(Actually, not literary agency - it is an editing service) I was writing a book that required editing. I started a web conversation with First Editing, and over a few months, received a sample of what they could do, which looked pretty good. I then received a series of phone calls and emails from their sales people. I agreed to their terms and submitted my manuscript. They required payment in advance, which I did. They then did a nice job on one chapter, so I sent a few more and bang! It all fell apart. They assigned the editing to an employee or contractor of theirs who spent all her time, and my money, finding every instance of single-quotes that should have been double-quotes. To the tune of about $500. That is not a misprint. I then began a long series of emails complaining to them, with them responding that they had other editirs (their employees) review the work and they had the opinion that it had been done just fine, thanks. Surprise. First Editing then cut off the email exchange, deciding that no response was their preferred way of handling this. So I am out $500 more or less, and on top of that I had to hire someone else to do the editing so that I could publish my book. They set me up and then walked off with the money, leaving me with very little indeed.
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