Ok, I believe I've heard to send it priority. This true? I know you DO NOT do anything cute, like fed ex, must sign for it packages.
1st Class vs. Priority vs. Regular
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One of the British agents I researched recently says on their website they're willing to receive recorded delivery but only return by normal post.
Follow the guidelines. I've always used first class as that offends no-one and I've only not got a reply twice. Don't have a clue what happened there as I made sure to send an SAE. It's always been 'no', but still...the SAEs did their job.
Follow the guidelines. I've always used first class as that offends no-one and I've only not got a reply twice. Don't have a clue what happened there as I made sure to send an SAE. It's always been 'no', but still...the SAEs did their job.
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I use priority with delivery confirmation. That way at least I know where it is and that it made it into the building. I think you can use it with first class as well.
And if you purchase your priority mail label/postage online, you receive delivery confirmation free (just an FYI in case some of you didn't know).
And if you purchase your priority mail label/postage online, you receive delivery confirmation free (just an FYI in case some of you didn't know).
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Being stationed around the world, I send it Express. There's a box you can check requesting 'NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED', so the receiving agent/editor isn't irritated/interrupted. By sending it Express, I can track it--because I panic that Customs has decided to open the massive envelope, seize my manuscript, run screaming to their agents, submit it as their own....and that Ms. J.K.Rowling is now a very, very, disgustingly rich...wait...er...<takes pill..downs water...rolls head until kinks removed> where was I?
Oh. Planet Earth. Express Mail works great when living in several countries at once; for tracking purposes. When living in the states, Priority Mail with postage-paid postcard inserted for agent to drop in mail stating they received manu.
kb
Oh. Planet Earth. Express Mail works great when living in several countries at once; for tracking purposes. When living in the states, Priority Mail with postage-paid postcard inserted for agent to drop in mail stating they received manu.
kb
I do everything first class. I don't think it matters unless, as others have said, you're making the agent go out of their way to receive your query/pages.
For those wanting to make sure their materials are delivered without requiring a signature, you can put a pre-addressed stamped postcard in the package with the request to 'please mail on delivery'. This is a standard for the industry, at least for sending materials to a publisher, so they will know what you are doing.
I always use priority because it's flat-rate for most of what I'm sending out
($4.05), and I get the delivery confirmation with it. I can get the first 3 chapters, the synopsis and the query letter in one along with my SASE.
($4.05), and I get the delivery confirmation with it. I can get the first 3 chapters, the synopsis and the query letter in one along with my SASE.
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Postcards?
Confirmation postcards are familiar to people in publishing, and unlikely to offend most agents or editors, but they run the risk of going astray (under a pile of papers, accidentally/deliberately into the wastebasket, or just plain ignored).
Delivery Confirmation in the US is cheap, reliable, trackable online, and requires no action on the part of the recipient. So why bother yourself or the agent/editor with postcards? (Just be sure that it's delivery confirmation and not one of the other options that require signatures.)
Confirmation postcards are familiar to people in publishing, and unlikely to offend most agents or editors, but they run the risk of going astray (under a pile of papers, accidentally/deliberately into the wastebasket, or just plain ignored).
Delivery Confirmation in the US is cheap, reliable, trackable online, and requires no action on the part of the recipient. So why bother yourself or the agent/editor with postcards? (Just be sure that it's delivery confirmation and not one of the other options that require signatures.)
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First class
First class only for any sort of manuscript or query. The ONLY thing I send any other way is a copy edited manuscript, or galleys.
First class only for any sort of manuscript or query. The ONLY thing I send any other way is a copy edited manuscript, or galleys.
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Flat rate priority mail with confirmation (the one that doesn't need to be signed for) is not much more than first class for a ms. For me it was worth the slight added expense for the peace of mind of knowing for sure that the ms. actually got there. This may come as a shock to some, but the USPS does occasionally lose things. It's happened to me. It would be a shame to send an email nudge after 4 or 5 months only to find the ms was never received.
Some agent somewhere recently said she places mail that comes in the hard cover Priority Mail Envelope, which keeps material so neatly in place and pristinely in shape, at the top of her heap each day. Seemed logical to me, as I asked myself, what mail do people tend to look at first? And 50 pages can be fit into the envelope without any difficulty; and, as someone pointed out, for $4.05. So, in addition to protecting the condition of the material,
I get the impact of Express Mail for 1/4 the cost.
I get the impact of Express Mail for 1/4 the cost.
Just goes to show a lot of it is hit and miss.
As long as your manuscript gets there and is in reasonably good shape, that's the best you can hope for. A lot of it seems to be down to individual agents and their personal preferences.
As long as your manuscript gets there and is in reasonably good shape, that's the best you can hope for. A lot of it seems to be down to individual agents and their personal preferences.
I'm sending everything first class, and the SAE has a first class stamp on it too. I don't want to start annoying agents by making them go out of their way to receive my three chapters.
So far everything's come back to me, fairly unscathed, in the 1st class SAEs. I can't say I hugely trust Royal Mail to not lose post, but I can tell by the fact it's all getting rejected that it's all reaching its destination.
Sorry. A moment of self pity. I think I'm over-focusing on the tally in my signature!
Shara
So far everything's come back to me, fairly unscathed, in the 1st class SAEs. I can't say I hugely trust Royal Mail to not lose post, but I can tell by the fact it's all getting rejected that it's all reaching its destination.
Sorry. A moment of self pity. I think I'm over-focusing on the tally in my signature!
