New literary agency for Canadian freelance writers questions rates and rights

Canada’s first literary agency for freelance writers, the Canadian Writers Group, launched today with a starting roster of 50 writers being represented. Since CWG founder Derek Finkle announced his idea to start the agency last fall, he has received hundreds of applications from freelance writers across the country. The agency has plans to represent more than 100 of those writers by the end of this year.

According to a press release issued today by Finkle, “the agency will negotiate terms on behalf of its writers [and] it will also act as a reliable resource for editors and commercial clients interested in finding suitable and proven writers.” The agency also aims to shift away from per word rates and will instead focus on the skill and experience of the writer, as well as take into account the time to complete the article and any required research.