Welcome to FiledBy! Here are the most frequently asked questions. If you have any others, feel free to contact Customer Support.

General Questions

1. What is FiledBy?

   FiledBy is the most comprehensive directory of author and contributor sites anywhere. It’s also a place for authors and other book contributors to showcase themselves and their work, a place for readers to search and discover new books and a place for everyone to connect and discuss our favorite subject – authors and books, of course.
   
   FiledBy is focused on the people who create books! Authors, Co-Authors, Illustrators, Photographers, Artists, Editors, Translators and others. Our goal is to help empower authors and other contributors to represent themselves accurately and market themselves effectively online.
   
   The site provides a single location they can claim, update, correct and tie together all their online marketing activity establishing an authoritative reflection of themselves and their work.
   
   Everyone is discoverable and linked through a single search engine. The sites enable authors and other to consolidate all their online marketing activity and maximize their web presence.
   
   Readers use FiledBy to search for authors and their work, access exclusive content posted by registered authors, find out more about favorite authors, leave comments for other readers and authors, rate and review and receive updates when authors post new content or about upcoming events.
   
   If you've published or contributed to a book in the U.S. or Canada, chances are your author site is waiting to be claimed! Click here and sign up today!
   
2. I forgot my username or password, what do I do?

   Click here to have your login name and password emailed to you. If you are still unable to log in, or for some reason you do not receive the email, let us know.
   

Author Signup

1. How can authors participate?

   If you have an active ISBN and your book is available in the U.S. or Canada, you can register and claim your author site here.
   
   Our easy registration screens guide you through creating an account, finding the records that match your name and books and claiming your author site(s). There are more than 1.8 million pre-assembled author sites in the directory and another 1 million sites for co-authors, illustrators, photographers, artists and other contributors.
   
   Once registered, you may update your site by adding a photo, your biography, embed a video clip, podcast or MP3 file and add links to other sites. You can also correct inaccuracies that could exist. Low cost membership upgrades are available to expand the range of marketing tools that support your online marketing efforts.
   
2. Can I register if I’m outside the U.S. or Canada?

   Any published author with an active ISBN in the United States or Canada will have a preassembled site on FiledBy. You may reside in another Country and still have books sold in the U.S. or Canada because many books are imported in the U.S. and Canada from other countries. We have many foreign language author sites on FiledBy, so search for your Name, Title or ISBN to see if you are in our database. If you do not see your title and you are unsure, email us with your ISBN and title and let us check for you.
   
3. Can any author or contributor to a book join?

   If you have contributed in a book that has an ISBN and is available in the U.S. or Canada, you have a site on FiledBy! Editors, photographers, translators and animators are just a few of the different contributer sites available when you join.
   
   If you don’t see your name on your book, email us and we will update your listing.
   
   
   
4. What if I’m an illustrator, photographer, artists, editor or other contributor to a work?

   There are many sites on FiledBy that can be claimed by people who have contributed to a work. Check to see if you have a site and claim it through the registration process.
   
   If you cannot find your site, email us with the ISBN and title of your book and we will add your listing to our directory.
   
   
   
5. I'm not published yet, can I still sign up?

   YES, provided you have a valid ISBN, you may now sign up for a pre-publication site at the Premium or Premium Plus membership level.
   
   The paid Membership levels give you a place to display your forthcoming, access to a blog tool and other great tools to promote your works. A FiledBy site is a great way to start promoting your books before they are published!
   
   For more information on the tools available at Premium and Premium Plus see our Membership Comparison page.
   
6. What are the advantages?

   Having a well constructed, easy to find author website and marketing platform is a critical necessity. FiledBy makes it easy to take control of your site, assure accuracy and correctness and manage your marketing activities in one place. If your just starting out – a FiledBy site is a fast and low cost way to start marketing yourself and your work online before or at publication. If you’ve already got a website – being present on FiledBy is another place people can find you or link to you.
   
   Obtaining a claimed or verified flag helps people see that you claim to be or are verified, which is an advantage as there are many same-name situations in the book business.
   
