The Aaland Agency / The Abacus Group (Jo Ann Krueger)

I've documented instances where a non-fee-charging agency or publisher switched to a fee-charging model...but never one where the transition went the other way.

The last report I received of Aaland's fees was in January 2011, so I'm guessing they're still active.

- Victoria

Is Aalang agency/Abacus Group still considered a predator today?

Hey guys:

Long story short, I just received a letter today from The Aaland Agency requesting a full manuscript. The moment I smiled when I read the letter, it soon became a frown. They are posted on this board as a predator back in 2004, and to stay away. I also seen other sites that list this agency as a "beware". They seem to have a reputation of charging for editing, and selling works to a vanity press.

Does anyone have any current info about this agency? Are they still an agency writers should stay away from? Just looking for a little advice, since I am a newbie writer.

Thanks...

stargazer11 said:

Does anyone have any current info about this agency? Are they still an agency writers should stay away from?

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They're still on Writer Beware's list of the twenty worst agents. Do you want one of the twenty worst agencies in the industry representing you?

Victoria's post just above yours says they were charging for fees as recently as 2011. If they're used to making their money this way, then they're not likely to go the more difficult route of selling manuscripts to publishers.

Point well taken, Queen of Swords. I don't think anyone would choose to have the worst agency representing them. No full manuscript will be sent to them any time soon.

Thanks...

The Aaland Agency is still alive, with a fancy-ish new website. A few testimonials on the site, but no verifiable sales.

- Victoria

Hahahaha! Apparently we worked for an editing service, too:

Let us relate an incident: it was early 1997 and a lady had sent us her manuscript after we initially determined the story line was salable and the writing done at least good enough to tell the story. Upon review, we found that the writing was not only devoid of any characterization (descriptors) regarding people, places, objects, but the grammar was far short of a publishable mark. We annotated exactly that, showing her what was wrong and how to fix it. She wholeheartedly agreed with our conclusions. That started a chain reaction you would not believe. It turned out she had previously paid an editing outfit a large sum of money to “doctor” her manuscript. She then used our review evaluation as proof that she had been taken and demanded her money back. That "agency” knew who we were because of what she had sent them. One of that "agency’s writers" was instrumental in the founding of Writers Beware.

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One of Dawson's tells is his extreme verbosity. That's on full display here. (And why is it so hard to get Writer Beware's name right?)

- Victoria