• Guest please check The Index before starting a thread.

Scribe Agency

Jenken

Registered
Joined
Apr 15, 2005
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Vomaxx said:
Has anyone dealt with the Scribe Agency in Madison, Wisconsin? They are, I think, quite new, and not listed at P&E (although there are three agencies with "scribe" in their names there).

(Hope this isn't a double post as my PC crapped out the first time...)

One thing to add is that Writers Market lists Scribe as charging 17% domestic and 25% foreign. That's a little higher than the norm of 15/20.

Just FYI.
 

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
13,948
Reaction score
1,728
Location
Coastal Desert
Now listing sales to assorted indie publishers (Wheatland Press, Prime Books, etc.)
 

Geosteph

Registered
Joined
Aug 7, 2008
Messages
18
Reaction score
0
This is my first time posting at this Web site, but I've used it religiously throughout my querying research. What a great Web site with a ton of information!

At any rate, I was reviewing Scribe's guidelines and they say they do not want multiple/simultaneous submissions. I'm wondering if that means they want you to query them on an exclusive basis. I've seen a few other agencies that ask for that, so wondered if anyone knew if that was the case with them.

Thanks!
 

Moon Daughter

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
1,864
Reaction score
263
Location
The Moon
This is my first time posting at this Web site, but I've used it religiously throughout my querying research. What a great Web site with a ton of information!

At any rate, I was reviewing Scribe's guidelines and they say they do not want multiple/simultaneous submissions. I'm wondering if that means they want you to query them on an exclusive basis. I've seen a few other agencies that ask for that, so wondered if anyone knew if that was the case with them.

Thanks!

Welcome, Geosteph. To answer your question, their guidelines regarding multiple submissions doesn't mean they're asking for an exclusive. They just don't want writers to submit queries for several different manuscripts at once.
 

Geosteph

Registered
Joined
Aug 7, 2008
Messages
18
Reaction score
0
Thanks Amanda for the reply. I just wasn't sure, since they used both multiple and simultaneous.

Steph
 

redlady1

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
96
Reaction score
4
Location
Germany
Does anyone have anything more recent about Scribe Agency?
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

aka Sadistic Mistress Mi-chan
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
2,195
Reaction score
271
Location
At the computer
Not sure, but I don't like how they're listing their site (which btw should be redone - that site is a good example of things NOT to do). I'm not really interested in what an agent has copy edited, art directed, etc. I want to know who he's sold and where he's sold it, and when he's sold it. Though they list books they've apparently worked on, they don't say WHAT they did for each book. That makes me hesitant that they're not listing their sales anywhere in a clear fashion.
 

dragonmedley

Inconsistent AWer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 25, 2007
Messages
133
Reaction score
31
Location
Toronto, Ontario
This is my first time posting at this Web site, but I've used it religiously throughout my querying research. What a great Web site with a ton of information!

At any rate, I was reviewing Scribe's guidelines and they say they do not want multiple/simultaneous submissions. I'm wondering if that means they want you to query them on an exclusive basis. I've seen a few other agencies that ask for that, so wondered if anyone knew if that was the case with them.

Thanks!

That bugs me too. I understand not wanting multiple submissions, but not wanting simultaneous submissions (which, as I understand it, means that I can only query them, wait for a yes or no, in case of no, then I can query another agent) is a bit weird, no? Or does it mean something else?
 

HapiSofi

Hagiographically Advantaged
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
2,093
Reaction score
676
That bugs me too. I understand not wanting multiple submissions, but not wanting simultaneous submissions (which, as I understand it, means that I can only query them, wait for a yes or no, in case of no, then I can query another agent) is a bit weird, no? Or does it mean something else?
It means something else. Queries are query letters. If they like your query letter, they may ask you to submit a manuscript, aka a submission. Multiple simultaneous queries are okay. Multiple simultaneous submissions aren't.
 

dragonmedley

Inconsistent AWer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 25, 2007
Messages
133
Reaction score
31
Location
Toronto, Ontario
It means something else. Queries are query letters. If they like your query letter, they may ask you to submit a manuscript, aka a submission. Multiple simultaneous queries are okay. Multiple simultaneous submissions aren't.

Thank you for clarifying that.
 

happywritermom

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
1,042
Reaction score
135
I queried and was rejected by Kristopher O'Higgins in 2006. I found him to be rather obnoxious in an elitist kind of way. They have this huge, condescending "manifesto" along with submission guidelines that state that should you not obey their every rule, they will not consider you and will, in fact, laugh at you. So, being new to this whole process back then and very nervous, I was oh-so careful and formal in my query.
Then I get a one-line, e-mail rejection that starts with a lower-case letter and is signed "peace." Mr. O'Higgins then cyber-signed in lower-case letters. I wouldn't even notice if he had been any other agent, but given the "high standards" for perfection in submissions, I found it annoying. He seems awfully high on himself. I wrote back to thank him for not accepting me. I wouldn't want someone with his attitude and apparent demeanor dealing with publishers on my behalf.

I notice that now, they have skull on their Web site and a little curse word in the opposite corner. How professional.
 

lawriter

Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Ditto!

The Scribe website has a virus. If anyone has their email address, which I don't, you might want to warn them.

