Probably not a day goes by that I don’t hear from a writer about a publishing industry scam they’ve encountered. Sometimes the scam is someone impersonating me, sometimes the scam is impersonating an agent, publisher, or editor.
While every professional I know is trying to spread the word through their website, social media, and newsletter about these scams and impersonations, I’m not sure these messages are taken seriously enough—and sometimes it’s difficult to convey the sophisticated nature of these scams. There is nobody, not even Writer Beware, not even Authors Guild, that can keep track of every horrible fraudster out there. They are just too numerous and take a million different shapes and sizes. And the scams have gone way beyond “pay to be in this book club.”
Recently I heard from a published author, let’s call him Bill, who has taken some of my classes. He had a question about an agent’s interest in his work.
An agent who expressed interest in my hybrid memoir got back to me after I submitted a query letter for his review. This is how he responded. “So I would prefer that this particular part of the preparation is handled by someone who specializes in developing professional publisher submission materials. This would also allow me to focus my time on reviewing the completed package from a representation and publisher-submission perspective.”
Bill asked me, “Is this standard practice? What might it cost?”
No, this isn’t standard practice, although with the latest changes to the AALA’s Canon of Ethics, I think there’s increasing confusion about what’s standard. I was immediately suspicious and asked Bill for the name of the agent and also to forward me the entire exchange. He sent it, and I was surprised at the sophistication of this particular fraudster.
First, Bill thought he was querying and communicating with the literary agent Eric Smith of Neighborhood Literary. I know Eric—he’s a terrific and well-established agent. The emails indeed appeared to come from an Eric Smith, although it was a Gmail account, and not from an account connected to the website domain of Eric’s literary agency. That was the first sign of trouble, but to be fair to this writer, it’s not always straightforward to know what type of email account an agent will use. Eric Smith also has a personal Gmail account that he makes available at his personal website, so a writer might think it’s normal for him to use Gmail as well.
Then I started reading the exchange:
- On Aug. 18, Bill submitted his work as a PDF. Eric responded that he would review the PDF, but that he also needed a “submission letter.” Bill said he would get on it. That series of exchanges took place over a few days and ended on Aug. 21.
- On Sept. 8, Eric checked in very briefly since Bill had not yet followed up with his materials.
- On Sept. 27, Bill sent in the requested materials.
- On Oct. 8, after no response, Bill sent in a nudge to Eric asking if he received the materials.
And here’s where I’ll reproduce the fake Eric emails in full.
I’m sorry for the late response. Yes, I received your 20-page book proposal. Thank you for sending it over. I’ll begin reviewing it now, along with the manuscript.
I hope you’re doing well.
I’m sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I have now had the opportunity to review everything you sent, and I must say, wow. I’m genuinely impressed with the scope of the project and the work you’ve already put into it. There is clearly a substantial story here, and I can see the potential in the book.
There is one important point I want to mention regarding the submission materials. I believe they need to be revised and strengthened before we present the project to publishers.
What you have prepared reads more like a query letter or an initial pitch. What I was referring to is a publisher submission letter, the letter that accompanies the manuscript and supporting materials when the project is formally presented to a publishing house.
This type of letter needs to be carefully written because it serves as an important introduction to the project. Publishing houses receive a large volume of submissions, and editors have limited time to assess each project. The submission materials therefore need to communicate the book’s concept, strengths, distinctive qualities, intended readership, and publishing potential clearly and professionally, while giving the editor a strong reason to look more closely at the accompanying manuscript.
For that reason, I would suggest having an experienced professional handle this part of the preparation rather than continuing to spend more time trying to shape it yourself. You have already invested considerable time in developing the proposal and manuscript, and I believe bringing in someone who specializes in this area would be the most efficient way to strengthen the presentation.
I can also connect you with a specialist I normally introduce authors to for this kind of work. He can help refine and develop the submission materials to meet professional publishing standards while preserving the substance, voice, and direction of your project.
I also want to be transparent about my side. I currently have several books and projects that I am working on and representing, so I would prefer that this particular part of the preparation is handled by someone who specializes in developing professional publisher submission materials. This would also allow me to focus my time on reviewing the completed package from a representation and publisher-submission perspective.
If you’re interested, let me know and I can connect you with the specialist so you can discuss the materials with him directly.
When I first suggested to Bill this could be a scam, he sent me a link to Eric’s personal website and wrote, “He is a legit agent. He was referred by a book editor at a major house I had pitched.”
It’s not clear to me how Bill ended up in communication with this fake Eric Smith, but when I searched for the Gmail address, I found this website for a fake Eric Smith, calling himself a “literary agent and book marketing expert.” Interestingly, this website shows an email address that is not the one Bill was emailing. That opens up the possibility there’s more than one Eric Smith impersonator, or this impersonator is using multiple accounts.
Here’s what stands out to me about this case
- Someone is using a real publishing professional’s name to cause confusion. If you Google “Eric Smith,” you’re going to find the legitimate Eric Smith first. But if you don’t dig deeper, you might not realize you’re communicating via email with a different Eric Smith.
- The email exchanges appear quite average. For me, a publishing professional, I certainly see red flags. But will someone new to the industry, without my decades of experience, find the request for a “submission letter” unusual?
- The consistent exchange of emails over a series of weeks starts to build familiarity and trust, making it more likely that a writer will keep going and do what’s suggested.
While I don’t think this fake Eric Smith is going to become a member of the AALA any time soon based on his current business practices, the latest changes to the AALA Canon of Ethics allow for agents to make referrals to other services and receive kickbacks. If this becomes normal—to be referred elsewhere to work on your submissions—it’s going to be more difficult to tell the fraudsters from the legitimate agents. And it’s already hard enough.
Does the real Eric Smith know about this?
Yes, Eric has long known and tried to warn people, just as I know about my impersonators. But there’s little or nothing that can be done. No individual agent or editor has the time or money to investigate these cases or hire a lawyer.
To learn more about scams in the writing community
- Writer Beware (see the sidebar for the various types of scams, including impersonation scams and AI scams)
- Authors Guild Scam Alerts
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