   Your FiledBy site will save you time and money by reducing the cost associated with managing your online presence. And you are more easily found by being included in the most comprehensive author directory anywhere.
   
   Many more time saving and cost effective web tools will be made available over time. For now, your site is already pre-assembled and waiting for you to claim it! Click here to get started today!
   
   For more reasons to join FiledBy, see our Membership page.
   
7. What if I already have an author website, why should I join and bother with my site on FiledBy?

   Many of the authors and other contributors on FiledBy have their own sites elsewhere on the Web. However, claiming and updating your FiledBy site gives you access to our unique tools and is a great way to enhance your online presence.
   
   Providing unique content (biography, documents, videos, etc) to your FiledBy site will improve your Search Engine performance, making it easier for Readers to find and Buy your books.
   
   Authors can also promote your site, and your FiledBy site, cross-linking the two. Add a link to personal site to the Links section on your FiledBy site, and use the Link Badges to promote your FiledBy site on your personal site – another easy way to improve Search Engine ranking while promoting your books!
   
   
   
8. How will people find me on your site?

   Our search tool helps people find you by your name, a title or ISBN. Google, Yahoo, MSN and other popular search engines index FiledBy pages so your name and associated site will also appear in their search results once you have claimed your site and added content.
   
9. How do I upgrade and how much does it cost?

   There are currently 3 membership levels. Click here for more information and how to take advantage of these.
   

Claiming Your Site

1. I can’t find myself or my work what should I do?

   If you can’t find yourself under your published name, try an ISBN search. You can also send us an email and we will help you get started. Be sure to include in your email your 10 or 13 digit ISBN and any of your aliases.
   
2. Can co-authors claim a site?

   If you are the co-author of a published book, you can claim your own site. If you can’t find yourself listed through the search engine, send us an email and let us know the 10 or 13 digit ISBN and we will assist you.
   
3. I have questions about the books or other information associated with my site. What should I do?

   If the books associated with your site are incomplete or inaccurate, send us an email. Be sure to include the 10 or 13 digit ISBNs for your published books, the correct title, publisher and any additional information you can supply.
   
4. I'm not published yet, can I still sign up?

   YES, provided you have a valid ISBN, you may now sign up for a pre-publication site at the Premium or Premium Plus membership level.
   
   The paid Membership levels give you a place to display your forthcoming, access to a blog tool and other great tools to promote your works. A FiledBy site is a great way to start promoting your books before they are published!
   
   For more information on the tools available at Premium and Premium Plus see our Membership Comparison page.
   

Membership Levels

1. What are membership levels?

   There are currently three levels of author membership. These are:
   
   

   • Basic Membership – FREE
   • Premium Membership - $99/yr
   • Premium Plus Membership - $399/yr

   For more information about what is included in each level click here.
   
   
2. Will my free membership continue to be free?

   Yes, your Basic Membership account and access to your site, is FREE. This functionality is available to all published authors upon registration.
   
   Your free site allows you to add a photograph, write or update your biography, add several links to other websites and upload a video, a podcast or a PDF file of your choosing. All of your books are set up on their own pages and linked to your author site. This functionality provides all authors with an effective way to be discovered, to provide an accurate and correct reflection of your work and yourself and we provide it to ensure that every author has easy access to these important features.
   
3. Can I purchase a customized URL?

   Searching, registering, managing and linking a web address to your site can be complicated and time-consuming. FiledBy removes the hassle by doing the heavy lifting for you! With our Custom Domain service you tell us the .com address you want and, if it’s available, we’ll secure it and link directly to your FiledBy site!
   
   For more information on this service, including current pricing, see our Services page.
   

Customizing My Site

1. What can I add to my site?

   At the Basic (Free) membership level, authors can add a photo, bio and links to their site. Additionally, Basic membership authors can add one Video and MP3/Podcast and unlimited .pdf documents. More great features and tools are available at the Premium and Premium Plus membership levels.
   
   Click here for a comparison of all the tools available at each level.
   
   
2. How do I upload my photograph?

   Once you have claimed your site, you can add a photo to your site by clicking the "Photo" link under the My Tools menu on your site or the black and white “Edit” button under your existing image.
   
