Agency reading fees (good or bad?)

Again, there is no value to the customer for merely providing me with an "estimate." Nor am I trying to establish a working partnership with the body shop, or my plumber. If the time used to conduct the estimate (read) is truly that significant, I'd expect the agent to factor that into the commission rate. In fact, I suspect most already do.

(I'd find another auto body shop. )

The more I think about it, the more I wonder whether I would be receptive to the idea of a fee if it was capped at a very small amount such as five or ten dollars. Then it would take a hell of a lot of subs for a scammer to make a living off the fees alone. The question is whether that would be sufficient for real agents?

Color me cynical, but paying a person to "consider" working with (and for) me just doesn't seem logical. Especially when there are many, many capable potential partners out there charging nothing.

I'm cynical too, but from the other side, I suppose. Why should an agent be expected to constantly work for free on the slim chance that they will find one or two (out of the many thousands) that they CAN work for? A plumber or body shop could spend all their time doing free estimates, all of which take time away from EARNING money. This is what's happening with agents, and the reason for the long wait times. Few people expect a consultation with an attorney for free. There are some who do so, but less than half, I'd wager.

Perhaps, as Dave says, a $5 or $10 fee that could somehow benefit the author, might be better. Another thread was started elsewhere about "how can I get an agent to tell me I suck?" If an agent could tell the author what they actually think (in non-snarky terms) about the book for the fee:

"The plot really drags in the middle."
"I didn't find the characters believable. A scuba instructor in the desert just didn't ring true."
"Blending first person POV with third just didn't work."
"You need to concentrate harder on your grammar and composition."

Yes, it's just opinion on the part of the agent, and maybe the next agent would love it, but even little scraps of assistance is better than nothing. If the author got the same scrap over and over, maybe errors that could be fixed would sink in.

Just a random thought...

Again, why should I pay anything for a 50% chance of a one liner rejection when there are plenty of competent professionals out there that charge no fee? If the reading time is really that significant, they can build the charge into the commission once we have formed a partnership.

Simply looking at my work in order to decide if a working relationship is possible doesn't merit a "fee."

We'll have to agree to disagree on this issue.

(And I think you'd lose that bet regarding the lawyers. I know dozens of defense attorneys and most, if not all, take no payment until after they know the specifics of the case and agree to take it.)

DaveKuzminski said:

... capped at a very small amount such as five or ten dollars. Then it would take a hell of a lot of subs for a scammer to make a living off the fees alone.

Click to expand...

You're kidding, right?

I'm cynical too, but from the other side, I suppose. Why should an agent be expected to constantly work for free on the slim chance that they will find one or two (out of the many thousands) that they CAN work for?

Click to expand...

Everyone who owns their own company or works on commission does things that don't immediately pay off in order to bring in more business. If an agent's list is full, they won't have time for more clients or to consider submissions. If an agent's list is not full, they should obviously (and quite sensibly) spend all the time necessary on their current clients and use their leftover time to look for more opportunities to make money. If the agent simply can't make enough money with their business as it is, they need to be in a new business.

Yeah, some people suck. They behave badly. That's life. It's pretty much the Endless September in publishing. Charging a fee isn't going to change that.

HConn said:

You're kidding, right?

Click to expand...

You need to consider the entire comment I made in context.

Every business owner has some sort of initial outlay before their business gets on a paying basis - it may be tools, or space, or supplies, or all of the above. In the agent's case, it's mostly time.. time to find clients. (and space and all that)

Time and money are converse... you either have one or the other. (Think about it) To think you can have both is foolish. There are exceptions, of course, but most of us aren't the exception.

Christine N. said:

Every business owner has some sort of initial outlay before their business gets on a paying basis - it may be tools, or space, or supplies, or all of the above. In the agent's case, it's mostly time.. time to find clients. (and space and all that)

Time and money are converse... you either have one or the other. (Think about it) To think you can have both is foolish. There are exceptions, of course, but most of us aren't the exception.

Click to expand...

So, you're agreeing with me then?

Just to continue muddying the water, some businesses take a *very* long time to set up. Some businesses need to be constantly on the hunt for new clients. An excellent reputation can make the search for new clients amazingly easy, but it's not just an "initial" outlay.

To charge a fee for nothing in return and still expect a cash flow is foolish. A couple of people have likened this reading-fee thing to a crafter charging to provide an "estimate." There are major differences. First of all, a class-act crafter or mechanic has no need to charge a fee before a service is provided. However, I understand there are exceptions to every rule. So let's examine an "estimate."

An estimate includes an assessment of the problem, an educated guess regarding time and materials, an agreement to perform a specific job, and usually, a qualified guarantee of the result. A reading fee does none of the above for the consumer. Some might argue that a fee guarantees your work is read and not simply rubber-stamped and returned. Sounds like a deal. Except that new writers are read everyday by legitimate agents....without benefit of a reading fee. And sadly, said fees won't/can't guarantee the agent will actually read anything except the routing numbers on your check. Again, this is an inequitable situation for the writer. In fact, it primes the pump for Scams-R-Us.

Now, let's say an agent agrees to provide certain services (other than a read)for this fee. Even a half page letter stating what is both right and wrong with the piece can be deemed a service of value and may merit a modest fee. If the agent actually bothered to read the piece, then an additonal 20 minutes to frame a general critique letter shouldn't be too much of an additional burden.

Folks, if it seems I'm beating a dead horse, I suppose it's because there are too many "something for nothing" enterprises in this world already. Most agents aren't overloaded with clients. They need writers and writers need agents. If the read consumes materials, then its fair the agent be reimbursed. If, however, the agent is charging for "time", there's a problem. I'm contracting for a service. The time in which that service is provided is the problem of the service provider. My obligation on the front end is to supply the agent with decent material to work with, and additional support after a sale. What any writer doesn't need is an upfront cash outlay for the promise of a read.

As for start-up expenses, any business plan worth its weight in household dust will include provisions for 6-12 months sustainment capital. Anyone attempting to start a new business in which he must rely on initial monies from the very people he's supposed to represent on a commission basis is already in trouble.

No Hconn, in the case of agents (and lawyers, who usually need new clients once they move cases off their desks, and real estate agents, who need new houses to sell once they've sold the ones they have), it's mostly time they devote to keeping their business moving.

If you were running critique service (on the up an up, mind you) then ok. But then the agent would be taking time away from finding clients. Finding clients. That's part of his job.

It still comes down to... if people who write badly want to submit, they will find a way to do so. Money will not be a deterrent to most of these people. But it may be to a person who actually can write, but can't afford a reading fee.

I stick with my orignal solution. Writers, grow up. Yes, we moan about wait times, but it's only because we're emotionally invested on some level (even if we say we're not), and we're only concerned about OUR submission - we forget all the others you have to look at. Some of us ignore the guidelines, making more work for the agent.

Read the freaking guidelines, then go write another book instead of filling the agent's inbox with status requests or hovering over the mailbox like a vulture. Or, what I do sometimes, is start researching other agents, so as soon as that rejection comes in, I have another place to send it out the same day. Makes the rejection sting less, I promise.

It should all rest with the writers. It's hard, but you can do it.