ADVICE ON CONTRACT

cptbbear said:

I received a contract from an agent who has offered a one year contract with options, 10% for their work, but they want an exclusive contract. Is this the norm? In other words is this a positive sign. Would appreciate some feed back asap as they would like to go forward a soon as possible. And by the way they didin't ask for any up front money. It was all based on my submission.

Thanks in advance
Cpt B Bear

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It sounds perfectly normal, though there should be an escape clause in case you start hating each other. . .say a two month warning by either party.

The ten percent is rare these days. Nearly all agents want fifteen.

But asking for an exclusive contract is normal. Check teh agent out and see if there are any complaints, try to learn who else this agent represents, what novels this agent has sold, etc.

Yes, an exclusive contract is normal. However, caution is in order for an agent who charges a 10% commission on book manuscripts. I can think of maybe one reputable agency that still charges 10% across the board; for the rest, it's 15%. Much of the time, a 10% commission is a marginal or scam agent's way of justifying upfront fees by offering a "bargain" commission rate, or else an indication of an amateur agent's lack of knowledge of the industry.

If you like, PM me or contact me at [email protected] with this agent's name, and I'll see if Writer Beware has any information for you.

- Victoria