   Adding a picture to your site helps put your face to your work so that readers can better relate to you, but if you do not want to upload a personal photo, you can add your favorite cover art or other image that you want to represent you. Please note that FiledBy reserves the right to remove any images that we feel are not in the best interest of our site and service.
   
   Note: All images must be in a standard image format (.jpg, .gif or .png), 72 dpi or smaller and not more than 300 pixels wide.
   
3. How can I add a video?

   You can embed your YouTube, Google or TED videos on your FiledBy site using the video's embed code.
   
   To add your video:
   
   

   •       Click the “Video” link in the My Tools section of your Account page
   •       Click “[add]” and select the type of video you want to embed (Google, YouTube or TED).
   •       Enter a description of your video and paste the embed code into the box provided.
   •       Click update to return to your site, where you should see your video in the Media area.

   
   
   
4. How do I add links?

   To add a link, first log in at www.filedby.com/login. From your Account Page, click “Links” in the My Tools section. In the column for Link Name put the name of the link (For Example: My Twitter Account) and put the full hyperlink address (for example: http://www.twitterurl.com) in the Link Address field.
   
5. How do I update my biography?

   Once you are logged in, you can add or edit your biography information by clicking the "Biography” link in the My Tools section of your account. When you have finished adding your new information, click "Update" to save your changes and return to your site.
   
6. What types of files can I add?

   You can add a Document (.pdf), Audio Podcast (.mp3) or a video from YouTube, Google or TED. Adding a file to your site allows you to provide more content to readers and promote your work. You might add a table of contents, a sample chapter or other excerpt, an article or speech or almost any other content as long as it is a file in either .pdf or .mp3 format.
   
   
   
7. How do I build my community? Why is it important?

   One of the most important and powerful features on your FiledBy site is the ability to build a community where your readers and fans can come together around your site. Building a positive community helps authors sell more books, and keeps readers informed about updates by their favorite authors.
   
   Here are some simple steps you can take to build a positive community around your FiledBy site and sell more books:
   
   

   • Invite existing fans – Encourage your friends, family, readers and colleagues to register for a free reader page on FiledBy. Once logged in they can visit your site and add you to their favorite author list and tag your books for their bookshelf.
   • Post an invitation for future fans – Post a link or Badge on your personal Website, Facebook page, Twitter account or via an email message to your mailing list. In addition to improving your search engine performance, this will drive traffic to your FiledBy site.
   • Stay engaged – The more active you are, the more engaged your readers will be. Actively post on your Wall, or better yet – add a blog. Keep your fans up to date with new videos, podcasts or documents and they’ll keep coming back for more. Whenever you update your FiledBy site, your community will receive an email alerting them to your activity.
   • Add original content – Having more new, original content on your site will give search engines more content to index. This will improve your search engine ranking and drive more traffic to your site. Your site will be easier for your readers to find if you get creative and unique with your biography, add new links and video, and keep your event listing up to date.

   
   Establishing and building your community of fans is a great way to create a direct connection between you, as the author, and interested readers, fans and colleagues. Try it out today!
   
   
8. Can people buy books from my author site?

   Yes, anyone can buy books from the individual work pages that are linked to your author site. We pre-link to various online retailers including:
   
         U.S. retailers:

   •         Amazon
   •         B&N.com
   •         Powell’s
   •         Indiebound
   •         Alibris
   •         Borders

   
         Canadian retailers:

   •         Indigo.ca
   •         Amazon.ca

   
   
9. Not all of my published works are listed on my site, what should I do?

   If you have published works that are not listed on your FiledBy site, simply click the “Report missing book” link in the My Tools section of your account page. Once you have provided the required information, our support team will review your submission and add your book to your page.
   
   Note: Your book must be published and have a valid 10- or 13-digit ISBN issued in either the United States or Canada in order to add it to your site.
   
