The new HarperCollins Authonmy site (online writers workshop/slushpile) is open for all to join, even though it still says "beta" when you go there. In spite of my earlier skeptical comments, I have to say, it looks pretty slick. They have a very graphical look— lots of photos, lots of bells and whistles. I went ahead and signed on, even though I have no immediate plans to upload any manuscripts or partial manuscripts. I want to check it out a bit more first before I decide.

It seems to have a British flavor (no surprise) but no one seems to care where you're from when you sign up.

One thing that's nice is that it covers all genres, and allows an author to assign whatever categories his or her works fits into—romance and mystery for example, or YA and historical fiction. Unlike a lot of multi-genre workshops, it does not lump fantasy and science fiction together but allows the author to specify one or the other or both.

Cool!