tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post3046447741674111528..comments2024-03-28T06:16:39.508+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: PSEUDO-AGENTS - BEWARENicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-35864197447891615402009-10-06T11:28:39.999+01:002009-10-06T11:28:39.999+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536884736928320856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-55280256895999649282009-08-14T19:59:59.596+01:002009-08-14T19:59:59.596+01:00Thanks Nicola, that's really helpful. I'd...Thanks Nicola, that's really helpful. I'd pretty much written it off but didn't want to offend by going elsewhere if this was the normal waiting period. Very frustrating since he asked for the entire ms and said the reader's report on that was favourable. Then radio silence. Heigh ho. Onwards and upwards. Or something.<br><br>Thanks again. Really appreciate the time you Spinster of this parishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16989860753766730835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-36569296911743214912009-08-12T20:33:18.544+01:002009-08-12T20:33:18.544+01:00spinster of the parish - no need to apologise!Th...spinster of the parish - no need to apologise!<br><br>There isn't an exact answer to the question of how long is reasonable, but a year is quite unreasonable! If you've heard nothing depsite a reminder, you can quite reasonably simply send it elsewhere now. I am afriad the first place is not interested. If by any chance they do get back to you and show an interest, you just say the Nicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-23394930338351519972009-08-12T19:53:35.173+01:002009-08-12T19:53:35.173+01:00Hi Nicola. I've come to this post rather late...Hi Nicola. I've come to this post rather late, for which I hope you'll forgive me. I don't know if this is something you've covered elsewhere, but how long is it reasonable for a agent to hang on to a manuscript? Mine has been with someone just over a year (established firm with real live authors whose books I've read). I sent a polite letter querying this a few weeks ago Spinster of this parishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16989860753766730835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-50251277833689574032009-06-11T19:15:53.797+01:002009-06-11T19:15:53.797+01:00Welshcake - interesting question. If vanity pubb...Welshcake - interesting question. If vanity pubbed, arghhh, no! (Because vanity pubbing is not about commercial publishing, ie taking a quality book to a general readership). If self-pubbing - depends how well it's done. If someone really really really knows his/her stuff, and has chosen self-pubbing for all the right reasons, no reason why they couldn't do as well for someone else. Nicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-19461963149146273902009-06-11T18:51:03.393+01:002009-06-11T18:51:03.393+01:00A good post, Nicola.What about vanity pubbed autho...A good post, Nicola.<br><br>What about vanity pubbed authors who set themselves up as publishers to publish their next book and offer to publish other authors alongside their own work? <br><br>I've seen a couple of those spring up lately. I'm sure intentions are honourable, but I have mixed feelings about them.<br><br>What's your view?Welshcakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11345530288844655569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-42270322747796824102009-06-08T18:15:34.092+01:002009-06-08T18:15:34.092+01:00No, there's no apprentice scheme and I can'...No, there's no apprentice scheme and I can't see one working. It's down to previous knowledge through having worked in the publishing business. That's why I suggested those questions - because the ability to answer them indicates the right level of knowledge. An agent also might start by working in a large agency, which would allow him/her to develop more knowledge before going Nicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-91002883569843122872009-06-08T18:05:35.689+01:002009-06-08T18:05:35.689+01:00I've no time for scam artists and other cheats...I've no time for scam artists and other cheats, but I am curious to know how you become an agent. There must be lots of agents out there who are genuine but just starting out on their careers. How would you distinguish these relatively inexperienced people from the cheats? Is there some kind of apprenticeship scheme, for example? Does this kind of business have any certification, like the Captain Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290852640283747439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-75673430320332720742009-06-07T22:06:27.340+01:002009-06-07T22:06:27.340+01:00Jan - agree re cockroach vomit being small but I...Jan - agree re cockroach vomit being small but I seem to remember I was thinking of using it in the context of the alleged agent's knowledge, which would be very very small!<br><br>Elen - good idea. Let's try to get some made.