BEWARE: Children's Literary Agency (WL Childrens Agency)

[overtired]

Originally Posted by SignedContract

I recently signed the contract and THEN Googled after the waiting period was up. How do I fire them?

I think that may depend on the contract you signed. I got sent two completely different ones after I complained about the first. Does it have an out clause? Have you paid any money yet?

Good people to get in touch with are mods Victoria Strauss and James Macdonald who may be able to advise you better than I.

Good luck!

[SignedContract]

Thank you. I will have to look into it and the contract.

[James D. Macdonald]

You fire them by sending them a registered letter telling them that they no longer represent you in any way.

And you send copies of all your correspondence to the Florida Attorney General.

[James D. Macdonald]

They're currently advertising using Google AdSense ads.

#
Children's Book Agent
Growing Literary Agency. Child books only. Submit Online.
www.WLChildrensAgency.com

Remember, any agent that runs AdSense ads is either clueless, or a scammer, or both. Stay well clear.

===================

And if you've had any contact with Robert Fletcher (under any of his names), get in touch with the Florida Attorney General.

What are some of his names?

Robert M. Fletcher a/k/a Robert Williams a/k/a Bob Williams a/k/a Robert West.

Who's his partner?

Leslie Williams a/k/a Leslie W. Mroz

What are the names of some of his scams?

Writer's Literary Agency Group, Writer's Literary Agency, Writer's Literary & Publishing Services, New York Literary Agency, Writer's Literary Children's Agency, The Children's Literary Agency, Children's Book Publishing Agency, Writer's Literary Poet's Agency, Poet's Literary Agency, Poetry Book Publishing Agency, The Christian Literary Agency, Writer's Literary Screenplay Agency, Screenplay Writers' Agency, The Screenplay Agency, The Literary Agency Group, f/k/a Rapidpublishing-screenwriter911, Inc., Stylus Literary Agency, S T Literary Agency, Inc. , Writers Literary & Publishing Services Company, Writers' Book Publishing Agency, Strategic Publishing Group, Strategic Book Publishing, Strategic Book Marketing, AEG Publishing Group, My Editor Is A Saint, Author's Edge, Sydra-Techniques, Global Book Agency, and Eloquent Books.

[pjlove51]

I had the same bad experience with Wl children's agency. I signed the contract and THEN did my homework. After reading all the negative stuff about this agency I emailed my so-called agent "HIL" and asked her about it. I get an e-mail back from her. The first line said "What do you think we're going to do, steal your book?" That's real professional. I knew I could cancel after 90 days, which I did. The e-mail address is in your contract. Just e-mail and say you want to cancel. I heard back from them by the end of the day saying, "Sorry it didn't work out!" and that everything of mine had been deleted. Everytime I e-mailed this lady I would get back the same exact e-mail. It was a long 90 days.
Then today I get an e-mail from Tht Mocknick agency saying he'd like to read my manuscript. The reading is free, but it will cost me $450 if they want to sign me. This time I did my homework. Gee guess who's on the worst 20 list.!
I am alot smarter and wiser!!

[James D. Macdonald]

Originally Posted by pjlove51

The today I get an e-mail from Tht Mocknick agency saying he'd like to read my manuscript.

Had you ever contacted the Mocknick Agency?

If not ... I wonder if Robert Fletcher/Robert Williams/Robert West sold your name to them.

By the way, there's no reason to believe that "Hil" even exists.

[pjlove51]

No I sent a query to him, but I'm doing my homework now. Since I kept getting the same e-mail everytime I'm sure she doesn't exsist

[Timothy]

I received some good advice from a person when I asked a writing for children question on another website. Below is her advice word for word.

"The writer gets paid. Never EVER pay to get published.

Never EVER pay for an agent or "book doctor."

Some websites make it seem that's how it's done, but they are scams.

This is called YOG'S LAW: "Money always flows TOWARD the writer!"

Obey Yog's Law and you'll stay out of trouble with scammers and sharks who want you to pay to get published.

Join http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/

It is FREE and pro writers lurk there and run the place. You will find lots of help on writing there. You can post your work for feedback. They don't allow flame wars or trolls, the place is for writers wanting to improve their craft!

When your book is ready to go (finished, grammar and spell checked and beta read and polished) you go into a bookstore and look for titles similar to what you've written. Inside the front page will be the names and websites of publishers. (You won't find vanity press or POD or scam books there.)

Visit their websites and follow their guidelines to the letter.

Most will have a "Submission Guidelines".

If you see "Testimonials" RUN away, they're a vanity, pay-to-publish scam operation. No real publisher has "testimonials" on their site!

STAY AWAY FROM these "Publishers"

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2007/02/ha…

That's the top 20 "thumb's down" list. They're the worst. One calls itself a childrens publisher, but is run by a scammer out of Florida we all call "Bouncing Bobby." Every time he's busted he opens a "new" agency.

