In the past I have frequented the Absolute Write Water Cooler message board. While there is not much happening in the forum for Graphic Novels, the site is always abuzz for writers trying to be the best that they can be. It is inspiring and educational to say the least.
Well, it seems that a scammer agent, Barbara Bauer, has gotten the site shut down. This is a horrible thing. The best thing about AW is that it would allow writers to be aware of Scams and Issues that might effect them. Most of the scammers did not like this of course. In fact Ms. Bauer was on the 20 worst agents list that writers beware recently published. The Barbara Bauer Literary Agency is #4 on the list.
Below is a list of the 20 literary agencies about which Writer Beware has received the greatest number of advisories/complaints over the past several years.
None of these agencies has a significant track record of sales to commercial (advance-paying) publishers, and most have virtually no documented and verified sales at all (book placements claimed by some of these agencies turn out to be “sales” to vanity publishers). All charge clients before a sale is made–whether directly, by levying fees such as reading or administrative fees, or indirectly, for editing or other adjunct services.
Writer Beware recommends that writers avoid questionable literary agencies, and instead query agencies that have verifiable track records of sales to commercial publishing houses.
Note that while the 20 agencies listed here account for the bulk of the complaints we receive, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Writer Beware has files on nearly 400 questionable agencies, and we learn about a new one every few weeks.
Here is the list of the 20 worst writers agents:
* The Abacus Group Literary Agency
* Allred and Allred Literary Agents (refers clients to “book doctor” Victor West of Pacific Literary Services)
* Capital Literary Agency (formerly American Literary Agents of Washington, Inc.)
* Barbara Bauer Literary Agency
* Benedict & Associates (also d/b/a B.A. Literary Agency)
* Sherwood Broome, Inc.
* Desert Rose Literary Agency
* Arthur Fleming Associates
* Finesse Literary Agency (Karen Carr)
* Brock Gannon Literary Agency
* Harris Literary Agency
* The Literary Agency Group, which includes the following:
Children’s Literary Agency
Christian Literary Agency
New York Literary Agency
Poets Literary Agency
The Screenplay Agency
Stylus Literary Agency (formerly ST Literary Agency)
Writers Literary & Publishing Services Company (the editing arm of the above-mentioned agencies)
* Martin-McLean Literary Associates
* Mocknick Productions Literary Agency, Inc.
* B.K. Nelson, Inc.
* The Robins Agency (Cris Robins)
* Michele Rooney Literary Agency (also d/b/a Creative Literary Agency and Simply Nonfiction)
* Southeast Literary Agency
* Mark Sullivan Associates
* West Coast Literary Associates (also d/b/a California Literary Services)
Remember my comic brothers and sisters, with Graphic Novels being the big buzz word now, these agents might begin to hurt our peers as well! VIGILANCE!
I used to love to read the post where someone would post an issue about a scam and then to watch as a ‘sock puppet’ appeared to defend the evil doers. Then the regulars on the board would jump in and pretty much prove how bad they were. On many of the offenders, if you google them, the bad stuff would come up first.
I also was able to find out more about how publishers and agents work, and how to avoid the bad ones. I am sure this will come into use in the future.
The bottom line is that AW is an important asset to anyone who writes. Even those of us who draw picture a lot more of the time.
The suggestion to blog about this is from Dawno’s site, she was a moderator at AW. The web is a powerfully tool and the more data we get out there the more we can make sure that these terrible scammers will be hurt by it. Visit Dawno’s blog here| LINK
This is a chance to really effect a real life villain. Someone who continues to hurt others. And she is only one; there are a lot more out there. Of course you need to stop by Writer Beware’s 20 worst agents to know who the villains are|LINK
Here someone has done a comic on their blog about the villain| LINK
And the great site, Making Light, posts about AW demises|LINK
The amazing Miss Snark,who works in publishing|LINK
I will hope that Absolute Write returns.
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