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Metamorphosis Literary Agency
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Don't feel bad, I once got a pitch like for my grimdark revenge fantasy from what turned out to be a Mormon press. That was...amusing.
I submitted to them after seeing Stephanie was this month's (April) Writer's Digest "Meet the Agent" spotlight. Then I came here. She has requested a full synopsis based on my query, not I'm very conflicted. WD wouldn't spotlight a questionable agent, would they? I guess I would like to believe whomever they feature would be fully vetted.
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Stephanie is this month's "Meet the Agent" profile in Writer's Digest. She has requested additional materials from me. Any update on your end?
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Stephanie is this month's "Meet the Agent" profile in Writer's Digest. She has requested additional materials from me. Any update on your end?
Techy,
Writer's Digest likely wouldn't feature a "questionable agent"--unless, of course, they don't know that agent is questionable. The key difference I've noticed between Metamorphosis and other agencies that have been called out for sketchy practices is that Metamorphosis doesn't do anything that is technically "wrong." They sign clients and then sell those client's books--which is what an agent is supposed to do. The issue with Metamorphosis, in my opinion, is that they push to appear as an agency that is in the "big leagues." As in, they sell to Big 5 publishing houses, when the simple truth is that they don't. To me, this is false advertising.
They also do strange things other agencies, ones that actually DO sell to Big 5, don't do such as putting author interviews on Wattpad.
If you're comfortable with your book landing with an indie or very small publisher, then by all means, go ahead and send Stephanie your materials! Some people prefer the small publisher route. However, if you're looking for a shot at a Big 5--or even slightly below Big 5--then I'd seek representation elsewhere.
Writer's Digest likely wouldn't feature a "questionable agent"--unless, of course, they don't know that agent is questionable. The key difference I've noticed between Metamorphosis and other agencies that have been called out for sketchy practices is that Metamorphosis doesn't do anything that is technically "wrong." They sign clients and then sell those client's books--which is what an agent is supposed to do. The issue with Metamorphosis, in my opinion, is that they push to appear as an agency that is in the "big leagues." As in, they sell to Big 5 publishing houses, when the simple truth is that they don't. To me, this is false advertising.
They also do strange things other agencies, ones that actually DO sell to Big 5, don't do such as putting author interviews on Wattpad.
If you're comfortable with your book landing with an indie or very small publisher, then by all means, go ahead and send Stephanie your materials! Some people prefer the small publisher route. However, if you're looking for a shot at a Big 5--or even slightly below Big 5--then I'd seek representation elsewhere.
UPDATE: Recently, another QT user has expressed concern about the legitimacy of Metamorphosis after a flood of positive comments of dubious intent have filled Stephanie's QT profile. BB, after months of no activity, is back at updating her comment to bury negative ones.
UPDATE 2: A QT user recently posted that they've read this thread and have crossed Metamorphosis off their query list. After months of silence, BB has once again updated their comment to bury the negative comment.
UPDATE 3: BB (who at this point I suspect is Stephanie Hansen herself, because who else is this invested in a single agenct at an agency who mostly sells to small presses?) is once again up to their shenanigans. They've spammed Stephanie's QueryTracker with multiple links to deals Metamorphosis has made recently, and rather than putting all the links in one comment, they posted four separate comments, again moving negative comments further down the feed.
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Some of the books on their website, like the Immortal Sleepers, go to a Simon & schuster page, but if you scroll down to the product details, it says the book's publisher is Torrid. So... not being honest about where they're publishing. Or taking pains to make it look like the books are with top 5 pubs. This agency, while meaning good things I'm sure, can't make top 5 deals. Don't waste your time. If you want a small pub, you can do that yourself. Submitted to a "senior agent" who'd never been trained, other than what Metamorphosis taught them. That's not enough, folks.
UPDATE 4: BB has, at this point, posted six separate comments in the last week, all containing links to deal announcements from Metamorphosis or Stephanie specifically. They're all audio-only/eBook-only/small-press deals, so idk what exactly this person thinks they're proving, but it's so ridiculously obvious this is Stephanie herself. Another QT called BB out for this behavior, and BB has since continues to post links to Stephanie's every deal. QueryTracker really needs to do something about this blatant misuse of their platform.
Beth Phelan, creator of DVPit, recently discussed this agency in a string of tweets warning writers against "schmagents." https://twitter.com/beth_phelan/status/1323026388421627904
I know nobody's really commenting, but we *are* reading, and I'm so grateful for your posts! I'm a bit annoyed the account is gone, because it was extraordinary. Thank you for everything you've shared. I've seen people all over the internet linking to this thread.
Editing to say that I think several people have deleted their accounts.
Editing to say that I think several people have deleted their accounts.
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Chris_Phillips
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I was a Metamorphosis client. It was pretty sus from the get go, but I stayed with it because I wanted to have an agent and shot at getting my book out there. I was told on signing to mock a cover for my book. They said it would help publishers visualize it, but I'm pretty sure they just wanted to look like they had more sales.
