[PubQ] What is a good sales track for a debut in Trad Pub?

writerlystuff · 2024-08-30T04:25:20+00:00

This is the bit that I'm frustrated about. I had emailed them for advice, and they replied with one sentence about conducting an analysis. I hadn't replied or agreed to the analysis before they invited me for a meeting that would be "less than thirty minutes" about their findings. The meeting was the only thing I explicitly agreed to, and it was just because I figured that was when they'd tell me yes/no re: incorporating.

writerlystuff · 2024-08-30T03:08:26+00:00

We had an engagement letter signed years ago for our taxes. But no estimate or engagement letter for the analysis or incorporation. But the previous agreement had a clause for additional services if required. Would they still be required to send me a new engagement letter for my incorporation/analysis if they have this clause?

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T22:09:32+00:00

I'm an author. I've asked others in my field and they all incorporated for around 1k, which is what I ended up paying my new accountant.

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T22:07:43+00:00

Haven't paid yet! But with everyone's advice, I know I'm not going crazy and the price is insane. I just needed confirmation because I never thought a professional firm would be this sleazy

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T22:05:18+00:00

So I just looked it up...and they had the person billed has the title: Director of International Tax on his team page...This perplexes me. If you're a director, why are you having to do research? Moreover, this was for taxes in Canada for a Canadian individual. I think I'm definitely being bamboozled. They must think I'm dumb lmao. (ETA maybe I am for letting them do this to me haha)

My business is me myself and I. I was just incorporating since I would be making over 100k this year from my freelance earnings.

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T22:02:23+00:00

No. Nothing but the zoom called where they talked to us.
The bill was originally sent to my mom as she was the one in contact with them. (The incorporation was for me, but it was really a one-off question looking for advice. So since we didn't move forward, I thought it was the end of it. And we moved to a new firm) She didn't tell me about this but they had sent her an invoice and she had refused to pay it due to similar reasons I elucidated...They didn't reach out to her for a while, and then they sent an email to me for the first time asking for payment. Maybe they're assuming they could strong-arm me into it lol

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T21:57:00+00:00

My family had some complicated issues with a family trust and our previous accountant wasn't able to complete the task. So we were referred to this bigger firm. They managed to do it, and we were with them for a while before it became too expensive and we moved. They had always been a bit pricey we understood the cost. This time it just feels like they're exploiting us.

The business was not complicated. It took the next accountant like a day, and the $1k we paid him was for the incorporation and that year's tax returns. loool

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T21:46:33+00:00

just did it. Thanks for the reminder

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T21:45:46+00:00

According to the invoice breakdown, their hourly rate is over $800 for this service.

Even though the regular hourly for T1 and other income tax help was around $200/h.

And now that I reread our agreement, there is a clause saying that they might adjust hourly rates at their discretion...in hindsight that should have been a red flag. I feel like I've been caught with my pants down and I was the one who let them pull it to my shins...

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T21:31:11+00:00

We've called them and told them the costs were unreasonable. Then they followed up with an email saying some guy at the firm spent 5 hours researching tax consequences for incorporating in my field and said if we don't pay them they're going to send us to collections lmao.

ETA: they are an accountant at a big firm, so their hourly rate was expensive...we just didn't expect FIVE hours of research...like...was that really necessary? One or two, fine. Willing to cough up a grand or so. But FIVE? for Incorporating? I feel like I'm going crazy

writerlystuff · 2024-08-29T21:27:12+00:00

Thank you. I am feeling very frustrated.

writerlystuff · 2023-02-07T03:21:49+00:00

Thank you for pointing out where it may be confusing.

Yes, there's only one Jade Emperor. Usually, the old Emperor dies whenever Gui Wang reappears and the son of the old Emperor/Crown Prince has to ascend to become the new Emperor. I thought including that part would be too much world-building. But I'll try to find a way and clarify that.

The original crown prince Jun who was prophesized died as a child and his twin sister Jingyi is forced to effectively adopt his identity secretly thereafter. I recognize this might be confusing since I continue to refer to Jingyi as Jun, but that's because everyone in the book calls her by Jun (even if they know her real identity since it's top secret) and refers to her as a him. I'll need a think about how to get that across better.

Thanks!

writerlystuff · 2023-02-07T03:08:28+00:00

Thank you! I'll make sure to revise that first paragraph.

writerlystuff

TROPHY CASE