Global Talent Representatives (formerly National Writers L.A.) (Andrew Whelchel)

[jmwebcenter]

Thank you all

Thank you all so much for helping me like this. I was planning on calling him too on Tuesday and see what he has to say, although I can't think of anything that will make me sign the contract.

Only 375 dollars? Mine was for 475. Damn. Christmas must be getting tighter by the day.

I had done general searches on agents I sent querries to, but from now on I will do a much deeper vetting before hand. I had assumed a certain level of legitimacy from the Writers Guide and didn't think it necessary.

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

I just called, and after approximately 9 or 10 rings Tess picked up. She said he wasn't in (big surprise) and took my number.

If and when he calls back I am going to shred him, just like he shreds the dreams of aspiring writers and has the nerve on top of that to take our money under such false pretenses.

You can only truly hope that what goes around comes around, and if not in this life then maybe the next.

 

[spywriter]

Re: Andrew Whelchel Returns

You can always call his mom sandy:lol ...she shares an office with him. SHe runs a POD/editing firm located in the same exact office. HOW CONVENIENT! I found it when one writers site mistakingly put her website as his. I think it's the national writers association. Let us know if you call!!!! This is like a mini-soap.

On an unrelated note, please keep your fingers crossed that MANUS asks for more.......I dare to dream.

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

Wow, Andy called me back already . . .and no, I didn't shred him. I think because I come from a corporate background I was able to clearly see what his deal is and why some people may not clearly see. Or maybe people just wanna hear what they wanna hear. Regardless, Andy's first comment to me is that his background is marketing not editorial. He claims $375.00 is the approximate cost of sending out 15-20 packets of my manuscript to various publishing houses--which includes postage, copying costs, etc. If the manuscript is not picked up by the first 15-20 houses (big surprise) good 'ol Andy will send out your manuscript once more for a fee, I can safely assume. Whelchel seems to get a few people published using a "numbers game" marketing strategy, which of course you pay for.

Of course Andy could not recall the title of my book and assured me that everything is first read by his reader, who used to work for Simon & Schuster--she could have been a receptionist for all we know. After his reader gives the green light he then reads it himself and makes notes *cough ...BS ...cough*

The Bottom line: Whelchel is too hit or miss and is more a pay-for marketing agent than a literary agent. It truly appears like he is living off a few sales and even fewer legit clients. I think a writer would have the same odds, if not better, by simply sending the work to publishers themselves. He seems like a nice guy and all but he seems too eager just to take anyone's money who has three-hundred-pages and a dream.

After doing some more research I came across an interview featuring Andy in the Rocky Mountain Writer. rmfw.org/downloads/Feb_2003_e-RMW.pdf
In the article--and as he stated to me on the phone--he notes that he is stubborn and persistent when sending out a project. "Andy once sent a book to 120 different editors before the book finally sold to Dell", the article notes. Wow, impressive. But how many books will that writer have to sell in order to make up for the hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars they paid Andy "the Marketeer" to finally find a home for this book? And how many writers have paid and are still paying that will never get placed.

 

[spywriter]

Re: Thank you all

So what have you decided? Are you staying with him or dumping him?

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

You're shitting me, right?

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

Are you Whelchel in cognito, Spywriter? After all, you did defend him. And then after reading my entire post your only comment is: Are you gonna give him the doe anyway?

Dude, come on.

 

[spywriter]

Re: Thank you all

What I meant was, did you tell him to screw off? How did the call end? WHen he hung up the phone, what was he saying about you? "Boy I've got another one on the hook" or "Wow...i''ve been caught?"

You did say that you already gave the money and signed right?

 

[spywriter]

Re: Thank you all

I don't know how quite to answer your last post. If you have read what I wrote, I warned you about him, along with the others.

As I understood it, you already signed and gave money. Perhaps I am confused. If so, I apologize. No need to be rude to me.

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

I think right from the get-go he knew I was very weary and just told me his deal while sprinkling a little sugar on top. First thing he told me was he is more a marketer than an editor--that said it all right there to me. Someone who is dreaming of bright lights, big checks, and public signing events is going to interpret that as he is a hard working agent who is going to send out my book to as many publishes as neccesary, even if the ultimate outcome leaves them broke and unpublished. Andy has a really gosh, golly-gee grandfatherly way of coming across.

My honest impression would be, imagine you dear grandpa as a used car salesman. Harsh, but true.

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

Spywriter, I never once inferred that I had signed the contract or been desperate enough, gullible enough, naive enough to send this piece of @#%$ shyster one red cent. I'd sooner write a check to a crack addict than to Andrew Whelchel.