I was initially told I'd be subbed to big houses, but after 6 months there was a pivot to tiny houses I could have approached solo. I called it out and was told not to worry because they made offers higher based on whether you had an agent, so I'd make the same amount. I was told I could actually make more with a small independent pub. I said no, and was told she was still sending my MS out, but I never got rejections or any notice unless I asked. The emails took longer and longer for my agent to respond, some almost a full month. I eventually decided to end it and sent notice.
I was told before signing I had to give 30 days to terminate the agreement. But, when I actually did it, I was given an amendment to sign so the contract would end in 30 days and not in November. The amendment had a confidentiality clause. I told them I wouldn't agree to sign it and the contract ended in 30 days based on emails from my agent in 19'. They stopped emailing at all, so I emailed to ask if they were really going to try to hold me to the agreement. I was told they didn't want to be my agency anymore and they threatened to send me a cease and desist letter, which was pretty hilarious IMO. After finally getting a clear answer that the agreement was terminated, I stopped emailing.
Moral of the story, have a clear goal and timeline going into any agreement. Bail at the first sign of trouble.
I was initially told I'd be subbed to big houses, but after 6 months there was a pivot to tiny houses I could have approached solo. I called it out and was told not to worry because they made offers higher based on whether you had an agent, so I'd make the same amount. I was told I could actually make more with a small independent pub. I said no, and was told she was still sending my MS out, but I never got rejections or any notice unless I asked. The emails took longer and longer for my agent to respond, some almost a full month. I eventually decided to end it and sent notice.
I was told before signing I had to give 30 days to terminate the agreement. But, when I actually did it, I was given an amendment to sign so the contract would end in 30 days and not in November. The amendment had a confidentiality clause. I told them I wouldn't agree to sign it and the contract ended in 30 days based on emails from my agent in 19'. They stopped emailing at all, so I emailed to ask if they were really going to try to hold me to the agreement. I was told they didn't want to be my agency anymore and they threatened to send me a cease and desist letter, which was pretty hilarious IMO. After finally getting a clear answer that the agreement was terminated, I stopped emailing.
Moral of the story, have a clear goal and timeline going into any agreement. Bail at the first sign of trouble.
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Oh, dear, I'm so sorry that things didn't work out for you. But thank you for sharing your story! I hope i will save someone else the grief and distress.
Absolute Write is a terrific forum for writers of every stripe and at every level. I hope you'll stick around! If you hop over to the New Members (<-- that's a clickable link) section you can start a thread about yourself. We'd love to know what genres you like to read, what hemisphere you hail from, what aspects of writing interest you, and anything else. It'll help the community get to know you, and it will flag to the moderators that You Are Here, so they can give you some tips and pointers and links. And in no time you'll feel yourself part of a big, supportive, helpful, knowledgable group of people just like yourself.
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An Honest Review of Metamorphosis Literary Agency from a Client
I'll start this by saying I am currently signed to a reputable agent who's landed me a deal with a top 5 publisher--healthy advance and all--and I now realize the difference between a real agent...and a shmagent. Metamorphosis Literary is a Shmagency.
TLDR - Just like you know a lot of your colleagues at work, most acquisitions editors know the agents they work with. They avoid the shmagents, so you could be shooting yourself in the foot by signing with a known one.
Definition: Shmagent. A shmagent is a vantiy agent. While this agent is not a /scam/, all they offer is the ability for an author to say they have an agent, and nothing else. They do not get the author a trade-pub deal and aren't in the business of trying
In hindsight it was my fault, signing with Stephanie Hansen of Metamorphosis. I just /really/ wanted an agent because a few of my friends had agents and it just seemed to validate them, to upper-eschelon their work. And I wanted that greener grass even if it meant I'd still be doing all of my own submitting to publishers. I was this close to just making up a name and email and faking an agent--and frankly, I should have just done that instead of signing with ML.
While I received initial interest in my query from a few agents, the rejections were introducing dejection, and Hansen moved quickly, introducing excitement in my Full and elements of time-scarcity, so I hopped in.
Flag 1 - She never read the book. I asked the sneaky sus questions and figured out she didn't read it, but I forgave that anyway (my current agent literally red-lined my work from top to bottom with comments and edits). Flag 2 - I'd have to remind her to send out to publishers, remind her to follow up after the allotted time, research and suggest publishers. And to speak with them, I had to fill out a calendly with very limited space (my current agent and I are on quick cell basis). Flag 3 - The gas lighting: it's why I say I should have just faked an agent. I wouldn't have had to deal with the emotional turmoil that was me trying to delicately prod Hansen without hurting her feelings, getting snipped at or ignored, receiving strange "if you scroll up, you said"-type emails (for the lack of a better word, my current agent is normal and doesn't have smarmy self-esteem issues, because she's confident in her abilities). And the biggest Flag of all - When I asked Stephanie to send me the query she'd been sending out on my behalf, after over a year of not getting a deal....I found typos in it. TYPOS!! And I don't just mean your average "hte"; there were misspelled words, wrong genre info, incorrect info on the publisher. And this is what is going out on MY behalf?
