WL Writers Agency
Below is the e-mail I received (on Sunday, August 26) from WL Writers' Agency after I wrote to tell them I researched them and found that they were not what they represented themselves to be and that I did not wish to be represented by them.
Thought you might like to see it....
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From:"Sherry - VP Acquisitions" <
[email protected]>To:"Sandy Novelly" Subject:RE: 'Monique's Wish'Date:Sun, 26 Aug 2007 15:02:46 -0400
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Thanks for bringing this to my attention. We've seen it before (sigh). To set the stage you might look at this article from USA today about rudeness, threats, and the dark underside of blogs and message boards. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2007-07-30-cruel-web_N.htm?csp=34
The short answer is that there are hate communities around every issue of emotional impact and you've found them. You can find hate communities about Home Depot, AT&T, and even people on YouTube, etc.
We've researched these message board leaders and sites pretty thoroughly. Basically, there are less than 5 main sites and they all copy each other. They are run by Ann Crispin, Victoria Strauss, and Dave Kuminisky, and James MacDonald, and they purport to be the watchdogs of the industry. Ann Crispin has sold TWO books in 10 years, Victoria maybe one, and Dave and Jim, I don't think any sales, although if someone tells me differently, I'll be sure to post it here).
We call them Negative Nelllies... in every industry you can find the people that are unhappy. These people haven't made enough money to support themselves as writers and they are bitter and negative about companies that are successful but don't match their outmoded views*. They also have way too much time on their hands. Time better spent improving their writing if you ask me, ha ha.
If you want them to be the advisors for your career please don't let me stop you.
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But, I would be very wary about listening to anyone with that kind of sales record and that kind of negaive bias. They are writer-wannabes, not agents. They don't have a clue about agenting because they've never made a living at it. Ask them if they've ever sold someone elses work? I think you get my drift.
*Outmoded Views
-----------------------------
Let me tell you where their outmoded views come from. Basically, we only accept edited work. But, we will accept a new writer that will commit to getting their work edited. We don't care who edits your work, we just want edited work. As Literary Agents, we don't edit, we just sell. We try to let the editors work with our authors for creative, for mechanics, for everything related to the work itself, and then, we'll work with the writer for packaging, pitching, and presenting the work. Our core competency is selling what you write, not writing what we sell. (And editors and writers make lousy salespeople, so it works out.)
We have sent them copies of contracts of recent sales, and we have tried to engage them in a spirited dialogue about what does constitute agenting in the new world of publishing. They don't reply and they seem to enjoy creating dissension and hurting our business. We used to try to set them straight, but it was a useless task. We've tried to get these people into a dialogue. They just keep dragging old information around. They talk about people and processes that are at least 5 years removed from what we do now. Please read this and you will see what I mean. http://www.writersliterary.com/acquiretlag.html
Mainly we feel sorry for those writers such as yourself that are caught in the crossfire.
Luckily our clients (and the publishers we work with) laugh with us at their foibles. So, in general, we ignore them, and just keep working on behalf of our clients. Our lawyers are on this and we'll get it all straight and out in the open one day, but until them... in the meanwhile, would you do me a favor.. email them this.. and read below... we've seen all this before and we keep trying to get them to come out of their hiding and address the real issues, but they won't. Eventually our lawyers will take care of them but for now, would you send this to them please.
=========================================================
"Dear Moderator - Once again I ask you to engage us in a public
debate about these issues. I'll answer any question you want
and we can both post the answers on our websites so there will be
no "spin doctoring" of the answers.
If your message board is all
about helping writers, then why won't you debate us? The innuendo
and wrong data you are promulgating are hurting writers and we think
a nice public debate would help everyone.
==========================================================
This author said it well.
-------------------------------
"Having been with the FBI and a homicide detective,
I take this type of derogatory information with a grain of salt, as anyone
can say anything about anyone on the Internet".
Yes, we have clients that are FBI agents, lawyers, policemen, etc. Believe me, if there was any actual truth to the lies and innuendo out there, they would know it.
Here's another author (I like his use of the word unemployed).
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Hello Sherry,
I am dually impressed by your company's speedy response time and professional mannerisms. There are many writers all over the internet claiming that your agency is not legitimate and that your company falls under an umbrella co-oporation owned by a convicted internet fraud. I must admit after reading this I was quite rattled, but eventually I came to realize that in your emails you never once concealed any obvious or ominous information from me. You were concise and dare I say very polite. It was my choice to divert the rumors and take the risk and I stand by my choice to this very day. I look forward to working with your agency, because everyone should know that nothing comes without sacrifices and that things are difficult because we do not dare to endeavour their limits. I thank you for your kindness, "professionalism" and prolix emails (because they help a lot.) Let those unemployed writers talk, when I get my book published, I'll take your agency for the ride, because I know you stood by me all the way. Thank You. Tyson
Interestingly, we had a publisher make this comment
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The publisher said, "the more they scream, the more we know you are doing the right things and forcing discipline and business reality on these writers". What the publisher was telling us, was basically, "thanks, you're doing your job", which is weeding out the writers that won't get their work edited or brought to professional standards. We get a lot of comments about how good a job we do, but of course, real writers and real publishers don't hang out on message boards.
