So I'm about to send out my partial. For the SASE, do I just put my address, or do I put the agent's address as the return address as well?
Trying not to make any glaring mistakes!
Trying not to make any glaring mistakes!
SASE - really quick question
- Thread starter AndreaGS
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 39,309
- Reaction score
- 17,513
- Location
- Non carborundum illegitimi
- Website
- www.aliceloweecey.net
- Joined
- May 3, 2007
- Messages
- 1,638
- Reaction score
- 364
- Location
- California
- Website
- www.erinrichards.com
The idea of a return address is to give the Post Office somewhere to send the letter if the main address turns out to be wrong or outdated.
Presuming my own address is still the place where I live, I put it in both places on my SASE's, in case the PO gets confused (it's been known to happen).
To the best of my knowledge, no agent has ever turned me down because of the address on my SASE. (I can't imagine that they would even give the SASE address a glance.)
Of course, putting the agent's addy in the return address space would serve one purpose -- it would tell you immediately who's turning you down, without any need to open the envelope.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but the only time agents use the SASE is to turn down the work in question. When they want to represent your work, they'll call you on the phone (or maybe email you). They're not going to risk losing you to another agent by offering representation via snail-mail.
Presuming my own address is still the place where I live, I put it in both places on my SASE's, in case the PO gets confused (it's been known to happen).
To the best of my knowledge, no agent has ever turned me down because of the address on my SASE. (I can't imagine that they would even give the SASE address a glance.)
Of course, putting the agent's addy in the return address space would serve one purpose -- it would tell you immediately who's turning you down, without any need to open the envelope.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but the only time agents use the SASE is to turn down the work in question. When they want to represent your work, they'll call you on the phone (or maybe email you). They're not going to risk losing you to another agent by offering representation via snail-mail.
I'm correcting you.
I e-queried an agent who requested a partial via snail mail. I sent it off with a cover letter and a SASE. Two weeks ago, my SASE came back with my original cover letter inside it, with the words SEND FULL MS scrawled at the bottom. The agent also included a note saying she loved the ms so far and looked forward to reading the rest.
Not representation, no, but still good news in a SASE.
I'm correcting you.
I e-queried an agent who requested a partial via snail mail. I sent it off with a cover letter and a SASE. Two weeks ago, my SASE came back with my original cover letter inside it, with the words SEND FULL MS scrawled at the bottom. The agent also included a note saying she loved the ms so far and looked forward to reading the rest.
Not representation, no, but still good news in a SASE.
Wow! Given that she requested the partial and the full by snail-mail, I'm surprised she accepts email queries!
I'm glad I qualified my answer with "correct me..." I've sent out countless snail-mail queries (I'm convinced they get more attention than emails), gotten many partial requests, some full requests, and got a novel published in six countries, but I've never gotten anything but "no thanks" via my many SASE's.
Just goes to show...
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,996
- Reaction score
- 348
- Location
- Hawaii
- Website
- patriciawoodauthor.com
on my SASE I actually put the return address of the agent so I could keep track of the query responses. Many of the rejection notes I got did not identify the agent...
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2006
- Messages
- 4,527
- Reaction score
- 1,182
- Location
- Ottawa, Canada and Spring City, PA
- Website
- janetursel.com
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2005
- Messages
- 16,339
- Reaction score
- 4,111
- Location
- East O' The Sun & West O' The Moon
- Website
- www.jlevitt.com
I put my address in both places. That way, if there's insufficient postage, I still get it. It's only proper that I should have to pay the extra postage afterall, especially since if I didn't, I wouldn't get it back.
In order to know who is returning it before I open it, I often write "RE: Agent Name" underneath the address on the outside of the envelope.
In order to know who is returning it before I open it, I often write "RE: Agent Name" underneath the address on the outside of the envelope.
My recent experience, mostly, is that it doesn't matter. You could put fifty dollars of postage on the damn thing, and you'd be lucky to get it back anyway.
caw
I should add that I do the same thing with any SASE I send out -- short story, poetry, magazine query, novel. For the most part, I don't have a problem with responses. I'm not going to say I never have non-responders, but usually, I get a response of some sort.
Yes, I did this too. Or at least put some sort of code on the SASE that tells you which company/agent it went to.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2006
- Messages
- 526
- Reaction score
- 89
- Location
- So Oregon Coast looking at the ocean
- Website
- capearagopress.com
I always put the agency's name in the return address section...somehow it sems more businesslike.
As for snail mail replies. I had the same experience. Got a SASE back and thought, "Oh well, another rejection. When I opened it I found a hand written note on my query letter requesting a full. Got another SASE back with another handwritten note complementing my storytelling ability and requesting revisions. Still waiting for the next reply...hoping for a phone call this time.
As for snail mail replies. I had the same experience. Got a SASE back and thought, "Oh well, another rejection. When I opened it I found a hand written note on my query letter requesting a full. Got another SASE back with another handwritten note complementing my storytelling ability and requesting revisions. Still waiting for the next reply...hoping for a phone call this time.
- Status