First time posting...fun with NYLA
Hi, first time out in these parts.
I had done what a lot of folks did, queried, got a "send it along" response, sent in a piece of my manuscript to NYLA, only the first three chapters or so. Afterwards (like a moron, instead of before) I did a little research to find out about the agency, so on and so forth. I haven't been writing long, so hence I knew not of "Bouncin' Bobby" and the like. Thankfully I stumbled upon here, and shall henceforth be playing games with these people.
After visiting this forum once, and a few other websites/forums, I emailed "Sherry Fine- V.P. Aquisitions" with this:
[font=courier new,monospace]I have read on many writer's websites that your organization is a scam, making writers believe that you are a real agency, when in fact you are a funnel sending people to an editing company that you own and/or get a cut from, that editors from name publishing houses have never heard of your agency, so on and so forth.
As a writer interested in your agency, I was curious as to whether or not you could provide a partial list of clients, no contact information or anything like that, just a list of names, or a list of novels or nonfiction you have negotiated into contract, perhaps something I could find in my local bookstore, or a list of names of agents within your agency, possibly with contact numbers. Or maybe editors from publishing companies that you have negotiated sales with in the past, not even being specific in what book.
Any information you could provide would be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Her response?
[/font]We really don't spend time proving ourselves.
She then followed that with the "stock, non-determinal bios" from the faq.
So in other words, they don't like to brag. They're modest, one would figure, they don't like to go shouting at the rooftops or anything of the like when they make a sale. Either that or it's all very hush hush, top levels of government secrecy, level five clearance and the like.
Oh, and you try telling a "real" agency that they're a scam, or that they don't do anything but take people's money. See if they take you on as a client.
I also noticed this in a different email sent to me by them:
If we make a mistake,
or if you don't like the way we do things, you DO NOT have permission to
flame me. People describe me as 'laid back - with attitude'. Any
snippiness on your part and I have the full support of my managment to fire
you on the spot, and I will, and it's irrevocable.
"Flame me"? As in "Start a mean topic on a message board" flame me?
Do you really ask permission before flaming someone anyway?
And besides, what in the name of Hemingway is "laid back - with attitude." And who tells you how people describe them? And what does that have to do with flaming?
If that sounds like a professional agency to anyone else that comes anywhere near this topic, please remove yourself from the internet, as you are a chimpanzee.