An Agency Offers Paid Services—With Strings Attached

[image error]




I've written frequently on agents and innovation of their model, twice for Writer's
Digest, and twice for Digital Book World:



The Evolution of the Literary
Agent (Writer's Digest, August 2010)

Agents
Need to Develop Alternative Models (DBW, June 2010)

The
Changing Agent-Author Relationship (DBW, February 2010)



The Future
Role of Agents (Writer's Digest, September 2009)

Also, here's a Q&A with Jungle Red Writers, "How
Literary Agents Are Adapting to Survive."




Point is, this is an issue I watch and talk to people about.



So it was with some enthusiasm that I initially read news of literary agency Curtis
Brown UK offering a writing school,
hosted at their offices. According to their site, they'll launch with a 3-month novel-writing
course, open to 15 writers. Courses will be taught by published authors (one is a
Curtis Brown agent).



They are charging 1,600 pounds, which in my mind is a fair and reasonable fee for
the apparent quality of what they are offering.



But there are strings attached, which in my mind is unconscionable considering that
this is a FEE-based service. The site says in
the FAQ:

Students will be asked to sign a covenant covering
the "ground-rules" of the course which are crucial to the successful and happy operation
of Curtis Brown Creative.

Then, in
the application itself:

If
I am offered and choose to accept a place on a CBC writing course, I agree to submit
my novel to Curtis Brown when it is ready for submission, and will give Curtis Brown
an exclusive six week opportunity to read and consider before sending to any other
agencies or publishers

Excuse me?




Undoubtedly, any unpublished, unagented writer would be thrilled to be considered
by Curtis Brown UK. But an imperative to submit to them? An exclusive 6-week opportunity?



If you're going to charge someone, then charge them, and leave them obligation free.
Why should writers be further beholden to Curtis Brown UK after the course is over?
I hope this practice does not become widespread at agencies who start pay-based services
for writers.






[image error]