Putting Together a Hard Copy Manuscript Submission

Everything sounds right. I used to use manuscript boxes, but now I just use the boxes they have at the post office. Depending on urgency, I just send first class or priority.

Is the format of your electronic submission similar to the standard font and double-space format normal for hard-copy manuscripts?

caw

Forget the bubble wrap and manuscript box. I've seen a number of agents who dislike them immensely, because they just pile up, either in the trash or the recycling bin.

A 400-page manuscript should fit in the tyvek priority mail envelopes generally or a similarly sized manila envelope (except I worry that the paper ones wouldn't survive the careful handling they get en route). I haven't sent a paper manuscript in a while, but whenever I send things in the tyvek envelope, I like to tape the corners and back seam with packing tape, so the edges don't get caught in the sorting equipment at the post office, something I learned when I did seasonal work at a post office hub that sorted priority mail. You can also fold over the corners of the tyvek envelope, sort of like you were wrapping a christmas package, and tape it to fit the manuscript securely, so it's less likely to wobble around inside the envelope.

Besides the packaging -- does the agent want a synopsis?

JanDarby said:

whenever I send things in the tyvek envelope, I like to tape the corners and back seam with packing tape, so the edges don't get caught in the sorting equipment at the post office, something I learned when I did seasonal work at a post office hub that sorted priority mail.

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As a minor digression, some years ago I had two copies of a major large technical report from my scientific consulting business sent to different clients in Texas. These were novel-sized packages, with many expensive foldout color-printed diagrams, and the entire thing represented financially about 1/4 of my annual income. I packaged them much as you have just described, which should always be sufficient.

In this case, not so much. The clients never got them. Some weeks later one called to complain. I began to sleuth, and discovered that they had been damaged almost beyond recognition on a conveyor belt accident. Except that both the client address and the return address (mine) remained clearly visible on both. No one contacted either me or the clients.

After I had ferreted all this out, I got the shredded packages back, which were obviously useless, and had to reproduce the reports in their entirety, which cost me something on the order of $1000. The mail service involved was utterly unrepentant, refusing any sort of refund, even for the payment for their service. And I had to compose drippingly apologetic letters to the irritated clients for the tardiness in receiving their reports.

It wasn't the U.S. Postal Service. Take out the first "S" in the "USPS" and think of shit-brown trucks instead of red-white-and-blue ones, and you'll understand. I have never used this corporation's services since, and never will until after the sun gets big and red and fries the Earth, now that we've eliminated the Mayan apocalypse as a possibility. I have also convinced my major business partner never to use them, and many other friends. I figure now I've got my $1000 back.

It ain't enough.

caw