The Spectrum Agency (Denyse King)

[Repunzel]

Anyone know anything about this agency? I know that it is not the same as The Spectrum Literary Agency. Also, I checked their website and the fact that they talk about a client's "fiction novel" makes me question their knowledge base.

 

[Saskatoonistan]

Link?

 

[CaoPaux]

http://www.thespectrumagency.com/

 

[waylander]

Clueless.
No background in publishing
The fact that they called their agency Spectrum when there is already a major agency of that name tells you all you need to know about their professionalism

 

[Anna Magdalena]

Two of their authors have previously been published by YouWriteOn.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

The Spectrum Agency represents an eclectic group of talented authors and we offer support to various other talented artists.

We are currently seeking submissions so if you have a completed manuscript or proposal in which you think we would be interested please read the submission page for more information.

...

If you are a publisher who is seeking a writer with a specific specialism, please email us for more information and an up-to-date client list.

Is English their native language?

 

[bohica]

I read the blog, which appears to have formerly been their main website. Seems to be an individual new to agenting, as she talks about friends giving her advice on starting a business, and reading books on contract-writing and learning a lot. Assuming someone who's been around the industry would know a bit about contracts.

 

[ChristineR]

Look at their authors. Published by bluechrome, vanity published (Discovered Authors), unpublished, vanity published (Turner-Maxwell), unpublished, YouWriteOn published, published by bluechrome and YouWriteOn.

bluechrome is apparently a legit small press, but I smell a fee charger.

 

[Momento Mori]

The Spectrum Agency:
If you are a publisher who is seeking a writer with a specific specialism, please email us for more information and an up-to-date client list.

Note to Spectrum: As an agency, it's your job to submit work to publishers. They do not come to you.

The Spectrum Agency:
children's stories (please note that we have very few contacts in this area of publishing at the moment).

If you have very few contacts in this area of publishing, then why are you offering to represent it? Why not focus on those areas where you do supposedly have contacts?

The Spectrum Agency:
We recommend you seek the support and advice of literary consultants such as BubbleCow before you send us your submission

Why BubbleCow specifically? Do you have an arrangement with BubbleCow?

The Spectrum Agency:
We recommend companies like Night Wolf Design as a good value modern alternative for book promotion.

Why? Shouldn't the publishers be promoting their books? Is this an additional service that agents authors are recommended to use?

The Spectrum Agency:
The Spectrum Literary Agency believes in the importance of supporting independent publishing companies.

Independent is good, providing that they're independent and paying advances and capable of getting books in stores.

The Spectrum Agency:
We act as an advocate and adviser for our authors without interfering unnecessarily in the relationship between the author and the publisher.

What does this mean? The role of an agent is to act as an intermediary between author and publisher - that's how they earn their money. If they spot something completely wrong going on, it is precisely their job to intervene.

It's a brand new agency launched in accordance with London Book Fair. Personally, I don't see a lot here to convince me that they have the first clue how to operate as an effective agent and I'd wait at least a year and want to see a verifiable track record of their authors publishing with commercial publishers capable of getting books in stores before sending any of my material there.

MM

 

[BubbleCow]

Hi all - just wanted to clear up the fact that we have no official links with Spectrum Agency.

My understanding is that they are a new agency looking to establish themselves within the industry. I suppose we all have to start somewhere.

 

[CaoPaux]

Their old blog's still up, but their site isn't. No further sign of Denyse.