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Membership Type (Required) All AALA Members are eligible to participate in programming and have access to our slate of educational and informational tools. In addition to the Membership tier we offer a non-voting Educational Membership tier for those with less than two years of employment in publishing to allow special access to our programming and educational tools at a discounted rate; Educational Members will not be listed on the website.
There is a one-time $75 registration fee for Member applications only, or for Educational Members who move up to Full Member. It is the goal of AALA to be an open and accessible organization. If these fee levels pose a financial hardship, please reach out to the membership committee at membership@aalitagents.org.
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Acknowledgments: Canon Compliance (Required) One of the hallmarks of AALA membership is a steadfast commitment to our code of ethics. As agents, we not only manage the writing careers of our authors, but also counsel their business decisions and manage the financial aspects of those choices. Full commitment to honorable and ethical business practices is crucial to our work and a requirement of membership.
Canon Compliance, Section 1 (Required) 2026 Revised AALA Canon of Ethics. Effective Date: September 1, 2026
1. Conduct.
The members of the Association of American Literary Agents, Inc. are committed to the highest standard of conduct, integrity, and accountability 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 pledge not to abuse (sexually, verbally, physically or otherwise), discriminate against, harass, mislead, deceive, dupe, defraud, or victimize their clients, other members of the Association, the general public, or any person in their workplace or with whom they work or do business. And they pledge to fully cooperate in the Association’s investigation of any allegations of possible ethical violations.
Canon Compliance, Section 2 (Required) 2. Fiduciary.
Agent Members must always act as fiduciaries to their clients. As a fiduciary a member has a duty to: (i) put their clients’ interests first; (ii) act loyally and in good faith on clients’ behalf; (iii) exercise reasonable, professional care in keeping client matters confidential; (iv) use reasonable, professional care, skill, and diligence in handling their clients’ business affairs related to their work as writers; (v) be transparent in accounting and in disclosing to clients relevant information relating to actions taken on behalf of clients; and (vi) take appropriate steps when faced with a conflict of interest.
Subject to the terms of this Canon, members shall not represent both buyer and seller in the same transaction. Without limiting the applicability of this principle, members are prohibited from:
participating in packaging fees on deals for television and film adaptations of their client’s work that are completed after April 29, 2022 or
accepting producer fees or credits without the client’s prior written informed consent.
A member may be found in violation of the Canon of Ethics if a person in the employ of the member or over whom the member has effective control violates the Canon in the course of that person’s work for the member.
Canon Compliance, Section 3 (Required) 3. Accounting and Payments.
The requirements of this section 3 apply to members who are owners and/or administrators who have control over the accounts of an agency. Members who are not owners or administrators of an agency are encouraged to advocate for their agency to adopt these practices as well.
Members shall take responsible measures to protect the security and integrity of clients’ funds.
Members must maintain at least two separate bank accounts, one for money due their clients and one for business operating expenses, so that there is no co-mingling of clients’ and members’ funds.
Members shall account faithfully to their clients and deposit funds received on behalf of clients promptly upon receipt, and shall make payment of earnings due clients promptly, including any returned fees, refunded co-agent commissions, or other refunds or payments made on behalf of the client.
Members shall use reasonable best efforts to pay clients within ten business days after clearance and attribution but no later than twenty-one days, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the client.
However, if funds for a client are received more frequently than quarterly and if those funds do not exceed a total of $100, then payments to clients may be made less frequently as agreed in writing with the client, so long as when funds received exceed $100 or upon the client’s specific request, payment to the client shall be made within ten days thereafter.
In all cases, members shall exercise due diligence in promptly seeking supporting and attribution information for payments received.
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 immediately remitted to the client because of the claim, the member shall proceed in accordance with the following procedure:
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 the funds. Upon so depositing the funds, the member will have complied with the member’s obligations under this Canon of Ethics.
Canon Compliance, Section 4 (Required) 4. Compensation and Charges.
In addition to the compensation for agency services, including co-agent 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, tax form fees, digital book scanning, photocopies, digital files or copies of books for use in the sale of rights, postage, special messenger fees, legal fees, bank fees, etc. Members must communicate in written form a full, clear, and honest accounting of services, fees, charges, and commissions, and, upon client’s reasonable request, provide back-up documentation for charges/deductions made to the client’s account.
Canon Compliance, Section 5 (Required) 5. Transparency and Disclosure.
A member shall keep clients apprised of activities and services performed on behalf of clients. A member shall promptly furnish a client such information regarding activities and services performed on behalf of client as the client may reasonably request.
Canon Compliance, Section 6 (Required) 6. Payments from Third Parties; Referral Fees.
Members may not receive a secret payment in connection with any transaction involving a client. If such a payment is received, the member shall promptly pay over the entire amount to the client.
Referring clients to third parties must be made with the client’s best interests in mind: referrals must be made solely based on the third party’s suitability, considering the client’s needs, wishes, budget, schedule, etc.
Members may not seek or solicit any payment or other thing of value in connection with their referral of any author to any third party.
If a third party is known to pay referral fees or other things of value to those who refer to them, that must be disclosed to the client at the time the referral is made. If a member accepts any payment or thing of value from a third party, that financial relationship and the amount or thing received must be timely disclosed to the client to ensure that the client is aware and agreeable to such arrangement.
