Unfolding World Literary Agency policies include the following:

1. To represent every author to the best of our ability utilizing the policies and principles consistant with the industry standards laid out in the AAR Code of Ethics. (See statement and reprint below).

2. To be honest and forthright with every author about the agency abilities and limitations.

3. To negoitate with every author in an fair and honest manner.

4. To honor the contract with an author as stated and to inform the author when it is no longer possible to do so.

5. To honor a bill of rights for both the author and the agent. (See printed below.)

The Unfolding World Literary Agency subscribes to the canon of ethics of the AAR reprinted below from the AAR website at http://www.aar-online.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=10337.  Membership requirements for the AAR include both a certain number of years in business and a certain number of properties sold.  UWFLA has every intent to join the association as soon as that criterion has been met.  Until that time this agency will continue to work diligently to give client authors the best possible service of which we are capable.

Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc.
 
 CANON OF ETHICS
The members of the Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc. are committed to the highest standard of conduct in the performance of their professional activities. While affirming the necessity and desirability of maintaining their full individuality and freedom of action, the members pledge themselves to loyal service to their clients' business and artistic needs, and will allow no conflicts of interest that would interfere with such service. They pledge their support to the Association itself and to the principles of honorable coexistence, directness, and honesty in their relationships with their co-members. They undertake never to mislead, deceive, dupe, defraud, or victimize their clients, other members of the Association, the general public, or any person with whom they do business as a member of the Association.

1. Members shall take responsible measures to protect the security and integrity of clients' funds. Members must maintain separate bank accounts for money due their clients so that there is no commingling of clients' and members' funds. Members shall deposit funds received on behalf of clients promptly upon receipt, and shall make payments of domestic earnings due clients promptly, but in no event later than ten business days after clearance. Revenues from foreign rights over $50 shall be paid to clients within ten business days after clearance. Sums under $50 shall be paid within a reasonable time of clearance. However, on stock and similar rights, statements of royalties and payments shall be made not later than the month following the member's receipt, each statement and payment to cover all royalties received to the 25th day of the previous calendar month. Payments for amateur rights shall be made not less frequently than every six months. A member's books of account must be open to the client at all times with respect to transactions concerning the client. If a member receives in writing a claim to funds otherwise due to a client, the member shall immediately so advise the client in writing. If the member determines that the claim is serious, and that the funds should not be remitted to the client because of the claim, the member shall proceed in accordance with the following: For a period not to exceed ninety days, the member may deposit the funds in question into a segregated interest-bearing account pending possible resolution of the dispute. No later than the expiration of that ninety-day period, if the dispute remains unresolved and the claimants do not otherwise agree with respect to the disposition of the disputed funds, the member shall take such steps as may be necessary to deposit the funds with a court of competent jurisdiction, with appropriate notice to the claimants, so that the claimants will have an opportunity to present to that court their claims to those funds. Upon so depositing the funds, the member will have complied with the member's obligations under this Canon of Ethics.
2. In addition to the compensation for agency services that is agreed upon between a member and a client, a member may, subject to the approval of the client, pass along charges incurred by the member on the client's behalf, such as copyright fees, manuscript retyping, photocopies, copies of books for use in the sale of other rights, long distance calls, special messenger fees, etc. Such charges shall be made only if the client has agreed to reimburse such expenses.
3. A member shall keep each client apprised of matters entrusted to the member and shall promptly furnish such information as the client may reasonably request.
4. Members shall not represent both buyer and seller in the same transaction. Except as provided in the next sentence, a member who represents a client in the grant of rights in any property owned or controlled by the client may not accept any compensation or other payment from the acquirer of such rights, including but not limited to so-called "packaging fees," it being understood that the member's compensation, if any, shall be derived solely from the client. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a member may accept (or participate in) a so-called "packaging fee" paid by an acquirer of television rights to a property owned or controlled by a client if the member: a) fully discloses to the client at the earliest practical time the possibility that the member may be offered such a "packaging fee" which the member may choose to accept; b) delivers to the clients at such time a copy of the Association's statement regarding packaging and packaging fees; and c) offers the client at such time the opportunity to arrange for other representation in the transaction. In no event shall the member accept (or participate in) both a packaging fee and compensation from the client with respect to the transaction. For transactions subject to Writers Guild of America (WGA) jurisdiction, the regulations of the WGA shall take precedence over the requirements of this paragraph.
5. Members may not receive a secret profit in connection with any transaction involving a client. If such profit is received, the member must promptly pay over the entire amount to the client. Members may not solicit or accept any payment or other thing of value in connection with their referral of any author to any third party for any purpose, provided that the foregoing does not apply to arrangements made with a third party in connection with the disposition of rights in the work of a client of the member.
6. Members shall treat their clients' financial affairs as private and confidential, except for information customarily disclosed to interested parties as part of the process of placing rights, as required by law, or, if agreed with the client, for other purposes.
7. The AAR believes that the practice of literary agents charging clients or potential clients for reading and evaluating literary works (including outlines, proposals, and partial or complete manuscripts) is subject to serious abuse that reflects adversely on our profession. For that reason, members may not charge clients or potential clients for reading and evaluating literary works and may not benefit, directly or indirectly, from the charging for such services by any other person or entity. The term "charge" in the previous sentence includes any request for payment other than to cover the actual cost of returning materials. Members who participate in conferences or other events where writers are charged separately for individual consultations with agents in which the writer's work is read or evaluated may not provide such consultations. The foregoing shall not prevent members from accepting honoraria and/or reimbursement of expenses for participating in such conferences or other events.

A Writer's and Agent's Bill of Rights

(adapted by UFWLA)

The Writer's Bill of Rights and the Agent's Bill of Rights that follow suggest a reasonable set of expectations for author/agent relationship. As always, trust your instincts and your common sense.

A Writer's Bill of Rights:

You have the right to:

• be satisfied with what happens to your work.
• approve of how your agent is handling your work.
• expect professionalism in your agent's relationships with publishers and with you.
• see all correspondence about your work.
• the right to sell it or hire another agent to sell your work to another agent if your agent declines to handle a project.
• you have the right to take the project back and try to sell it yourself or through another agent, whether or not you continue to work with your first agent if your agent exhausts all the possibilities for your work and can do no more to sell it.
• be informed promptly about all offers for and helpful responses to your work.
• the right to receive prompt replies to your letters and phone calls.
• understand and approve agreements negotiated on your behalf.
• receive money due you promptly.
• have your business affairs kept confidential.
• ask your agent for news and encouragement
• negotiate reasonable changes made in your agency agreement at any time.
• stop working with an agent who is not representing you to your satisfaction.
• receive your work back with rejection letters if you end your relationship with your agent.

An Agent's Bill of Rights

An agent has the right to:

• work in his or her own style and pace.
• expect the same degree of professionalism from you that you expect from your agent.
• represent a book that competes with yours, provided that handling the competitive book doesn't lessen the agent's ability to represent your book.
• negotiate on your behalf if a buyer approaches you about your work or writing services.
• be the only person to represent your work for every commercial use on work you have offered the agent and the agent has accepted.
• include an agent's clause specifying the commission, the agent's right to receive income and mail for you, and the right to act as agent on your behalf in contracts negotiated for you.
• not return earned commissions.
• discuss problems occurring between you and the agent with you and to try to help solve it to your mutual satisfaction.
• stop representing you at any time.
• keep you as a client if the agent does a good job for you.
• keep his or her home address and phone number private.

Adapted from How To Get A Literary Agent by Michael Larsen (Sourcebooks)