Agent charging reading fee?

EileenG

A friend of mine has submitted three chapters of her children's book to an agent, and got back a request for the full MS. And a reading fee of £69.

Is this normal? Is this legitimate? What does a reading fee cover?

bigsmokewriting

It's not best practice for agents to charge a reading fee. There are a handful of 'reputable' agents who've been known to do such things, but generally speaking one is usually well advised to avoid agents who charge these fees - they should be making their money as a percentage of an author's royalties, not this stuff.

EileenG

That's what I thought, but I wanted to be sure.

WHU

I'd stay well clear of them.

BEAT

whooaaa hold on there friend, while not all agents have a reading fee a lot of them do! the best way to find out if they are a reputable company is to search thier name in the database...go to agentquery.com
the best resource for writers out there

pickarooney

Was the reading fee for the three chapters (i.e. due already) or for the whole thing?
It seems contradictory to ask to see more of the book and then ask for money to read it. If they're interested enough to read it surely they shouldn't want payment?

Maybe ask Eoin what he thinks?

EileenG

She had sent three chapters and a synopsis. They asked her to send the rest and a reading fee.

clm

I would be very wary of this, it doesn't sound like they're that interested in signing him/her.

If they were really interested in the first three chapters they would be trying to snap him/her up not extract a reading fee. If they see potential in a writer they try and encourage rather than discourage him/her from joining them, remember they get a percentage of whatever he/she gets from the publisher. You have to be worried about their motives and about being signed up to an agent that won't actually send your work anywhere. They probably offer the same deal to everyone and make a tidy income from those that take it up. Agents shouldn't get anything until they sell your book!!!

Do you know which agency it was?

EileenG

I'll ask her next time I see her. She did say it was a registered agent, but not a member of the Society of Authors (the ones with stars beside their name in the W&A yearbook).

Yes, I'm suspicious too.

Fatboydim

I'm sorry but no way does any reputable agent ask for a reading fee. If they ask they are not reputable - full stop.

Some agents may offer an advisory service for which they charge - but if that's the case then they can't be very busy can they?

Avoid.

BEAT

Fatboydim wrote: »

I'm sorry but no way does any reputable agent ask for a reading fee. If they ask they are not reputable - full stop.

Some agents may offer an advisory service for which they charge - but if that's the case then they can't be very busy can they?

Avoid.

You are infact wrong, period.
There are many smaller agencies that will charge a fee, it doesnt mean they are out to screw you or steal your work its just a part of the way they do business.

I as a writer myself steer clear of the ones who charge fees but then again I dont have to worry about such things with a literary agent.
What any writer should do who wants thier work represented by only the best publishing houses is to find a literary agent who deals with said Publishing houses.

My best advice would be to look up the website I posted above and go from there.

pickarooney

BEAT wrote: »

You are infact wrong, period.
There are many smaller agencies that will charge a fee, it doesnt mean they are out to screw you or steal your work its just a part of the way they do business.

Which reputable companies charge a fee and how do they justify it?

BEAT

pickarooney wrote: »

Which reputable companies charge a fee and how do they justify it?

Just as I had to do my own research it is the responsibility of the writer to research this information, it would be ridiculous to think I could provide an entire catalog of every agent who charges fees...The link I provided is a good place to start, there is a lot of good information out there...there are also books you can buy such as the writers market book 2010..they release a book every year of the top agents and list whether or not they charge a fee.

pickarooney

One would do, really, if you're going to tell someone (and by extension everyone else who holds the same opinion) that they are 'infact wrong, period'.

Was this the link you meant?

http://www.agentquery.com/writer_bs.aspx

Reputable agents do not charge fees to review manuscripts

Tigger

BEAT wrote: »

whooaaa hold on there friend, while not all agents have a reading fee a lot of them do! the best way to find out if they are a reputable company is to search thier name in the database...go to agentquery.com
the best resource for writers out there

i went there

How do I tell a reputable literary agent from a questionable one?

Legitimate literary agents make their professional livelihoods from the commissions they earn through the sale of their clients' books to publishers. Reputable agents do not charge fees to review manuscripts, they do not refer writers to fee-charging editorial services, and they do not charge their clients up-front fees to cover the costs of doing business. Reputable agents earn their money through a 10-20% commission of the sale of book rights to domestic and foreign book publishers. Real literary agents with real book sales have real publishing contacts. They know editors. They know what editors like to read. And most importantly, literary agents know what specific editors want to buy.

this is the most laughable thing i have seen in a long time you tell people they are wrong then refrence a link that shows you are wrong TWICE!

Eoinp

Tigger wrote: »

i went there




this is the most laughable thing i have seen in a long time you tell people they are wrong then refrence a link that shows you are wrong TWICE!

I think in all this it is wise to be clear.

An Agent should never charge an up front feed for reading with a view to representing you.
However, a agent may also run an advisory service themselves and for that they should be paid. So long as it si clear that the services are distinct and using the advisory service is not a prerequisite for representation.

Eoin