Literary Development Scam

 The other day, I received an email from an alleged literary agent who seemed impressed with my work. Granted, I haven't published anything since 2016—when I self-published my Appalachian novel, Them That Go—so it isn't likely any agent is looking for my work.

The email was addressed to me by name and was titled "Journey to His Heart: Adventure to New Depths in Your Walk With God." This heading made no sense because I am not connected to a book with this title. So I Googled it. Turns out there is a book with this title and the author's first name is similar—but not identical—to my first name. The book was published in 2022 by a vanity publisher and has garnered a total of 5 reviews on Amazon.

Anyhow, here's the email. Note I have redacted the agent's name:

I hope you're well.

My name is T— J—, and I work independently in literary and screen development in Los Angeles. I collaborate with producers and development executives who are actively looking for distinctive material with strong cinematic potential for film, television, and streaming.

I figured that "independently means he isn't actually employed by a company. It would have been nice if he'd mention the actual names of some of his projects, though. 

I came across your work and was intrigued by the possibility of how the story could translate to the screen. At the development stage, I’m particularly interested in projects with a compelling premise, strong character arcs, an identifiable visual world, and a narrative hook that can sustain an audience beyond the page.

Notice he flings around literary-sounding phrases like "strong character arc" and "narrative hook." However, he doesn't mention the title of my book.

I’d like to take a closer look at the property and get a sense of its adaptation potential. If the material feels like a strong fit, I can then determine whether it makes sense to introduce the project to a producer or development executive within my network.

Translation: "I haven't actually read your book and don't even know what the title is, but I'm hoping you are gullible enough to be flattered by what I've mentioned so far."

For an initial development review, please send:

• Title and genre

• Logline or brief synopsis

• Link to the book or a representative excerpt

• Current film/television rights status

• Best contact number and time zone

If you'd rather speak first, you're welcome to send your preferred number and a convenient time for a brief call.

Translation: "I'm trying to sound like a real professional here, but I don't have a clue about your book other than you self-published and might be clueless about how production and development works."

There is no obligation or fee associated with this initial review. At this stage, the goal is simply to assess the property's creative and commercial potential and determine whether there is a meaningful path toward further development.

Translation: "While there's no fee for this initial review, you can bet the fees will come later and they'll likely be hefty."

The strongest adaptations begin with a story that already has something cinematic at its core: a distinctive world, characters audiences want to follow, meaningful conflict, and a reason the story belongs on screen.

Translation: "I'll fling out a few high-sounding phrases that you'll probably want to hear so you'll think I'm legit. Because you're self-published and probably think your book would be a great movie, you'll fall for my scam."

I’d be interested to see whether your work has that potential.

I'll bet you're interested. But ain't no way you're gonna see it—because I recognize a scam when I see one. 

Best regards,

T--- J----- 

Independent Literary & Screen Development

At the bottom of his email was this notice:

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any materials shared for development consideration are intended solely for the recipient and should be treated as confidential. Please do not reproduce, distribute, or disclose any unpublished material without authorization. If received in error, please notify the sender and delete this message and any attachments.

My own notice: Any email that comes to my inbox becomes my property, and I will do with it what I see fit. If you want confidentiality, contact me by snail-mail. It just turns out that this unsolicited email was perfect for a blog-post to let my writer buddies know what scams to avoid.

FYI: I visited his web site which "connects clients to opportunities worldwide while offering tailored, hands-on support." While his web site looks slick and impressive, there is no mention of what projects the agency has actually worked on, who any of the clients are, etc.  Oh, and his email is through Gmail—something that professional agents generally don't use.

~