Shara
Media Mail... unless First Class is cheaper... unless it packs neatly into a Priority Mailer & is cheaper.
In any case, with a lime-green Delivery Confirmation number.
In any case, with a lime-green Delivery Confirmation number.
And besides all that, my understanding is that in many offices, the envelope or package isn't even OPENED until the reader is ready to deal with it, so the postcard may not even be SEEN until a few minutes before the rejection goes out. (Or a few minutes before they fall on the MS with small cries of glee and declare you the next King/Rowling/whatever)
Just as an FYI,
You can get tracking with first class mail (and no need to stand on line in the post office) if you ship with paypal. Just use this link:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now
You do NOT need to have sold something on e-bay for this to work. Just type in the address of the agent and it will print out your mailing label with postage. Then you just drop it in a mail box. Delivery confirmation is a lot cheaper at 14 cents instead of the usual 55 cents.
Only catch: This is intended for larger size envelopes (good for partials or if you send a query with a few sample pages and a SASE). You do pay a few cents more for the larger envelope processing fees, but it's still cheaper than if you use a #10 envelope and pay for delivery confirmation.
Eric
You can get tracking with first class mail (and no need to stand on line in the post office) if you ship with paypal. Just use this link:
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now
You do NOT need to have sold something on e-bay for this to work. Just type in the address of the agent and it will print out your mailing label with postage. Then you just drop it in a mail box. Delivery confirmation is a lot cheaper at 14 cents instead of the usual 55 cents.
Only catch: This is intended for larger size envelopes (good for partials or if you send a query with a few sample pages and a SASE). You do pay a few cents more for the larger envelope processing fees, but it's still cheaper than if you use a #10 envelope and pay for delivery confirmation.
Eric
I always feel like the USPS is less likely to lose a piece of priority mail, but I'm probably deluding myself.
For a query, or partial, or even a requested manuscript to a prospective agent, simple first-class USPS seems fine.
I'd avoid media mail.
A return postcard in the ms or 'Delivery Confirmation' on an envelope may make you sleep easier and they aren't going to annoy the agent. And it's cheap.
Priority mail for this sort of material strikes me as kinda hyper.
.
With manuscripts that are under deadline or line edits and so on -- we move into the realm of 'It has to get there on time and not get lost.'
In these cases I would NOT use USPS -- not even Priority. I have found USPS Priority to be unreliable. For those materials I'd go with DHL, UPS, FEDEX etc.
I'd avoid media mail.
A return postcard in the ms or 'Delivery Confirmation' on an envelope may make you sleep easier and they aren't going to annoy the agent. And it's cheap.
Priority mail for this sort of material strikes me as kinda hyper.
.
With manuscripts that are under deadline or line edits and so on -- we move into the realm of 'It has to get there on time and not get lost.'
In these cases I would NOT use USPS -- not even Priority. I have found USPS Priority to be unreliable. For those materials I'd go with DHL, UPS, FEDEX etc.
Saundra Mitchell
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Just send it first class- with delivery confirmation if you're the type to obsess. Why spend extra money on something that's going to sit on someone's desk until it's convenient for them to open mail?
According the the USPS
First-Class Mail
First-Class Mail® is used for personal and business correspondence. It includes postcards, letters, large envelopes, small packages, and any mailable item weighing 13 ounces or less. Pieces over 13 ounces can be sent as Priority Mail.
The minimum size for First-Class Mail is 5 inches long, 3-1/2 inches high, and 0.007 inch thick. Pieces weighing 1 ounce or less may be subject to the nonmachinable surcharge.
For more details on postcard and stamped card rates, postcard rate dimensions, and the nonmachinable surcharge, refer to the Domestic Mail Manual.
First-Class Mail Rates
First ounce $0.39
Each additional ounce $0.24
First-Class Mail Rates Weight not over (ounces) Rate
1*
$0.39
2
0.63
3
0.87
4
1.11
5
1.35
6
1.59
7
1.83
8
2.07
9
2.31
10
2.55
11
2.79
12
3.03
13
3.27
*Over 13 ounces (see Priority Mail).
http://www.usps.com/rates/first-class-mail-rates.htm
First-Class Mail
First-Class Mail® is used for personal and business correspondence. It includes postcards, letters, large envelopes, small packages, and any mailable item weighing 13 ounces or less. Pieces over 13 ounces can be sent as Priority Mail.
The minimum size for First-Class Mail is 5 inches long, 3-1/2 inches high, and 0.007 inch thick. Pieces weighing 1 ounce or less may be subject to the nonmachinable surcharge.
For more details on postcard and stamped card rates, postcard rate dimensions, and the nonmachinable surcharge, refer to the Domestic Mail Manual.
First-Class Mail Rates
First ounce $0.39
Each additional ounce $0.24
First-Class Mail Rates Weight not over (ounces) Rate
1*
$0.39
2
0.63
3
0.87
4
1.11
5
1.35
6
1.59
7
1.83
8
2.07
9
2.31
10
2.55
11
2.79
12
3.03
13
3.27
*Over 13 ounces (see Priority Mail).
http://www.usps.com/rates/first-class-mail-rates.htm
To Send The material
I figure that since most editors and agents take their time to read submissions I send the manuscript by media mail. Depending on where it's going and from where I send it, it can be as fast as priority mail. In fact, when sent from the same zip code it arrives that day or the next.
I figure that since most editors and agents take their time to read submissions I send the manuscript by media mail. Depending on where it's going and from where I send it, it can be as fast as priority mail. In fact, when sent from the same zip code it arrives that day or the next.
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