Zakk Lable Society
Hi all,
Just caveat, I did a search for these key words and came up blank, so I apologize if this particular agency has been discussed before.
I did a shotgun blast of sending out my short story to many literary agents. After several rejections, I finally get one interested: Southeast Literary Agency of Sharpes, FL, represented by Ms. Debbie Fine.
Their commission rate is only 10%, but they want a one-time fee of $175 up front for "expenses." I know everyone here is going to immediately chant: "Money should flow to the author, not from." However, I'm not against making a small investment. Is this $175 too much to ask?
In their letter to me, the agency listed a few titles that they represented and got published. I looked them up on Amazon:
Florida: The War Years
The Girl in the Red Cadillac
Your Turn in the Sun
I have no idea how to tell if these books are successful or not, or if they're satisfied with thier representation. Can anyone offer a better way for me to research the agency?
I also did some internet searches on the "authros beware" websites, and this particular agency was listed. Not because they are a scam, but simply because they charge a fee (the sites don't differentiate regarding the amount, they just put "beware" if any fee is requested). However, the more research I did, the more I discovered that many agencies do request a one-time up-front fee. Is this becoming less and less abnormal?
Do I persue this at all? Do I at least call the agency and talk to Debbie Fine? Do I ask to hear her side of the story? "Why are you listed on the 'Stay Away!' sites, and what is your response/defense?"
To be honest with you, I didn't write my story to become the next big children's author, or to become rich. I wrote it because I felt inspired, and I wanted to see it published (for real, not self-published), just to be able to say "Hey, look what I did!" If I pay $175 and it does get accepted by a publisher, thanks to this agency, maybe it's not too much to pay to say "Hey look, I'm published."
I'd really appreciate some candid advice from y'all regarding this. Thanks in advance.
Just caveat, I did a search for these key words and came up blank, so I apologize if this particular agency has been discussed before.
I did a shotgun blast of sending out my short story to many literary agents. After several rejections, I finally get one interested: Southeast Literary Agency of Sharpes, FL, represented by Ms. Debbie Fine.
Their commission rate is only 10%, but they want a one-time fee of $175 up front for "expenses." I know everyone here is going to immediately chant: "Money should flow to the author, not from." However, I'm not against making a small investment. Is this $175 too much to ask?
In their letter to me, the agency listed a few titles that they represented and got published. I looked them up on Amazon:
Florida: The War Years
The Girl in the Red Cadillac
Your Turn in the Sun
I have no idea how to tell if these books are successful or not, or if they're satisfied with thier representation. Can anyone offer a better way for me to research the agency?
I also did some internet searches on the "authros beware" websites, and this particular agency was listed. Not because they are a scam, but simply because they charge a fee (the sites don't differentiate regarding the amount, they just put "beware" if any fee is requested). However, the more research I did, the more I discovered that many agencies do request a one-time up-front fee. Is this becoming less and less abnormal?
Do I persue this at all? Do I at least call the agency and talk to Debbie Fine? Do I ask to hear her side of the story? "Why are you listed on the 'Stay Away!' sites, and what is your response/defense?"
To be honest with you, I didn't write my story to become the next big children's author, or to become rich. I wrote it because I felt inspired, and I wanted to see it published (for real, not self-published), just to be able to say "Hey, look what I did!" If I pay $175 and it does get accepted by a publisher, thanks to this agency, maybe it's not too much to pay to say "Hey look, I'm published."
I'd really appreciate some candid advice from y'all regarding this. Thanks in advance.