Beware! There are sharks in our waters. My first book, Unusual Destiny garnered a Showcased Listing at Authorlink.com and soon after won a Year 2000 New Author award at The Harriet Austin Writer's Conference, University of Georgia. With the confirmation that I had a good book on my hands, I printed out multiple copies of the first five chapters, wrote a nice cover letter and sent it off to a list of highly paid and very successful agents I'd been watching for some years. Four months later, all but one of my packages had come back with polite, you-have-a-rosy-future-type rejection letters; most asking that I contact them after I'd been published. Frustrating!
I patiently waited, and waited, and waited for the last one to show up in my mailbox. Another full month went by before it came. This time, the manuscript, held together at the top by a metal clip, was battered and dog-eared from handling. A very good sign. The Literary Agency was Palmer & Dodge of Boston, the same agency that managed to get Brad Meltzer a six-figure advance for his first book, The Tenth Justice.
Was I excited? You bet. I read their response letter with shaking hands and discovered that my book had been a contender for the one book written by a new author that the agency would represent for that season. Alas, it had failed to garner the unanimous support of all their agents, the criteria used to determine that one lucky author. I had in effect been close, so close, but hadn't won the prize.
Sorely disappointed and more frustrated than ever, I began to consider self-publishing. As I began to investigate POD contracts, I also began to receive letters from other firms claiming to be Literary Agencies. Many had slick brochures and all assured me that they had guided many new authors to publication. All asked for my entire manuscript. A few asked for a reading fee up front and those I rejected out of hand. (Never pay anyone to simply read your hard work.) With not much to lose, I chose five of the others and sent the material on. Here is where things got interesting.
Of this five, all sent back complimentary letters praising my writing and touting the huge potential of my book -- and every one them recommended that I avail myself of a 'professional editorial service' to insure its readiness for publication. And every single one of them stated that they just happened to provide that service in house! Serendipity? Hardly. I hit the Internet with suspicion in my heart and discovered they were all on 'Avoid' or 'Tattle' lists -- a few were under indictment for fraud!
These are the leaches, the parasites, the sharks that feed off our dreams, sap our energy, shake our self-confidence and drain our bank accounts. I know authors who have spent years and thousands of dollars following the advice of these ghouls and in the end, they were no closer to publication than they were to begin with. In many cases, after much time, effort and expense, usually when their manuscript was finally deemed ready, their 'agent' has suddenly and most mysteriously 'left the firm.' "What about my book?" "What about my contract?" The answer from these criminals: "What contract?" or "We're sorry for the misunderstanding, but you signed up for our editorial services, not representation." Shocking? No way. Happens all the time. Soâ¦
If you feel you need an editor, do you own research, check credentials and then follow up by talking to writers who have used the services you are considering. Make sure those authors got what they contracted for: excellence and fair treatment for a fair price, in a timely manner.
If you want an agent, check credentials, ask for a list of authors they represent, the books they claim to have brought to publication and then check sales records for those titles to make sure the books under contract didn't languish at the hands of an indifferent publisher. Before you sign a thing, take their proposed contract to an attorney so you know what you're getting into and how to get out if you're unsatisfied.
If you can't afford any of these, find a good writer's critique group. Not a stand up, read your work and receive a golf clap (regardless of how bad it might be) group, but one with talented writers where you trade pages, take them home and get brutally honest feedback next meeting. Just remember to check your pride and your ego at the door because no matter how good you are, from to time you're going to crash and burn. Hey, it's worth it.
Sound like a lot to do? It is. But as authors, we are in business and business is work.
Personally, I've stopped looking for an agent. Instead, I'm querying movie producers and posting my work on sites that might attract performing artist's attention. Yep, I'm going Hollywood. Writer's Digest reviewed Unusual Destiny as 'cinematic' so why not?
In the mean time, I'm continuing to build a respectable body of work, profiting nicely in POD with Aventine Press and working hard for my Authors Guild of WNY group. The 'big one' will come along -- or not, and that's okay, because I'm enjoying my life as an author.
____________________________
Diane J. Newton is the award-winning suspense author of Unusual Destiny and Children of the Sun.
Mrs. Newton is also founder, publicist and contact person for the Authors Guild of WNY, a marketing and public service group made up of independent authors
and small press owners. These published writers are dedicated to bringing the best of an already shining Western New York writing community to the public's attention.
