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So so sad. Really. Here is an author highly invested in their work and they now are prey for scammers.
I find it heart wrenching.

I propose the immediate construction of a Clue Star. Like the Death Star, only... bigger.

Fleet Admiral Yapp, see to it.

Or posting a plea for readers to "send an agent over" to the author's website because, yanno (tm), they're lookin fer one. I've seen this twice at the Gather contest, from two of the "winners" so far.

Hi. I've actually made some legitimate magazine sales off of craigslist, so I used to read the writer's section regularly. When I would see listings like this, I would send the writer a little note just giving them a head's up on a better way to go about this. Like joining The Society of Children's Book Writer's or reading The Children's Marketplace. I quit doing this when the third or fourth "writer" yelled at me (via email) for crushing their dreams and "if I was such a big time writer, why was I reading cragislist" etc. You can't help those who won't help themselves.

Well it's not quite as bad as the guy on Craig’s who keeps insisting that he's "invented" some genre he calls spiritual sci-fi.

I'm sorry, Ms. S., but there are no literary agent scam artists. There are only hopeful people, and P.T. Barnums, who help them hold on to their dreams a little while longer. In the end, what the heck does a few bucks one way or another matter? It's not like giving your bank account number to a guy in Nigeria who wants to launder three million dollars and give you ten percent. And, in the end, look at this snazzy book I got with my name on it. :)

"I quit doing this when the third or fourth "writer" yelled at me (via email) for crushing their dreams."

Sucks when that happens, but don't give up. Maybe those writers are actually scamming agents in disguise?

I have a number of writing and publishing-related articles on my site, and to date I've had many thank-yous and only one 'you crushed my dream' response.

I said something nice and soothing to the crushed dream person, but what I should have said was 'You're way too fragile for this game.'

Poor frustrated person. Let's all just hope that the scammers don't see that ad, or that somebody warns her in time.

Anybody know how I can get in touch with that guy in Nigeria? My rent's due.

Craigslist is one of those places where you never know...but it's amazing how many writers are posting ads like this.

Has anyone bothered to send her a link to Predators & Editors so she can make a legit start?

She clearly knows nothing about the business, so she goes with a venue with which she is familar. It's not her fault it's the wrong one. She might have been misinformed by a helpful, but equally ignorant friend.

For all we know she could be the next Rowling and just needs to be pointed in the right direction.

I did the same earlier this week. Some dude was trying to sell his screenplay on eBay. I sent him a link to a page on Absolute Write. The quality of his writing didn't matter; he just needed a little help and it costs nothing to give back.

If a kid is lost in a big store you point her to the big desk out front and maybe she can avoid all the roaming creeps.

On a related note, I just Googled "publishing", "how to get published", and "getting published". In each case, the first results were the paid ads ("sponsored links") by XLibris, PublishAmerica, AuthorHouse, etc. Some of them included subheadings such as "Learn how to get published - Free kit" and "Avoid the stigma of paying a publisher! We want your book, not your money."

Evidently it's not hard to be suckered.

Re the "how to get published" on Google - the 5th or 6th actual result (not paid link) is my site, with the aforementioned articles on writing. On google AU mine's the first.

Not all hope is lost - if a newbie opens the first few links they'll get a balanced view from my pages. (And I'll be crushing more dreams...)

By the way, the more people link to a legit article the higher it moves up the rankings. I don't care if that's mine, P&E, Jim McDonald's or Ian Irvine's, but you only have to put a link to a legit article in your blog with 'How to get published' as the link text and you'll be doing your bit. There are many more of us than there are of them.

I have sent out numerous query letters with many denials.

Well, at least s/he is conscious of having "many denials" about what s/he is doing.

No, he/she is still in complete denial. The author clearly thinks the 'many denials' were by people who don't see the genius of the books and/or author.

To continue looking for an agent when people who've read your book and turned it down (or maybe the author is stuck at the query stage, and then book is OK) is silly. Better to go on and write a second that no one will ever publish. Then a third. Ad infinitum.

Greek and Roman galleries?!?!?!

*dashes over to Amtrak.com*

This one wins the Double Nitwit Award.

I have half a dozen computer and Wii games I'm in the middle of playing (including The Sims 2). I can play games until my mouse hand cramps, and I know more about them than all but the most hardcore gamers. I've spent years reviewing games for both online and print publications, playing games many never even heard of. I'm telling you this so you'll understand where I'm coming from when I say: STOP PLAYING THAT DAMN GAME!

There is no excuse to put The Sims or any computer game before your writing. If you want to be a writer, get off your ass and write.

I thought I'd be crying from your response Miss Snark - but it cheered me up!!!

The boilers still broke but thanks for your concern....

Get rid of the SIMS and write your novel.

Miss Snark, is the London Book Fair something all American agents attend? In an agency of three agents, would only the senior agent go?