<br><br>Choccies - anyone just watched the Apprentice final? I could have won that task, easily.Nicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-77741392380125993512009-06-07T18:55:20.594+01:002009-06-07T18:55:20.594+01:00I want a badge that says:"acerbic elucidation...I want a badge that says:<br>"acerbic elucidation is my forte"Elen Caldecotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00445201005486291612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-49975813410346539642009-06-07T18:25:10.839+01:002009-06-07T18:25:10.839+01:00Excellent advice, as always, dear Nicola. I lurve ...Excellent advice, as always, dear Nicola. I lurve agents and have discussed these same exact points many times so authors understand that being poorly repped is worse than no rep at all. <br><br>Why? Because I work very hard to find out who the skanks are and avoid them like the plague. This means that an author may have a lovely book, but I'll never read it because I won't work with a behlerbloghttp://behlerblog.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-58694227285998606232009-06-07T15:08:46.270+01:002009-06-07T15:08:46.270+01:00The thing about cockroach vomit is that it's r...The thing about cockroach vomit is that it's really small. Something like festering-bog-giant vomit now...<br><br>(PS here from the pitch party too)Jan Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00471022034388834235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-13452692153154632822009-06-07T14:52:44.283+01:002009-06-07T14:52:44.283+01:00Hello all and thanks for comments. Emma - good p...Hello all and thanks for comments. Emma - good point, though you do have to be applying to become a member. Worth the joining fee even for that one contract-check though.<br><br>Jane - unfortunately, I've come across this too. The depths to which rogues will sink, and the ease with which poor authors fall for it, are shocking and sad.Nicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-6436877619706460032009-06-07T14:37:40.307+01:002009-06-07T14:37:40.307+01:00Good post, Nicola, as ever. Worth mentioning that ...Good post, Nicola, as ever. Worth mentioning that you don't have to be a member of the Society of Authors already, to get them to check out a contract offered by an agent (or a publisher): it's the fact that you've been offered a contract which makes you eligible to join the Society, and they'll check the contract and process the application in tandem.emmadarwinhttp://profile.typekey.com/emmadarwinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-23739536827788487322009-06-07T14:11:52.252+01:002009-06-07T14:11:52.252+01:00Another pitch party visitor!I fell in with my agen...Another pitch party visitor!<br><br>I fell in with my agent by accident, and at the time was too impressed that an agent should be interested in me to check his credentials. As it happens he has done a great job for me... but I admit, I was naive.Brian Clegghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723555872580740773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-5290205422668365872009-06-07T14:05:22.472+01:002009-06-07T14:05:22.472+01:00Nicola, I was once approached by one of these &quo...Nicola, I was once approached by one of these "agents": she insisted that one of my blog posts was wrong, then "proved" her point by showing me a contract which she'd received for one of her unfortunate clients: she had completely misinterpreted the clause concerned, I was right, she was wrong... the nasty part is that as a result her client had, on her advice about that Jane Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411253302725735470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-54224512132175321882009-06-07T14:02:23.633+01:002009-06-07T14:02:23.633+01:00Hi Nicola, yet another visitor from the Pitch Part...Hi Nicola, yet another visitor from the Pitch Party here... gosh, it's getting crowded. Thank you, I've really enjoyed visiting and will be very careful about getting into bed with the wrong agent. I'll be back!ChrisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03741359642268813093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-41247347429010098462009-06-07T13:56:24.426+01:002009-06-07T13:56:24.426+01:00Hi Nicola, thanks for the stop over on Literary Li...Hi Nicola, thanks for the stop over on Literary Life!<br><br>I'm from The Pitch Party too - fantastic blog!<br><br>Love this post, very informative.<br><br>I'll be back!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07129731089961481327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-89709645852693414502009-06-07T13:15:44.477+01:002009-06-07T13:15:44.477+01:00"Cockroach vomit" is not a minging enoug..."Cockroach vomit" is not a minging enough term for this type of behaviour. There seems to be predators everywhere.Barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11972925629235261913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-14713880011714837062009-06-07T12:37:08.447+01:002009-06-07T12:37:08.447+01:00Hi Nicola, nice to meet you. I don't think you...Hi Nicola, nice to meet you. I don't think you're crabbit at all really :-) I've been reading your blog with interest and starring posts in Google Reader so I can come back to them... all useful stuff, when/if I finally finish my novel!<br><br>cheers,<br>Pipbattypiphttp://battypip.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-51553470704548573642009-06-07T12:16:55.306+01:002009-06-07T12:16:55.306+01:00Prowling in from the Pitch Party - so much to bewa...Prowling in from the Pitch Party - so much to beware of...you humans do make it hard for a cat!catdownunderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.com