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Jane Dowary Agency

JaneDowary

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No, your theory about me trying to cover up those other agencies is wrong and unfair. How do you learn a new career? By trying and failing and then trying some more and then failing and then finally succeeding. I am simply learning how to be a good agent.
 

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No, your theory about me trying to cover up those other agencies is wrong and unfair. How do you learn a new career? By trying and failing and then trying some more and then failing and then finally succeeding. I am simply learning how to be a good agent.

But this isn't very reassuring for your potential clients, is it? You wouldn't want to be part of a learning process that involves 'trying and failing' if you could possibly avoid it.

I've known a handful of people who have set up as literary agents with no previous agenting experience, successfully. What they all have in common is that they have worked successfully in trade publishing for some time and understand how it works. What's your background?
 

JaneDowary

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Hi Victoria,
Can you please just email me directly at my email address? I would very much like to clear all this up with you, if you would do me the favor. I hope to hear from you.
 

victoriastrauss

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Please feel free to email me: beware [at] sfwa.org.

A couple of questions. Your agency address is in New Jersey, according to your website, but your IP address is German. Can you explain?

Your website states that you opened your agency in March 2013, but this thread goes back to October 2012, and I was hearing from writers with questions about you weeks before that. Again, can you explain?

You say on your website that you had a one-time career as a writer. But Googling "Julia Sarah Levin" brings up only a handful of listings (such as this one) and no references to books or other writings. Again, can you explain?

Thank you.

- Victoria
 

James D. Macdonald

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Posted Without Comment

From the Jane Dowary Agency (that is, this) thread:

Jane has been fantastic for me. Because of her I have a screenplay of mine in the hands of an A list talent agency and an A list actress. Verified, not just talk. After 35 plus years working in show biz, I've certainly heard more talk than action, in this case Jane has been nothing but action for me.

From the Drew Montgomery Literary Management / The Montgomery Literary Agency thread:

Hi Everyone!

I am a writer represented by Drew Montgomery and love her as my agent! She is the best and works the hardest and will do whatever it takes to make her clients a sucess! I'd love to talk to anyone about her who has doubts or questions!

Julia Levin
[email protected]
 

Filigree

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Facepalm.

While I appreciate the tireless efforts of James, Victoria, Torgo, and other AW members, for me this has now rocketed off into 'Filigree's Rule' territory: some authors deserve some publishers (or agents).

For Jane/Julia/Drew's clients - get back with us in two years, or when the honeymoon phase has worn off. In the meantime, I wish you the best.
 

scriptwriterdad

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Here is me, waving my hand out here on the left coast, a working writer, photographer, film maker in Los Angeles, shouting unafraid to the masses that BECAUSE of Joan/Julia a feature film script of mine is in the hands with one of the top actresses in the world. WHEN we have a contract (actress and me and her agency and production company) I will be more than happy to tell the world who is involved with the film that will be made. I have to tell you it's a beautiful thing making it as a writer on the A list level...and I have Julia to thank for it.
 

Mac H.

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Here is me, waving my hand out here on the left coast, a working writer, photographer, film maker in Los Angeles, shouting unafraid to the masses that BECAUSE of Joan/Julia a feature film script of mine is in the hands with one of the top actresses in the world. WHEN we have a contract (actress and me and her agency and production company) I will be more than happy to tell the world who is involved with the film that will be made. I have to tell you it's a beautiful thing making it as a writer on the A list level...and I have Julia to thank for it.
G'day Jim.

Thanks for your feedback. As you've probably noticed, there is a history of comments about 'Jane Dowary' being met by praise just like yours ... and it turned out that the praise came from another one of Jane's pseudonyms. That certainly appears to be rather dishonest of Jane Dowary - and now people will be suspicious of you too.

So it's kinda sad that your genuine comment isn't going to be seen as anything but yet another anonymous post.

Given the apparent dishonesty of Jane Dowary / Julia Levin / Drew Montgomery in giving untruthful feedback .. isn't it possible that perhaps the information you have received about your own project isn't entirely on the up & up?

