Contest From Simon & Schuster, Gather.com Will Publish First-Time Author

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 11, 2007 - 10:38am.

New York - Touchstone, an imprint of publisher Simon & Schuster, has partnered with online social network Gather.com on a contest that will publish a book by a first-time author, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

Founded in 2005, Gather.com now claims 175,000 registered users, most of whom are over 30 and many of whom cite reading as a primary interest.

The First Chapters contest asks unpublished authors to submit a manuscript for a full-length work of fiction. The first chapter of each entry will be posted on Gather.com and voted on by members; the second chapter of the top 20 most popular works will then be posted and voted on.

A fourth round will see the full manuscripts of five finalists screened by a panel of judges that includes Simon & Schuster adult publishing group president Carolyn K. Reidy, and Borders CEO George Jones. The winner gets a book contract with Touchstone and a $5,000 cash prize from Gather.com.

"It is akin to an 'American Idol' for thinking people," Gather.com CEO Tom Gerace told The Times. Simon & Schuster did not say how much it would pay to publish the winning manuscript.