10. Can I add an E-book to my site?

    The FiledBy platform does not currently allow authors to host and sell their E-books from their FiledBy site. However, if the E-book has a valid ISBN and is available for sale on any of our Retailer’s bookstores, you can add your E-book’s listing. To add, click the “Report missing books” link from your account page to send us the information.
    
    Additionally, if your E-book is in .pdf format you can post it so your readers can download it for free by adding it to the Documents section of your site. To do this, click the “Documents” link in the “My Tools” section of your account page.
    
    Note: Premium and Premium Plus members can add custom “buy it” links to their E-books if they cannot be purchased from our other Retailers.
    
11. Can I change the background or template of my site? - Custom Graphics

    The color template and background is the same for all sites on the FiledBy platform, and we do not offer a tool for the authors to change them at this time.
    
    Many authors differentiate their site on FiledBy by adding a custom header in the Premium Plus Level. If you upgrade to Premium Plus and do not have someone to design a custom header for you, we will design yours for $150.00.
    
    Here are some authors that have taken advantage of the custom header:
    
          Carol Hoenig
    
          Alan Jacobson
    
          Hamilton Worthy
    
    If you’re interested in adding a custom header, contact us to let us know.
    
    
12. How do I link to my FiledBy Site? What are Link Badges?

    Link Badges allow authors to add FiledBy graphic links back to the FiledBy site from other places around the web. You can include your Link Badge anywhere that you can add HTML code - on your blog, social networking sites, message boards and even in the HTML of your personal web site.
    
    To get started promoting your site, click the “Promote your FiledBy site” link in the My Tools section of your account page, copy the code beside the badge you want to use, and paste it anywhere you can add HTML code.
    
    Here are specific instructions on adding Link Badges to several social networking sites:
    
    

    •       MySpace
    •       Linked-In
      
    •       Blogspot
      
    •       WordPress
      

    
    Some social networking sites don’t allow HTML. These documents will show you how to add links to some of the more popular ones:
    
    

    •       Facebook
    •       Twitter

    
    

Member Tools

1. Can I add an RSS or ATOM feed to the Blog on my FiledBy Site?

   If your existing Blog (Wordpress, Typepad, and several others) has an outgoing RSS feed, you can use it to syndicate content to your FiledBy Blog. Using these RSS feeds, any time you post an update to your existing Blog, your FiledBy Blog will automatically be updated with the new content.
   
   To add your RSS feed to your FiledBy Blog, log in to your FiledBy account and click the “Blog/blog feed” link in the Premium Tools section of your account page. Be sure to check the checkbox for “Enable your Blog’s RSS or ATOM Feed” and enter the URL for the Blog Feed (if you don’t know this, ask your Blog host) that you want to add. When you’re finished, click “Update Settings” to save your changes.
   
   Note: The blog tools are available to authors at the Premium or Premium Plus membership level. To learn more about the different membership levels, click here.
   
2. Can I add my own link for readers to buy my book?

   Members at the Premium and Premium Plus membership level can add one link to the “Buy It” section for each of their books. You can use this link to send readers to your own online shopping cart, publisher page or an online retailer that offers your book or E-book.
   
   To add a new buy link, select “Add custom buy link” from the My Tools menu on your Account page. Select your book from the dropdown box and click “Select”. Enter the name of the site and the direct URL to the book on the website, then click “Update” to save.
   
   Note: Be sure that the URL is a direct link to your book or shopping cart. Simply adding a retailer link (for example: www.Amazon.com) may make it difficult for readers to find and buy your book.
   
3. How do I add an Event Listing?

   At the Premium membership level, authors can add Event Listings to their FiledBy site. To add an event to your FiledBy Site, click the “Event listing” link in the Premium Tools section of your Account page and select “[Add New Event]” to enter the information on your event and submit it to your Event listing.
   
   When you include an address with zip code on your event, it will automatically link to Google Maps, to help your readers find the location of your events.
   
4. Can I add Professional or Reader Reviews to my book?

   YES! Authors can include reader reviews on their FiledBy site. Simply log in and click the “Add reader reviews” link in the My Tools section of your Account page. Select your book from the dropdown list and click “Select”. From there, you can add the source, the date the review was created, the star rating and the text of the review. When you’re finished, click the “Update” link.
   
