Probably a silly question about phone numbers

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

After much editing, fiddling and correcting, I'm just about ready to start the next wave of submissions.

However! I don't have a landline, just a mobile number to give for contacting me. Obviously, now I'm back on broadband I have an ISP email address too, now.

Thing is, I was wondering if only having a mobile number makes me look somehow unprofessional? The reason I ask is I've heard that hotmail email addresses can put people off - you look, well, cheap or amateurish. So I wondered if the same was true for phone numbers.

After all, in the UK we're warned against doing business with people who only have mobile numbers - this would suggest a lack of professionalism at best, or shoddy, fly-by-night business practices at worst.

While the fact I've written a book shows I'm committed to being a novelist, I wondered if there was a residue of, "If you don't have a landline, you're an amateur"?

The reason I don't have a landline is I'd hardly use it now I have broadband - I communicate more with emails, and I resent paying line rental for a phone I'd use once or twice a month at most. I have a mobile for that.

Probably fretting over nowt again, but always worth asking opinions.

kristie911 · Feb 5, 2007

I don't think it looks unprofessional at all. In these times it's become commonplace for people to only have a mobile and even if they still have a landline (I have to because I have dial up internet) they still count on their mobile phone as their primary number.

Just my 2 cents.

moth · Feb 5, 2007

I know Miss Snark once had a question on "does a yahoo or hotmail or other freebie email make you think bad things about the querying author" --I remember it because I was thinking of emailing her the exact same question and then I saw it on her blog -- and she said that as long as the query was professional (and well done

), she didn't care what domain the address was from. An unprofessional handle ("DaRk_RaVeNwInG_33243" or something) was a bigger turnoff.

So after all of that, I think the same could apply to phone numbers. (Plus a lot of people are intentionally going only to mobile, closing their landline on purpose.)

ETA: Kristie cross-posted with me.

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

Thanks. I guess it's one of those, "If the writing's good enough they're not going to turn me down on the basis of something I choose not to have in my home!" examples again.

Sohia Rose · Feb 5, 2007

I don't know how it is in the UK (I'm in the U.S.), but I ONLY give out my mobile number because I'm not home a lot. Plus, I don't check the home answering machine regularly.

I also have a Gmail account (with my first and last name) that can travel with me, despite who my ISP provider is.

Penguin Queen · Feb 5, 2007

TBH, I dont usually put my phone number on my letterheads -- just postal address, email address & website.

But I would agree that if you submisison letter & synopsis are lucidly & professionally written, the mobile phone number shouldnt matter one way or 'tother.
Anyway, I think the businesses with mobile phone number only that one shudl worry about are those without a postal address, & I assume that you supply that.

Good luck with the submissions.

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 5, 2007

How can they tell from the number if it's a cell number? Unless you specifically say, "Cell Phone: 555-4162" how would they know? Just put down "Phone Number."

I have a landline, but we don't answer it, everything goes to the answering machine because of all the bill collectors. So I'll be putting down my cell phone number as a contact.

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

All mobiles in the UK start '07...'

Penguin Queen · Feb 5, 2007

In the UK, mobile numbers have different "area" codes from normal (ie. landline) phone numbers. All mobile numbers start "07" (example, 07865 004 336) while most landlines begin with "01" (with the exception of London, Cardiff & somewhere else which now escapes me, which start "02").

So you can quite easily tell.

Tangent:

In the US, not knowing whether the phone you're ringing is a mobile or a landline, how do you know whether it's going to cost you a fortune or not?

Edit: me being so verbose, Scarletpeaches got there before me...

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

^^^The reason for the '07' rule in the UK.

maestrowork · Feb 5, 2007

How about getting an answering service which redirects to your cell phone? I have a toll-free number that gets forwarded to my cell.

Jamesaritchie · Feb 5, 2007

Phone

I can't see why it should matter. The reason Hotmail and Yahoo are considered bad by many is because so much spam comes from these accounts that has fake headers. I know quite a number of editors and agents who block everything that comes from such accounts simply because you never know who an e-mail is really from until after you open it.

