Let the Author Beware: Tools to Help You Not Get Taken

You've sent out the six zillionth query letter and finally, after all that work, after all that effort, you finally, at last, get a nibble. More than a nibble. The letter you got back is validation and sustenance. It's a tall glass of cold water after you've spent the hottest afternoon of the year working outside.

Or maybe not.

If there's a way to make money in a scam, someone's doing it. And some of those people pose as editors.

The Association of Authors' Representatives is a clearing house for reputable agents. Agents who have AAR membership must adhere to the organization's Canon of Ethics, which includes ample protection for the authors' best interests. After all when you're really thirsty, you'll do almost anything for that cold glass of water. The AAR's canon helps protect you from giving too much, then finding out you've bought an empty glass of water.

Most useful, the AAR website has a database of member agents, which lists 429 agents. Using the advanced search, you can filter by a plethora of criteria, including genre.

Preditors and Editors provides a review list not only of agents, but of contests, publishers, groups, software, and more. It includes its ratings criteria, so you know why certain entries may be recommended and why they may not.

It also includes a long list of links to other sites related to publishing. Unlike most other link lists, this list also includes recommendations and reasons for them.

As getting published gets harder, the temptation for the morally challenged is likely to increase. These two tools will help you with your due diligence before you buy an empty glass of water.