A new website offered an interesting premise: Publish your book in 10 minutes, free!  Naturally, I was intrigued. 

On further investigation, it turned out that ‘If I Were A Book’ did not actually turn your words into a real book, but the did the next best thing possible.  It gave you an opportunity to showcase your work among some well-renowned publishers.  The list of partner publishers was impressive: RandomHouse, HarperCollins, Jaico, Hachette, etc. etc.

Post content which you feel is book worthy and watch it instantly take the shape of a book!  Get noticed by top international print publishers looking for talent like you… Read pre-printed books and voice your opinion to decide which books get printed…

Could this be true?  Could I really get a shot at a real-world publisher seeing my work and evaluating it on its merits?  Could it possibly work?

Having harboured the desire to write a book someday, I’d always been on the lookout for an opportunity like this.  I’d done my share of research, learning all about self-publishing options like Lulu and BookSurge, and visiting the “Submit your Manuscript” pages of most leading publishers’ websites.  It seemed like there was no downside to trying out this new platform.  After all, the worst case scenario was simply: No one would call.

So, I went ahead and hit the big green button that said “Publish My Book Now!”. 

My first book-concept is entitled “Bundle of Joy” and is intended to be a compilation of my blog posts on Fatherhood, charting the life of my first-born from conception to the time she was three… From the point of view of her father, of course. 

With that submission, the search for a publisher has moved up a notch.  It will help if you folks – the people who like my writing – rate the book on the site (registration required).  So, please take the time.

And, if there’s a author hidden inside any of you, I suggest you rush for that green button, now!

P.S. Interestingly, the past few weeks, I have been reading a fascinating book by Chris Anderson – The Long Tail.  And, this new platform seems to be yet another example of the Long Tail at work!  Must read, if you’re remotely interested in Science, Economics or the New Information Age…