Editor's note: The author's grammar and style have not been modified.

The world of escorting can seem intimidating and maybe even a little confusing to those who are new to it, both escorts and clients alike. One of the big questions that newbies often have is whether they should sign on with an escort agency or whether they should be independent. If you're considering becoming an escort but have no idea where to start, I want to help you figure out what might be the best path for you.

Escort agencies are often where girls in the industry will start out and I would highly recommend anyone new to the business to start by working for a reliable escort agency. How do you know if they're reliable? Ask around. Post in escorting forums or simply ask escorts that you have found online what their experiences have been like with agencies in the area. Asking escorts which agencies they've worked for and which they would recommend might seem like a strange thing to do but I guarantee you that you will get some useful information from this line of questioning. While some of the girls might tell you to screw off and leave them alone, some will definitely respond. Mostly you'll just be ignored so make sure to send out a lot of emails to try to get this precious information. A lot of escorts remember being new to the industry and because of this they are willing to help. It can seem overwhelming and scary when you first get into the business. It can also be easy to take advantage of a new girl so many agencies or clients will do just that. Be aware that some agencies are run by scumbags and do everything you can to avoid working for these kinds of people. You may feel like you should accept any offer you get since you're just starting out but don't fall for that line of thinking. You deserve a good agency with managers who give a shit.

Make a list of which escort agencies you've been warned about and which you've been directed towards. If more than a few girls tell you that one agency is bad and another is good, it's a pretty safe bet that they are telling the truth. Apply to the agencies that have made a good name for themselves and blacklist the ones that have not. A lot of escorts prefer working for agencies that are run by women and there are a few different reasons for that. The general consensus is that women will be more understanding and less demanding of the escorts. Some agencies will basically force their girls into doing certain things with clients that they may not want to do. They'll threaten to fire them or cut their hours if they don't comply. Women tend to not be as forceful so this is one reason escorts may choose an agency that is ran by a woman (or women). Another reason is that many agency owners will demand that the new escort sleep with them to "prove" that they can do it. This is absolute bullshit and no escort should ever work for an agency that made them fuck someone to get the job.

There are many reasons that escorts decide to go independent and one of these big reasons is shitty agencies. If you're treated like shit by a few different agencies, chances are you're going to want to avoid them all in the future. A lot of escorts who have had bad experiences with agencies will try to convince other girls that all agencies are bad and that they're better off independent. Don't be blinded by others bad experiences, see for yourself what works better for you. If you work for an agency and end up not liking it, nothing is stopping you from leaving and going independent.

Agencies offer some form of protection whereas for escorts who are independent, they are often on their own. Yes, you may tell a close friend about what you're doing or you might hire a driver who will offer some form of protection but for the most part you're on your own out there. This can be very scary especially to those who are new to the business so I would always recommend going with an agency first and foremost and learning the ropes before venturing out on your own. Yes, you will make considerably less money than if you were independent but there are benefits to working for an agency that you might not consider right away. Being independent you have to advertise yourself and you have to worry about taking good pictures and writing a good advertisement to sell yourself. You'll be competing with a lot of other girls and you might find that you end up having a lot of slow nights. Clients tend to haggle with independents as well whereas they won't pull that shit with an agency. And if they do pull that shit with an agency it's someone else who is being paid to deal with them, not you. Some clients will show up for the appointment and tell you they only have X amount of dollars and you can basically take it or leave it. It can feel like a lot of pressure and a lot of stress when you're the only one dealing directly with your clients. If you were with an agency, you wouldn't have to worry about your own advertising, photos, arranging things with clients, dealing with the time wasters or anything like that. Posting on most websites costs a considerable amount of money so having an agency pay for all of that is worth something. Not having to deal with the hassle of answering phones, emails and texts is worth a lot as well. Having someone else who is employed specifically to do those things means that you'll basically just be able to wait around during your shifts and do schoolwork, watch movies, read, etc while you wait for your next booking. Dealing with clients directly can be frustrating as a lot of them are not serious about meeting.

Most agencies do incalls as well as outcalls but the majority of your appointments will be incalls which means you won't have to do much traveling. They will take care of hiring the driver for when you do have outcalls and it will be someone the agency trusts and who they know is capable of handling any potentially dangerous situations that may arise.

There are a few things that you should know ahead of time before meeting with escort agencies. Some of them might require you to pay a room fee or they will ask you to split on the cost of the hotel room. A lot of agencies do this or something like it, but your best bet is to shop around and find an agency that either waives the fee entirely or sets it at a reasonable amount. Some agencies will waive the fee entirely after you've seen a certain number of clients in one day. Each agency will do things differently and things are managed differently in various parts of the world so your best bet is to look around and meet with a few different trusted and well respected agencies to see what they are doing. Even better, you could try to find an agency that doesn't charge you anything for your room. You might also be asked to pay a portion of the drivers fee for outcalls, this is something you should ask the agency beforehand. Some agencies nickle and dime their girls so be careful before signing on with one, make sure they've explained everything upfront. If it is at all possible you can try to talk to other escorts who are currently working for the agency to find out just what extra expenses you can expect to pop up.

Some clients will only visit independents and some only want to visit agencies. Both sets of men will have their differing reasons as to why they have those specific preferences but as for why some men prefer agencies, it might be important to them to know that the escorts they are seeing are not underage and are legally able to work in Canada. Most agencies will require that their escorts show them their IDs to verify all this info and clients appreciate that. That's not to say that all agencies are making sure their girls are of age and legally in the country, but typically agencies will strive to follow the law as much as they can to avoid problems.

You will inevitably make less money when you're working for an agency since they do take a sizable chunk of the appointment fee. However it's important to remember that you won't be paying for your advertising, your professional photographs and you'll either have a room for free or at least a discount from what you'd be paying on your own. If you were to have a slow night as an independent and have no clients come by, you're out the money for your hotel room. In these situations it's very tempting to lower your prices and offer discounts on a slow night, something which might help you in the short term but in the long run won't necessarily be good for your business. Clients who either got the discounted price or saw that you were giving the deal will insist on being given that same discount the next time they want to see visit with you. Some girls never ever offer discounts and some do it regularly. It's up to you what you decide to do but just know that you may be setting yourself up for some problems in the future by cutting deals. When you're facing the reality of paying for a hotel room on your own, it can be tempting to just try to get a client in so you can at least cover the hotel. Whatever you decide you must remember that your client won't forget about the deal and will be hoping to get it again. If you end up texting all of your regulars asking if they'd like to come by for a quickie at a discount, they may be turned off by this, feeling that you are coming across as desperate. They also might assume you are looking for drug money, which can be a big reason behind an escort contacting their old clients offering a deal. Desperation is not an attractive trait for an escort.

Most agencies will do their best to match you with gentleman that they think will suit you. If you're not into anal, they will know that and will pass on any anal inquiries to an escort who is willing to do them. However some agencies can be very pushy and they will try to pressure you into doing things you might not want to do. There's no reason to stay with an agency like that, if they don't respect you then you don't need to be working for them. There are good, reliable agencies out there, you just need to spend some time looking for them.

One thing that is a common complaint among independents who ultimately decide to go with agencies is that they've been ripped off in the past by clients. Especially if such a situation turns violent it can scare the escort enough to not want to work on their own anymore. Working with an agency you will have either the driver or the manager around to assist you should anything turn south. Even the presence of another escort working nearby is usually enough to deter any bad behavior. It feels a lot more safe to know that someone else is either in the building or waiting outside for your appointment to be done.

There's a lot to learn when starting out as an escort and it can seem daunting. Trust your gut instincts and demand the respect you deserve from any agency or client.