Canon Compliance, Section 7 (Required) 7. Confidentiality.
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, sorting out claims to compensation by third parties or as required by law, or, if agreed with the client, for other purposes.
Canon Compliance, Section 8 (Required) 8. No Reading Fees
Members may not charge any reading fees for evaluating work for possible representation. The AALA believes that the practice of literary agents charging clients or potential clients for reading and evaluating literary works (including authors’ query letters, outlines, proposals, and partial or complete manuscripts) to determine whether to represent those works is subject to serious abuse that reflects adversely on our profession.
Members who participate in writers’ conferences or teach classes at schools may receive compensation from entities that run them, even if part of the members’ duties involve evaluating literary works. However, members may not accept compensation for evaluating literary works directly from authors.
Canon Compliance, Section 9 (Required) 9. Paid-For Editorial Services.
Member agents may not charge clients for editorial services in preparation for the agent’s submission of a work to publishers.
A member agent may not condition representation of a non-client on use of their editorial services.
If a member is hired by a non-client to perform editorial services, and the member later agrees to represent the author as their literary agent, the treatment of monies paid for editorial services performed prior to representation shall be subject to mutual agreement between the member and the prospective client. The agreement must be arrived at the time editorial services commence. A member may not retroactively charge for editorial services.
Canon Compliance, Section 11 (Required) 11. Paid-For Services Offered to Non-Clients.
a. Members may offer editorial or non-editorial services (e.g. web design, social media consultation, creation of promotional content) to non-clients. However, the member must make clear to the non-client in writing in advance that the rendering of such services does not indicate or imply that the member will represent them as a literary agent. Further, if the member will not be personally providing the service, the member shall disclose who will be performing the service/s and their relationship to the member.
b. To avoid the possibility of abuse, members may not respond to an author who approaches them only for literary representation by instead directing the author to pay for services by the member or by anyone financially associated with the member or member’s agency.
Canon Compliance, Section 12 (Required) 12. Publishing.
While the AALA does not encourage its members to act as publishers of their clients’ work because of the inherent conflicts, doing so may be permissible if the member and client fully execute the “Consent Regarding Publication” or a similar agreement containing all of its substantive provisions.
Canon Compliance, Section 13 (Required) 13. Evaluations for Charitable Purposes.
The AALA recognizes that from time to time agents are asked to provide evaluations of non-client authors’ works for fundraising purposes. The foregoing prohibition on reading fees shall not apply where a member provides such services if all the following conditions apply:
a. any payment therefor is made directly to a charity, as part of a fundraising effort for a third party, or to an established educational or non-profit institution;
b. the member shall personally create the evaluation and provide it within a reasonable time;
c. the member does not in any way benefit financially from the activity; and
d. the member conducts the activity in an honorable way fully consistent with the AALA Canon of Ethics.
Canon Compliance, Freelance Services If you offer editorial or other services directly to authors, please affirm your compliance with the Canon’s requirements. If you offer services, are those services offered in a manner in keeping with the AALA Canon of Ethics, as described in the Canon?
Acknowledgments: Accuracy Declaration (Required) Acknowledgments: Termination of Membership (Required) Acknowledgments: Membership Status (Required) Name (Required)
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Applicant's Address (Required) This address is where you live, not where the agency is located.
Why are you applying for Emeritus Membership? (Required)
How did you hear about AALA? (check all that apply) (Required) Have you previously been a member of the AALA or its prior iteration, the AAR, and are re-applying? (Required) For previous members only (Required) If you left because of disciplinary action or inquiry by the Ethics Committee, please describe below.
Publishing Experience (Required) Please write 2-3 paragraphs about yourself and your experience in publishing. For example, you could touch upon: How long you’ve worked at your current agency and examples of the kind of work you’ve done there; Who has been an industry mentor to you, if any; If you have worked in publishing in any other capacity, where that was and for how long; Where you hope to find yourself in 5 years; What qualities do feel you have honed and that make you a strong agent and candidate for membership; What the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career and how membership to the AALA can help in this regard.
Subjects Represented (Required) What types of projects do you represent?
Areas of Expertise (Required) What are your particular areas of interest or expertise? If you aspire to be an agent, what types of projects do you hope to represent?
What do you hope to get out of your membership to AALA? (Required) For example, have you attended our meetings in the past or benefitted from our checklists? Are you inspired to join a committee? Are you interested in specific tools or programs?
Which AALA programs are you interested in learning more about or participating in? (Check all that apply) Participation (Required) The AALA is an all-volunteer organization. Our continued success depends on participation by Membership in this ongoing work. While there are a limited number of committees, are you interested in potentially serving on a committee or having your name put forward for a position on the AALA board?
Please select the following areas of interest, skill or expertise that best defines you, if any. (Check all that apply) Are there any other areas of interest, skill or expertise that best defines you that are not listed above?
Freelance Services (Required) If you offer freelance services, are those services offered in a manner in keeping with the AALA Canon of Ethics, as described in the Canon and illustrated by this graphic at the end of the application?
