Hey everybody, :grin
This new post is regarding a recent query of mine, as well as a screenplay agent I spent a year with.
Lately, I've been sending out a lot of queries to a lot of different places, and I just wanted to let people know about a certain agency in Oregon, that they might want to think about avoiding. I queried them with the first paragraph from one of my novels (granted, I was hesitant to do so at first because they mentioned something about "critique services", but I did it anyway. Yah… yah, I am a glutton for castigation!) They returned the first chapter to me cut up and horribly edited (I mean, the guy told me I shouldn't underline my words... okay, but I want them in italics! A reputable agent told me that if you want your words in italics you underline them. Right? RIGHT?) Then they offered to "critique" the entire novel for me at a mere pittance... .75 CENTS A FLIPPIN' PAGE! Then, of course, they told me that just because they "critiqued" the novel didn't mean that they would take me on as a new client. Sure... whatever, man! :shrug
So, steer clear of Qcorp Literary and Screen Agency, they're based in Hillsboro, Oregon, and, in truth (I looked up), are actually signatories with WGA west; which helps you not if you're attempting to get your novel published.
In addition, I wanted to retell a personal story, and warn some people not to make the same mistake I made. Last year, I signed with a screenplay agent and paid an up front fee of $125 dollars. The agent was Lenny Minelli of A Picture of You Literary Agency. I was with him for a year, he threw around many names, and plenty of big numbers, but I did not see a thing… no money, no sell, no credit. Furthermore, when I asked him for rejection letters and the like, he said he got his "passes" and rejections all by word of mouth, and the only rejection letter he could provide me was one to a contest I had entered. The past year with him was all very informative and very frustrating and annoying. In truth, I was never able to catch Lenny in an "out and out" lie, but after my annoyance with him grew, I did more research, and found that no one- people on this website and others- could find any information that he had sold ANYTHING. And supposedly he's been in the business for over 8 years. The only truth I could find is that he worked on a movie with Claire Daines called Polish Wedding and got credit for, of all things, Kraft Services. I realize now, thanks to websites like absolute write and predators and editors, that I broke the cardinal rule of "the writer" by paying an up front fee. Trust me, lesson learned.
In short, writers, avoid Qcorp and A Picture of You Literary Agency. They both charge up front fees! Don't make the same mistake I made. Gah! :head
This new post is regarding a recent query of mine, as well as a screenplay agent I spent a year with.
Lately, I've been sending out a lot of queries to a lot of different places, and I just wanted to let people know about a certain agency in Oregon, that they might want to think about avoiding. I queried them with the first paragraph from one of my novels (granted, I was hesitant to do so at first because they mentioned something about "critique services", but I did it anyway. Yah… yah, I am a glutton for castigation!) They returned the first chapter to me cut up and horribly edited (I mean, the guy told me I shouldn't underline my words... okay, but I want them in italics! A reputable agent told me that if you want your words in italics you underline them. Right? RIGHT?) Then they offered to "critique" the entire novel for me at a mere pittance... .75 CENTS A FLIPPIN' PAGE! Then, of course, they told me that just because they "critiqued" the novel didn't mean that they would take me on as a new client. Sure... whatever, man! :shrug
So, steer clear of Qcorp Literary and Screen Agency, they're based in Hillsboro, Oregon, and, in truth (I looked up), are actually signatories with WGA west; which helps you not if you're attempting to get your novel published.
In addition, I wanted to retell a personal story, and warn some people not to make the same mistake I made. Last year, I signed with a screenplay agent and paid an up front fee of $125 dollars. The agent was Lenny Minelli of A Picture of You Literary Agency. I was with him for a year, he threw around many names, and plenty of big numbers, but I did not see a thing… no money, no sell, no credit. Furthermore, when I asked him for rejection letters and the like, he said he got his "passes" and rejections all by word of mouth, and the only rejection letter he could provide me was one to a contest I had entered. The past year with him was all very informative and very frustrating and annoying. In truth, I was never able to catch Lenny in an "out and out" lie, but after my annoyance with him grew, I did more research, and found that no one- people on this website and others- could find any information that he had sold ANYTHING. And supposedly he's been in the business for over 8 years. The only truth I could find is that he worked on a movie with Claire Daines called Polish Wedding and got credit for, of all things, Kraft Services. I realize now, thanks to websites like absolute write and predators and editors, that I broke the cardinal rule of "the writer" by paying an up front fee. Trust me, lesson learned.
In short, writers, avoid Qcorp and A Picture of You Literary Agency. They both charge up front fees! Don't make the same mistake I made. Gah! :head