But if you put a Hotmail or Yahoo address on a query or manuscript, they'll gladly send to it.

You're giving people a phone number, not calling them. If you send them something they like, I have no doubt they'll call whatever number you use.

In the US, more and more people, professionals included, are doing away with landlines. We just did away with ours about two months ago. It seemed silly to pay for a landline and a cell phone.

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

Thanks all. I feel better about sticking to a mobile number now.

And if you think about it, I'll be able to take their call requesting a full, wherever I am!

JimmyB27 · Feb 5, 2007

Penguin Queen said:
All mobile numbers start "07" (example, 07865 004 336)...

Is anybody else really tempted to call this number?

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 5, 2007

Penguin Queen said:
Tangent:

In the US, not knowing whether the phone you're ringing is a mobile or a landline, how do you know whether it's going to cost you a fortune or not?

There is no extra charge for CALLING a cell phone in the states. It costs the caller the same if he's calling a landline number or a cell phone number. In fact, the cell phone USER gets charged (depending on the carrier) for all calls incoming OR outgoing to his cell phone.

You mean in the UK there's an extra charge if I call someone's cell phone?

Sohia Rose · Feb 5, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
Thanks all. I feel better about sticking to a mobile number now.

And if you think about it, I'll be able to take their call requesting a full, wherever I am!

That's the spirit! I remember I got a job offer once (one that I wanted so badly), sitting in a cafe, shucking and jiving with some friends. If I had missed that call, I would have beat myself up for it.

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

I've got my texting fingers ready...

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
There is no extra charge for CALLING a cell phone in the states. It costs the caller the same if he's calling a landline number or a cell phone number. In fact, the cell phone USER gets charged (depending on the carrier) for all calls incoming OR outgoing to his cell phone.

You mean in the UK there's an extra charge if I call someone's cell phone?

It costs more to call a mobile than a landline in the UK, but the receiver doesn't pay a penny for getting a call.

Running a mobile costs more depending on your network or deal, than a landline would, but at least I don't have to pay a line rental for the privilege of simply having the phone.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 5, 2007

No one is going to say, "This is a brilliant book. It made me laugh! It made me cry! The plot kept me guessing right up to the last page ... but the author has a mobile phone, so I'm going to pass on it."

scarletpeaches · Feb 5, 2007

I thought you'd say that, Uncle Jim.

PattiTheWicked · Feb 5, 2007

I use my cell phone as my primary mode of contact, simply because I do a lot of stuff that makes me not be home all the time. In fact, on my home phone answering message, it says, "If you need to reach me RIGHT NOW, call my cell phone at blah-blah-blah." I'm seriously considering getting rid of our landline, because it costs me $40 a month and it just seems silly to have it, when we've got three cell phones in use here.

jodiodi · Feb 5, 2007

My husband and I only give out our mobile #s for contacts because we have them with us all the time. There is a landline at home, but I don't even know the number. We have it because of our Direct TV and it's required for our alarm system. Plus, we have backup DSL on it in case the cable modem goes down; but for phone calls, we get no incoming calls on it (no one has the #) and only call out on it very infrequently.

Nickie · Feb 5, 2007

Is the Uk much different from Belgium? I HAVE to have a landline in order to use the internet, even broadband. You can't get one without the other... Besides, calling is much cheaper then with mobile phone. Especially when you make calls overseas. I only give my mobile number to some good friends and family.

Nickie

ChaosTitan · Feb 5, 2007

Jamesaritchie said:
The reason Hotmail and Yahoo are considered bad by many is because so much spam comes from these accounts that has fake headers. I know quite a number of editors and agents who block everything that comes from such accounts simply because you never know who an e-mail is really from until after you open it.

Oh great. Here I was, thinking that agents weren't answering because they didn't like the query. Now I've got something new to wonder about....

Hillgate · Feb 5, 2007

Please don't worry about hotmail, aol etc. Lots of very important people use them (BTW I do although I'm not very important). If they want to get hold of you, they will, through hell or high water!!

Probably a silly question about phone numbers

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