The Roger Williams Agency (formerly Publish or Perish Agency)

More Info Needed, IMHO

Mr. Williams does indeed claim to have extensive experience in all facets of publishing. Unfortunately, none of his experience is specific as to where he actually worked.

He also claims to have sold many books from family members, but he doesn't give their titles.

Before putting this agency on my submissions list, I'd want to see specific information regarding Mr. Williams publishing experience, plus the booksales he claims to have made.

-Ann C. Crispin
Chair, Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com

He has a really extensive publishing and bookselling resume. See his LinkedIn profile.

- Victoria

I just checked out the website. You answer a bunch of questions on a submission form first - one of them is if the proposal has been given to any other agents and if so, name them. That makes me a little uncomfortable. I don't like giving out names. Would this be people that have requested material, or everyone I've queried? (that would be some list if it's the everyone I've queried)

That's a pretty intense submission form too! I mean, he even asks you where you went to high school and all. Does he seriously need that to gage my writing?

JamieB said:

I just checked out the website. You answer a bunch of questions on a submission form first - one of them is if the proposal has been given to any other agents and if so, name them. That makes me a little uncomfortable. I don't like giving out names. Would this be people that have requested material, or everyone I've queried? (that would be some list if it's the everyone I've queried)

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Jamie....you beat me again!!! HAHAHAHH!!

We're sniffin' out all the same leads...

I queried him for my novel based on his extensive connections.

We'll see where it goes.

As for the agent question, I simply noted that three have requested partials in the last two weeks and that I will let him know if I get a request for a full. I did not give names because I don't feel that's necessary.

Some of the other questions he asks are probably premature, but they show that he knows what he's doing when it comes to marketing. Not all agents are interested in the promotions end, so that was a plus in my book. I have a feeling that as he gets more established, he will tone that down.

One thing I did notice though is that he never requests a word count. He also asks how much of the work is completed, but has no box for those of us with completed manuscript (which all fiction writers should have before they query). Hopefully, those are simply oversights that he will fix in the near future.

happywritermom said:

One thing I did notice though is that he never requests a word count. He also asks how much of the work is completed, but has no box for those of us with completed manuscript (which all fiction writers should have before they query). Hopefully, those are simply oversights that he will fix in the near future.

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Question 9 has a box to check for completed ms.

That is a doozy of a questionnaire.

I've gotta say, I do like the name of this agency.

Soccer Mom said:

Question 9 has a box to check for completed ms.

That is a doozy of a questionnaire.

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He must have just added that. I mentioned the problem on my form.

I just looked through the form and WOW! It's um...a little daunting to be honest. I get the feeling I'd be answering NA to some of those questions...kinda makes me feel bad.

I have filled out the form, and in the part about whether I have submitted to other agents, I honestly wrote, "Too many to list, I'm afraid." We'll see where that gets me.

Everything is optional except for the few questions with a red asterisk. I'd just skip anything you don't want to fill in.

Just a general curiousity, do things like these forms you guys are talking about serve any beneficial purpose? This sounds like an awful lot of unnecessary effort just to get this guy to look at your work. I mean, I know agents want people who are serious about working to get published, and I'm not saying this guy can't sell books, but this form this agent has sounds a little unreasonable.

MJR,

I felt the same way. I wondered, "Do I want to spend all this time for a quick or long extended no?"

I was thinking of cheating by checking out AgentQuery to see if there's an email address for him or something.

I went ahead and filled out the form last night and then sent in my first 60 pages as an attachment to the email address as indicated in part 2 of the process. I can't remember what I put in the section about agents who have looked at it, may have left it blank, but I didn't put in any names.

It says 30 days for a response.

That is, without a doubt, the most baffling submission process I've ever seen. I went ahead and did it, anyway. And like a lot of you, I just replied I've submitted to several agencies. What Mr. Wilson would do with specific names is beyond me.

Publish or Perish experience

victoriastrauss said:

He has a really extensive publishing and bookselling resume. See his LinkedIn profile.

- Victoria

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Victoria ~ thank you for pointing to my LinkedIn page on this post. I'm happy to answer anything about my experience.

Welcome to AW! I clicked on this thread because a friend of mine who is a mystery writer and also writes about Cornell Woolrich, titled one of his books Publish And Perish.

PublishOrPerish said:

Victoria ~ thank you for pointing to my LinkedIn page on this post. I'm happy to answer anything about my experience.

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Can you share the names of the books you've placed and with which publishing houses?

Answering Ann's questions

As Victoria has pointed out...you can see my full resume on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/publishorperishagency I am happy to discuss any of my experience.

As to my family members - My wife is YA and children's author Gina Cascone see www.agcascone.com - Gina has also written two memoirs, PAGAN BABIES AND OTHER CATHOLIC MEMORIES and LIFE AL DENTE. She has ghostwritten for major children's series. All in all, over 30 books, over 2.1 million sold.

My older sister is Joan Williams, author UNBENDING GENDER. Oxford University Press. Google her. You will see that she is a highly regarded Law Professor at UC Hastings. I'm very proud of her. I am also very proud of my kid sister that just signed a major contract with HarperCollins - that will be her third book. For privacy purposes, I cannot reveal her name, nor her husband, who is an internationally renowned bestselling, but controversial, author. My niece is Laura Williams McCaffery, author of two YA novels published by Houghton Mifflin - proud of them too. Other than my wife, I have never represented any of family members as I was not, until now, a full time agent. Over the years, I could not even count the number of writers I've advised, with whom I've worked, nor the thousands of books, in all genres I've read, nor the millions I've sold to all channels. I've been urged, and congratulated, for opening my agency by heads of houses. But like many aspiring writers who have yet to prove themselves, I've yet to prove myself as an agent - I have been in business for six weeks. But I am confident that I will sell projects for the clients that I've signed (some of whom have asked me for years to agent their work), and yet to sign.

I am not yet a member of AAR as I have just opened my agency after having been in sales for over 30 years. But then again, Aaron Priest, founding member of ILAA (now the AAR) started his career in sales and wasn't a member of anything when he began either. I will pay special attention to Writer's Beware, for I think your organization is providing an important and valuable service. I don't know of any other agents that have my sales background.

Many have questioned my submission form. I totally understand that this process is quite different than most, if not every, agent. This comes from 1) my sales, marketing and publicity approach to understanding a writer's potential and 2) a process which I believe will help my clients understand the internal publishing process from the beginning. (and yes, every publicist worth their due will want to know where a writer goes to high school).

Any other questions? Happy to discuss.

Thank you for your post Mr. Williams, it is very helpful.

Would my going to high school overseas be considered an advantage or a drawback?...

Whether he rejects me or not, I like this guy. Took the time to address my concerns regarding his submission policy, and actually let me know where I was in his slush pile. He didn't have to do either, and I think that's pretty damn cool.