Writers Literary Agency / The Literary Agency Group / LAG /TLAG

[CaoPaux]

FYI: This agency has been named one of Writer Beware's 20 Worst Agents/Agencies.

 

[CaoPaux]

I wonder what they'd need an RA for...cross-referencing spam lists?

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Here's the ad:


Research Assistant For Agent Needed - Generate Publisher Lists
posted: 20 Feb 2006

Offered by:
The Literary Agency Group

Salary:
$17.50 per hour

Benefits:
Flexible hours

Duration:
Project or Part Time Basis

Location:
Any City USA - Internet

Requirements:
Seeking research assistant for our literary agents. Job entails generating lists of 5-10 potential publishers for authors we represent. $500 Bonus for successful sale that comes from your research. You can work from anywhere and we will train.

About Our
Company:
The Literary Agency Group is proud to represent the largest group of formally edited manuscripts in the world.

Contact:
Robert West - Principal

E-mail:
[email protected]

Phone:
Email only please

Special
Instructions:
Email your background and resume please.

Job #
2154

 

[CaoPaux]

Generating publisher lists...the mind boggles.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

I wonder if they've ever heard of Writer's Market?

 

[oracle]

nyla

I was about to sign with NYLA until I read the critiques by the knowledgable members of the forum. Does anyone have something positive to say about this so-called literary agency? My novel has been professionally edited and needs minimal polishing. I have contacted several reputable literary agents and am awaiting their replies. Would it be in my best interest to hope for positive feedback from them or take a flyer on NYLA? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Would it be in my best interest to hope for positive feedback from them or take a flyer on NYLA?

Are you nuts?!

You'd be better off submitting your manuscript yourself than going with NYLA. (In fact "submitting your manuscript yourself" seems to be NYLA's preferred method of getting submissions to publishers.)

Why in the world would you want to go with an "agent" who's never sold a book? Who thinks that making you "jump through hoops" will somehow magically produce a publishing contract? Do you want to jump through hoops or sell your book?

Do as you please... but don't write a check. To anyone. For anything.

 

[Roger J Carlson]

What Jim said.

It's been said here before, but I'll repeat. A bad agent is worse than no agent at all.

Let's suppose you have a terrific book that publishers would fight over to publish. Now further suppose that NYLA is your "agent" and bulk mails it to multiple publishers. Given their shady reputation, most publishers are going to just dump it in the trash bin after extracting the SASE to send the rejection.

On the other hand, if you send it yourself, you have a chance of someone reading it and recognizing its potential. It may take a while, at least you've got a chance.

There are worse things than the slushpile.

 

[LloydBrown]

Let's suppose you have a terrific book that publishers would fight over to publish. Now further suppose that NYLA is your "agent" and bulk mails it to multiple publishers.

We've also seen evidence that Fletcher and cronies don't actually send submissions, anyway. No publisher will ever look at your manuscript if it gets into NYLA's hands.

 

[batgirl]

My novel has been professionally edited and needs minimal polishing.

Just curious, Oracle, did NYLA suggest that your ms. needed further editing? Because I understand that's what they do, and where they make their money.

Secondly, and I hope this isn't rude, but what I've read is that real agents/publishers don't require submissions to have been 'professionally edited', and in fact the suggestion that they should be is an earmark of scammers. So I'm a bit worried that you bring it up, and wonder if you might have been getting some bad advice previously?
-Barbara

 

[RadioFreeBabylon]

And they still won't leave me alone...

After sending a "please delete my chapters and cease contact" email to "Ms. Sherry Fine," I received a "Your chapters have been deleted," reply.

Then I get a standard "We've reveiwed your chapters and find them promising. With a little polish, they would be ready for submission to a publisher." I didn't reead any further. All future emails from NYLA are headed straight to the trash.

I agree. No agent is better than these clowns.

 

[DaveKuzminski]

After sending a "please delete my chapters and cease contact" email to "Ms. Sherry Fine," I received a "Your chapters have been deleted," reply.

Then I get a standard "We've reveiwed your chapters and find them promising. With a little polish, they would be ready for submission to a publisher." I didn't reead any further. All future emails from NYLA are headed straight to the trash.

No, no! Save those two emails and post those in the appropriate topic in this forum to show how incompetent they are as an agency. Be sure you copy the date and time sent when you paste each email in the topic so that people can see for themselves.

 

[Raylb]

They almost got me.

Thanks for the warning.

Ray,
www.thequestsaga.com

 

[Roger J Carlson]

Two more rescued: Here and here.

 

[batgirl]

One saved by the Viable Paradise yahoo group - does that count?
-Barbara

 

[haefner919]

I am completely green in the areas of publishers and literary agents. It's just me andmy little manuscript trying to figure this whole world out. I did send a query to NYLA and of course heard back right away. I was ecstatic, but at the same time it did seem to sound too good to be true. Now I know better. I have already sent my ms via email to them. Okay, was it just the dummest move ever???? I am going to send an email asap to delete my ms and cease communication immediately. Should I be worried?????

 

[MadScientistMatt]

I am completely green in the areas of publishers and literary agents. It's just me andmy little manuscript trying to figure this whole world out. I did send a query to NYLA and of course heard back right away. I was ecstatic, but at the same time it did seem to sound too good to be true. Now I know better. I have already sent my ms via email to them. Okay, was it just the dummest move ever???? I am going to send an email asap to delete my ms and cease communication immediately. Should I be worried?????