Boy, what a balloon popper that was. I shed a lot of tears working with her honestly. She finally landed me with a teeny tiny press, and I took it. The small press is just as much of a what-are-they-really-doing headache (minus the gaslighting) and again in hindsight, I probably should have just self-published.
But here's the kicker, in speaking with /real/ agents, now that I've thankfully come out on the other end, I've learned that Metamorphosis Literary Agency and the agents employed there are considered a joke by their colleagues. Not funny "haha" but more "oh, you poor thing". Manuscripts from shmagents are rarely opened by legit acquisitions editors, because they don't want to work with the types of authors that would settle for a shmagent. Period.
You may honestly have a better shot at having your manuscript read as an unknown author than a known shmagent will have.
We all want agents, for the clout, for the potential sale. And as the rejections pile up, it's tempting to settle for a shmagent or to excuse-away all of their glaring red flags. But no matter how dejected you are from the "no"s, you, your career, your name and ultimately your manuscript deserve more than a shmagent.
Shmagents aren't agents, they are playing dress-up.
EDIT: Adding/Updating definition
I'll start this by saying I am currently signed to a reputable agent who's landed me a deal with a top 5 publisher--healthy advance and all--and I now realize the difference between a real agent...and a shmagent. Metamorphosis Literary is a Shmagency.
TLDR - Just like you know a lot of your colleagues at work, most acquisitions editors know the agents they work with. They avoid the shmagents, so you could be shooting yourself in the foot by signing with a known one.
Definition: Shmagent. A shmagent is a vantiy agent. While this agent is not a /scam/, all they offer is the ability for an author to say they have an agent, and nothing else. They do not get the author a trade-pub deal and aren't in the business of trying
In hindsight it was my fault, signing with Stephanie Hansen of Metamorphosis. I just /really/ wanted an agent because a few of my friends had agents and it just seemed to validate them, to upper-eschelon their work. And I wanted that greener grass even if it meant I'd still be doing all of my own submitting to publishers. I was this close to just making up a name and email and faking an agent--and frankly, I should have just done that instead of signing with ML.
While I received initial interest in my query from a few agents, the rejections were introducing dejection, and Hansen moved quickly, introducing excitement in my Full and elements of time-scarcity, so I hopped in.
Flag 1 - She never read the book. I asked the sneaky sus questions and figured out she didn't read it, but I forgave that anyway (my current agent literally red-lined my work from top to bottom with comments and edits). Flag 2 - I'd have to remind her to send out to publishers, remind her to follow up after the allotted time, research and suggest publishers. And to speak with them, I had to fill out a calendly with very limited space (my current agent and I are on quick cell basis). Flag 3 - The gas lighting: it's why I say I should have just faked an agent. I wouldn't have had to deal with the emotional turmoil that was me trying to delicately prod Hansen without hurting her feelings, getting snipped at or ignored, receiving strange "if you scroll up, you said"-type emails (for the lack of a better word, my current agent is normal and doesn't have smarmy self-esteem issues, because she's confident in her abilities). And the biggest Flag of all - When I asked Stephanie to send me the query she'd been sending out on my behalf, after over a year of not getting a deal....I found typos in it. TYPOS!! And I don't just mean your average "hte"; there were misspelled words, wrong genre info, incorrect info on the publisher. And this is what is going out on MY behalf?
Boy, what a balloon popper that was. I shed a lot of tears working with her honestly. She finally landed me with a teeny tiny press, and I took it. The small press is just as much of a what-are-they-really-doing headache (minus the gaslighting) and again in hindsight, I probably should have just self-published.
But here's the kicker, in speaking with /real/ agents, now that I've thankfully come out on the other end, I've learned that Metamorphosis Literary Agency and the agents employed there are considered a joke by their colleagues. Not funny "haha" but more "oh, you poor thing". Manuscripts from shmagents are rarely opened by legit acquisitions editors, because they don't want to work with the types of authors that would settle for a shmagent. Period.
You may honestly have a better shot at having your manuscript read as an unknown author than a known shmagent will have.
We all want agents, for the clout, for the potential sale. And as the rejections pile up, it's tempting to settle for a shmagent or to excuse-away all of their glaring red flags. But no matter how dejected you are from the "no"s, you, your career, your name and ultimately your manuscript deserve more than a shmagent.
Shmagents aren't agents, they are playing dress-up.
EDIT: Adding/Updating definition
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@TristenHannah This agency is in the business of snatching up as many clients as humanly possible and then pushing them toward small presses. 20% taken from dozens of small deals adds up eventually, I imagine.
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For many people who pretend to be something they're not, it's not the revenue. It's the bragging rights.
Exactly. I saw a conversation on another discussion board, years ago, where someone said they were going to set up shop as a publisher. No one asked questions about this person's experience or resources. Instead, the response was all fist-pumping cheers of "Yeah! Stick it to the man!" like this tiny startup was going to challenge Random House. And whoever started it got to say they were a publisher, at least until they inevitably folded.