   Your reader review will appear right away! To see your review, click on the name of your book in the Books section of your site.
   
   At the Premium Plus membership level, authors can add Professional Awards, Testimonials and Professional Reviews to their books. Click on “Testimonials, awards and reviews” in the Premium Tools section to add them.
   
   
5. Where can I get an ISBN if I do not already have one?

   You can purchase ISBNs online, either singles or in groups. Click the link below for more information on purchasing an ISBN online from Bowker:
   
   http://bowker.com/index.php/identifier-services/book-title-identifiers-isbn
   

Document Uploading using the Scribd Reader

1. What is Scribd?

   Scribd is the world’s largest social publishing company. Scribd is the place where people publish, discover and discuss original writings and documents. More than 50 million people each month are sharing their writings and documents on Scribd.com and thousands of other websites that have embedded Scribd's document reader. To learn more about Scribd, click here.
   
2. What is the Scribd iPaper Reader?

   The Scribd iPaper Reader technology is now integrated with all FiledBy sites, allowing authors to easily post and share their documents on both FiledBy and Scribd. Authors can upload and convert PDF, Word, PowerPoint and many other file formats into an iPaper that can be viewed on the web. Also, every document is indexed for search engine optimization, making it even easier for new readers to find you and your books. To learn more about iPaper and the Scribd Reader, click here.
   
3. What is the difference between the Scribd Reader and an iPaper?

   When uploading files using Scribd's technology, each of your documents is converted to an iPaper. The Scribd Reader is the technology that allows you to view, share and download these iPapers. Thus you can create an unlimited number of iPapers, all of which use the Scribd Reader to display the documents on the web.
   
4. What file formats can I upload and convert to an iPaper?

   Scribd iPaper supports the following formats:
   
   

   • Adobe PDF (.pdf)
   • Adobe PostScript (.ps)
   • Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
   • Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt, .pps, .pptx)
   • Microsoft Excel (.xls, xlsx)
   • OpenOffice Text Document (.odt, .sxw)
   • OpenOffice Presentation Document (.odp, .sxi)
   • OpenOffice Spreadsheet (.ods, .sxc)
   • All OpenDocument formats
   • Plain text (.txt)
   • Rich text format (.rtf)

   
   
5. How do I create an account with Scribd?

   Under "My Tools" on an author account page, click the Documents link. From here, authors can manage their existing documents and upload new ones. Click the Upload Document button and follow the instructions to create your Scribd account and upload your document.
   
6. How do I upload a document to my FiledBy Site?

   When uploading your first document, FiledBy will automatically create a Scribd account for you and link it directly to your FiledBy account. You can access your new account and edit your documents on Scribd through My Tools => Documents => Manage Documents => and then by clicking the Edit link beside each iPaper document.
   
7. How do I remove a document from my FiledBy site?

   To remove a document, go to My Tools => Documents => Manage Documents => and then click the Edit link beside the document you want to remove. Your Scribd account will open in a new window. Click My Docs in the top navigation bar, find the document to be removed, and click Quick Edit at the far right end of the row. Next click Delete Document. Your document will then be deleted on both FiledBy and Scribd.
   
8. What if I already have a Scribd account?

   If you would like to link an existing Scribd account to your FiledBy account, please contact Customer Support with your Scribd username and password handy.
   
9. Can I specify which documents are shared only on Scribd and which are shared only on FiledBy?

   No. Any documents uploaded to FiledBy using the Scribd iPaper Reader will appear on Scribd and on FiledBy. Also any documents that you have uploaded through Scribd's website will be viewable on your FiledBy site as well. If you would like to keep separate accounts, contact Customer Support for more information on setting up separate accounts.
   
10. What if I only want to upload and share a document on my FiledBy site?

    If you do not want to share a posted document on Scribd, it is possible to upload a PDF only to your FiledBy site. On your author account page, click on the Documents link under My Tools. From here there is a click here link that will bring you to a page where you can upload a PDF only to your FiledBy site.
    

