That's what this much talked-about literary agent has done. Turns out she was displeased about her inclusion in the Writer's Beware 20 Worst Agencies List, which was also posted on Absolute Write (AW), one of the best online writer's resources. And in order to settle scores, she called up AW's web hosting company, asking them to shut down the site. The hosting company owner panicked and chose to pay heed to the agent. As a result, this wonderful community of writers (I can attest to that; I have been a member for a short time, and I already love it there) is now left without a home, at least for the time being.
I suppose Ms Bauer forgot to take basic arithmetic into account. "There is power in numbers" and bloggers across the blogsphere are proving just that to her. If not for this step, she wouldn't probably have received such high amounts of bad publicity in such record time, amounts enough to bring her greater disrepute than what she has possibly earned in all her years in the business.
It's a sad day when serious, sincere, yet unsuspecting writers fall prey to scamming predators in the publishing industry. The power of blogging is changing the equations, though. And if agents don't get their act together in this business, they will be outsmarted. No; no one will actually shove bad agents out of business, physically. That will happen all by itself, because writers will stop approaching them altogether.
BarbaraBauer
Absolute Write
I suppose Ms Bauer forgot to take basic arithmetic into account. "There is power in numbers" and bloggers across the blogsphere are proving just that to her. If not for this step, she wouldn't probably have received such high amounts of bad publicity in such record time, amounts enough to bring her greater disrepute than what she has possibly earned in all her years in the business.
It's a sad day when serious, sincere, yet unsuspecting writers fall prey to scamming predators in the publishing industry. The power of blogging is changing the equations, though. And if agents don't get their act together in this business, they will be outsmarted. No; no one will actually shove bad agents out of business, physically. That will happen all by itself, because writers will stop approaching them altogether.
BarbaraBauer
Absolute Write
Thank you for your post. Here's hoping AW is up soon, yes? I have a great blogging event I want to get going soon!
ReplyDeleteAbsolute Write is such an outstanding resource! (Yes, I say IS because I refuse to believe it can be silenced). I hope it finds a new host in short order.
ReplyDeleteScammers and crooks who pray on writers, actors, musicians, etc. are the foulest of the foul. (Alright, exploiting children is worse.) But, to make money by preying on the dreams of people is simply disgusting. I hope all those crooks get what they deserve.
Scamsters! May fleas infest their armpits!
ReplyDeleteI hope all those scammers (is that a word?) get to see your comment, Yoda. They deserve that for sure.
ReplyDeleteRight on, Bernita!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I hope they'll be able to get it back up soon.
ReplyDelete