email us the manuscript and and we’ll upload it for them.... or even post it to us on a disc.


Robert, who finishes up owning my work?

The writer always retains full ownership and control of his or her own work. If and when an agent or publisher spots it and wants to ‘make an offer’, the writer can remove it from the site and negotiate freely with them.


How much does it cost, John?

Absolutely nothing. It’s completely free for writers to upload as many works as they wish, and there’s no charge for readers to read online or download and print.


What if I change my mind?

As we’ve already said, writers always remain in complete control of their work. They can make as many amendments as they wish, or remove it altogether, at any time.


Robert, I'm in the middle of writing a story, but I'm stuck. Can I put it on the site even though it's not finished?

You certainly can. At the point where you finish you simply invite readers to ask for more. They will let you know if they want it! ‘Works in progress’ fit the basic concept of My Book Live perfectly. As I’ve said before, this is all about writers testing and improving their work.

What are the chances of a publisher seeing my work?

Our pledge is that we will do our utmost to achieve that end for you, by making all publishers and agents aware of My Book Live and encouraging them to visit the site regularly to see what the most popular pieces are and to read the reader reviews.


What happens if I get an offer from a publisher? Does MBL have any ongoing interest?
None whatsoever.