I love computer games too, but I don't load one up until I've hit a daily wordcount target: usually a minimum of 2000 words.

Editor here. I've told two writers I'd get to their stories *right* away.

That was a month ago.

By the time those words left my lips, more stuff on tighter deadlines landed on my desk, along with a dozen other do-this-NOW-or-the-world-ends things.

The world has not ended, but the writers have had to wait and will continue to do so until I'm able to make time to get to their work.

Grasshopper--you are not going to do jack in publishing unless you uninstall your time-eating games and start practicing to be a pro. The first thing I do on a new 'puter is yank ALL the games, including Freecell, solitare, and chess. They're not the Sims, but they will literally eat weeks of time if I give in to the temptation of "just one quick round." You've learned by now there is no such critter.

Now, smarten up and grow up and start working on the rest of the book. You've been given a freebie from the gods, but don't think they won't shaft you with extreme prejudice if you waste the opportunity.

You want to be a published writer with books in the store or just really good at games?

You have a "long relationship" because you kept her waiting FIVE MONTHS for your deathless prose???

That must mean I have long relationships with the various strangers on the bus I've taken to work for the last three years. If so, then I want to break up with the chronic sneezer on the fifth row.

One story in a collection is a good thing. It got you noticed. But trust me, that agent wasn't anxiously checking her mailbox every day for your chapters. She has a bunch of other writers just as talented as you who don't waste time playing games, and who know how to get the job done in a timely manner.

This is the Real World, not the Sims.

A concise boot to the head; this is why I love Miss Snark.

And I agree with the other posters, get rid of the game and get back to your writing. You have a terrific opportunity here. Make the most of it! Good luck.

rms

Maybe the agent is playing The Sims, too. Maybe her main sim is at a crucial juncture in her career, and the agent can't stop playing right now for something as minor as a partial. Give her five months.

Dude... Maybe she's playing World of Warcraft, in which case you should give her even *more* time than 5 months, because--hello!--blood elves don't just level up by *themselves.*

(And, btw, I would never let myself be repped by an agent below Level 30. Maybe you should write her and ask what's up with her Sim before this relationship goes any further.)

The Sims?

Wow. Just ... wow.

Here's a list of things I've given up to write novels:

PS2
computer games of all sorts
movies
books
family
friends
housecleaning

Yes, that's an exaggeration (sort of) but HELLO? if you want to write there's one thing you have to do - write.

And for the love of all that's good in this world, if an agent actually hunts you down and asks you for something (do you realize how rare that is?) lock the Sims in a box with a three headed dog to guard it and get the agent's request done in a timely manner (say oh, a few weeks at most).

The Sims, eh? And here I've been wasting my youth on Free Cell and Spider Solitaire.

I once met a 20-year old from my alma mater who landed an agent through a writer-in-residence who loved her three chapters and recommended her. She hadn't even written the entire novel. The young woman was handed a gift and was thrown into the writing world without realizing how difficult the whole process can be.

I saw her speak with a group of huge writers including Dave Barry. She truly didn't know how lucky she was. Instead of capturing the crowd with her youth, intelligence, and beauty, she stood at the podium, flipped her hair, and said something stupid like, "I'm really young and, ah, didn't know how to prepare, so I'll just read a little and then sit down."

She had the opportunity to grab the attention of all those middle-aged, wallet-clutching people but failed to do so. The cookbook sold out. Dave Barry sold out. She didn't.

For her, good fortune had come too much, too soon. Some people can rise up in the face of opportunity and others can't. Don't blow it. Shut off The Sims.

because--hello!--blood elves don't just level up by *themselves.*

Well they do, but that'll get your account banned.

--DeadlyAccurate, holding at L68 with her night elf hunter because she actually wants to have some semblance of a life for a month or so.

P.S. To the person who posted the question, keep in mind you can get a good two or three pages written just waiting for The Sims to load.

The Sims can wreak havoc on your creativity. You'll find your novel's protagonist spending way too much time changing lightbulbs.

Miss Snark sees your vulnerability. It doesn't stop her from skewering you of course, but she sees it

I couldn't help but picture Miss Snark looking at the writer in the same way a lion looks at an antelope with a bad leg.

Writer, are you even finished with the novel? Use this time to finish it up, so that if she does want to see more, you'll have it to offer.

Or are you perhaps waiting on her to find out if you even want to finish it?

Like others say, save the games for AFTER you get your work done. I love the Sims. I love Diablo. I love Dungeon Siege. I do NOT play those games unless I can afford the time and am not on a deadline. I play a game of Backgammon in the morning to wake up, and a game of Spite & Malice. And then...I work. You might want to rethink your priorities.

Yasmine

You freakin kill me. Wish everyone would say zactly what they mean like the snark...

RR

"She's had the three chapters for five days and you're wondering if you should call her?
Have you lost your fucking mind?"

I got that far, started laughing and ended up choking and coughing until I was blinded by tears.