To email or not to email

Shady Lane · Sep 25, 2007

(To anyone going "Jesus Christ, Shady's obsessed with Hamlet": IknowIknowIknowIknowIknow.)

Anyway.

About three weeks ago I got a partial request via email from an agent who wanted me to send the material hard copy. Since I was iffy on postage and too lazy to hitch a ride to the library, I basically stamped the hell out of the envelope and included a note asking the agent if she could please email me when the package arrived.

Just realized I never got that email.

Should I send her a follow-up email to make sure she recieved the partial? Wait a little longer? Not follow-up email at all?

talps · Sep 25, 2007

Unfortunately, I have yet to have an agent respond to my request that he/she drop me an email confirming a full/partial arrived. However, my 100% rate of replies to partials and fulls tells me that they have always arrived. Though I'm convinced that the postal folk pilfered some of the pages, 'cause how could they ever reject such a piece?!

In the writer's imagination, the partial sits in the shack of a part-time criminal who has carjacked a mail truck.

Mercifully, in that real realm, the partial is most likely on the agent's desk.

If there was no exclusivity granted, I think you should keep the faith and wait as long as you can without losing sleep.

Then, wait another two sleepless weeks.

And on the upside, your envelope wasn't returned with insufficient postage, right?

johnzakour · Sep 26, 2007

Shady Lane said:
(To anyone going "Jesus Christ, Shady's obsessed with Hamlet": IknowIknowIknowIknowIknow.)

Oh that's where that's from!

About three weeks ago I got a partial request via email from an agent who wanted me to send the material hard copy. Since I was iffy on postage and too lazy to hitch a ride to the library, I basically stamped the hell out of the envelope and included a note asking the agent if she could please email me when the package arrived.

I've actually done the same thing with packages.

Drop the agent an email. It's can't hurt. If they don't respond you can most likely rack it up as a rejection.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 26, 2007

Wouldn't it have been better to have requested a receipt for delivery of the package?

Shady Lane · Sep 26, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
Wouldn't it have been better to have requested a receipt for delivery of the package?

Ya, but that would have involved going to the post office. I just shoved it in my mailbox.

So one for, one against so far?

nevada · Sep 26, 2007

what i don't get is that an agent calls you for a full, everyone's dream, and you can't be bothered to go to the post office? Or at least look on line for approximate weight? How bad do you want this? I wouldnt bother the agent at this point. If you don't hear back from her in twice the response time, then you can follow up.

ChaosTitan · Sep 26, 2007

It's likely that the partial was accepted and logged in by the agent's assistant, who probably had no knowledge of the "please email me" message you sent to the agent.

My advice: next time someone wants material, go to the post office and have it posted correctly. Laziness is a terrible excuse. Also, if you want to know your material has arrived, drop in a self-addressed, stamped post card. It's more convenient for the asistant/agent to drop that card into their Outgoing mail than to email you.

johnzakour · Sep 26, 2007

ChaosTitan said:
My advice: next time someone wants material, go to the post office and have it posted correctly. Laziness is a terrible excuse. Also, if you want to know your material has arrived, drop in a self-addressed, stamped post card. It's more convenient for the asistant/agent to drop that card into their Outgoing mail than to email you.

The other option is you can go to walmart and buy a scale which would help in determining the proper postage.

But I am one to talk, like I said, I use to load a package up with postage just so I could avoid standing in line in the post office (or buying a scale). Then one day I got married and my wife said, "Are you crazy? Wasting all those stamps on postage! Take it and have proper postage put on it!!" Soon after that I started selling stories. I doubt there's a correlation though. (Before you judge please note I wasn't lazy I just figured my time was better spent writing than standing in line.)

As for the emailing, I don't think it's out of place but I've only dealt with one agent my entire life.

Hey it all worked out okay for me.

Prawn · Sep 26, 2007

Next time, go the post office, find outthe postage for ten pages, fifty, and the full. That way you will know how many stamps you need to put on. Did it have your return address on it? Then it would come back to you if there wasn't enough postage on it. I wouldn't worry.

Azraelsbane · Sep 26, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
Wouldn't it have been better to have requested a receipt for delivery of the package?

I've heard that you shouldn't do this when sending stuff to an agent, because then they have to sign for it/get annoyed. I could have gotten some bad info though, so don't crucify me if I'm wrong.

Also, I'm not sure if just return receipt constitutes a signing. So I could be wrong on that as well.

NiennaC · Sep 26, 2007

Azraelsbane said:
I've heard that you shouldn't do this when sending stuff to an agent, because then they have to sign for it/get annoyed. I could have gotten some bad info though, so don't crucify me if I'm wrong. Also, I'm not sure if just return receipt constitutes a signing. So I could be wrong on that as well.

I heard that somewhere, too. Though, I've also heard you CAN ask for a receipt. So who knows. :Shrug:

lostgirl · Sep 26, 2007

Shady... I HEART Hamlet you can quote it anytime you want to.

You know it had to have gotten where it was going because it would have been returned to you if it didn't have enough postage.. The post office doesn't mail it otherwise

When I send out partials and fulls via snail mail I always do it with a tracking number. The agent doesn't have to sign for it (which they DO hate) and then you know where it is at all times and you don't have to bother them either.

HOpe that helps..

My advice would be like previous posters, to just wait a couple of months and then send a follow up e-mail.

