Not Every Open Door is an Opportunity: Writers Beware of Impersonating Editors at Major Publishing Houses

I’ve been in the literary industry since 2000. Long enough to know the difference between opportunity and illusion. I understand that not every door is meant to open, and not every knock is worth answering.

At this point in my life and career, I move differently. Am I seeking a literary agent? Absolutely. I still intend for my work to find its way to the top publishing houses, only I am not desperate it—and just maybe I should be. Nonetheless, I refuse to blindly chase after anything. I do believe in alignment. What is meant for me will be mind and it will arrive in the nick of time.

Until then, I keep going. I continue writing, submitting, and writing—knocking on doors until someone on the other side invites me in.

A few weeks ago, I applied for an editorial position with Macmillan Publishers. That was one path—professional, separate from my creative work, but still connected. A foot in is a foot in.

Around the same time, I returned to querying literary agents after a period of stepping back to focus on the work itself. One of those queries went to Kate Garrick at Salky Literary Management.

Then today, something curious happened. I finally received a response from Kate. It was a rejection letter that read short and sweet:

"Dear Terry A.,

Thanks so much for contacting me about your book project, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be the best representative for it. Best of luck on your path to publication.

Sincerely,

Kate Garrick

Salky Literary Management "

This was not the end of the world--merely the beginning of my search for the right agent. After all, early in my career, I used to collect rejection letters to encourage aspiring writers along their journey.

That wasn't the moment that caught me off guard. This was. Almost at the same time I got the rejection from Kate, I received an email from someone identifying herself as an editor, Alessandra Balzer, writing from this address: harpercollins@alessandra-balzer.com

It was a well-polished letter that spoke about my body of work, my voice, my reach across genres, etc. The letter reads as follows:

Email from harpercollins@alessandra-balzer.com

Alessandra Ba

At first glance, it sounded like the kind of email a writer hopes to receive. Even though it’s far-fetched, I had hoped deep down that it was authentic, but a number of things didn’t sit right:

·      punctuation and grammatical errors

·      the email address didn’t match a major publisher

·      the absence of an address and phone number

·      no assistant listed

·      a tone that felt attentive, but not anchored in anything specific

There was no reference to the novel I’m currently submitting for representation—only general mentions of my earlier publications and a nod to my connection to the Harlem Renaissance.

 I’ve been doing this long enough to recognize when something is written around the work instead of from within it. In spite of my literary goals and desires, I had to pause long enough to look more closely. That’s when I ended up down the investigative rabbit hole, following the small inconsistencies.   

What I found confirmed what my instincts already knew. As unfortunate as it is, this is nothing new. It’s a circulating pattern: a scam moving through the writing community that use names of real editors and industry language feeding off the hopes of real writers.

And I get it now. At first, I could not grasp why anyone would carry out this kind of deception. What would a scammer stand to gain from this?  

But now I see clearly. It begins with flattery—the kind that every writer longs to hear from industry professionals. The flattery is then followed by suggested opportunity that eventually leads to something that with a cost (i.e. editors, services, agent, etc.).

But before any of that, trust must be built, and that requires conversation.

Because deceptions like this aren’t built on ignorance—they’re built on timing, on proximity to hope. They wait in the wings, catching writers in vulnerable moments, in that quiet space between submission and response where anything can still feel possible.

Today, I received a rejection, and I received this email. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

Nevertheless, I stand on what I am sure of: real opportunities do not arrive in disguise.

Editors at major houses like HarperCollins or Macmillan Publishers do not reach out this way. They don’t use personal domains. They don’t operate without verifiable contact, nor do they speak in generalities when they are genuinely interested in your work. They will be precise and direct.

Was it a disappointment? Maybe for a fleeting moment. More than I desire it, I need it to align and move with purpose so that it will carry me toward what is truly meant for me.

So, to my fellow writers and poets I say, stay vigilant. Your time will come. What is meant for you will find its way to your door.

Literary editor and agent | writers beware of literary representation scams in 2026