In case you haven’t been following this story, there’s a literary agent of low repute. Her name is Barbara Bauer. Because of her business practicees, she showed up on the 20 Worst Agents list. You can also read about her and others like her at Writer Beware and Preditors and Editors. Other links on this topic (as suggested by Making Light): Everything you wanted to know about literary agents and On the getting of agents.
Bruha Barbara went on the offensive after her name showed up on that list. She has tried to get people fired. She has threatened legal action. She pulled strings with an internet provider and had Absolute Write (a long standing resource for writers with a very large following) shut down. In general, she’s done everything in her power to draw attention to the fact that she’s on the list of 20 Worst Agents .
As a result, many people have read the carefully constructed case against her than would have, if she had sat quietly in the corner.
I don’t think much of an internet provider who would boot a long standing website — of good repute — on the basis of a complaint from one person with questionable motives. It all smacks of censorship, and that I really don’t like. So take note of the 20 Worst Agents list, and be informed when you go out looking for representation.
Wow thatnks! Those web sites are going to be a big help for me! I wish more authors were as helpful and kind as you.
Kristina Lynn
You are definitely a kind author. The shenanigans in this post reminded me a bit of the cautions for writers Uhlan put in his book, “The Rogue of Publishers’ Row.” Hilarious and cautionary all at once, one review I found on Popula dot com, said it all: “an odd mix of the timelessly perceptive and the incredibly dated.” The fact that Uhlan mentioned schizophrenia more than once as he described the workings of the publishing world (in 1956) is insightful, to say the least. Sounds like Barb’s got a touch of the paranoia as well.
Well, heck. It’s common courtesy and good sense to keep people informed. As Ben Franklin noted: We must all hang together or we shall certainly hang separately.
Very true.
I just relized somethine. I think I have been on your page atleast ten times today. Face it Rosina, blog or book, you are addicting!
Is there a way we can comment to the Internet Provider? I would like to let them know how I feel about their censorship… How can we find out the Internet Provider for the Absolute Write site?
Absolute Write’s former provider was:
JC-Hosting
TotalWeb International Net Consulting
4037 Navaho Trail
Nashville TN 37211
Toll Free: (877) 411-7891
Phone: (615) 469-7533
Fax: (615) 250-2430
Hi!
Since AW is down for the moment maybe you could update your links on this page to this new site.
http://www.20worstagents.com/
Gillhoughly — will do.