What do we think of Literary Consultancies in General?

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Janeyboo

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http://www.thebookseller.com/blogs/43467-money-for-value.html

Clare Alexander, a literary agent with the UK Aitken Associates, recently launched a stinging attack on the literary consultancy, arguing that some (by no means all) style themselves as 'literary life coaches' and fleece authors of the little money they have.

What do we think? I did a bit of work for one literary consultancy, and in several cases I had to refuse to offer a second critique because in my first once I had made it crystal clear, in as kind a way as possible, that all the tweaking in the world was not going to make the book work. But the author would fiddle with bits of the book and send it back.

It's really difficult because agents and publishers don't have the time to offer proper advice so the poor writer just gets a stinky rejection slip. But at what point does the literary consultancy become another form of exploiting the writer?
 

pilot27407

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Interesting.
Or, at what point you’ll throw your pen away?
Good and honest editors are hard to find.
 

Janeyboo

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I do think that many a promising book has been rejected because the recipient editor/literary agent just didn't have time to point out what needed doing. But when consultancies are encouraging never-going-to-be-published-evah books back for yet another polish, it's grossly unfair on the writer.

Don't know what the answer is here - except check the credentials and see if their input has resulted in a sale to a real publishing house.

I remember getting a radio script that had obviously been originally flogged as a television script. I could tell because there was a scene which began with:

We can 'hear' Bob and Susy in bed. The word was originally 'see' but 'see' had been crossed out and 'hear' written in biro. Whooooo - professional.
 

pilot27407

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Well,… it happens I guess…. You from England?
 

qwerty

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I believe one of the the attractions of literary consultancy/advisory services is that, often, they apparently act as talent scouts for publishing houses and/or agents. It's a sort of: Let us sort out your book and you stand a chance of being picked up situation.

These services do not come cheap and, at the end of the day, all you get is yet another subjective opinion from one person. As for encouraging hopeless writers to throw away even more money they can't afford, surely the time arrives when it's kinder to be cruel?

Janeyboo said: "I do think that many a promising book has been rejected because the recipient editor/literary agent just didn't have time to point out what needed doing."

You're probably right. I was recently lucky enough to acquire an agent who phoned to ask me if I would be prepared to carry out a few amendments, and offered some revision ideas. We both discovered that we could establish a cooperative working relationship and, more importantly, I realised the agent had the time to work with me.
 

Janeyboo

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Well,… it happens I guess…. You from England?

Yes I am. Maybe the Consultancy situation is a bit different in the US.

Qwerty - looks like you struck gold there! I know of a couple of publishing directors who quit to become literary agents, precisely so they could work with and form a good relationship with writers.
 

pilot27407

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That's what I need

I’ve been asked to submit by some ‘big’ agents (fiction), but don’t thing the ms is ready, needs creative editing…. And big agents don’t have time for that, and good editors are hard to find, and…
 
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waylander

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I used a UK literary consultant/book doctor for my novel. He wasn't cheap, but compared to the time I had invested in the novel it was not a lot of money. I thought it good value, the resulting rewritten novel was good enough to get me an agent
 

VGrossack

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In my opinion, another opinion - whether from a good beta reader, an agent, or a paid consultant - can be extremely valuable. I see no reason not to pay for it! Especially when you know that the opinion comes from the industry. And good consulting takes a lot of time and effort - why shouldn't those who do it make money?

Of course, many manuscripts are not publishable and it's possible that disreputable consultancies will work on them anyway, just for the money - yet they may make the manuscript a lot better, so it's still a way for the writer to learn.
 

Khazarkhum

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Of course, many manuscripts are not publishable and it's possible that disreputable consultancies will work on them anyway, just for the money - yet they may make the manuscript a lot better, so it's still a way for the writer to learn.

Also what is or is not publishable seems to be a fluid thing. At one time vampire books were unpublishable, and kid's fantasies were equally rare. If the manuscript is improved, then I agree with you that the author has indeed gotten value for the money.
 

pilot27407

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Got any specific suggestions?
Like names...
 

qwerty

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I see no reason not to pay for it! Especially when you know that the opinion comes from the industry. And good consulting takes a lot of time and effort - why shouldn't those who do it make money?

I agree that anyone who gives a good service in any field should make money, but I think the original query here was maybe about unprofessional/unscrupulous operators. Janeyboo's suggestion: "check the credentials and see if their input has resulted in a sale to a real publishing house" makes a lot of sense.

It's good to hear your experience was a positve one, waylander. Well done on getting an agent - it ain't easy, is it?

Pilot, this one may be worth checking out. www.literaryconsultancy.co.uk
At one time, Transworld were sending their brochure with their rejections, and I recognise some industry professional names on the list.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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Maybe the Consultancy situation is a bit different in the US


Very different. There isn't any kind of "scouting" relationship between freelance editors/book doctors and publishers in the US. When writers in the US pay for editing or book-doctoring, they're getting an improved manuscript, but no special access.
 

Janeyboo

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The work I did was with www.literaryconsultancy.co.uk and they were very good.

Ice Cream Empress, your point about the 'scouting relationship' between consultancies in the UK and the US is interesting. The word 'scouting' can be very widely interpreted. When I worked for TLC, I still had several contacts with Random House having previously worked there, so if I spied a manuscript with real potential, I could pass it on and at least be sure of the ms getting read. But sometimes scouting is dangled as a bit of a carrot to the authors, when in fact, their contacts were from five years ago. If a consultancy touts scouting it would be wise to check how relevant their contacts are.

Also the best way of checking is still to see if the input of the consultancy has resulted in a sale. They'll be shouting it from the rooftops if it has.
 
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