Don't worry about it. Just don't send them any money and don't sign a contract with them. If you have signed a contract, cancel it. They won't be able to cause you any further harm.

 

[LloydBrown]

I am completely green in the areas of publishers and literary agents.

Don't be worried, and you're not dumb.

There's nothing wrong with being scammed by a pro. NYLA has done this thousands of times. You found AW and stopped before you were broke, right?

Your manuscript isn't going anywhere. Fletcher couldn't sell "The Secret Harry Potter Sex Diary." With pictures.

 

[haefner919]

Thanks! I haven't signed anything. I just emailed my ms last night.

Thank goodness for AW!! I haven't been in here in a while, but I learn so much when I do stop in here!! I'll have to make this a daily stop from now on!

 

[Matthew Warner]

Stylus Literary Agency

I just wanted to say I have new respect for the folks on this message board after exchanging emails with a young writer who says he's represented by Stylus Literary Agency.

When I heard he was represented by them, I directed him to the threads indexed on this board concerning Stylus/ST. I was careful not to say that I can vouch for the truth of any of the allegations; I just directed him here for his information. Here's how he responded:

Yeah, I've read all the negative blogs concerning the agency, actually after I signed with them.
Everything's been quite professional thus far. The fees everyone talks about, minimal office fees for mailing purposes, and yes they suggest their own editor, which yes you have to pay for like most editing services, which was actually a hundred dollars cheaper than my previous novel I had edited by Mark Sullivan's Literary Agency, who strung me along like a tangled yo-yo. Of course, it all comes down to whether Stylus has success or not selling my current novel.
In the end, are the blogs truly warnings or just whiny complaints from disgruntled writers?
I'll find out firsthand I guess, which is a lot better than assuming these bloggers have any credibility. If it were a handful of renowned authors posting it would be whole different story.
But thanks anyways for the heads-up.
I appreciate it.
It would be nice if they were able to prove the negative hype wrong, and yes those worries are always in the back of my mind.

His reply sets off all kinds of red flags. "Minimal office fees for mailing purposes"? Referral to an editor? And then of course there's his initial email in which he said Stylus hasn't secured any potential sales leads for him yet. I wonder if they ever will.

In any case, I consider his message a corroboration of some of the "negative hype" about this agency. It's too bad that he doesn't realize what he's gotten himself into.

 

[Kasey Mackenzie]

The questions he SHOULD be asking are "Has this agency sold several/many sales to verifiably reputable publishers?" and "Can this agency sell my book?" Well, you did the best you could do. Not your fault if he chooses to ignore valuable advice.

 

[LloydBrown]

That's simply amazing.

I have some questions for this person.

What books Stylus has sold so far? What makes you think Stylus is suddenly going to become able to sell a manuscript now? They don't even submit them to publishers.

Have you checked up on these "disgruntled writers" to find out who they are? They actually write and sell books. You know, the kind you can read on bookshelves.

How do you feel about giving your money to somebody who has been convicted of fraud?

Why doesn't your agent take his fees out of your royalties, AFTER he has sold your book, like some legitimate agents do?

Are you aware that the 'editor' they referred you to is the same person at a different e-mail address?

 

[Matthew Warner]

The questions he SHOULD be asking are "Has this agency sold several/many sales to verifiably reputable publishers?" and "Can this agency sell my book?" Well, you did the best you could do. Not your fault if he chooses to ignore valuable advice.

Thanks. Yeah, this is how I responded:

My feeling--the same as most
professional writers--is that you should never
subsidize an agency's "office fees for mailing
purposes." They're a literary agency, not a law firm.


As an experiment, you might try asking them a few
questions, and see if they respond:

1. Where exactly have you submitted my novel, and
what have been the responses? (Can you send me copies
of these responses?)

2. What projects have you sold for other clients
within the past year?

3. Did the editor to whom you referred me send you a
"referral fee" (kickback)?

He answered:

Thanks for the advice Matt.
I'll keep those questions in mind for future dealings with the agency.

So we'll see, I guess.

 

[ThunderCloud]

CLA Victim

I paid $79 for a Critique. I did a li'l research prior to securing editing services---at $145. Chalk up $79 to youthful exuberance. So it goes.

 

[first time writer]

welcome to the club

I got duped over the weekend. Should've known better. Promptly followed up my five chapter submission to "Ms. Sherry Fine" - with a thanks but no thanks not 15 minutes later, after discovering these many posts. Not sure which makes me more angry: being stupid enough to fall for that crap or letting my hopes get up because an "agent" wanted to work with me.

First clue should've been: Why is this high powered agent sending me emails on a Saturday night?

welcome to the club Radio

I came that close to sending a contract. At first I'm sure you were excited just like I was. But my wife for some reason sensed something amiss. It just so happens I found this forum and read horror stories about NYLA. Needless to say I won't be sending Ms. Fine a dime. By the way in addition to sending 90.00 for a critique, and even though Ms. Fine said there are no additional fees, once you got your critique back, she would have said you will need 100.00 for "editing".

Now I am never going to hear the end of it from wife: I told you so, I told you so.

good luck