“Unless you are a household name, have appeared on a reality TV show or — and this is the important one — have an agent — then you have virtually no chance of attracting a publisher,” reads a letter from John Hancock, literary agent. If you are a seriously aspiring writer, you likely hold a more than passing acquaintance with this situation, but Mr. Hancock is thoroughly prepared to alleviate your distress—provided that you pay a £97 “reading fee.”
Apparently, agents charging upfront fees have been cropping up in the United Kingdom like dandelions (they may look like flowers, but they are fundamentally weeds). These agents will justify the expenses in a plethora of ways: Hancock’s letter explains that the fee “is a way of weeding out those who are not wholly committed. Frankly, if you are not prepared to invest £97 in your work then we have no prospect of a long term relationship.” Meanwhile, Darin Jewell of the Inspira Literary Agency claims that the £350 upfront fee covers photocopying and postage to the fifteen different publishers, but simple mathematics and common sense suggest that £23.30 is more than adequate for those tasks.
Indeed, common sense and simple mathematics can be your greatest allies in trying to sort out the honest agents from the partial, if not total, scams. Agents traditionally earn their money by receiving a percentage of what you are paid, thus giving them the incentive to work hard on your behalf. There is little point in having an agent who does not care about promoting your work, or who is not invested in its merit and artistic contributions.
Clare Alexander, president of the Association of Author’s Agents, insists that “no member of the association would charge a reading fee.” “It is very easy for people to set themselves up as an agent and charge a fee without doing much in return,” Alexander continues. “Authors should check an agent’s name on our website before signing up.” Kate Pool, deputy general secretary of the Society of Authors, echoes her reccommendation: “Our advice is always that mainstream agents do not charge upfront fees.” Don’t be swindled; an agent who charges an upfront fee has little interest in you, and an agent with little interest in you is of no use at all.
You can read the full article in the Times here; you can visit the Association of Author’s Agents’ website here.