Reader Features and Benefits

1. What features do readers get when they register?

   Once registered, readers receive their own page. They can customize their page by adding personal information, a photograph and links. They can also build collections of favorite books and authors. We will add new features over time.
   
   Registered readers can leave comments on any author’s Wall, rate their favorite author or book, add authors to your favorites list and leave replies to an author’s Blog.
   
   For more information on the benefits of reader registration, see our signup page.
   
   
2. How can I build a book and author collection on my personal page?

   When you find an author that you want to add to your personal collection, simply click the “Join” link in the Community section of the author’s site. This author will now appear on your reader page in the My Authors section.
   
   To add a book to your Bookshelf, click the “Add to your Bookshelf” link below the book’s information on the book page. These books will now appear in the My Bookshelf of your reader page.
   
   
3. How can I start or join a group?

   Groups are a great way to stay in touch with other readers and authors that share your interests. Simply click on the Groups link at the top of any page to see the Groups Page. From there you can see a list of existing groups, organized by category.
   
   Once you’ve found a group that you want to join, click the name of the group to see that group’s page. You can then join the group by clicking the “Join this group” link on the right.
   
   If you can’t find a group you want to join, you can create your own on the Groups Categories page. Click the “[Create New Group]” link and fill in the necessary information.
   
   Groups that you have joined will appear in the My Groups section of your reader page.
   
   
4. How can I communicate with authors?

   You can communicate with authors using the social networking features. Every author that claims their page has access to the Wall feature. Readers can leave comments for an author and authors can respond if they want to.
   
   Additionally, some authors have a Blog on their site. On the author’s blog you can see updates from the authors themselves on upcoming works or recent events and leave replies to their posts and discussions.
   
   
5. How do I find readers to friend?

   You can find and friend other readers while in a Group page. Click the username for the group member you want to friend. You will be redirected to that reader’s profile page. Click the “add as friend” button on the profile page located directly under the reader’s profile picture. A message will be sent to that reader letting them know you would like to be their friend. Once they accept, you are instant friends! You can view all of the readers that are your friends on your profile page under the “My Friends” section.
   

Buying Books

1. Can readers buy books on FiledBy?

   You can click the “Buy” button next to any book and purchase it from an online retailer. From the buy page, simply choose the retailer you prefer and you will be redirected to their site. We cannot guarantee that all books can be purchased through these retailers. You may want to try another reseller if your first choice does not have the book.
   
2. What online retailers do you link to?

   You can buy books from a number of online retailers.
   
         U.S. retailers:

   •          Amazon
   •          B&N.com
   •          Powell’s
   •          Indiebound
   •          Alibris
   •          Borders

         Canadian retailers:

   •          Indigo.ca
   •          Amazon.ca

   
   

Publisher Questions

1. How can a publisher participate?

   Publishers are encouraged to work with us in several ways

   • By sponsoring your authors in one of our low-cost paid membership levels
   • By providing us with you data feeds, including title information and cover art
   • By providing us with author biographies and photos
   • By letting all your authors know how they can participate and claim their page
   • By posting links to FiledBy from your authors' sites on your own website or elsewhere

   For additional information about publisher sponsorship programs, see our publisher page.
   
2. How can I sponsor my authors so they have the most effective presence on FiledBy?

   You can sponsor and sign up as many authors as you like. See our publisher sponsor page for additional information and discounts .
   
3. How can publishers make sure their author and title data is up to date?

   You can help us make sure your title and author data and images are up to date by submitting data feeds in Onix 2.1. Contact us at data[at]filedby[dot]com to find out how to participate.
   
4. What are the advantages for publishers?

   • Economical way to for you to support your authors on the web and ensure their success
   • Provides your authors access to author-centric web technology and cost effective online marketing tools
   • Greater visibility for your authors in an SEO environment, ensuring they are easily discoverable on the web
   • Provides your authors a way to connect and communicate more effectively with their readers
   • Less expensive and more effective than building your own author web sites

   
   
5. Can I build Series Sites for my authors?

   Contact us at data[at]filedby[dot]com to talk about your needs