Please, you owe it to yourself to take this one step further!
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That data is so old, and so distorted by writers with an axe to grind, that I cringe when I hear a writer making a career decision from it. You've been with us this far, and I think you will agree that we have treated you professionally and in a timely fashion. Read what I say below and tell me if it doesn't make sense, and that it is worth your time to gather a little bit more info.
Let me tell you where that stuff comes from. First, we insist on working only with edited work. There is an entire camp of people that believe that we should pay for the writers' editing. If the writer's name is Hillary Clinton, we'll pay for the editing, but for a new author, we just can't afford it. Also, because the value of editing and critiquing stays with the owner/writer of the script, even if we were fired, then it would make logical sense that the author would pay for editing.
The next group is basically just upset that they can't make it as a writer and they are spiteful and generally upset with the way the world treats them. And to add to their angst, telling a writer their story isn't good enough to sell is like telling a parent that their kid is ugly. And, when a writer is upset, they write hateful things. We just toughen up and ignore them. I suggest you do the same.
Here is what I would do if I were you.
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1) Please spend a minute or two asking them for concrete proof of their allegations or what they say. See if they will give you anything substantial. We have asked and never received an answer. I don't think they will either answer you or give you anything concrete either. I've seen their answers, there is nothing concrete, just allegations of more complaints from internidiots.
Then, once you've weighed all the facts and done your diligence, please feel free to return to us. We are willing to work with new authors and that's what everyone holds against us (and unfortunately, new authors know less about the business than anyone.)
Good luck to you, really! I hope you will give us a chance to prove ourselves. (We won't waive our quality standards though).
And, one final thought. The people on the boards, even the moderators ARE NOT AGENTS. THEY CANNOT KNOW WHAT OUR BUSINESS IS REALLY LIKE. They are writers who think they know, but they don't know, they can't, because they have never agented someone elses work.
Do you understand that if someone hasn't gone through the tribulations of being an agent, they really can't comment accurately on what being an agent is like? John Kennedy said it best....
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"It is not the critic that counts: not the man who points out
how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,
and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, if he wins,
knows the thrills of high achievement, and, if he fails,
at least fails daring greatly, so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oh yes, one final ps... email this to them for us if you don't mind.. .
"Dear Moderator - Once again I ask you to engage us in a public debate about these issues. I'll answer any question you want and we can both post the answers on our websites so there will be no "spin doctoring" of the answers. If your message board is all about helping writers, then why won't you debate us? The innuendo and wrong data you are promulgating are hurting writers and we think a nice public debate would help everyone.
Help us help the industry, those boards are running amok and they need a good dose of reality. They won't come out of their dark little holes and debate us, but we keep trying.
Tell 'em I said, "high noon at the OK corral" (grin).
Sheriff Sherry
p.s. one very heartfelt quote... "
I received the refund check for $89 for the critique even after you did the critique and just because I said I read negative things about you. The fact that you sent me the check even AFTER doing the work told me you are probably people of integrity and the the people on the message boards are way off base. . I feel that I may owe you an apology. Please allow me to explain the problem from the viewpoint of a writer. A dozen published DFW Writers� Workshop members said the same thing , obviously it was incorrect. I will show the workshop your check Wednesday night to demonstrate your honesty. My question now is, can we repair the fences and still do business? "
Best regards,
Sherry - VP Acquisitions
Recent Deals
-------------------
Kristin Finn - Bipolar & Pregnant - to HCI (The Chicken Soup Publishers). Kristin gave us a nice thank you on her website, www.kristinfinn.com (see the Kristin's Corner page)
Joseph Thompson - Screenplay: Born of Earth - Sold to The Skeleton Factory
Our Pledge To You:
==================
* We respect what you have accomplished thus far as a writer.
* We believe that great authors are made, not born. We are willing to develop talent.
* We pledge straight talk in a confusing and old-school industry.
* We can't promise a sale. We can promise a professional relationship.
p.s. Missed Emails, Spam, Whitelists, and other reasons for lapses in communications. There's an old joke in showbiz that asks the question, "What do you get if you cross an agent with a turnip?" The answer is "A turnip that doesn't return your phone calls." That won't happen with us. We are very, very diligent about returning every email that we receive within a couple of days. The same is true for our vendors and suppliers. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A COMMUNICATION AND YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE, PLEASE, CHECK WITH US AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENED. Please don't jump to negative conclusions. The Internet is not 100% foolproof and we are very sensitive to our clients' expectations and our promises about timely communications.
FINAL NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT: BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR SPAM AND JUNK EMAIL FOLDERS. THE BIG ISPS ARE RECLASSIFYING EMAILS CONSTANTLY. Also, please make a meaningful SUBJECT LINE. We are so deluged with spam that it is tough to pick out the real emails. (sigh).
-----Original Message-----
From: Sandy Novelly
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 3:46 PM
To: Sherry
Subject: 'Monique's Wish'
Sherry,
Please immediately destroy all copies of 'Monique's Wish.'
After researching your agency, I find that you are not what you represent yourselves to be, and I am very alarmed. I do not wish to be represented by your agency.
I would like confirmation that the manuscript has been destroyed, from you personally, today.
Thank you,
Sandra L. Novelly
Got a little couch potato?
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