Zondervan and Baker Publishing Group have launched a new online social site for Christian authors, touted as a "free, easy alternative to the self-publishing model."

Based at authonomy.com--created in 2008 by Zondervan's parent company, HarperCollins--authonomy.com/Christian is a platform for budding Christian writers to submit their unpublished manuscripts and a way for Zondervan and Baker to discover and foster new writing talent, Zondervan officials said.

"Authonomy.com allows authors to quickly get valuable feedback from consumers on the relevance of their work and gain traction in the market without giving up any of their publishing rights," said Steve Sammons, Zondervan's executive vice president of consumer engagement. "It takes only five quick steps to get a manuscript on the authonomy.com site, and you start getting feedback on your manuscript quickly without the usual weeks or months of waiting and hoping."

Dwight Baker, president of Baker Publishing Group, added: "We believe the strength of authonomy.com is that it allows authors, free-of-charge, the ability to get honest feedback from readers, editors and agents as to the relevance and quality of their work. That is why we feel the combination of features offered by authonomy.com will provide authors the largest audience, exposure and best potential entrée into the world of publishing."

Zondervan and Baker will promote the authonomy.com site to literary agents and other Christian publishers. Editors for both publishing houses will review the writers' books on the Web site.

"Authonomy.com is a tremendous idea that creates a community linking writers with their readers," said Steve Laube, president of the Steve Laube Agency. "Making it free is both revolutionary and very exciting. Where else can you get objective and instant feedback, and then use those comments and critiques to improve your work?"

Other Christian publishers who have ventured into self- or co-publishing programs include WinePress Publishing, Salem Communications' Xulon Press, B&H Publishing Group's CrossBooks Publishing, Tate Publishing and Strang Communications' Creation House. Thomas Nelson's self-publishing entry, WestBow Press, was launched last fall.

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