What efforts have you made to verify the information entirely independently ? (This might be paranoid given anyone else ... but given the way that 'Julia Levin' praised 'Drew Montgomery' without admitting that they were the same person .. you can see pretty clear evidence of dishonesty. It might be worth checking the truth.)

I wish you well,

Mac
(BTW - There's at least one thing we can agree on. The person who claims to be your literary agent is 'Julia Sarah Levin' - that's what it says on the agency website. If you want to know more about Julia Sarah Levine - this is what she wrote here:

I have no idea what is going on here. I have never been, nor have I ever claimed to be a literary agent. I AM NOT A LITERARY AGENT AND WOULD NEVER IN MY LIFE SAY THAT I AM A LITERARY AGENT. I AM A WRITER. I WRITE BOOKS AND THAT'S ALL I DO AND DREW MONTGOMERY IS MY LITERARY AGENT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY OUR IP ADDRESSES MATCH OR WHY PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK DREW IS ME OR THAT DREW IS THIS OTHER JULIA. IT'S A MYSTERY TO ME. ALL I KNOW IS THAT DREW IS AN HONEST, HARD WORKING, DEDICATED, AND PROFESSIONAL AGENT WHO IS TRYING TO DO HER JOB DESPITE ALL THIS IDIOCY ABOUT HER NOT BEING WHO SHE SAYS SHE IS. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. DREW MONTGOMERY IS A GOOD AGENT AND I AM HAPPY TO BE HER CLIENT. PEOPLE SHOULD CARE MORE ABOUT FINDING THE REAL SCAMMERS AND LEAVE GOOD AGENTS LIKE DREW TO THEIR JOB. JULIA LEVIN Ref: Here

Now she is claiming above that "your theory about me trying to cover up those other agencies is wrong and unfair". She seems to be 100% admitting that she did run the 'other agencies' before .. just that she isn't trying to cover it up. So it seem that she's admitting that she chose to dishonestly lie to us all before - but that she wasn't doing it to 'cover anything up' .. just that failing as an agent is what she did before and she's learned more now.

If that is what she told you when you signed up with her, then you've gone into this with your eyes open. That's fair enough.

But if not ... )
 
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scriptwriterdad

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Hi Mac, thank you for your response. Since I live in the Los Angeles area it was very easy to verify the contact. Particularly since the agency is well known (so I know it exists), and that the actress mentioned is indeed a part of it. The paperwork I received from that agency (release forms which are standard Hollywood practice) gave me the agency name, logo, names of the agents that Jane wrote to me about and importantly, the phone number of the agent/agency. I returned the releases via UPS and requested verification that they arrived - and they did. I've already spoken to two of the actress' agents (they work in teams) and they know who Jane, or Julia is, they know about my script, and they know that the actress is interested. So, yes, verified. Hollywood, truly, is a small town, and if there were any shenanigans I would quickly find out. All I can say (and I thank you for your very kind, friendly letter, and I appreciate your concerns) speaking for myself, is that Jane opened a door for me that I haven't been able to open since I started in show biz.
 

Mac H.

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No problem, Jim.

That provides another datapoint - since she acts as an agent to Californian companies then she is licensed as an Agent in California. (Sadly - the need for registration is still there even if the agency isn't physically in California & only 'e-works' there, so to speak).

The list is publicly available here:

(Note - That is a live link - it changes as the database is updated)

I just checked - and 'Jane Dowary Agency' isn't registered.

That means yet ANOTHER pseudonym.
*Sigh*. Why don't people just stick to using one name?

Mac
(PS: I'm giving her the *cough* benefit of the doubt by assuming that in her years working as an agent she does know about the need for literary agents in California to be registered under the 'California Talent Agency Act' - as screenwriting is considered a 'talent' under 1700.4(b))

(PPS: BTW - There's enough of a footprint (+ PMs) here to be pretty damn sure that his isn't a sock-puppet account. I know it's surprising .. especially given the history of sock-puppetry for conversations involving this literary agency. But sometimes life just surprises you)
 
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Old Hack

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No, your theory about me trying to cover up those other agencies is wrong and unfair. How do you learn a new career? By trying and failing and then trying some more and then failing and then finally succeeding. I am simply learning how to be a good agent.

