• Welcome to BookAndReader!

    We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!

    Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.

Literary Agents

D

David Frame

New Member
Hi All,

Just sent my first novel off to a mixed response from agents (all UK based). In summary:

One - not interested
One - not their type of book
Two - not taking on anymore authors at all (odd!)
Two - not taking on anymore authors at the moment but come back to us in the next 8-weeks or so
Two - we would like to represent you!

Out of the two that would like to represent me, one is not asking for any money while the other is asking for £350 to cover mailings, script reproduction blah blah. Neither have disucssed percentages yet, but have both said they will send me contracts in the post as well as an overview of their plan.

Even though £350 is not a bank breaking amount of money given the time I have invested in producing my book, I would rather not put my hand in my pocket if avoidable.

Is this charge common practice? If so, does it seem high or low? Should I be reading into the charge or no charge thing given the two offers I have? Should I just shut up and be grateful people are willing to represent me?

All opinions appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!
 
For the agent asking for money... sounds a little scamish. Anyone asking for money sounds scamish, though.

Research those firms. Ask them questions. Check if they are on the "naughty" list of agents.

Why is this in the "Members Introductions" section?

Mods... can we move this to "Writers Block"? (edit: done)
 
Kind of what I thought, but I'm new to this and the company looks reputable. I balance this out by thinking if this is a scam, wouldnt they be asking for more????
 
Members Introductions firstly seems to be a catch all for many things. Plus I'm new, so this is my introductory question!!!!
 
David Frame said:
I balance this out by thinking if this is a scam, wouldnt they be asking for more????
Click to expand...
That's usually the scam: it's only a little amount of money... what can hurt?

David, I'll represent you for 250...
 
What's that book all you published authors recommend to people asking how to get published? Surely this would offer some advice as to whether a publisher is reputable or not. How did you get their address in the first place?

Would it be possible to say to the company asking for a handout that you have another offer which is not requiring an up-front monetary advance?

I'm not knowledgable in this area at all, these are just my thoughts.
 
You have an agent ready to represent you with no fees up front? Congratulations!

Ignore the other one.
 
Kookamoor said:
What's that book all you published authors recommend to people asking how to get published? Surely this would offer some advice as to whether a publisher is reputable or not. How did you get their address in the first place?

Would it be possible to say to the company asking for a handout that you have another offer which is not requiring an up-front monetary advance?

I'm not knowledgable in this area at all, these are just my thoughts.
Click to expand...


Writers Market....there are numerous ones for numerous styles of books...
 
Mari said:
You have an agent ready to represent you with no fees up front? Congratulations!

Ignore the other one.
Click to expand...
No matter what, ignore the other one. But definitely do some reasearch on the other before signing on.

Motokid said:
I would double check to see if there's one specific to the UK if you have a specific reason for wanting to stick with UK agents. I'm not sure if this book covers the world, or where.
Click to expand...
I just flipped through my 2005 Writer's Market and they list US, UK, and Canadian publishers and agents. Both are great books. The first hundred or so pages of Writer's Market has some great examples of what to do and what not to do when sending queries, proposals, mss, etc. and some great information about the publishing world in general.

Here's some great information on what to look out for regarding scams:

Literary Scams

Also, usually googling the literary agent in question can find you information on whether or not others have had issues with them, or sometimes negative articles revealing them as scammers.
 
Never pay an agent to read your work. It's part of their bloody job.

Who is the agent? Obviously, don't say if you don't want anyone to know.

Do you have the Writers And Artists' Yearbook 2006?
 
Thanks people (just been putting the kids to bed so sorry for the delay)!!

I did a web check on this particlar agent and believe it or not their name came up on a different book forum (the thread was about a year old). The agent had threatend the forum with legal action if all negative posts regarding the company were not removed - seems a little extreme as from what I could understand the thread starter was simply asking the same question as me, but was referencing the agency name.

So, as I came into the forum in the middle of a typing brawl, I don't want to leave the same way, so I'll keep the company to myself for the moment. However, they are London based and do have a number of credible, specialist authors on their books. My book is at its most basic level a spy novel and the agency doesn't appear to currently represent any authors at least close to this genre.

I think I'll walk the cautious line with this company - they want £350 for "marketing" which doesn't seem to be like an amount of money that would go very far.
 
David Frame said:
I think I'll walk the cautious line with this company - they want £350 for "marketing" which doesn't seem to be like an amount of money that would go very far.
Click to expand...

£350 for marketing? Ask them to break it down - every pound - as it's very rare to see authors marketed at all unless well known...or Dan Brown as a pseudonym.
 
I agree with Stewart in principle.
On the other hand real life can get in the way of utopia. I agree that £350 is a lot to pay up front, especially without seeing a full contract. I'd want that money to be refunded from the agent's commission so in effect it becomes a loan from you to him as a sign of good faith that you are a serious writer and not a hobbyist. I say this because an agent I know is inundated by JKR wannabes and would be financially sunk if they devoted as much time, and so money, into them as they do for known serious writers. Of course some of those wannabes are talented and worthy. Just as some of the yellowing scripts, I've seen in a floor-to-ceiling pile of unsolicited submissions at a mainstream publishers in London, contain masterpieces.

As for marketing. Some agents call that what they do in the creation of a promo pack (pitch letter, sample chapter(s), synopsis, author's bio and writing CV etc), assessing the publishing market, persuading their contacts to take the promo pack and in the meantime, work on your career prospects. A good agent gets you readings at lit events, universities, bookshops as well as links to literary magazines, tickets to conventions and so it goes.

So it isn't so simple as just only going with a non-fee charging agent who might do b**** all. But a good agent will not charge a reading fee. A good fee-charging agent would read your MS first, and then make you a contract offer, which you can read and make a judgement.

Good luck

Geoff
 
I don't know. I wouldn't go for the 350 up front. That kind of reduces the agent's motivation--he's already gotten paid.
 
David Frame said:
Kind of what I thought, but I'm new to this and the company looks reputable. I balance this out by thinking if this is a scam, wouldnt they be asking for more????
Click to expand...

If 100 people fall for it, then that £350 becomes £35,000. And there are probably a lot of people willing to pay that money if they think an agent will represent them. An agent should make money by selling your work. Period.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top