The following is a list—prepared by the
Association of Author’s Representatives, Inc.—of suggested topics
for authors to discuss with literary agents with whom they are
entering into a professional relationship.
1. Is your agency a sole
proprietorship? A partnership? A corporation?
2. Are you a member of
the Association of Authors’ Representatives?
3. How long have you been
in business as an agent?
4. How many people does
your agency employ?
5. Of the total number of
employees, how many are agents, as opposed to clerical workers?
6. Do you have
specialists at your agency who handle movie and television rights?
Foreign rights? Do you have sub-agents or corresponding agents
overseas and in Hollywood?
7. Do you represent other
authors in my area of interest?
8. Who in your agency
will actually be handling my work? Will the other staff members be
familiar with my work and the status of my business at your agency?
Will you oversee or at least keep me apprized of the work that your
agency is doing on my behalf?
9. Do you issue an
agent-author contract? May I review a specimen copy? And my I review
the language of the agency clause that appears in contracts you
negotiate for your clients?
10. What is your approach
to providing editorial input and career guidance for your clients or
for me specifically?
11. How do you keep your
clients informed of your activities on their behalf? Do you
regularly send them copies of publishers’ rejection letters? Do you
provide them with submission lists and rejection letters on request?
Do you regularly, or upon request, send out updated activity
reports?
12. Do you consult with
your clients on any and all offers?
13. Some agencies sign
subsidiary contracts on behalf of their clients to expedite
processing. Do you?
14. What are your
commissions for: 1) basic sales to U.S. publishers; 2) sales of
movie and television rights; 3) audio and multimedia rights; 4)
British and foreign translation rights?
15. What are your
procedures and time-frames for processing and disbursing client
funds? Do you keep different bank accounts separating author funds
from agency revenue?
16. What are your
policies about charging clients for expenses incurred by your
agency? Will you list such expenses for me? Do you advance money for
such expenses? Do you consult with your clients before advancing
certain expenditures? Is there a ceiling on such expenses above
which you feel you must consult with your clients?
17. How do you handle
legal, accounting, public relations or similar professional services
that fall outside the normal range of a literary agency’s function?
18. Do you issue 1099 tax
forms at the end of each year? Do you also furnish clients upon
request with a detailed account of their financial activity, such as
gross income, commissions and other deductions, and net income, for
the past year?
19. In the event of your
death or disability, or the death or disability of the principal
person running the agency, what provisions exist for continuing
operation of my account, for the processing of money due to me, and
for the handling of my books and editorial needs?
20. If we should part
company, what is your policy about handling any unsold subsidiary
rights to my work that were reserved to me under the original
publishing contracts?
21. What are your
expectations of me as your client?
22. Do you have a list of
Do’s and Don’ts for your clients that will enable me to help you do
your job better?