A good friend of mine hopes to become a literary agent. Here's how she's gone about it.

She took English Literature A level, along with history, politics and French, worked really hard, and got good grades.

She then got herself into a very well-respected university and took an English Literature degree. She worked really hard, and graduated with a great degree.

Two years before she graduated she started looking for an internship in publishing, and started networking as much as was possible for her while she was studying. She met lots of publishing people and through them, found an intern position with a good literary agent. She worked her intern period, and did so well during that time that she was asked to stay on for longer. She went without a holiday that summer, in order to keep working at the agency.

She did freelance work for that agency throughout her final year at university. A week before her final dissertation was due she was asked if she would return to the agency because they'd been let down by someone else: so for a week she was working full-time and finishing her dissertation in the evening and at night. Luckily she was well-prepared and had already done a lot of the work required for her dissertation.

She filled in for a couple of weeks at the agency, and then was offered a very junior position there. Which she was thrilled to take.

She's still there, a couple of years later. She's still not representing anyone. But she has learned a lot about contracts, rights and royalties; she's developing contacts and relationships in publishing; and she's learning a lot about how the business works, and who wants what.

It seems like a much more reliable plan than yours, and while she's learning she's not risking the works of writers in order to further her career.
 

Polenth

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Elsewhere the author commented that if his agent couldn't sell it, he'd set up Thorn Island Books and self-publish it. http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?s...type=member&item=63168295&gid=88594&ajax=ajax

Which seems to be exactly what he did. That might be worthy of another thread, as it looks like he's selling services to other self-publishers. But on the topic of this thread, it doesn't look like his agent sold anything for him.
 

JaneDowary

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This is to everyone who seems to think I made a sale to Strategic Book Publishing and Rights. I DID NOT MAKE THAT SALE! I am trying very hard to make everyone concerned, especially Andrew Burt who opens and operates Preditors and Editors, clear about this, I DID NOT AND NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL MAKE A SALE TO STRATEGIC BOOK PUBLISHING and Rights. Can someone please make that fact known? I am being FALSELY ACCUSED OF THAT. I'd appreciate all of you being clear on that fact. Thank you.
 

JaneDowary

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And this is again to everyone who doubts me being a real literary agent. I am not a fraud or malicious fake agent. I am simply new and trying hard to learn the ropes. I know I am making mistakes, but I am learning. I do submit the manuscripts that come my way to real editors at real publishing houses and do really want to get them published for my clients.
 

JaneDowary

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Id be happy to address anyone's concerns about me or my agency privately or publicly. Here's my email: [email redacted]. Write to me with your questions.
 
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Id be happy to address anyone's concerns about me or my agency privately or publicly. Here's my email: [email redacted]. Write to me with your questions.

Ms. Dowary:

You have access to PMs here; those are Private Messages. Anyone can contact you privately that way. You can even specify that a copy be sent to your private email address.

We discourage posting email addresses because of the potential for spam.
 
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Old Hack

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Hi, Jane, or should I say Julia:
Julia Levin? That name rings a bell. A loud and wonky one.

I have a different theory about why you're operating your agency under the name of Jane Dowary. I think you're operating your agency under the name of Jane Dowary because you don't want people to know that you previously operated your agency under the name of Julia Levin and then Drew Montgomery.

Oh wait.

And guess what? I tagged you back in 2012, based on a hunch (this also presents a small problem for your website claim that you started your agency in 2013). Now you've pretty much confirmed it.

- Victoria

In her blog post linked to above, Victoria wrote,

Called on this inept bit of attempted subterfuge, Drew/Julia did not back down (the caps are all hers).