Sorry if I came across as rude. My sincere apologies. I'm just another dime-a-dozen frustrated writer who temporarily saw a glimmer of light, only to quickly see it was another charlatan holding a flashlight, running down the tracks screeching "choo-choo!" Maybe one day my real train will come in . . . maybe.

 

[spywriter]

Re: Thank you all

I re-read your earlier post and recognize that I misunderstood what you had written. Sorry to have implied that you "got taken". Thanks for sharing your experience. I am sure that you helped a lot of writers today. Good luck.

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

I hope so.

 

[spywriter]

Re: Thank you all

You did. I sent you something to your EZINBOX. Remember that you are among friends here. We all want the same thing, that's why we need to stick together and keep writing stuff like this. Again, best of luck on finding an agent. Now...I do believe it's Miller time.

 

[Pavel9]

Re: Thank you all

Lil early for Miller time, my friend. But alas self-medication is a temporary fix for the unpublished writer blues. I stress the word temporary.

 

[arainsb123]

Re: Andrew Whelchel?

I recommend reading Ten Percent of Nothing to learn more about why upfront fees of any kind are illegitimate. There's so much potential for abuse there.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

There isn't one perfect source for information on agents. You have to check 'em out in multiple places.

The question isn't if some agent is bad enough to cross off your list. The question is whether some agent is good enough to put on your list.

 

[ronazz]

National Writers Literary Agency

Hopefully the following will save someone time and money.

I received a contract from NWLA around the1st of April.
The document was a photcopy which was not properly aligned in the Xerox, thus parts were cut off. Further, the contract was terribly written, with abundant spelling and grammatical errors. A most unprofessional piece of legalese--laughable really. And of course, there was the request for up-front money. I trashed the contract and never responded. Today I received an e-mail from NWLA, with an attachment reference to the contract they sent in April. I deleted the e-mail without response or opening the attachment.

 

[DaveKuzminski]

Today I received an e-mail from NWLA, with an attachment reference to the contract they sent in April. I deleted the e-mail without response or opening the attachment.

Please, send such emails to P&E at [email protected]. We can always use more documentation.

 

[bloemmarc]

Hopefully the following will save someone time and money.

I received a contract from NWLA around the1st of April.
The document was a photcopy which was not properly aligned in the Xerox, thus parts were cut off. Further, the contract was terribly written, with abundant spelling and grammatical errors. A most unprofessional piece of legalese--laughable really. And of course, there was the request for up-front money. I trashed the contract and never responded. Today I received an e-mail from NWLA, with an attachment reference to the contract they sent in April. I deleted the e-mail without response or opening the attachment.

Yes, that is pretty laughable, and unprofessional. But on the same token, I have an intercultural professor who claims that he is very picky on editing, spelling errors and such, in our reports. Yet, I find alot of spelling errors in his lectures all the time. College professors are professionals, or at least supposed to be to.

 

[Aconite]

Yes, that is pretty laughable, and unprofessional. But on the same token, I have an intercultural professor who claims that he is very picky on editing, spelling errors and such, in our reports. Yet, I find alot of spelling errors in his lectures all the time. College professors are professionals, or at least supposed to be to.

Which has what to do with the topic?

 

[maggie]

Any Hard Copy Info on Whelchel

I'm attending a conference soon at which Mr. Whelchel will be interviewing for possible representation. I've informed the conference committee about the upfront money some people are being asked to submit with a signed contract. They are quite adamant that this isn't true. Do any of you have hard copy proof that you would be willing to share with me that I might show them. Any identifying info, of course, could be blocked out.

Thanks!
Maggie

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Maggie -- you might want to contact Victoria and Ann privately: [email protected]

 

[victoriastrauss]

As of my most recent documentation (July 2005), Mr. Whelchel appears to have discontinued the upfront fee (which he charged from early/mid-2004 at least through early 2005). He's going back to his previous policy, which was to bill monthly for postage and photocopying costs. This still isn't typical practice, but it's not as atypical as the upfront fee.

He's also added a subagent clause to his contract (previously, there was no mention of subagents and split commissions at all).

All this is good. I just wish I knew more about his track record--I really can't find any info on recent sales.

- Victoria

 

[CrazyWriter]

Learned my lesson!

Being one of the naive schmucks who handed over my $475 to Andy a year ago without so much as a blink, I now beg for guidance.



I had other agents interested in my ms about the same time as Andy. Is it in bad taste to contact them now and let them know I may soon be available, since the warm fuzzy feeling I had for Andy has been replaced by a pulsating pit in my lower abdomen?