ABOVE ALL, STAY AWAY FROM PUBLISHAMERICA. They are the BIGGEST ripoff site of them all.

They say they're free and don't want your money, but that is a LIE. You end up buying overpriced copies of your own book! They eat childrens authors alive.

They will not put your book into a store--but lie and say that you are supposed to do that. Most PA writers submit their book, and whether it is good or horrible, it's quickly "accepted," (they take everything!) and then you never hear from the poor writer again. Your rights are tied up for seven years!

Just google "publish America" + "scam" and find all the writers who got ripped off by them. They are what is called a "print mill." you don't want anything to do with them. They ruin lives and careers.

They're a reverse vanity printer. They pressure you to buy overprice copies of your own book. (A real publisher gives you a boxful.) They have no distribution, so your book won't get into bookstores like they say. They only pay a stinking one dollar advance, too, all this while waving the flag and praising Jesus. PA is so bad they have their own forum on Absolute Write to warn people away!"

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/foru…

I hope this advice that was given to me helps you to. This person's advice is what led me to Absolutewrite.com.

[James D. Macdonald]

Robert Fletcher's lawsuit against Writer Beware has been ruled frivolous. Fletcher has been ordered to pay all of Ann and Victoria's legal fees and expenses.

From the Court order:

Basically, Fletcher and LAG were running a fraud by charging fees for all services while falsely giving hope to the authors that Fletcher and LAG would find a publisher for their book.

[Wstewart1986]

Wow, terrifying stuff. I was just about to send part of my manuscipt with illustrations to WL Children's Literary Agency but I stopped and said I'd better be sure.

They sent me a huge email expressing interest in my children's book which I wrote, illustrated and produced for my final major project. I had just attached the PDF and answered their questions when I found this site and a huge scam alert.

Promptly I cancelled the email... rats, and I was hoping there was going to be further interest haha

Thank you Absolute Write forum dwellers, thank you for saving me

[James D. Macdonald]

Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against “Literary Company”

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office filed a lawsuit against a Boca Raton company that allegedly preyed on aspiring authors. According to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Writer’s Literary Agency and owner Robert Fletcher used more than 20 websites and related companies to collect funds from potential authors, but misled victims about fees, costs, and promised results.

The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division received more than 175 complaints from around the world claiming Fletcher and his associates, who claimed to act as literary agents and publishers, allegedly collected money from victims anxious to see their work published. Potential writers paid anywhere from $89 for an initial critique to over $600 for various services including editing and marketing of a manuscript to publishers. Allegedly, Fletcher also told potential writers that fees were paid from book sales when in fact all costs of publishing were paid by the authors. According to the lawsuit, few books were ever sold as a result of the efforts of Fletcher’s companies.

Investigators determined Fletcher expanded into the field of publishing within the past year. Fletcher admitted to having no background as a literary agent and to using at least 10 aliases in his businesses.

The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief against Robert Fletcher and his associates, as well as his many businesses, prohibiting further business activities in the field of literary agencies or publishers. The Attorney General is also seeking full restitution on behalf of all victimized consumers, civil penalties of $10,000 for each violation of the Florida Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and reimbursement for fees and costs related to the investigation.

A copy of the lawsuit is available online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.n...dComplaint.pdf

[James D. Macdonald]

In short, if you are a victimized consumer, get in touch with the Florida Attorney General so you can get in line for that restitution. If you know someone who paid money to Fletcher (under any of his names or to any of his businesses) point them to the Florida Attorney General.

[justdawn]

This just seemed too-good-to-be-true, but I really couldn't figure out why....So, I looked at the books this company had published, read a few pages (on Amazon.com) and one author's bio. Not good writing, even the bio wasn't well written. That was all the convincing I needed.

[LClaveau]

Wow...wish I had read this before I took time to answer the questions and send me a small portion of a story I wrote. High hopes fall far...thanks for the cushion! I will keep plugging along and go back to what I know was the best way in the first darned place....stuck in a library or bookstore pouring over the pages of the books to make sure I have it right....As for some of what I read..."Something for nothing" Seriously? My work is everything and I deserve something for my everything. Thanks for being here for the newbies.

[stormie]

Welcome to AW, LClaveau! It's good you found out now, rather than later. Stick around AW. A lot of great info and people.

[Evvie]

My high school creative writing teacher had a run in with them a few months ago for a children's picture book. She refused to pay for an editor... (she's been a english teacher for 20 years) I highly doubt she'd need it for a picture book.

She's finally out of contract with them after I showed her the author beware site and this thread months ago.

She's not the most computer savvy so I gave her a list of agents and helpful sites..

I really hate people that scam on aspiring writers!

But I also have to say don't consider all Florida agencies bad. I know that the famous Knight agency has offices in FL and The Brown Agency handles romance and erotic in FL. (I spoke with the woman when I applied for an internship) Really nice and helpful, and very legit. I looked up plenty of her authors and they had legit sites and books on amazon etc.