Fee

FSAG052

Registered
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Hi,

I am new here and have been offered a contract from a literary agent, but he is asking for an upfront fee as I am an emerging author. The contract is for 7 years and royalties are not good. Is there a fixed percentage like for eg if 1-100 books or 101-1000 or 1001+ copies are sold, how much percentage an author gets? He says his agency does not give advance to beginning authors.
I can't understand more than half of the contract but he is very evasive and at times vague when I ask him any questions. NOW, he tells me I am not serious about getting my work published! Can I trust an agent like that with my life's worth work?

Any comments/advice/suggestions highly appreciated.
 

Undercover

I got it covered
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
10,432
Reaction score
2,054
Location
Not here, but there
Okay, first off what you say is confusing. An agent doesn't give you royalties, you get it from the publisher. The agent should take 15% domestic sales from that, and 20% on foreign rights. You should NEVER give money to an agent or publisher beforehand. 7 YEARS, OMG, what the F is that noise? 7 years to represent you? That's nuts! It should be only one year to start. Maybe even 6 months only. Whatever he's charging you, run away. This sounds like red flags everywhere. As far as advances, you get them from the publisher first. Who's to say the agent connects you with the publisher that gives advances, is he going to deny you that? This is so wrong. I don't know who the agent is, but like I said, it certainly doesn't sound good.
 

Purple Rose

practical experience, FTW
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
2,129
Reaction score
963
Website
alxblog.net
Run! Don't look back, just run.

Seriously though, there are many threads like this on AW. The responses are usually along the lines of "Run".

Agents don't take fees. They only get paid when your book is sold. Agents don't pay royalties either. Publishers pay royalties, out of which the agent takes the agreed cut (usually 15%, I believe).
 

OctoberLee

Destroying something beautiful
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
665
Reaction score
94
RUN.

Trust your instincts. Up front fee? Good agents don't do this. Check him out in the bewares and Background checks.
 

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,617
Reaction score
7,298
Location
Wash., D.C. area
Yep, RUN!!!!

This sounds suspiciously like a notorious scam/author mill that has an entire subforum devoted to it in the Bewares, Recommendations, and Background Checks forum here that started offering agent services (although the upfront fee is new).

This agent is either a crook or completely incompetent, in either case there is no happy ending to this tale.
 

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
18,618
Reaction score
4,032
Location
Brillig in the slithy toves...
It sounds more like a vanity press than an agent. As others have said, agents don't pay you royalties - publishers do. Agents sell your work to a publisher for a commission, and the legit ones DO NOT require ANY upfront payment.
 

Terie

Writer is as Writer does
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
4,151
Reaction score
951
Location
Manchester, UK
Website
www.teriegarrison.com
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess this is one of the many incarnations of Bouncing Bobby Fletcher's operations. Since he has both agencies and a publishing house (scams, one and all), the details make sense.

The *real* publishing industry doesn't work that way.

Run run run like your house was on fire!
 

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Messages
8,142
Reaction score
2,668
Location
In cahoots with the other boo-birds
Website
www.staciakane.com
Dittoing the others. Do NOT sign. And please, please share your experience in the Bewares section of this board. If you don't see the agency's name listed there do a search ("Search This Forum" in in the blue bar near the top of the thread listings) and either post in that agency's thread or start a new one.

This is absolutely, positively, not how real agents work. It's not it's not it's not.
 

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
8,049
Reaction score
770
Location
Clearlake Park, CA
Website
www.strokingthepen.com
Hi,

I am new here and have been offered a contract from a literary agent, but he is asking for an upfront fee as I am an emerging author. The contract is for 7 years and royalties are not good. Is there a fixed percentage like for eg if 1-100 books or 101-1000 or 1001+ copies are sold, how much percentage an author gets? He says his agency does not give advance to beginning authors.
I can't understand more than half of the contract but he is very evasive and at times vague when I ask him any questions. NOW, he tells me I am not serious about getting my work published! Can I trust an agent like that with my life's worth work?

Any comments/advice/suggestions highly appreciated.

Run! A legit agent does not charge up front fees and they do not pay royalities, the publisher does. They also are not evasive and vague when answering questions. I smell a true-blue scam.
 

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman
Super Moderator
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
22,454
Reaction score
4,956
Location
In chaos
If you'd like to, you could PM me the name of this agent in confidence, and I'll let you know if he or she is any good. I've worked in publishing for the last thirty years or so, and have just a bit of experience.
 

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
7,485
Reaction score
897
Location
Belfast
Along with everyone else I'm saying RUN.
 

LeeDix

figuring it all out
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 16, 2012
Messages
105
Reaction score
18
I can't understand more than half of the contract but he is very evasive and at times vague when I ask him any questions.

now seriously...
 

Debeucci

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
551
Reaction score
74
Location
Chicago
Website
www.wesleychu.com
Here's what you do.

1. Get the information of this agent and the agency who wants your money.
2. Cut off all contact with them. Feel free to give them a polite rejection.
3. Post their information on Bewares, Recommendations, and Background Checks.
4. Start researching how the author/agency relationships should work.
5. Create a list of reputable agents you want to query that fits your work.
6. Start querying.
 

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
6,704
Reaction score
1,314
Location
Far from the madding crowd
Website
www.victoriastrauss.com
Hi,

I am new here and have been offered a contract from a literary agent, but he is asking for an upfront fee as I am an emerging author.

Please contact Writer Beware (me) and I'll try to give you some advice (I suspect I've received complaints about this agency or publisher or whatever it is). My email is beware [at] sfwa.org. All information shared with Writer Beware is held in confidence.

- Victoria
 

JanetReid

Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 5, 2020
Messages
214
Reaction score
65
Location
New York NY
Legitimate agents don't ask authors for money.
Not even for their bar bills.
 

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 17, 2012
Messages
3,539
Reaction score
429
Location
Floral City, FL
I am new here and have been offered a contract from a literary agent, but he is asking for an upfront fee...

... he is very evasive and at times vague when I ask him any questions.

Big danger signs. Legitimate places don't ask for fees. And legitimate places are never evasive.

Might research the agency in the Bewares forum:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22

Jeff
 

FSAG052

Registered
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Thankyou everyone for your messages and warnings of RUN...I am very glad I posted my question. I was really tempted to accept his offer when the task of finding an agent was almost impossible and especially when he reduced the fees to $150.00 as being administration fees. BUT, I still have not sighed the contract...and I don't think I will, thanks to ALL OF YOU OUT THERE :) My hunt for an agent continues!
 

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
8,049
Reaction score
770
Location
Clearlake Park, CA
Website
www.strokingthepen.com
Thankyou everyone for your messages and warnings of RUN...I am very glad I posted my question. I was really tempted to accept his offer when the task of finding an agent was almost impossible and especially when he reduced the fees to $150.00 as being administration fees. BUT, I still have not sighed the contract...and I don't think I will, thanks to ALL OF YOU OUT THERE :) My hunt for an agent continues!

FS, that is certainly the right decision. Always check out agent here at Preditors and Editors and also at Writers Beware. I have a feeling you might know about the Bewares forum here as well. :)