I have no idea what is going on here. I have never been, nor have I ever claimed to be a literary agent. I AM NOT A LITERARY AGENT AND WOULD NEVER IN MY LIFE SAY THAT I AM A LITERARY AGENT. I AM A WRITER. I WRITE BOOKS AND THAT'S ALL I DO AND DREW MONTGOMERY IS MY LITERARY AGENT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY OUR IP ADDRESSES MATCH OR WHY PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK DREW IS ME OR THAT DREW IS THIS OTHER JULIA. IT'S A MYSTERY TO ME. ALL I KNOW IS THAT DREW IS AN HONEST, HARD WORKING, DEDICATED, AND PROFESSIONAL AGENT WHO IS TRYING TO DO HER JOB DESPITE ALL THIS IDIOCY ABOUT HER NOT BEING WHO SHE SAYS SHE IS. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. DREW MONTGOMERY IS A GOOD AGENT AND I AM HAPPY TO BE HER CLIENT. PEOPLE SHOULD CARE MORE ABOUT FINDING THE REAL SCAMMERS AND LEAVE GOOD AGENTS LIKE DREW TO THEIR JOB.

JULIA LEVIN


You can imagine what happened next. Julia-Levin-the-client vanished in a puff of smoke, just like Julia-Levin-the-agent. Within a few days, Drew Montgomery was gone as well, all her social media profiles deleted.

Since then, I've been keeping my eye out for recurrences.

That was "Julia Levin" speaking there, in lots of caps. You know, Julia Levin who seems to also be Drew Montgomery and perhaps Jane Dowary too.

I was reminded of all those caps when I read these posts just now:

And that LITERARY CERTIFICATE I had on my Linkedin page was to announce that I legally registered my new literary agency with the IRS.

This is to everyone who seems to think I made a sale to Strategic Book Publishing and Rights. I DID NOT MAKE THAT SALE! I am trying very hard to make everyone concerned, especially Andrew Burt who opens and operates Preditors and Editors, clear about this, I DID NOT AND NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL MAKE A SALE TO STRATEGIC BOOK PUBLISHING and Rights. Can someone please make that fact known? I am being FALSELY ACCUSED OF THAT. I'd appreciate all of you being clear on that fact. Thank you.

Some habits are very hard to break.
 

Krista G.

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Old Hack, I don't think Ms. Dowary's disputing that she's used aliases in the past. At the top of this page, she mentioned that you learn a new career "by trying and failing and then trying some more and then failing and then finally succeeding," and I think she was referring to the agencies she's started (and abandoned) in the past.

That said, Ms. Dowary, I think it would go a long way if you could explain why you've felt the need to use these aliases.
 

Calla Lily

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Speaking from hard and painful experience here, and also quoting wiser minds than mine: "Literary Agent" is not an entry-level position.

A person hanging out an "Agent" shingle who thinks that they can sign authors and use those authors' mss as they go about "trying and failing and then trying some more and then failing and then finally succeeding" is someone to run like hell from.

I am neither exaggerating nor being vindictive. I am stating fact. It happened to me. I was lucky to escape with my mss intact when the "agency" folded and vanished. This only because the "agent" had never actually subbed my mss. to the places promised.

Agents learn the ropes by working at established agencies. They make contacts in their genres. They learn how to negotiate contracts and rights and sub-rights etc. etc. Then, after they've got the experience and the contacts, they strike out on their own.

I didn't land lead roles in theater the first time I auditioned. I learned the business first. I didn't play solos the first time I picked up an instrument. I took lessons. I played in small groups. Then I had the skills to go it on my own.

Same principle.

Agents are not supposed to use our books to "try" or "fail" on.
 

Jamiekswriter

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Another question would be what do you bring to the table to earn your 15%?

If you have the same publishing experience and contacts as an average author, what service do you provide for them that they couldn't do themselves?

For example, in the case of your Soulmate client, did you negotiate an advance? Why not? Why did you choose Soulmate (Deb Gilbert is lovely, by the way. I'm not bashing on Soulmate.) over another publisher? Did you go to the other publishers and tell them Soulmate had an offer and did they want to make an offer as well? What would you do if there was a bidding war? What about a pre-empt?

Are you a member of the AAR? Or subscribe to their canon of ethics?

Can you identify red flags in a contract that could impair your clients career?

If you make a mistake while you're learning, you could lock a client into some very serious consequences.

What conferences have you attended? Were you at BEA in 2013? Where do you network to gain contacts?
 
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Agreeing with Calla. A writer's living stories aren't meant to serve as cadavers for a newbie to dissect while learning the ropes. As others have pointed out, there are established paths to earning the title "literary agent;" this isn't one of them.

I'd run like my hair was on fire.