Ava Jarvis · Sep 26, 2007

Another vote for the post office (go at some early time ... or just deal), and a second for getting delivery confirmation -- which does not involve the agent signing at the other end, and will tell you online if the thing got delivered or not.

Research about the post office, like you would research anything else. There's ways to do online postage as well, given that you have a scale to weigh things on, which also gives you free delivery confirmation.

ORION · Sep 26, 2007

I used a mail center - much less crowded - and always sent fed ex with tracking and no signature required (I always cleared it with the agent by email ahead of time as I am from Hawaii) If it needed to go into a mail box I sent it flat rate priority mail envelope (again with no signature) and got the tracking number. I can't for the life of me understand when there is this much at stake that people don't see the use of spending the money and showing they care about their submission- I'm not being harsh- When you get an agent you will be doing LOTS via email and Fed Ex. When your book sells and you work with a publisher you will be working even MORE with Fed Ex and expedited mailing.
Putting insufficient postage only means the possibility of the submission languishing at the post office forever - don't depend on the fact you will get it back- especially if the return address is rendered unreadable.

Shady Lane · Sep 26, 2007

Okay okay okay. I'll explain my post office thing.

I don't have my driver's license yet. Just my learner's permit. So I would have to ask my parents to take me to the post office, and I'm just very squeamy about asking them to help me with anything that has to do with my writing. It's partly pride--I don't want anyone thinking I'm some Christopher Paolini that got hand-holds from my parents--and partly embarrasment. Ever since my book came out, whenever anyone in my family talks about it I get so embarrased you'd think they're discussing the details of my naked body.

goatprincess · Sep 26, 2007

I also vote for waiting a while and not sending an email until you would normally send a status inquiry, at least two weeks after the agent's stated maximum response time. The waiting may suck, but this is the safe way to go.

johnzakour · Sep 26, 2007

Shady Lane said:
Okay okay okay. I'll explain my post office thing.

I don't have my driver's license yet. Just my learner's permit. So I would have to ask my parents to take me to the post office, and I'm just very squeamy about asking them to help me with anything that has to do with my writing. It's partly pride--I don't want anyone thinking I'm some Christopher Paolini that got hand-holds from my parents--and partly embarrasment. Ever since my book came out, whenever anyone in my family talks about it I get so embarrased you'd think they're discussing the details of my naked body.

Okay, 1) the Paolini thing, unless your parents own a publishing company I think you're pretty safe on that one. Especially since your parents are just driving you to the post office. They don't even have to go in. I can hear the whispers now, "ah that Shady she only made it to the top because her parents can drive!" ;-)

Okay 2) the embarrassed thing, if you get embarrassed now what's going to happen when you sell a book to a bigger publisher who gets your books in stores all across the country? You gotta get over that. Yes it can be a bit daunting when you walk into book stores and see your books lining the shelves, but it's daunting in a good way.

As for the email or don't email thing. I don't think it matters either way, you can pretty much bet it got there. (In 20 years of writing and sending hundred of packages to my publishers and agent I've never had one get lost.) It might give you a chance to break the ice with the agent. It probably won't though. I doubt he or she would "bag you" though just for being anxious.

Jz

PS: back in my day...they had these things called, "bikes".

David I · Sep 26, 2007

1) Wait, wait, and then wait some more. It is very doubtful than anyone loked at your note inside--or cared.

2) Flat Rate Priority Mail in big Flat rate envelopes for partials.

3) For full manuscripts, you'll probably have to go to the post office. You can't mail things with stamps any more if they weigh over a pound. If you send something over a pound with stamps, it may well get confiscated.

4) Don't mix up Delivery Confirmation with registered mail or any of the other options. Delivery Confirmation costs less than 50 cents, and allows you to confirm that the delivery took place, but it requires no signature and no interaction with the recipient. Delivery Confirmation = Good. Any kind of signature = Bad. Very Bad.

Patience is a virtue, and three weeks is nothing to an agent. Unless the agent is kept waiting that long, in which case it is a felony.

Shady Lane · Sep 26, 2007

Okay. I'll wait. No problem.

Thanks for all the help, guys.

wayndom · Sep 26, 2007

Shady Lane said:
Since I was iffy on postage and too lazy to hitch a ride to the library, I basically stamped the hell out of the envelope

You may be a victim of post-9/11 security.

I read just recently that there's a new rule at the post office: any package more than one pound has to be handed to a postal clerk in person.

Also, I recall from several posters in post offices that a package with lots of stamps on it is a warning sign that it may be a bomb or other evil thing (like anthrax).

I'd talk to my local post master first thing.

laffarsmith · Sep 27, 2007

johnzakour said:
(Before you judge please note I wasn't lazy I just figured my time was better spent writing than standing in line.)

*shakes head sadly* And YOU call yourself a writer! Standing in line at the post office is the perfect time to get a few pages written. That's what notepads are for. If you run out of ink or paper you're in the perfect place to get more. ;-)

To email or not to email

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

talps

It's all happening...

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

nevada

ChaosTitan

Around

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

Azraelsbane

Agony is defeat

NiennaC

lostgirl

Always Watching

Ava Jarvis

Too stupid to know fear

ORION

Sailed away years ago

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

goatprincess

untitled

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

David I

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

wayndom

laffarsmith