Question about IRCs

Dark Sim · Apr 19, 2006

In the Writer's Handbook 2006, it lists a slew of US literary agents who require IRCs (International Reply Coupons) when sending from the UK to the US. Is this absolutely necessary even if you include a SAE covering return postage for a reply (not necessarily a return of your material)?

I thought the idea behind IRCs is that certain people within the US may not be able to find the correct stamps for another country. But what happens if it has English stamps on the return envelope already? Or what if I am sending from within the US (I will be visiting there shortly) and use American stamps on the return envelope to send to the UK?

Are the US agents very strict about IRCs if it says so in their submission guidelines? Or will they use their discretion and still consider the material/reply if the submission package contains the equivalent SAE?

jchines · Apr 19, 2006

It might be worth sending a polite e-mail to the agent to ask their opinion.

I did this with a Canadian magazine, asking if it would be okay to clip a U.S. dollar to the envelope instead of the IRC (which is more expensive and more of a pain to get from the post office). They said that would be fine. But I woudn't violate the guidelines without an okay from the editor or agent in question.

waylander · Apr 19, 2006

Don't use IRCs. No agent really wants to go and stand in line at the Post Office to present an IRC which the clerk will never have seen before.

Buy US stamps. You can get them from the USPS website. You need 84c to get a standard letter back to the UK from the US by airmail.

veinglory · Apr 19, 2006

Are you asking if A SASE with *English* stamps can be used by posting a letter from *America* to England. No they can't. Letters must have stamps from the sending country. That is, any mail outgoing from America must have American stamps. Any mail outgoing from England must have British stamps.

IRCs are a way for any person in any country to pay from mail outgoing from a country other than their own--but they have been largely replaced by buying the relevant stamps online. If they request an IRC they will be quite happy to accept their local stamps instead.

Question about IRCs

Dark Sim

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

veinglory

volitare nequeo