WL Children's Agency / Children's Literary Agency

[Tilly]

For the love of...

If your 'buyers' tell you that the work submitted wasn't good enough, the whole literary agency thing isn't working. But it's not like you need to sell books to publishers to make a living. You just milk writers for cash.

 

[Aconite]

This person has spammed the boards with the same post before--which was thoroughly dissected. They're too lazy to bother trying to come up with something new, even. Sheesh.

I suspect that one post in one thread will be left, and the rest of the spam deleted.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Hi, RKForever/Sherryfine/Robert!

I did a line-by-line on this twaddle last time you posted it. Here's the link.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19104&page=1&pp=25

Come up with some new material -- this nonsense has already been refuted.

Aconite: I like leaving Robert Fletcher's/Sherry Fine's material in place. Their own words prove what sort of operation they're running far better than I could. They're convicted spammer/scammers -- out of their own mouths, and proved by their own actions.

 

[Aconite]

Aconite: I like leaving Robert Fletcher's/Sherry Fine's material in place. Their own words prove what sort of operation they're running far better than I could. They're convicted spammer/scammers -- out of their own mouths, and proved by their own actions.

Far be it from me to argue with someone whose experience outweighs mine as the sun outshines a candle. I am but an egg. I watch and learn and rejoice.

 

[AbbyJoy]

I enjoyed this thread immensely (no doubt because I paid CLA very little).

I did sign with them several months ago, but have since become dissatisfied. I researched them at the time, and could uncover no negative info, so I agreed to a one year contract. But an "agent" who had to be asked for updates, and never provided detailed information rekindled my suspicions, and when I received an e-mail from an "aggressive agent", calling me by the wrong name and asking for payment, are not "professional" signs. Of course, when I corrected the name, and reminded them of their promise to charge nothing until they had found me a contract, they assured me the e-mail had been meant for someone else. This, added to the frequent temptation to send them "rigorous critiques and edits" of their e-mails, and no answer to my suggestion of a specific market, has caused my smoldering suspicion to burst into flame.

Fortunately, the main sufferer in my drama has been my pride. I plan on severing the contract, and continuing to market on my own. I'm just glad I have no previous publications for them to claim.

Thank you for the helpful commentary and leaving their defenses intact and pregnant with lies, for the convenience of the scammed. I hope that more aspiring authors will find this information before they sign the contract!

 

[dmglv]

Now what?

I signed with this agency last summer and have had very little communication with them since then. This was my first venture into publishing, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

I paid $56 for a 3rd party to edit my manuscript, which, I figured was an insignificant investment whether this worked out or not.

I emailed them several weeks ago with no response. I emailed again the other day and they finally responded saying that the data base had matched my manuscript several times but had no negative or positive feedback and then asked me to contact them again in 20 days, which will be June 8th.

At this point, I feel like I've lost a lot of wasted time with them - time that could have been better spent with an agency who would have marketed the manuscript and kept in contact with me on a more regular basis.

My contract is up soon and I will not be renewing. In fact, after finding this message board and reading the scam information, I'm thinking of ending the contract immediately.

**Are there any good books or online resources where I can get the answers to my "newbie" questions? What should I expect from a publisher? Do they offer editing advice or do I have to find an editor on my own? Do they usually offer personal service, or is it normal to just be stuck in a data base and not have contact for months and months with the agent? I'm all for doing my own research and am looking for someplace to read these answers.

thanks everyone
--D

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Everything you wanted to know about literary agents
More than you wanted to know about The Literary Agency Group

Yes, you've wasted your time and your money. Cancel the contract now. Contact the Attorney General in New York and Florida, contact the BBB in New York and Boca Raton, contact the FTC. Give 'em all the "Joe Friday Facts" about your interaction with the Children's Literary Agency. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, and another to Writer's Digest. If you found these folks through Google AdSense, rate 'em with Google: http://www.google.com/contact/rate_advertiser.html

Legitimate publishers edit your book at their own expense.
Real agents actively try to sell your work.

There's a whole board here on writing for children. Perhaps you'll want to start there.

 

[Aconite]

dmglv, if you look throuogh the Index at the top of this forum, you'll find sections with links to threads you'll find helpful. Also at the top of this forum, you'll find the How Real Publishing Works thread, which will give you basic information so you know what questions to start researching. Once you know what you're looking for, the Search function here should help you find threads with that information.

 

[Roger J Carlson]

Look at the top of this very page. There is a link to Jenna Glatzer's "The Street-Smart Writer" which will help you understand the publishing world and avoid other scams.

 

[dmglv]

Thank you, thank you!! I'll definitely go through those threads this evening.

You've all been so helpful...I'm wiser for the journey, but darn it, wish I had not wasted so much time :-(

 

[dmglv]

I cut the ties

I emailed Georgina, and cc'd the other email addresses I had for the agency to let them know that I was terminating our contract and that a formal letter would follow by mail.

My contract stated that I had to let them know about any withdrawel/termination 60 days before the contract was up for automatic renewal, which ironically, next month is exactly 60 days.

Thank you all again for opening my eyes! I always suspected that things weren't quite right, but never really had anything to compare it to. Shame on me for not doing more/better research. Glad I found you all.

-Dawn

 

[Roger J Carlson]

I emailed Georgina, and cc'd the other email addresses I had for the agency to let them know that I was terminating our contract and that a formal letter would follow by mail.

