I think I have sucessfully avoided a scam, but I want to know for certain.
A literary agent was making noises about wanting to take my book, but mentioned that I would need to pay £350 as they get charged per manuscript they send in to a publisher.
Is this the case? Has anyone ever come across this before? Do publishers charge reading fees to Agents?
2007-11-08 04:30:41 · 9 answers · asked by David 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
You've done well to trust your instincts. This is a scam for sure. No legitimate agent/publisher will ever ask an author for money up front, only dirt-bags preying on people with a dream of being published.
Well done!
2007-11-08 04:35:39 · answer #1 · answered by MIKE l 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If your book is going to do well, no agent will want money upfront.....that is unless they are paying it to you.
It sounds like vanity publishing. Get a copy, or borrow from library, a copy of Writers and Artists yearbook, or visit them online. They will suggest the correct publishers which you should send your MS to.
Ignore this company. If your book is worth reading, you get the money, not them!
2007-11-09 08:49:09 · answer #2 · answered by i_am_jean_s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
David, agents who charge a reading fee make their money on reading fees, not on taking a percentage on book sales.
Your instincts served you well. In the future, you'd be smart to check out an agent before contacting him or her. Find out what their recent sales have been. Are the publishers legit, or vanity presses? Are there sales in your book's genre? Does the agent's website list his/her authors? Do they check out at Preditors and Editors, AgentQuery, and elsewhere?
2007-11-08 04:50:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Real agents do not charge fees up front. Check out these web site to prevent future problems:
Editors & Preditors web site is:
www.anotherrealm.com/prededitors
Association of Authors
aaa-online.org/index.html
2007-11-08 05:20:23 · answer #4 · answered by Barbiq 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely a scam.
No real bona fide agent would ask for money; they get their money when they make a sale, so to speak. That's one reason why they are so cautious about who they take on.
well done.
oh, and good luck!
2007-11-08 04:45:19 · answer #5 · answered by Vivienne T 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
they say that a real agent wont ask for money upfront, so yes, i think its a scam!
2007-11-08 04:43:28 · answer #6 · answered by la di da di da 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds suspicious
2007-11-08 04:42:12 · answer #7 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you will never be asked for money up front by a legitimate agent.
2007-11-08 04:37:54 · answer #8 · answered by Sarah J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Never pay money up fornt. This was a SCAM for sure.
2007-11-08 04:50:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