It's Tuesday, Feb. 17.

I just tried to log onto their website, and, yeah, my IE just went bonkers, and some spyware program said my PC was infected, etc. etc. Not a good sign if you're the literary agency. Anyway, I'm currently running a full virus scan after that little fiasco.
 

lawriter

Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
I queried and was rejected by Kristopher O'Higgins in 2006. I found him to be rather obnoxious in an elitist kind of way. They have this huge, condescending "manifesto" along with submission guidelines that state that should you not obey their every rule, they will not consider you and will, in fact, laugh at you. So, being new to this whole process back then and very nervous, I was oh-so careful and formal in my query.
Then I get a one-line, e-mail rejection that starts with a lower-case letter and is signed "peace." Mr. O'Higgins then cyber-signed in lower-case letters. I wouldn't even notice if he had been any other agent, but given the "high standards" for perfection in submissions, I found it annoying. He seems awfully high on himself. I wrote back to thank him for not accepting me. I wouldn't want someone with his attitude and apparent demeanor dealing with publishers on my behalf.

I notice that now, they have skull on their Web site and a little curse word in the opposite corner. How professional.

Thanks for bringing this up. I haven't queried them (yet), but while researching agents, I came across Scribe and I was happy to see an agency located in my hometown (Madison, Wis.). Not so happy though to surf their website. It's as if they were consciously trying to be off-putting and obnoxious in everything -- from the cluttered, awful design of the site (word of advice: never use newsprint font) to the snobbish, screw-you tone of their "manifesto."

Yeah, I know that when you're looking for an agent, you should keep your mind open. But does that mean putting up with agents who seem to do everything to alienate you from the get-go? There are lots of awful agent websites -- www.pmalitfilm.com comes to mind - but Scribe's might take the cake.
 

Repunzel

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Messages
75
Reaction score
4
Location
USA
Power To The . . . Agents

Agents are the gatekeepers. Nothing we can do about that.

That being said, most agents are kind and professional and many really want to help unpublished writers.

These guys are none of the above. And what can we do about it? I say don't query them. You certainly wouldn't want to work with them.
 

JJPie

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 12, 2009
Messages
196
Reaction score
10
Anyone query recently? I went through their submission guidelines and was confused by the cover letter, synopsis, 3 ch in e-mail and then they went on to talk about the attachments. How did other people submit? All pasted in e-mail? Or e-mail query plus attachments? Sorry if these are stupid questions!
 

charlys

new author
Registered
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
47
Reaction score
1
Location
Gergia
Anyone query recently? I went through their submission guidelines and was confused by the cover letter, synopsis, 3 ch in e-mail and then they went on to talk about the attachments. How did other people submit? All pasted in e-mail? Or e-mail query plus attachments? Sorry if these are stupid questions!

Hi, JJPie. - I e-mailed them a query 9/25/09 and sent a doc.file with 3 chapters mixed - they didn't ask for first three so I sent them 1, 7, & 8 - more action ones. Not a word from them yet. I never wait on one agency's response to my query but keep sending out more to other agents. One has bitten for the full ms, no response on others yet. My cover letter and synopsis was included on one page.
 

Leukman

Pernicious...n'stuff.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
10,020
Reaction score
5,420
No sales on PM since June of 08...what, are these guys on extended vacation?
 

Richard White

Stealthy Plot Bunny Peddler
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 27, 2005
Messages
2,993
Reaction score
600
Location
Central Maryland
Website
www.richardcwhite.com
Hi, JJPie. - I e-mailed them a query 9/25/09 and sent a doc.file with 3 chapters mixed - they didn't ask for first three so I sent them 1, 7, & 8 - more action ones. Not a word from them yet. I never wait on one agency's response to my query but keep sending out more to other agents. One has bitten for the full ms, no response on others yet. My cover letter and synopsis was included on one page.

This is slightly OT -

Always send the first three chapters. when they ask for three chapters.

Readers don't skip around looking for action chapters, they want to be grabbed right off the bat. If your first three aren't strong, then work on them first. Make them strong.

Sending random chapters is considered unprofessional.
 

bclement412

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Messages
4,568
Reaction score
392
They have one of the worst websites I've ever seen: swear word on the home page, their email for questions, not submissions is whattheshizzle@scribeagency.com and an address to send them "beer". I know, they're joking/trying to be funny, but in my eyes they are not professional. I have no intentions of querying them.
 

AlterEgox5

Expert Procrastinator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 4, 2009
Messages
608
Reaction score
47
Location
That other half of Missouri
Website
abooksellerblog.blogspot.com
They know what their website looks like, and they know what's on it. I'm willing to bet they did half that stuff to deter people (possibly those they just might not mesh well with. Who knows?).

I'm querying anyway. I actually worked with one of their past clients, so we'll see.
 

RoseMarie

Words ARE my blood...
Registered
Joined
Nov 7, 2009
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Location
In a house
AlterEgox5, how did the query go?

I'm considering sending one to them despite the half neg/pos feedback.

PS Im not savvy with the site for now, so I've no idea how to ask other than this way lol.
 

writer123

Registered
Joined
Dec 25, 2010
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Does anyone know how long Scribe takes to respond to queries? Thanks.