My contract stated that I had to let them know about any withdrawel/termination 60 days before the contract was up for automatic renewal, which ironically, next month is exactly 60 days.

Thank you all again for opening my eyes! I always suspected that things weren't quite right, but never really had anything to compare it to. Shame on me for not doing more/better research. Glad I found you all.

-Dawn

And we're glad you found us. Keep on writing.

 

[Sylka Hunithathem]

Children's Literary Agency?

I'm sending in the contract tomorow for the Children's Literary Agency. the contract looked pretty good and I had some other people look it over.
Does anyone know anything about them?

 

[Richard White]

Long answer: Read the Literary Agency Group Tentacles thread.

Short answer: They've never sold anything. Strictly in it to get your money. Avoid at all costs.

 

[Sylka Hunithathem]

im probably a stupid fool to believe them, but if they don't charge fees how are they supposed to be in it for the money? I'm just curious.

 

[Peggy]

Sylka, please don't even consider sending in that contract until you've read these threads:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8286
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8312
http://abolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26990

 

[Richard White]

That's where reading the thread and also going to the index to get the LONG thread(s) about all of Bouncing Bobby's companies.

They'll want a $79 critique fee, then they'll want $X to "Professionally edit" your book and then they'll eventually ask for more to cover "expenses" and such.

Plus, they'll cost you in time. They've never sold a book. EVER. So, if you go with them, you'll eventually have to start all over trying to find another agent. Your time should be more valuable than anything.

It's hard to put their perfedity into succienct words . . . (although if you check the above mentioned threads, you'll see how some people have discected the ramblings Bobby and his minions occasionally post on this board.)

The long and short of it. Never sold a book. Why would you want an agent who can't sell anything. And, if they're still in business after all this time and they haven't sold a book, where is the money coming from?

New and impressionable authors . . . that's where.

 

[Peggy]

Oops, that last link should be:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26990

They may not have asked for any money yet, but they will.

 

[Peggy]

More information:
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pea001d.htm
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html
http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2006/07/ac-crispin-58-writers-trust-your.html

 

[Sylka Hunithathem]

you're all right. how could i be so ignorant? thanks a million everyone... i really appreciate it. do you know of any agencys that are good and real?

 

[James D. Macdonald]

im probably a stupid fool to believe them, but if they don't charge fees how are they supposed to be in it for the money? I'm just curious.

They don't charge a fee ... they just send you over to "other companies" (that just happen to be the same folks with different e-mail addresses) that do charge money.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

do you know of any agencys that are good and real?

Bunches. See http://www.sff.net/people/VictoriaStrauss/agentsearch.html and http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2005/01/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about.asp for far more information on the process.

 

[Marjorie]

Children's Literary Agency

Haven't checked in here for awhile because I was busy in other areas. However, when I googled Children's Literary Agency, I found some negative comments that were not really backed up. I signed a contract with the agency for a middle grade novel. It has not cost me anything, and their terms are extremely reasonable. So far, everything is positive. If I were a new, unpublished author, I would seek a critique and would expect to pay for it. That is all they offer, but they make it clear they will accept a professional critique from an outside source. Believe me, I'm the first to warn someone about a scam, but I sincerely think this is a legitimate and unusual opportunity for new writers. If I run up against anything that doesn't seem right, I'll let everybody know. Marjorie

 

[Roger J Carlson]

Haven't checked in here for awhile because I was busy in other areas. However, when I googled Children's Literary Agency, I found some negative comments that were not really backed up...

Marjorie,

Read these thread in their entirety before you declare that the negative comments are not backed up. They've been thoroughly documented.

The Literary Agency Group, Inc. AVOID
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13517

Children’s Literary Agency, The (Dorothy Walker, Robert West)
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8312
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8286​

Christian Literary Agency, The
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13514​

New York Literary Agency, The (Sherry Fine)
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=729​

Poets Literary Agency, The
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19104​

Screenplay Agency, The
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20359​

Stylus Literary Agency (formerly ST Literary Agency, formerly Sydra Techniques) (Robert Fletcher, Jill Mast, Mark Bredt)
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=929
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=529

​

All of these agencies are owned by the same person, Robert Fletcher (et al), who is a convicted felon. Trite but true, leopards don't change their spots.

The most damning evidence is that in all of their rebuttals, he/she/they have never produced evidence of ONE book that THEY sold to a reputable publisher. What more evidence do you need?

 

[Cathy C]

I signed a contract with the agency for a middle grade novel. It has not cost me anything, and their terms are extremely reasonable. So far, everything is positive. If I were a new, unpublished author, I would seek a critique and would expect to pay for it. That is all they offer, but they make it clear they will accept a professional critique from an outside source. Marjorie

But what you may not realize, Marjorie, is that the critique service is the SAME COMPANY, under an alias. While they "say" they will accept a professional critique from an outside source, they have yet to actually do so. What other authors have experienced when forwarding an outside critique is a note back saying it's "inadequate" and doesn't conform to their requirements. ONLY the company--the one that's owned by the same people--they recommend will wind up being acceptable.

In other words, you don't pay for them to start to represent the work, but you DO pay to keep them representing the work. No critique . . . no representation. So, yes--you DO pay.

I wish you luck, though. It would be nice if your manuscript was the first one they ever sold. Miracles do happen, and it'll take one, I'm afraid.